Monday 29th April – Day 282
Cruising day today as we make our way to Stoke Bruene and through Blisworth Tunnel ((which Peachy keeps calling Blidworth!)) what an experience this was! We were organised again and the light was ready to go, although we are going to arrange a bit more lighting for the stern, as at one point it was so dark if I didn’t have my phone on, we literally could not see each other it was that dark!
This one is a long tunnel at over 3,000 metres and there are lots of drips, waterfalls and amazing… what I’m going to call tunnel art, where the water dripping/flowing has created stalactites and stalagmites from rainwater dripping through limestone rock ((She thinks! Peachy was going to look this up but doesn’t have time because she’s so busy!)). Along the way, it picks up carbon dioxide, from the air and from any organic matter it passes as it dribbles down, according to the National Park Service. The carbon dioxide reacts with the water to make a weak acid called carbonic acid. How cool is that! ((Peachy has stolen this information from Google so hopefully it’s true!))
We get a reasonably good soaking even with trying to avoid the gushing water coming from above and in some cases, the sides of the tunnel where it’s leaking through. It takes approximately 30 mins to get through and even though we are cold and a little bit damp when we exit, it was an amazing experience to have. We still have a few more to do on the network including Harecastle Tunnel which is called Scarecastle tunnel because they basically close the tunnel after you! ((I will have word – they may never let you out!))
It’s been another interesting day in the canal world and I wonder what other adventures lay ahead! Sadly, I have just another poor signal for working which isn’t helpful when I discover my buy a coffee link isn’t working ((I wondered why people were not buying you coffees!)) so we end up going to the pub ((Oh that’s why – you keep spending it at the pub!)) . Day done.
Cruising: 3 miles / 1 tunnel
London bound totals: Cruising Miles: 107/198 Locks: 112/174 Tunnels: 6
Tuesday 30th April – Day 283
It’s a beautiful day to cruise as the sunshine finally joins us and it’s one of those days when you feel like spring/summer has arrived even if it is a little windy – 25mph at one point but it’s rare to have that perfect day which to me would be about 18-20 degrees with sunshine and a little cloud.
This stretch of the Grand Union Canal is simply stunning as we are higher up in the landscape and can see for miles over the green fields dotted with the bright yellow of the rapeseed fields and lambs running – a quintessentially English scene. ((That’s a big word for you Peachy!))
We are soon at the first lock of the day and the largest group of Gongoozlers we have had so far! ((What are these things??)) people who watch canal boats! I chat with a few of them as they have questions about the life and hiring boats etc. I must admit I was a bit nervous – it’s been a while since I’ve had so many people watching and these are quite heavy gates to open and close and if fact a couple of them help out which is nice and are shocked how heavy the gates are ((Just get your Yorkshire backside against them Peachy – they are no match for it!)) onto the next lock and there is a lockie on helping, we do the next one ourselves and then a mix of boating coming out/going in and lockies we are soon through Stoke Bruene locks – it’s a lovely area and if we’d had a better signal and a shop ((Peachy nearly ran out of milk for those coffee! Can you imagine!)) we might have stayed longer as there is a canal museum but it doesn’t open until Wednesday and we need to get moving but I would imagine we will back here one day to revisit this area.
Past the locks and cruising again we play swap the position ((Excuse me????)) with a heron who moves further in front of us every time the boat gets near it and the first Kite ((bird not something you see on skeggy beach)) we have seen as normally it’s buzzards cruising the skies.
We moor at Cosgrove which is a stunning village and later on have a walk to a holiday park where we can buy milk and then find an old horse tunnel they would have used when the boats were pulled by them. There are some lovely looking pubs as well but we have to be careful of pennies especially as we are on route to London and we have just had to renew our canal licence – which is basically like buying your council tax for the year. Will explain more tomorrow as this is getting rather long!
Cruising: 6 miles
London bound totals: cruising miles 113/198 Locks: 119/174 Tunnels: 6
Wednesday 1st May – Day 284
To continue from yesterday as it’s a no cruising day today: We have changed from a normal Canal and River Trust licence to a gold licence ((Ohhhh get you miss fancy pants!)) this means we have permission to go on some of the rivers in the south as the only other way is to get individual licences, which means you have less time on them and we don’t want to rush ((God forbid!)) the only problem with this is that it runs from now until the end of the year so paying for our normal licence which will be a bit of a shocker on 1st January to pay around £1,500 ((better put a request into Santa now!))
Back to the morning and in a bid to try and get my eyes working again I decide not to tackle the laptop first thing and so we head out for a lovely morning walk up the Northampton arm of the canal. They are in the midst of restoring it and it’s beautiful. Stunning countryside and so much wildlife – this will be amazing to cruise once it’s fully open again.
Once back to the boat I’m on my laptop on the stern and I’m watched by every duck, ducking, goose and moorhen to see if I’m going to throw them any food! I really need to buy some floating bird food as the only food I have for them is the pellet type ones which are fine on the top path, but just sink in the water and we don’t like to give them bread.
I’ve got a meeting with my editor tomorrow to discuss the Jersey book ((About time Peachy!)) so another job to add to the list. May is going to be a busy month as the workload increases for the final push for Newark Book Festival, editing my book which I need to find the head space to remember the story ((No HOPE!!)) and keep up with blogging and vlogging but since i also enjoy some amazing countryside along the way i’m not moaning! ((That will be a first!)) In the afternoon we go for anothrer walk to take a break from the screen, to an amazing Iron Trough bridge with another horse tunnel underneath. Then I relaxed on the stern watching some tv as the sunsets. Beautiful. Day Done.
Thursday 2nd May – Day 285
((Right, I’m taking over today. In the real world Peachy is updating this blog in between doing locks. Although to be fair she is mainly lazing about sunbathing on the locks! Makes out she’s, oh so busy! Yeah, right. We know the truth don’t we?
Today being the 2nd May in blog world, Peachy did some cruising, blah, blah, blah and then she had a meeting with her editor about her Jersey mystery book – that’s going to take some fixing. Peachy thinks 3 days at it next week will do it – forgive me whilst I roll around laughing!
What else, oh yeah so Peachy has left me to share the bad news or very good news depending on how you look at it. On the 31st May the blogs will stop – for now! To be fair Peachy has waffled on for what feels like years so I’m ready for a break from her – I never signed up to this kind of work load.
So, why is it stopping I hear you cry with delight – because June and July will be ‘busy’ insert eye roll – you must all be experts by now. Peachy has to finish the canal book, edit it and get it ready for editing mid July. There is the book festival to attend and the final prep for that. They will be in London and planning to do the Thames, so again, a lot to think about as well as hopefully the Jersey book being published. Also, the vlogs will keep coming. Actually, I take it back, she does have a lot on for once.
Peachy will try to add some updates to her Patreon page – don’t worry you can sign up for free. Peachy isn’t trying to take your cash but there might be detailed ones for paying Patreons. I’m sure she will let you know when the books are out just in case you’re struggling to sleep and need some new reading material.
In real life it will probably be about mid-June when they stop just before Peachy’s birthday. Right, that’s me done. Tell you what, it’s not easy this blogging malarkey. I’m off for a power nap))
((Here is the Patreon link where you can sign up for free!))
Cruising: 5 miles
London bound totals: cruising miles 118/198 Locks: 119/174 Tunnels: 6
Friday 3rd May – Day 286
The promised rain arrived at about 4am this morning and as the rain battered the roof it was one of those downpours which just when you think it cannot get any heavier, it does. I got up in the end to check for leaks – as you will know if you’ve been reading this adventure ((You deserve a medal!)) we have suffered many leaks; especially from the duck hatch but hurrah, there is nothing so it’s back in bed and try and get some sleep.
I really want to have a few days off as it’s Chris’s birthday this weekend so I crack on with the blogs, vlogs and book festival works once i get up and other than sneaking in a bit of a walk around the lovely local park, I don’t switch off my laptop until 8pm! My eyes were well and truly achy and sore, so it’s an early night as tomorrow we are off to pick up our hire car in Milton Keynes. Day Done. Until tomorrow. x
Saturday 4th May – Day 287
It’s up early and we leave the boat about 8am to wander to the car hire company. Milton Keynes really is a beautiful green area. The main shopping area isn’t for me as it seems a bit soleless, but each to their own. The surrounding green areas certainly make up for it.
By 9am we are on the road. It always feels strange to have a car, we don’t really miss having a car and a couple of days is just enough. We drive to Newark to have a birthday lunch with Chris’s folks which is really nice catch up and food. Whilst we were there one of their neighbours who watches our vlogs left us some coffee and money for more coffee! ((What? Oh God, you’re going to be insufferable now. Especially as you were ‘recognised’ the other day as well and people keep complimenting you on your boat! It’s a good job these blogs are stopping soon!)) it was very kind and we were really touched by the gesture. It gives us a little hope that maybe we might actually make this new adventure work. If we don’t get enough subscribers by Christmas then I think we will probably have to stop the vlogs as I cannot justify 20-30 hours it takes to create each one each week if it’s not financially viable. ((I’m sure YouTube are shaking in their boots that their profits will plummet!))
Meal done, we drive to Derby so Chris’s can visit some of his friends and I visit mine and my friend very kindly dyes and cuts my hair for me. I cannot dye it on the boat as I don’t want the chemicals to go into the water. ((Oh I wish I’d have known. I would have paid her to dye it green like Grotbags!)) I used to love watching Grotbags! Socialising done. it’s back to the boat we enjoy a few drinks on the stern and day done. Until tomorrow. x
Sunday 5th May – Day 288
It’s Chris’s birthday today and so I treat him by making a veggie brekkie ((Are you sure that’s a treat… you’re cooking and all that!)) and then we set off for a car cruise as it’s a perfect day – blue skies with a smattering of clouds and about 19 degrees. Wonderful.
We visit some lovely areas as we cruise around making the most of having a car. It’s a quick trip to the pub for a celebration birthday drink. We decide not to go out for a meal as we enjoyed a nice meal out yesterday and with the cost of eating now even for something simple working out at about £50, we decide to use that towards the fuel and return to the boat and I make us some homemade pizzas ((Poor Chris are you trying to finish him off on his birthday)) then its onto the stern with a drink because why spend money going out when we already have the perfect view and location.
Day done. Week done. The next two weeks are going to busy in a nice way as I need to get my Jersey book edited and sent back to my publisher so we are on track to publish in June ((Leaving it a bit late Peachy and i’ve already told everyone this!)) I know, but hey ho that’s how some things work. I also need to get as much as my freelance work done as possible as I want a proper week off ((A week off?? From what exaclty!)) I’m ahead with my vlogs now and the blogs I can only upload as you know the drill – I’ve got to live it to write it. Thanks for reading 😊 x
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