With  new lambs in the fields and daffodils beginning to bloom it feels like spring is creeping in the front door.  So it seems like a good time to move Ramyshome's journey on to the next season.  Read our further musings by clicking SPRING 2007 at the bottom of this page

Sunday, 25th February 2007 (2974 miles, 1973 locks).  At Stanley Ferry on the Aire & Calder Navigation.  The Huddersfield Broad Canal is so named because its locks are broad, i.e. at 15 feet wide they can accommodate two narrow boats side by side.  By the same yardstick it could be called the Huddersfield Short Canal as officially the locks here, like those of the Calder & Hebble Navigation, are only long enough to accept a boat of less than 58 feet.  Ramyshome is 57 feet but with a button fender at the bow protruding perhaps 4 inches and the rudder about 6 inches off the stern the phrase "tight fit" couldn't be more true. To get her through the locks she must be angled across, nose up against the lower lock gate whilst she descends, carefully avoiding catching the stern on the upper cill, then opening the other lower gate before pulling her across the lock so she can sail out.  It's a slow process but adds interest to what is otherwise a rather dull and rubbish strewn canal.  We stayed in Huddersfield until Thursday moored in the little Marina which proved welcoming, useful for boating bits, coal & diesel and just a few steps away from the town centre passed Sainsburys.  It also had a resident computer man who was able to fix our technology problem after long conversations with helpdesks at Orange & Tiscali had failed to find the answer.  Thanks Geoff. (Emailing services will resume in about 10 days time.)  We were also able to catch up with Tony & Val again and fellow boaters, Michael & Jenny Chadwick who motored over from Rochdale to lunch at another local pub.  Michael is about to undergo major heart surgery so we wish him well and look forward to seeing them both as we come through Rochdale in May.  Having suffered with lack of water in Manchester we now have a little too much.  Arriving at the junction with the River Calder only the red, danger, mark was visible but with the engine working hard we made it the few yards up stream and across into the shelter of the navigable cut.  By morning a little amber, proceed with caution, was visible and so we dropped down another mile to Battyeford Lock to find red again.  By Saturday morning, with hardly any overnight rain, things were improving and we sailed on without mishap to find pleasant, secluded moorings just a mile or south of Dewsbury.  And we saw other boats moving, the first time since we arrived in Yorkshire.  This is definitely the less attractive part of the Calder Hebble but not as grim as we had expected and between Dewsbury and Wakefield there is some greenery which may look quite pleasant when we return in the spring.  For now we are hurrying on to Leeds to avoid getting caught by rising river levels.                    

Sunday, 18th February 2007 (2954 miles, 1950 locks).  At Huddersfield on the Huddersfield Broad Canal.  How many people does it take to get a boat over the Huddersfield Narrow Canal summit?  For us the answer is 12 - 2 crew and 10 BW employees.  Having walked up the flight of nine locks to the tunnel entrance at Diggle we spend the rest of Tuesday preparing Ramyshome for her journey through Standedge Tunnel; fenders are untied and stowed, navigation lights removed, the roof cleared of planters, storage box and contents and water tank topped up so she sits as low as possible in the water.  Just after 8:00 next morning BW staff 1 & 2 arrive to unlock the paddle gear and before 8:30 we enter Lock 24W and make steady progress up the flight.  However at Lock 31W the bottom gate won't open far enough to let Ramyshome in.  A call to BW and soon BW 3 & 4 arrive to inspect the situation.  After returning to their depot for a long rake they eventually pull out a large stone and the gate swings fully open.  It's midday when we finally reach the top and waiting for us are BW staff 5 - 9.  The Tunnel was built to accommodate the old working boats with their inverted V-shaped sides whereas modern boats are closer to an inverted U so first Ramyshome has to be measured to ensure she will fit.  Heavy rubber mats are placed over the roof and down the sides as protection should she make contact with the tunnel sides.  A floating rubber bumper is then attached to her bows and finally she is cross-strapped to the tug.  We are escorted to the electric passenger boat that will pull the whole convoy and we head into the darkness wearing our hard hats, Fred driving, Terry our guide and safety man, BW 7 sitting on the tug and BW 8 at Ramyshome's stern trying to fend her off the tunnel walls.  BW 9?  Pete drives his van through one of the disused railway tunnels linked by cross passages to the canal tunnel.  Every half mile or so he walks through one of the passages to check on our progress, making sure nobody has fallen in and got left behind.  Standedge Tunnel is over 3 miles long but just 7 feet wide.  Height varies between about 6 feet and perhaps 20 feet in places and there are several bends for Fred to negotiate.  The longest canal tunnel in the UK, it is also the highest at 645 feet but incredibly at its deepest point there is another 670 feet above us.  Initially brick or stone lined we soon arrive at the first section of bare rock and there are some fabulous strata and shapes caught in the headlights.  Almost 2 1/2 hours later we emerge into bright sunlight to moor for the first time in Yorkshire.  There is time for us to explore Marsden but although we would have liked to stay longer BW requires us to move on the next day to clear a lock they are waiting to repair.  Fred & Pete help us down the first 11 locks but at number 10 the gates won't open and BW 10 has to drive down from the Tunnel with another long rake to clear more debris.  At lunchtime we meet Tony & Val Lockwood whom we first met aboard their boat Eva as we all headed down to Stratford-upon-Avon back in June 2005.  They live just up the hill from this canal and drive us into Huddersfield to inspect the moorings and lunch in the waterside pub.  The Colne Valley landscape is very northern, the stone houses and mills with their blackened faces giving it all a stark but attractive air.  By Friday we reach Slaithwaite (we all know it's pronounced Slawit, don't we), useful facilities, good moorings and this afternoon we slip under another low bridge into Aspley Basin close by Huddersfield town centre.  In 8 days we have motored 18 miles, passed through 74 locks and been towed 3 miles deep underground.  Huddersfield Narrow is hard work, not for the faint hearted or those who fret about occasional scratched paintwork but it is a canal that rewards the effort and a unique experience awaits the intrepid traveller.  Like Arnie, we shall be back.                         

Sunday, 4th February 2007 (2925 miles, 1849 locks).  At Castlefield Basin, Manchester on the Bridgewater Canal.  We have been to Worsley twice this week; once was not enough to pay homage at the birthplace of the Canal Age and to its visionary the Duke of Bridgewater.  It was he who saw worth in the ideas of the lad from Buxton, James Brindley, how canals could speed the carriage of goods and so feed the new Industrial Revolution.  Not in his wildest dreams would the Duke have foreseen people living afloat travelling the canals just for the pleasure of it but almost 250 years on here we are.  Worsley remains a jewel, the black and white Packet House still outstanding, the 'Royal' boathouse and most of the eighteenth and nineteenth century buildings looking good even on a foggy day.  There were facilities for boaters and quiet moorings even on Friday & Saturday nights.  Here we welcomed aboard Ernest & Pat Thorpe, parents of Chris, our daughter Heather's partner.  It was good to see them and Pat seemed to enjoy re-visiting the area she knew as a child.   Sadly this stretch of the Bridgewater failed to live up to its historical reputation.  Slipping into the urban landscape our senses where immediately under attack.  First it was strange industrial smells but then it was rubbish.  Plastic, paper and metals coating the banks before also sliding into the water itself.  Some of the worst offenders appear to be the lorry drivers at the Freightliner Terminal and the Manchester United supporters who seem happy to throw their food and drink receptacles over the fence and into the canal.  We accept the urban scene will be framed by rubbish but this was about as bad as we had seen on our travels.  Castlefield Basin is a place we know well having spent many a weekend here back in the early nineties.  Unlike Gas Street, Birmingham it is a long step away from the City Centre and unlike Birmingham it has an air of new decay.  Two of the new pubs have already closed and we hear rumours the Barca will soon follow.  The boats are gone from Potato Wharf replaced by big signs saying "No Mooring Here", the old boatyard under the railway arches fenced in and ugly.  There are hundreds more flats but, even on a sunny Sunday afternoon far fewer people.  However it provided a secure base to explore a little of Cottonopolis, dine with Andrew Trasler & partner Kate at their flat, partake of soup and bread brought by Barbara & Jim Thornely and take the train to Disley (30 days out, 30 minutes back) for a re-union dinner with Roger's former work colleagues, Deborah Cowsill, Alistair Grant, Paul Hesp and Helen Cullen with husband Mike in tow!  An annual event now??  Another grand event occurred as we came back to Castlefield today.  The Bridgewater crosses the Manchester Ship Canal on an aqueduct that swings.  With fewer boats sailing the Ship Canal the bridge doesn't swing so often these days and we have never seen it moving until today when our water road was blocked off.  45 minutes later the bridge was swinging and a ship sailed by.  Held up by a ship - another first.  

Sunday, 21st January 2007 (2868 miles, 1848 locks).  At Dutton Hollow, almost the northern end of the Trent & Mersey.  We are pleased to report that Ramyshome is still afloat having survived the storm that has done so much damage this week.  We were fortunate to find a fairly sheltered spot - where else but in a forest.  Well actually on the edge of Marbury Woods but the signs all say it is part of the Mersey Forest.  The trees gave us some protection deflecting the strongest winds, our only concern would one of them fall on us.  We did watch a silver birch come down and several others had fallen close by but none near enough to worry us.     We came back into Middlewich on Monday ready to re-start our journey.  The rain kept us tied up on Tuesday but on Wednesday, under clear blue skies we headed north descending the 5 locks that take the canal round the town.  Once again we were given a present on our departure, this time it looked like a pair of jogging trousers that had wrapped themselves around our propeller.  The water sure is cold at this time of year!  The journey to Anderton is a strange mixture.  Initially fairly ordinary countryside, soon the canal opens out where subsidence has created two lakes known locally as flashes.  The second, Billings Green Flash is very wide and contained old working boats deliberately sunk there when the haulage trade came to end.  A pleasant summer mooring.  Another mile and we are sailing through the huge industrial complex of Brunner Mond chemical works with its pipework spaghetti.  More modern factory units and Northwich Victoria Football Club's ground follow before we reach the Lion Salt Works.  Until 1986 salt was produced here by evaporating brine in open pans but it is a sad sight now.  A few years ago the Works was a contestant in the BBC T.V. programme "Restoration" but failed to make it beyond the regional heat and so still waits for funding to repair what time and brine are rotting away.  Beyond we come to Marbury Country Park with its network of paths leading to Anderton and along the River Weaver to Northwich town centre.  It is a pleasant spot even on windy January days, paths strewn with wooden debris after the gales but we preferred it in the summer sun when we were here 20 months ago.  Then our journey to Preston Brook was shared with all the boats heading to the IWA Show.  Today it is a little quieter with just a handful of boats on the move.  And the storm has finally blown through.  Now snow and freezing temperatures are forecast and there may be no hiding from them.                          

Sunday, 14th January 2007 (2846 miles, 1842 locks).  Near Church Minshull on the Middlewich Arm of the Shropshire Union.   It's been a windy week with Ramyshome rocking and rolling in the gales on several nights but with temperatures still very high no ice to block our way.  This week our "way" has been a little diversion to Nantwich along the Middlewich Arm of the Shropshire Union Canal.  The Arm is a ten mile link between the Trent & Mersey Canal at Middlewich and the main line of the Shroppie at Barbridge; thoroughly rural, it crosses the fields of the Cheshire Plain and apart from the village of Church Minshull barely a handful of houses to be seen from the water.  At this time of year those fields are empty save for the crows and canada geese, the cattle presumably tucked away in the warmth of the huge farm sheds continuing to make the milk for the famous Cheshire cheese.  On a sunny day like today it is a beautiful, pastoral scene.    For some reason we have never dallied with Nantwich before.  We have passed through many times, often making an overnight stop and occasionally venturing as far as the first shops but never really exploring.  So this time we ventured a little further and were most impressed with what we discovered.  We already knew the various and attractive buildings to be found along Welsh Row that leads from the canal to the town centre; a terrace of old almshouses, a converted Victorian (?) school, several old coaching inns with tall passages to accommodated the old mail coaches and lots of modernised but still charming terraced cottages.   However in the town centre we found several more narrow streets of black & white timbered buildings housing numerous independent and obviously thriving small retailers.  Another pleasure was meeting up with Graham & Hazel Barnes who came a calling on Friday.  Hazel & Maureen used to work together and Graham is one of those practical guys who can turn his hand to almost anything building wise including creating a beautiful home for the two of them on the edge of the Derbyshire Peak out of a very dilapidated old barn.  Having completed that, three years ago they ran away to Scotland and converted two outhouses into beautiful self catering cottages near Newton Stewart in Galloway.{ www.duddingstonelodge.co.uk }.  We have not seen them for quite a while so it was good to catch up with them and all their news.  On Saturday we moored at the foot of Hurleston Locks where some 16 months ago we climbed up and away to Llangollen but memories of that were almost blown away by more gusting winds.  Finally today the wind has died, the sun has shone in a clear blue sky and we have passed through Barbridge Junction for the seventh time since we started this adventure.  Well it is a nice part of the world.                  

Sunday, 7th January 2007 (2826 miles, 1837 locks).   At Middlewich, above Wardle Lock on the Middlewich Arm. A very happy and prosperous New Year, especially to you.  A small problem with our internet connection has kept us off the "airways" since Christmas but since 2007 began we have certainly been moving on the waterways.  As 2006 slipped towards its end our social whirl climbed to a crescendo - can whirls crescendo?  Boxing day morning Barbara & Jim Thornely were back again bringing with them daughter Lois and partner Tom before we headed off to Marple (on four wheels) to catch up with Roger's parents and sister. Maureen's parents jumped ship in the early hours of the 27th to fly home to France and in the evening we dined with Roger's parents and the Makin & Gatley gangs.  Good food, good company and a supercilious feeling after a 30 minute, midnight walk back from the hostelry on the far side of New Mills.  Thursday, Helen & Alan Thompson came to see us again bringing champagne for a real Bucks Fizz so it was only right we should give them a little sail into Bugsworth Basin and back to Furness Vale.  A very pleasant day in good weather.  A quiet, damp Friday day was followed by an excellent evening dinner at the home of Sue & Rob Hancock.  Our first return to Chapel-en-le-Frith for a year; little appears to have changed in the town but we didn't get to see our house.  Saturday we received our cutest visitor to date, a twelve week old Dalmatian puppy who brought her owners Colin & Janette Sykes from Buxton.  They were all well behaved so can come again.  To end the year it was afternoon drinks, cake and a big welcome to the New Mills crowd; Ann & Roger Alison, Dave & Di Clayton, Jane & David Forshaw, Roz & Tim Holmes and Anne & Doug Shields.  Missing were the Bolton's but Cath became our first visitor of 2007 when she walked over from New Mills before we had finished breakfast.  Deserving of a ride back, as we began the next stage of our adventure.  Having caught up with Helen & Alan Makin at Marple, drinks in exchange for mail, we headed on to Poynton on the 2nd where Carol Trasler came to return our clean washing.  What it is to have such kind family and friends, including the good people at Heritage Narrowboats who were able to replace our calorifier pressure valve on Thursday.  Because of this problem we had to rush passed Nb Take Five with just a wave to Dave and a promise to play another canasta game somewhere, sometime soon.  In our dash south to Scholar Green we also missed Nb Snecklifter, Michael & Liz seemingly on "holiday".  Another visit to Tesco's at Kidsgrove and the B.W. laundry facility at Red Bull (we travel from the aqueduct to the junction and down 3 locks whilst the washing machine does its thing) then we are off down Heartbreak Hill.  Tonight we have reached Middlewich but more importantly have cleared the locks which will close tomorrow.  The road ahead is now clear to Manchester and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, unless the ice decides to intervene.  It's good to be on the move again even though it has been great catching up with so many "locals".  Sorry if you were one of the few we missed, you'll just have to come and find us in 2007 as we journey across northern waters.                         

Sunday, 17th December (2756 miles, 1792 locks).  At Furness Vale on the Peak Forest Canal.  7 miles by boat, about 15 miles by car and getting on for 40 miles by train this week.  Such a lot of travelling and of course more socialising.  On Monday it was train & car as we went up to Buxton and on to Monyash for lunch and a pleasant afternoon at the home of Helen & Mike Cullen.  Helen & Roger used to work together and Mike is a demonstration chef, author and now TV "star" so not only did we enjoy catching up with all the news and viewing their lovely, new home but we were also well fed.  On Tuesday Ramyshome's propeller turned again as we sailed on to Bugsworth Basin where Barbara & Jim Thornely joined us for evening drinks and gossip.  Sadly Maureen was sick overnight, not the drink honest.  It is the first time either of us have really been ill during our adventure and, typically, it happens on a day we were due to dine out, with Neil & Susie in Glossop.  Another date to fit into our busy social calendar.  On Thursday Maureen was up to a bit of Tesco shopping so it was round the corner to Whaley Bridge and then back to Furness Vale where  Ramyshome has stayed.  The crew however walked a mile or so into New Mills, our old stomping ground, to do a bit of shopping and catch up with a few locals before, with Roger's sister Helen, we took the train to Manchester to visit the continental markets and see the Christmas lights.  Unfortunately the drizzle that had been falling all day Friday turned to real rain and the lights were mainly hidden by our umbrellas but nevertheless a pleasant trip.  Yesterday it was back on the train to Buxton to finish the pressie shopping, visit Aysha our letting agent and to see some of Roger's former clients (and friends) manning their stalls at the Farmers' Market.  It's always good going back to Buxton for as well as being a nice place we usually manage to bump into someone we know, this time it was Christine & Tony Francis.  And now we are waiting for a visit from Alison Boothby & partner Malcolm, then tonight we are off to a brass band concert at Buxton Opera House.  On reflection it's a good job we have only sailed 7 miles this week.  How would we have fitted everything in if it had been more.        

Sunday, 10th December (2749 miles, 1792 locks).  At Disley on the Peak Forest Canal.    The rain has continued to pour down and the wind continued to blow but at least it is mainly coming from a southerly direction so keeping the temperatures up and no sign of ice.  It will come soon enough!  After our "statutory" two days in Bugsworth we sailed back to Marple, stopping two nights at Disley on the way.  At Marple we once more emptied, filled & re-stocked (loos, water, larder) before, on Thursday, heading back to Disley where we are staying until Tuesday.  Amazingly, despite all the rain we just about managed to avoid getting wet whilst on the move.  The Upper Peak Forest Canal sits on a shelf on the south side of the valley of the River Goyt.  The river flows off the hills west of Buxton, meets the River Sett coming off the Kinder ridge at New Mills and then flows on in a graceful curve to Marple whence it rushes on to Stockport and becomes the Mersey.  With hills rising up on both sides the valley is quite narrow but contains three railway lines, two main roads, river and canal.  As a result there is always something moving even if we aren't.   We came to live in New Mills back in 1976 so we know the area well but in our case familiarity doesn't breed contempt for a very attractive part of the world.  As anticipated, life has become a social whirl.  On Tuesday morning we walked up into Disley and called on friends Roz & Tim Holmes who live in a lovely cottage, part of the Quaker Meeting House which they caretake.  Wednesday evening it was drinks with Roger's sister Helen & husband Alan, Saturday Maureen did ladies' lunch at the home of Carol Trasler in Poynton and in the evening we were whisked along to New Mills to dine with friends at Jane & David Forshaw's home.  On Sunday the Rossington clan came from York again and along with Helen & Alan we took lunch at a local hostelry.  To end the week Colin & Kath Peel came for drinks and a chat in the evening.  They have been living aboard Nb Lady of Hay for about 18 months but as they still work have not had the chance yet to travel very far.  Busy, busy, busy; we already have a lunch appointment on Monday and dinner on Wednesday to look forward to this week.  And there are signs the weather is improving.