Friday 20 October 2017

Down Hill All The Way Home

Saturday 14th October
Tardebigge to Queen's Head, Stoke Pound
2.5 miles, 30 locks

We were expecting yet more willing crew!  We moved across to the water point and they duly arrived complete with a small Tesco delivery.  A quick cuppa was supplied and we were off - a day of many locks and what a day - sunny and hot. T-shirts are not normal attire for mid October, but we were not complaining.

We got a really good system going with me going ahead and we had a fast and uncomplicated trip down in 3.25 hours (not including a stop for lunch) - possibly the fastest time we have ever done.  Gill and Lawrie (as all our friends have done) both worked hard and made the trip so much easier and more fun.  

We knew a couple of boats had gone ahead of us and we met five boats coming up, so quite a busy day for this flight - we have seen fewer boats in high summer.

My plan was to stop for lunch after lock 43 which is half way, but when we got to 42 I heard the unmistakable sound of pins being bashed in below 43 - someone coming  up had beaten us to it, so we stopped after 42.  Then it was off again and all hands to the pump - well locks.  Past what I call 'the dog house', but for once Monty did not get shouted at by the inhabitants.

It was such a lovely day there were plenty of walkers around and here we are nearly at the bottom of the flight.

Looking across from lock 30 (29 is the bottom and last lock) we noticed a change to the view - this is it when we went up the flight in August

and today - no surprise really that the tree has gone

The two boats ahead of us must have gone on down the Stoke flight as there were no boats below the bottom lock and we were able to take our pick of where to moor at Stoke Pound - as far away as possible from the Queen's Head as it can get noisy on a Saturday night.

We had a table booked for 18:45 and it was just as well I had booked as it was heaving.  We all had a great meal and repaired back to the boat for coffee before bed.  Chris and I definitely need to go onto starvation rations at the end of this cruise!


The day dawned dry, but slightly murky.  It was, however, still very warm for the time of year.

The six locks at Stoke Prior were dealt with expertly - it is all so much quicker with extra crew to help.  Between there and us arriving at the top of the Astwood flight we all had a cuppa and I made the lunch - it is essential to ensure the crew are fed and watered.

The locks at Astwood are in wide open country

and also contain one of my favourites locks - number 18 with its pretty garden

and cottage

We were following another boat, so all the locks had to be turned for us to descend.  'Henry James' usually lives outside the owners house near Stoke Works - it was on its way to Droitwich Spa Marina to come out of the water to have the hull inspected prior to being sold.

As Henry James left the last lock I could see another boat approaching in the distance, so we waited and helped them through before descending ourselves and heading on our way along the last lap to

Hanbury locks. There in the distance I spied a volunteer lock keeper - always a welcome sight.  There are only three locks here, but they are all big and they have side ponds.  It is a rare day in the season from Easter to the end of October that there is not at least one VLK on duty.

Today we had two VLKs and a permanent member of C&RT staff plus a young lad keen to show off his muscles - he opened and closed all three bottom gates for me.

Whilst his Dad and little sister looked on.  I asked the question the other day 'where have all the boats gone?'  Well now I know - they were going through Hanbury - we discovered at the end of the day they had seen no less than 21 boats through - 10 in the hour before we arrived!  We know most of the VLKs who man this flight, so it really is like coming home.

Out of the last lock, travel a few yards and turn right into the marina and the end of our summer cruise part 2.

In the distance we spied our neighbouring boat up on blocks

making mooring up that bit easier with no other boat to worry about.  The visiting crew were fed before Chris drove them back to Tardebigge to collect their car and wave them farewell.  Thank you Gill and Lawrie - it was great to see you both again and we were very grateful for your help.

Meanwhile I started to pack and tidy up, so we could start the big clear out of 'stuff' to be taken back home on Monday and what a weird day Monday turned out to be.  This was the sky just after 10am - dark with a red sun all due to storm Ophelia, sand from the Sahara and debris from fires in Portugal and Spain.


Two car loads of stuff were taken home and the washing machine was put to work.  On Tuesday morning I filled our very large rotary line before Chris dropped me at the station to get a train to London - no rest for the wicked!  It was for a date I could not miss - for the first time in 49 years, six of us who spent five years together at boarding school were meeting up for lunch! We had a brilliant time and plans are afoot for a repeat in 2020 when another of our number will be over from Australia.

So here we are back to 'winter life', but we have so many things in the calendar we are not going to be bored.  We will be off to a cottage in mid Wales in November as Chris has relatives there and it is easiest way to visit them all.  All being well, friends will be joining us, so it will be a bit of a holiday with the added bonus of wonderful beaches for Monty to enjoy with his friend, Kiera.

Before then all the 'stuff' we brought home needs to be packed away, the boat needs a thorough clean inside and out, paint needs to be applied to the battle scars and we then have to deliver her to Crafted Boats (formerly Pinders) before we go to Wales as there are a few little jobs to be done.

We thoroughly enjoyed this cruise 'down south'.  There was some new water to us and to the boat, but most places we had been to before.  We did not do much sight seeing - this trip was really about visitors - we had 39 in total!  Not all cruised with us, but without a doubt we would not have met or caught up again with them if we had not been out and about on Tentatrice.

What will next year bring for us?  Well plans are afoot for a repeat journey to Bedford River Festival with nb Cleddau, but in reverse, so we will traverse The Wash from Boston to Kings Lynn this time.  On that note a communication from Kings Lynn Tourist Office dropped through our letter box a couple of days ago - it was a survey asking about our stay on their pontoons!  The wording makes it seem as though we were there a few days ago, when in fact it was 28th July 2014!!  I wonder if the crews of nb Cleddau and nb Chouette also received one?

Total stats for the trip:
404 miles, 436 locks, 8 swing/lift bridge, 14 tunnels, 9 aqueducts and we went under motorways on 9 occasions.





4 comments:

Boatwif said...

Re. the survey from King's Lynn Tourist Office - yes, we were sent one too. It was duly filled in and returned, but it felt a rather odd exercise given that our one night mooring on their fine pontoons was over three years ago!

Sue /Boatwif/nb Cleddau

Jennie said...

Ours is in the process of being completed. As you say it was a long time ago! They are cracking pontoons and we are looking forward to re-visiting them next year. Jennie

Marilyn, nb Waka Huia said...

Hi Jennie,
I have just read the last two posts, and I note the comment in the penultimate one re a period of abstemiousness being required ...
Three points:
1 The McDonalds are back on the 5/2 diet after a large number of meals out, meals in, meals with friends - however we were both pleased to note that we hadn't put on as much extra podge as we'd thought (~2kg for me and about 0.5kg for David)
2 The crew of nb Unknown No 3 are currently detoxing and dieting and significant success is occurring in Desborough, even though they are eating their way through the pantry overflow from nb Waka Huia
3 I see your list of stats for the summer's trip, but no stats about avoirdupois ... Please ensure your stats are complete as well as accurate, Jennie - the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, please ;-)
Love and hugs, Marilyn
PS Isn't it great having friends come to visit/stay on board - it's an aspect we love, especially when they come from such a long way away and make the effort to be with us!

Jennie said...

Hi Marilyn, I tried the 5-2 diet and failed! Chris does not need to do it and on my second fast day he had bacon - the torture was just too great. I did well on Slimming World last year and will go back once we have stopped dashing about all over the place. The stats - well they are between me and my conscience!
Yes having friends visit is just the best and 39 was a pretty impressive total!
We are back to the boat tomorrow for the next few days to continue with the deep clean, touch up of the battle scars and general maintenance. Enjoy your summer in CROW. Jennie x