From the Carribean to Botany Bay

I left the Calypso Carribean bar and headed off to the Blackburn Locks.  I waited at the first for Blue Moon to arrive, we then tied the boats together, and I did the locks, while Rob sailed both boats.

The problem with December is that soon it was getting dark, so we moored up at the Navigation.   At least we were down the Blackburn locks before they closed them for winter.

 I had four tickets to go and see I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, so I went with Kier, Tisha and Yorks Rob to the Grand Theatre in Blackpool

 The Grand is a superb Theatre, with the most ornate ceilings

 A superb show followed by a couple of beers, a great night out.

 I had to go up to Cockermouth to collect the last of the bottle beers for Christmas, the Lakes were very wild.
I then got to Botany bay with the boat, just before the Johnson Hiollock locks were shut for winter.  The rain kept falling and the canal was already overflowing.

 I even had to use my plank for the first time!




The wigan locks were shut for winter, so I was effectively trapped between wigan and Blackburn.  I decided to use this time to re-build my engine room to make it more practical.

On Boxing day the rain stopped and the sun came out.  Seamer was now looking good, as it was in two halves when I last saw it.


News was just coming through about the floods hitting Hebden bridge - the worst floods in history.  I like Hebden Bridge and thoughts go out to the people who have suffered devastation in this weather.

Late trains and floods

Having left Burnley, a decided to spend a week in Clayton-le-moors.  I had front row tickets for steeleye span in Oswaldtwiste on the Thursday night.  Heading off from work, everything was going fine until the train broke down.

 I phoned Rob but he couldn't go to see them by himself, because I had the tickets!  I finally got into Leeds just in time to miss the last train to Accrington.  The staff at Virgin East Coast put me in a taxi, and half an hour later, we discovered that the M62 was closed for overnight roadworks.  six o'clock I was supposed to get back, a quarter to one in the morning I got back.  Why did some idiot give Virgin trains the East Coast mainline, a really well run service, now another Virgin Rail fiasco.

Friday I sailed on to Blackburn to the Calypso for goat curry and Red stripe!

On the Saturday I went up to Langdale, which was quite flooded.  Still, a superb night of food, beer and company.

Turn around !

Foulridge is only a 48 hour mooring, so I moved on to Salterford, and moored next to the Anchor, another nice peaceful spot, no traffic noise and a handy pub serving good food and beer.  What more could you want.

It was time to go back to Nottingham judging beer of the midlands, with Dancing Duck winning several awards again.  I keep saying that  I must get down here on the boat, maybe next year!




The winter canal closures were announced, and many of the locks on the Leeds Liverpool were having work done, so I decided to turn around and head back.  Back through the Foulridge tunnel

Just after the tunnel I passed the Coco-Nutters boat.

Quite how you manage morris dancing on a narrowboat beats me.  Soon I was moored up back at Burnley.

The Siba awards were in Bolton, and I was glad to pick up two Bronze awards.

 The SIBA meeting was in Stockport.  I was there early so I took a wander around the town.  This looks like it used to be a thriving market town, before the supermarkets came and destroyed the small shop economy.

It is a shame to see such buildings empty and wasted.

That evening I took Yorks Rob to see Lau at the Met.  They were in great form as usual, and unusually  they were selling Lau branded chilli sauce!

Tunnel at the top

I went to London and met up with Tony Sturgess who I hadn't seen for ages.  We went on to Cecil Sharpe house and saw Rachel Sermanni and Jennifer Austin - a perfect combination.

Then it was up to Elgoods Brewery for the East of England judging.  Great beers here, and judging the speciality beers was difficult.  I am not normally keen on fruit beers, but there was an apple beer and a raspberry beer that were truly superb.

This is a great beer festival, it is just a shame that it is always so quiet.  There are still some duboius barstaff though





But Siobhan was doing a cracking job keeping the pints flowing

And finding time to entertain one of the brewery cats.











When I got back to the boat, there was a stunning heron on the river.

A beautiful sunny afternoon, and I moved on from the top of the locks, and headed for Foulridge.

 

 

Soon I reached Foulridge tunnel.

I had to wait ten minutes for the light to go green...

  ..then it was off through the tunnel at the top of the L&L

..and out the other side, to moor up at Foulridge.

Beware of Barrowford

I went over to York, to judge the North East beers.  Judging was difficult, as the quality of the beers served was poor.  I know most of the brewers here brew great beer, so I think they need to look at how the beers are being served at this festival.

Returning from York, Luke and I set up the Marquee for the Butcher Beer festival.  Rob helped us set up and he enjoyed it greatly.

20 Beers. All correctly cooled.  All on hand pump.  Proper festival.

Bar Staff are a bit creepy though.

When I got up on Saturday I found that some scroats had smashed the side window of the car and stolen my jacket, and a rucksack full of Laundry (?).  Bastards.  They left the Beer, £800 worth of tents, £200 worth of sleeping bags and all the tools.
Unfortunately I had just picked up train tickets from the station, and there was £622 of train tickets in my coat.  Bastards!
I rang Virgin "Helpline" who said "Tough"  I would have to pay for the tickets again. Bastards.

We finished the beer festival, Green Manalishi ran out first and won beer of the festival.  Returning to the boat, there were all sorts of low life scroats hovering around the car park.  I carried on past and left the car in the pub car park at Barrowford.



Sunday, I thought sod this, and we tied Blue Moon and Duck-n-Dive together to go up the locks.  Rob did all the locks and, as I was still hobbling, I sailed both boats together up the locks.  This worked really well.
 
Look, nobody driving!

This worked superbly, and before we knew it we were at the top, overlooking Foulridge Reservoir

Hopping along to Kate Bush

It was hop harvesting time again, so off down to the Talbot.  Great food and simply the best breakfast anywhere.


It was Charles Farams' 150th anniversary. I didn't think any of them looked that old.

The hop walk didn't happen for me as I am still nobbled from self inflicted climbing stupidity.  Sadie was more interested in rabbits.


Loaded up with fresh hops we returned to brew the Green Manalishi 2015.





Brewing finished, it was time to move the boat along from Burnley.

The evenings were definitely getting darker as we headed along the embankment overlooking Burnley.
  I moored up at Reedley because I had to go up to the Old for the Mountain Rescue Folk Festival. 

Great music, and perfect walking weather...

 ..but I only managed to hobble as far as the Bus Stop.

Sunday afternoon was great music inside and outside.

Then came the Bush Rush!

Monday morning I had to go up to Cockermouth to pick up some beer, that wasn't ready!.  I went into Cockermouth to get some food while I was waiting, there is this old Theatre that is criminally neglected!

Returning to the boat, The weather was superb for the trip past Nelson, and I stopped at the bottom of Barrowford Locks.

This is the last set of locks before the summit of the L&L.






By the time I was moored up below the locks, an eerie mist had dropped over the canal.