Back to Calcutt

Thursday 26^th April; Long Itchington to Calcutt marina, and home

Lots of boats passed us yesterday afternoon, including a narrowboat towing not only another narrowboat but a biggish cruiser.  So as Dave needs to do the car shuffle we thought we’d make an early start and were away at 8.20, just as the Braunston hire boat behind us cast off.  They were delighted to share the locks with us and luckily we hadn’t been 5 minutes later, as another hire boat was making ready to go and would have taken our place.

We made a cracking pace together – the locks pretty much drain overnight, so were ready for us, or nearly, and with locking ahead we were soon at the middle of the flight ….. where we had to stop. 

About half-way

I could see a red lifejacket up ahead, so before setting the next lock I walked on to see what was happening - and it was obvious they were letting water down.  I asked if he’d like us to wait, and he suggested it could be as long as 45 minutes – two pounds had drained overnight.  But in the end it was only about twenty minutes.  The lovely chaps opened a bottom paddle for us at the next few locks as they went back up to the top.  By now the two steerers were in pretty perfect synchrony.

Then, two locks from the top, we could see the top gates were open for someone coming down.  The CRT chaps asked us if we would mind letting two boats through from the top - who had had to wait for over an hour, so of course we had no problem with that.  In spite of the wait, we made it up the flight in a mere two hours.  We needed a pump-out, so rather than go up two of the Calcutt locks and then back down again to moor, we called in at Stockton Top.  It’s now a hire base for Kate Boats and Anglo-Welsh, and no longer caters for passing traffic.  We were greeted by this unwelcoming sign.

The admin lady popped out to ask if she could help us, and someone could – once he could be found.  They operate on a skeleton staff on non-changeover days.  He was a nice chap, very efficient, but we were lucky he had been around.  And when Dave went to pay - £25, where the usual is £18 or thereabouts - it was clear that they regard private boats as a nuisance.  The marina was almost full of hire boats, with just a couple of private boats still moored.

We were soon at Calcutt, pulling in on the visitor moorings.  Calcutt is another place with a poor phone signal and we have never got their wi-fi to work at a mooring. So when Dave went to get the bus after lunch he had to hope the timings were as before.

Not the prettiest mooring, but convenient

Well yes, the timetable was about the same, but the bus didn’t arrive, witht the next not due for ages!  He tried to flag down a passing taxi but no-one was interested, and soon he realised it would be after 9 before he got back to the boat, so he trudged back.  At least he got back before the rain started.  In the meantime Meg and I had been up to the reservoir for a walk.  Sadly you have to keep dogs on a lead – understandable, because of the nesting wildfowl.  Two fishermen were on the bank, huddled in their shelters against the wind.  As I knew Meg wouldn’t go down the steep bank to the water (she is sensibly averse to steep slopes and water)  I let her off the lead to take a photo.

Can you tell she is a bit bored?

You can’t really see them in the picture, but there were dozens of swallows flying low over the water.  They must have been feeding, though there can’t have been many insects flying today.  We walked back below the bank away from the water, where the wind was much less.  Later, we managed to get a taxi booked for the morning, though it needed a trip up to the office area to get a good enough signal. 

10 locks, 3½ miles

Next morning off went Dave, while I got Meg walked before getting on with the cleaning.  Calcutt is quite good for dog walks, which you need if your dog won’t cross double locks gates to get to the towpath.  We took a path through the woods which ultimately led to Calcutt Lock Meadows.

We left late afternoon, thinking we’d miss the Friday rush hour traffic.  We did – only to realise that holiday season has started on the M5, so traffic was very heavy.  So until October we’ll need to avoid travel from Friday to Monday.  It’ll be a while before we get back to the boat – we have a busy month at home coming up!

The issue of the water in the cabin bilge has yet to be resolved.  There is now about a pint every day which we think is far too much to be condensation.  We drained down the water tank before we left and turned off the stopcock.  The engineer we saw at Stourport was certain it wasn’t the calorifier, and as the pump is not cutting in unexpectedly there is not much left to be the source of the leak.  Nothing that is left sounds appealing – a leaky water tank?  A leak in the pipe joint in the corner behind the stove?  It can’t all be careless filling of the water tank.  Dave might pop up briefly to check during our time at home.

Trip stats; (thanks canalplan.uk)

89 miles, 2¾ furlongs and 121 locks. 54 miles, 3 furlongs of narrow canals; 26 miles, 3¾ furlongs of broad canals; 8 miles, 4 furlongs of large rivers; 67 narrow locks; 52 broad locks; 2 large locks. 3 lift bridges, 3 swing bridges, 10 tunnels (M5 Motorway, Impney Way, A449, Dunsley, Netherton, Galton, Edgbaston, Brandwood and Shrewley), a total of 2 miles, 3¾ furlongs underground.

Waterways; Droitwich canals, River Severn, Staffs and Worcester canal, Stourbridge, Fens Branch and Stourbridge extension canal, Dudley numbers 1 and 2, BCN Main Line, Worcester and Birmingham, North Stratford, Grand Union.