This is the blog of Norwyn & Sheila aboard their narrowboat Shell Bell.
An early start today pulling pins at 8am and heading off in convoy with with Ron and Bob ,the idea being that we would be clear of Leicester by early afternoon as we are now free of the water shortage restrictions. The three boats made good progress and it didn’t seem before and we were in Leicester. We passed the football stadium and as we cruised closer to the centre of the city the rubbish in the canal was awful. All manner of things including a blue bucket that wrapped its self round Shell Bells propellor,fortunately it freed itself with a loud pop and jumped out of the water. Around some off the locks the rubbish was worse, a really bad and a poor reflection on Leicester council. Not wanting to stop in the city we carried on and around 15:30 we moored up at Mountsorrel, a very plesant village which we plan to explore tomorrow. Oh dear – poor captain Norwyn got stung by a wasp as he was fishing (the captain, not the wasp). The area on his arm swelled and became red but he was very brave and didn’t mention it to everyone he saw!!!!! Thankfully Ron had some cream to put on it and we haven’t heard anything since.
Bob with his boat Mabuhay
Ron with his boat Thyme 11
It has been an interesting weekend on Shell Bell. On Saturday morning we were waiting for the lock keeper to open the lock for us when two boats suddenly appeared with what looked like very unsavoury characters on board!!! Our first instincts would turn out to be right!!! So the lockie decided that two boats should go first and us being kind let the two go and we stayed to wait for an hour to see if another boat came so we could go in pairs. in fact he took our phone number and let us go – very kind of him. Bob and Ron (the unsavoury men) promised to save us a mooring spot. The plan was to get to Bumblebee lock before it was bolted for the night – the locks are now only open between 10.00 and 1400. We made steady progress but as we only had four boats coming the other way we had to fill most of the locks before we went down. We made the final lock at 14.20 but it was bolted!!! Another night alone on a lock mooring. After a cuppa we went to look at the place we should have moored and low and behold there was a space saved for us. For our kindness Bob and Ron took us to the pub for a drink and it was decided that we would try and catch up with them tomorrow and moor together at Kings Lock before the journey through Leicester.
Sunday morning and after being freed by the lockie, filling up with water etc. we set off . Bob and Ron kept in touch with us but after a couple of locks we caught them up as the pounds were so shallow everything was slow. We crawled through the canal as best we could but were concerned that we would not get to Kings lock before it closed. We were fortunate enough to meet a young B W worker and a volunteer who said they would do their best for us, We met them again later when they had to refill a lock for Bob as he had got stuck. Eventually we arrived at Kings Lock at 14.30 to find it still open – thanks chaps –
And so another session at the pub with Bob and Ron . We plan to travel through Leicester with them tomorrow. They are really great people and we have had such a laugh. They are out for a week wihout their wives. I hope Captain Norwyn doesn’t get any ideas .
a very low canal
What a differance a day makes, the rain had gone and the sun was shining. We queued for about an hour to start our descent down Foxton locks. These staircase locks have two paddles per lock one red,one white and you open the red first followed by the white this allows water to be used from the side ponds thus saving water. Saving water- well we have found out the stretch of canal we are on between Foxton and Leicester has restrictions on the use of the locks. Due to water shortages the locks can only be used between 10:00am and 2.00pm, after this they are padlocked shut!!! Today we arrived at the first lock at 3:00pm as we stopped to do some shopping in Fleckney on route, Thus we had to moor up for the day and wait until 10:00am tomorrow before we can continue. Needless to say it is very quiet with no boats on the move and it looks like most people are avoiding the area but we have to carry on and make our way north to Mercia Marina. Tomorrow we will only be able to cruise for four hours and we won’t have time to clear all the locks.
- locked out literally
The early sunshine was not to last as we left Welford junction around 10:15.W e travelled for just under a mile and pulled in to North Kilworth wharf boat yard to top up with water and diesel, empty the toilet tank and dump our rubbish. All went smoothly and we were finished in about half an hour. As we pulled away from the services it started to rain, and rain it did, the only respite was when we went in Husbands Bosworth tunnel. Carrying on in the rain we had a very wet journey to our planned destination – the top of Foxton Locks. We had been tied up for about an hour when it stopped raining allowing us to have a walk around this famous staircase of ten locks with its famous remains of the inclined plane, a method of lowering barges down a hill instead of using the locks. There are plans afoot for restoration. As I type this it has started raining again and we are glad of the central heating. The boat is at least dry and as warm as toast.
view down the flight of locks
site of the inclined plane
Today started just like any other in fact it was nice the sun was shinning as we had our morning cuppa, Sheila went off to have a shower. Within a few minutes there was a cry for help from the shower cubical: the water pump that takes the waste water away was not working. This was a job for Engineering son Scott so a call was made to ascertain how to take the water pump out and fix it (Scott had done this when we first bought the boat in April). Ever helpful Scott talked Norwyn through the process ,Scott was convinced the motor was ok and that the problem lay with the impellor(a toothed rubber wheel that pumps the water).Norwyn set to work taking the pump out and then apart to get to the impellor and after a liberal coating of vaseline the parts were all put back together, re-connected and tested. Hey presto it worked. Thanks Scott – international rescue have nothing on you. With the pump mended we set off meandering through plesant open farmland with no more dramas and have moored for the night at Welford junction. Tomorrow we head for Foxton locks.
This morning was cloudy when we set off from Norton Junction. After only a few minutes we were turning up the Leicester section of the Grand Union canal.Steady progress was made and we soon found ourselves at the back of the Watford Gap services on the M1 .Strange to pass this service station by the back door. We continued for about a mile and a half when we arrived at the Watford locks but these locks were different in the respect that four of them were staircase locks (one lock leads directly into the other). The queue was not too bad and the lock keepers on duty very efficient at sorting everybody out. After clearing the locks we moored for lunch.
up the stairs we go
With lunch over we carried on through the Crick Tunnel,then stopping at Crick wharf to top up the water tank,then carrying on past Yelvertoft marina to moor for the night close to Yelvertoft village. Can anyone help name the breed of sheep pictured very distinctive black ears,eyes and nose?
What breed please
Well it does seem quiet on board after having our guests for the last few days and very nice it was to have them all on board. Today we carried on our way back albeit slowly to Mercia. We must complete on our our house move soon. We need to be near our moorings so we can return to Suffolk. Today we have travelled from Bugbrooke to Norton Junction passing through seven locks in the process. We did all seven locks with narrowboat THE PEARL FISHER and her crew very pleasent it was too. Tomorrow we carry on up the Leicester arm and once back to Mercia Marina we will have completed the Leicester ring.
Shellbell and The Pearl Fisher wait for the lock
After saying farewell to Cliff and Chris yesterday we left our moorings at Stoke Bruene and went back through the Blisworth tunnel and moored the other side at Blisworth. Today we have new guests, John, Alison and their son Steven are on board for the day. After a very nice day spent cruising up the canal and back under new captain Steven we said our goodbyes around 5pm. We then carried on and moored at Bugbrooke for the night.
captain Steven at the helm
captain Steven moors Shellbell for lunch
John Alison and Steven saying farewell
We have had a busy few days on Shell Bell. On Thursday we met Chris and Cliff at the pub and after a drink transferred to the boat for tea, drinks and a chat, Chris asked about the crayfish trap so this was baited and dropped into the canal.We chatted on late into the night as we sat by the light of candles on the towpath. (long live the batteries!!).
Chris and Cliff with Sheila
After breakfast on Friday and a look at the crayfish trap, which was well loaded with about a dozen crayfish, we set off to train our new crew in the art of locking. They soon caught on and we were soon (three hours) through seven locks and moored safely at the top. After a short walk it was time for fishing lessons. Cliff had not fished since he was a boy but soon picked it up and caught the biggest bream of the session. Not to be outdone by this Chris took to the pole and it wasn’t long before a small roach could be seen flying through the air (reminded us of Claire’s catch). Once the fish was safely landed we got ready and went to The Navigation pub to eat a wonderful meal, And so back to the boat where we spent another evening on the towpath.
Saturday was the day our guests had to depart. They left after breakfast – 2.00pm!!!
We had a great time and hope to welcome them aboard again soon.
a good catch of crayfish
windlass at the ready
Cliffs prize catch sorry Chris yours came out blurred ???
We have turned back and have started the trip back north. Today was a real challenge with really strong winds blowing Shell Bell all over the place. Stopping to fill with water after our only lock of the day the captain found it difficult to get shell bell of the mooring,but Sheila grabbed the boat’s pole and manfully pushed the bows out allowing the captain to get underway. We carried onto Cosgrove and moored for lunch. Whilst we were mooring a boat coming the other way had the misfortune of the lady crew member having her hat blown off into the canal but ever the heroine Sheila retrieved it and returned it to it’s grateful owner. With lunch over we carried on through really strong winds to our planned mooring at Stoke Bruene where tomorrow Cliff and Chris (Bens girlfriend Claire’s parents) will join us to spend a couple of days on board. I really do hope you have warned them about your mad parents Ben.
