N.B.Shiralee: Shiralee Cruise 2012 # 26

Barbridge to Shady Oak Pub

Monday 17th September

First of all, to all those very kind people who respond to my blogs, many thanks for taking the time to do so. I can assure you all that I do read them as and when I can. One of these springs to mind right now, regarding Billinge Green Flash and the aircraft noise. Truth to say, and probably due to my age and less than perfect hearing, I didn’t notice it. There are some beneficial side effects to joining the older generation!

To Kevin I would say many thanks for the heads up on using the gas oven when we’ve had no heating and no fire lit. I do realise the inherent dangers with carbon monoxide poisoning but, since the boat is well ventilated and I only have the oven on for a few minutes, just to take the chill off, the danger seems minimal. Our CO Detector has been checked very recently and is positioned quite close to the cooker, so I would expect fair warning. Thanks again Kevin, your genuine concern is much appreciated and, now that we have had the fire alight for quite a while and will be getting our Webasto system serviced within the next couple of days, I’ll have no further need to use the cooker.

On this subject though, my memory is stirred back to the time when we first moved to Harlow, back in 1958 when I was just 15 years of age. All we had in our maisonette at that time was an open fire in the living room, the sole responsibility for its care and attention being down to dad. It was not unusual, especially if he was having a lie in, to find us kids huddled around the cooker in the morning, drinking our tea and munching on a slice of toast. Winter mornings were not much fun in those days. Oh, the hardships we suffered!!!

This morning has dawned fine and calm, which gives me hope of trundling towards Chester for about six miles, passing through six locks along the way and, with a bit of luck, not getting wet in the process.

Tuesday 18th September

So, being quite close to the water point at Barbridge yesterday morning, rather than take the boat forward a mile and turn around to go in the opposite direction, we reversed up. Just as we were approaching the water point, another boat came out of the junction and also headed for the same spot. ‘Not on your nelly’, I thought, and just made it to the point ahead of him.

This water point is only just long enough to take two boats but; and it’s a BIG but; if, as the other boater had suggested, I had moved ‘Shiralee’ forward a few feet, so that he could tie up his boat and not have the back sticking out over the junction, we would have had a problem retrieving our hose reel from the front deck. “We can easily get two boats in here”, he said, “we’ve done it many times before”.

Well, after a couple of minutes of me trying to tie up the bow line, with him bending my ear, I’m afraid I became quite rude and virtually told him to shove off until we had sorted out the hose reel. As soon as that was done we moved forward slightly, and he pulled his boat nearer.

I would not have minded so much had his boat been as long as ours, but it was much shorter and he really wasn’t overhanging the junction arm at all, just a wee bit too close should another boat come up behind and clip the back. Also, there can only be one person using the water point, so he couldn’t fill up until we had finished. Fortunately, once we had moved along for him, he realised he had been out of order in thinking he knew best and came along to apologise.

I’m usually very patient with other boaters; believe that or believe it not; but I do get frustrated with people who insist they know better than I do.

Anyway, after filling up with water and disposing of rubbish and, after a cheery wave from our new ‘friends’, we turned the boat around and headed towards Chester. Eventually, after six miles, six locks and 3½ hours, we arrived at Beeston Castle, or the ruins of this 14th century fortress, built by the Earl of Cheshire. From where we are moored, which is almost opposite the local pub, it sits high on a hill overlooking the canal and surrounding countryside. Sadly, due to surrounding trees, only the top can be seen. Still, it must have been quite an imposing edifice in its day.

The Shady Oak pub caters for a couple of trip boats, one of which takes disabled people and the other, probably OAPs and such. But they all end up at the pub for a meal. We called in there about three years ago when travelling back from Ellesmere Port and, on that occasion, which was in early May, it was a very warm day and we were able to sit outside. We’re not calling in today because we want to get to Christleton for our heater service. Who knows, perhaps we’ll give it a go on the way back.

Wednesday 19th September

Brrrrh! It’s getting quite autumnal now, what with the wind and rain we had to pass through yesterday on our way to Christleton. At one point the wind was so strong that it even turned our big brolly inside-out. Still we arrived in one piece and I immediately phoned Eric, who in turn phoned Andy, who then phoned me and discussed our heater. After explaining to him that the system won’t start up at anything less than 12.5 volts, or thereabouts; the system has a low voltage cut-off point of 11.8 volts; he seemed to think we have a problem with the correct voltage getting to the unit. At any rate, he will phone me this morning and arrange to pay us a visit.

After speaking with Andy we then walked off to wait for the 41 bus for Chester. This should have been at the bus stop on the A41, which runs parallel to the canal but, what actually turned up was the C56. Who cares, we boarded that one instead.

We took a walk around the town but, with it being so big, we didn’t have time to walk around the wall. So, after a bit of shopping, off we went to the bus station but, having deciphered the timetable; which seems to be written in some kind of language known only to the compiler; we discovered that the C56 goes from the same stop as we alighted at. This meant another walk through the town. However, as sometimes happens when standing at bus stops, a different bus, the 41B, which also goes to Christleton, arrived and we jumped on that. Even then the darned thing still didn’t stop where we thought it should, instead it stopped at the canal bridge, which meant a longer walk to the boat.

This morning, after Andy has been, we’re planning a return to Chester but, as it is really chucking it down right now, that could very well be doubtful.

Whilst walking through Chester we stopped to listen to a young man playing an electric fiddle. His name is Alleyne Johnson and, as opposed to the usual busker, he also had some pre-recorded accompaniment and, not only that, he also had electric drums, which he tapped with the end of his bow, as and when necessary. The sound was such that I could have sat and listened to him all day, really quite brilliant. Instead I bought his CD called ‘Arpeggio’ which I shall listen to as soon a I can.

Well now, it’s already 6.15 am and my pooch needs a pee, but I’m hanged if I’ll take her out in this downpour. It’s doubtful she would come anyway; she hates getting wet; and will cross her legs instead.

Thursday 20th September

More rain yesterday, but we still took the bus into Chester again. Our primary reason for this trip was to walk around the city wall but, as with all the best laid plans, we were somewhat stuffed because, having climbed three short flights of wet and slippery stairs, and walked about 20 yards, we found the way blocked off and we were diverted down even more steps to the street below. So much for that idea then! Goodness knows when we’ll come by this way again.

So, having seen what we wanted of Chester on Tuesday, all we could do yesterday was a little more shopping and catch the return bus to Christleton. Of course, we stopped for coffee and a sticky bun before doing so, but the morning was a little disappointing. The rain, of course, added to that disappointment.

It continued raining, on and off, for the rest of the, evening and during the night but, all I can hear now is water falling from the tree under which we are moored, so we should get away today for the return trip to the Shady Oak pub, where we’ll stop for the night. On Friday we’ll have six miles and six locks to travel, to the top of Bunbury Locks, where we will stop again for the night. On Saturday morning we will top up with water and dispose of rubbish, then head off to Nantwich for the weekend, passing through Barbridge on the way.

Friday 21st September

Our Rusty seems to have improved in health of late, because it is now over a week since she’s pestered to go out in the early hours. We’re not even sure as to why she does it, other than the sound of her gurgling tummy, which suggests an upset of some kind. The fact that she’s now 14 or 15 years old may well have something to do with it, but we don’t know, despite several visits to vets.

We have noticed though, that her eyesight is not as good as it was, but that’s to be expected. When we bring her back from a walk, instead of hopping down the back stairs, she now waits at the top for one of us to lift her down. On several occasions of late she has missed the bottom step and taken a tumble. Still, apart from that, and her ‘selective’ deafness, she’s pretty fit for her age, so we can’t complain at the occasional ‘walkies’ in the early hours.

Yesterday was a pretty good day and we managed the seven miles to the Shady Oak pub without getting wet. With no places of interest to visit here, Sheila spent some time giving one side of Shiralee a wash, the rest of the day we spent taking it easy or walking the dog.

The pastel project has slowed down of late, because Emma has been busy with other things, partly other business and partly taking her friend Maggie to and from specialists to tend to her new knee. I don’t expect any further info regarding the caravan picture until Monday or Tuesday.

I could carry on with the painting on my own, I do know most of the techniques involved, but I would rather follow Emma’s tuition because I am, after all, her guinea pig for this project and so, if I don’t follow what she instructs me to do, I won’t be her guinea pig.

So, rather than hang around waiting, I have printed out a couple of old photochrome pictures and will start one of those. One is of Boscastle in Cornwall and the other of Gadshill on the Isle of Wight. Both pictures are circa 1900, showing much older houses and rough roads. I do like these old photos and will probably spend quite a bit of time painting them when we return to Mercia.

In fact, if it continues to rain this morning, I could very well make a start on one of those today. If we didn’t have six locks to go through and providing it didn’t get too windy, I would have suggested we go anyway, but it’s no fun for Sheila having to operate double locks when it’s raining and blowing a gale.

With a strong signal here at the Shady Oak pub I think I’d best post this blog whilst I can. But first, a photo of me and the Oxley’s. Alan is the one with the soppy smile on his face and I’m the slob in the middle. Obviously Chris is on the other end.