Narrowboat Burnt Oak: Two years living on our boat

December 2016, Tarleton

It’s hard to believe we’ve lived on our narrow boat for 2 years, this is our 3^rd winter and Christmas afloat. So time for a little recap of the year. During our first year I was obsessive about recording how many miles, locks & swing bridges we’d done, but with John’s Waterexplorer GPS it does it for me, 585 miles & 315 locks.

This time last year we were on the Rufford Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, just over a mile from Heather & Jason’s house. We spent 4 months over winter on that four mile stretch due to essential repairs further up the canal.

January Solom

We were like locals in Rufford & Tarleton, people recognised us. The winter was very mild and I think we only had one episode of short lived ice on the canal.

We had hoped to be in Northamptonshire for the end of May but the Bridgewater Canal’s winter stoppage didn’t get completed until the end of May!! So we spent an amazing 2 weeks in Salthouse Dock,

Liverpool. The delay also meant we were able to see more of our northern family.

February, Tarleton lock

The summer was pretty cool and we only had a few days of nice sunny weather in mid June. We had to light the fire some evenings.

We spent the majority of the summer on the Macclesfield & Peak Forest Canals. We had warranty work booked in with Braidbar our boat builder for April, but we were stuck up north. It was lovely to attend our 3 ^rd Braidbar Owners Group’s (BOG!!!!), weekend, but the first time actually on our boat, which encompassed the boat yard’s open day for prospective owners and 5 days of eating & drinking too much. We were happy to show visitors around our boat on the open day, however, they had to negotiate the very muddy and wet tow path to get to the boats.

Mothers day, Ingleston Waterfakks

June, Anderton, sorting elderflowers

April, Fairy Glen Parbold

It’s been exciting venturing into unknown territories. At the end of May we travelled the southern section of the Bridgewater Canal

(when it FINALLY re-opened) before rejoining canals that we’d been on before. Then at the end of September once we entered Harecastle Tunnel our long journey south on new waters started. Our nephew Jack helped us through Birmingham and we paired up with another Braidbar boat ‘Briar Rose’ to descend Hatton Flight of 21 locks. Once we reached Norton Junction on the Grand Union Canal we were once again on familiar water as this is the stretch we always went when we hired boats. It does feel really odd being so near what used to be home and we’ve had lots of visitors too.

Our Christmas deccies are up and just 5 sleeps until Heather, Jason & the kids arrive in the south.