Having successfully conducted our business in Manchester, and delivered our car back to Rufford on Tuesday we left Reedley having had a much needed  pump out ( all them visitors using the loo) taken on fuel and water we where off travelling again we departed early as we know we had bad weather forecast, seven locks at Barrowford plus the Foulridge tunnel to face. However as all good plans go I did not factor in the Floating settee, two arm chairs and something under the water that I hit whilst avoiding the former (which still have no idea what it was) probably a Gas Cooker  all this only an hour from our start in Nelson. Plus the fact that have way up the Barrowford flight the locks ran out of water But  the CRT team where on hand and after a hours wait we go back under way and then the weather closed in I became rather agitated with fighting the wind and extremely strong by-washes my are like Hercules now. We where intending to make East Marton just before the Bank Newton flight of locks Nevertheless with the wind the rain and my temper it was thought wise to call it a day at the Yorkshire end of the Foulrige Tunnel.

This enforced stop was quite fortuitous as the day before when I park the car up in Rufford I left our phone in the car, Matthew had called in and collected it for us and then brought it over to foulridge  (are you all still with me or should I slow down??) anyway Mat came with the phone with Lorraine and Thomas and we all went out for a lovely meal.

This morning dawned quite the opposite to the forecasted weather,  it was still and bright so I decided "come on get up we are off!! OK at 6.30 in the morning maybe its not what you want to hear But I never new Noreen knew words like that. So after a discussion we set off at 9.30 hoping to make the bottom of the Bank Newton flight or even the top depending on time. We set off quite steady and were getting a few miles under the hull only once again to be thwarted by the weather. Having got through the three locks at Greenfield I knew we were not going to make Bank Newton for the weather had really started to close in so started to look for a convenient mooring. This I managed to find, yes! at East Marton where we should have been yesterday. That’s Boating for you Though I am glad Buggerlugs is our boat and we have as long as we want; to do what we want, today we witnessed many boats fighting and struggling with the wind because they were hire boats and have to be back by Fri/Sat   they all looked done in especially the wide beams they really struggled. Me when it no longer becomes a pleasure I moor up.

That all sounds quite horrific But really it wasn’t because as you leave the industrial towns of Burnley, Nelson and Colne behind a whole new vista opens up the rolling hills and high moors pop up around every corner the hedge rows give way to the dry stone walls the whole canal takes on a new feeling one of quiet calm and tranquillity Now that’s not to take anything away from the industrial canals of the towns as you pass the old wharfs, warehouses and mills which there are many still visible today you get that feeling of hard graft, toil and

 wonderful northern spirit and inventiveness that the industrial revolution was built on.

Not sure what happens from here we will wait and see what the weather brings tomorrow if its fine we head on if not we just chill

God Bless everyone

Buggerlugs

THESE VIEWS ARE SPECTACULAR

 

St Peters Church at East Marton well worth a visit only a few minutes from bridge 160

This is Bridge 160

the Double bridge 161 carrying the A59 

We are moored up in Reedley Marina very nice Marina and very nice people well worth a visit we here for a few reasons which I will not bore you with, But today being a bank holiday we had a Bit of a do on Buggerlugs, as we are so close to our friends and relative we had a garden party for Maryanne as a celebration of her MBE. Noreen as usual fed everyone with such ease and professionalism, she has it down to a fine art now. Granted we only had 17 in our eyes thats a very small do, but on a Narrowboat its quite a feat, luckily the rain stayed away,  only just.We were able to use the picnic tables and the surrounding area around our mooring there was a picnic table which came in very handy. anyway as you can see everyone had a great time just goes to show you don't need brilliant weather just brilliant people. the Lads caught quite a few fish Russel managed to catch a 3/4lb Pike and everyone went away with a wrap up.

Tomorrow we have an appointment in Manchester then Wednesday we leave here after having a pumpout, and diesel top up then we are heading for Skipton I would like to say "non stop" but the weather for thurs looks very dodgy 50/60 mph winds so if that comes off we will be mooring up in a quite cove somewhere
I am in no rush and cannot see the point in making life difficult.

write again in Skipton

Buggerlugs

Buggerlugs snug as a bug in a rug

OK it was a little cold a breezy but the food was good 

Racheal (uni student) with her Wrap up

to share back on campus

I know this piece is going to sound very pretentious but I have to let you know how it all went. Yesterday was Maryanne's investiture for her MBE even though the weather report was not good we all kept our fingers crossed, unusually we were lucky and the sun graced us with its presence. Oh yes it rained and very hard but when it did we were enjoying the comfort of her Majesties front  room (St Georges Hall) in Windsor Castle. I have been on a number of Medal Parades in my time most were my own  But this was something very different. as usual the pomp and ceremony were second to none It is only in Britain were an event like that can be staged, we had Yeoman of the Guard ,the  Life Guards, and the Windsor attendants all looking after us. The ceremony itself  is so slick nothing is left to chance everyone is briefed, the recipients go off into a seperate room whilst the rest of the rabble or hangers on parade into St Georges Hall. the. 

Once the Royal who on this occasion was HRH Prince William  came into the room everything fell into place, when Maryann's name was called she appeared looking absolutely stunning her courtesy was as good as everyone gone before and her hat stayed on unlike the lady before her who's hat decided to fall at Williams feet. William is quite chatty and asked Maryanne how she became involved with Special Needs Education?? Well she said I managed to get a degree in Music but my Mum and Dad insisted I get a proper job. which he found very amusing Though I am glad it was him and not the Queen she would not be amused.

the whole day was a fantastic experience 

Its a bit bland to say I was very proud that goes without saying its a pride that only a father can have in his Daughter and that was me not just yesterday, that was just a climax of the past 30 years. and yet I just know that there are many more moments like yesterday to come.

Now we are back on our journey moored up just before Accrington and tomorrow we should get to Reedly Marina for the bank holiday weekend.

The Honor is yours

Mum AND d

MY TWO BEST GIRLS

Maryanne and Mum

Now you know why the boats called Buggerlugs

Steve and Maryanne 

                                                                                                                                                                   A  very worthy MBE and what makes it so. is her                                                                                              pupils who are as proud of her as I am  

Well sorry its at least a week since I put pen to paper and I did say the I would try to keep you better informed. The cruise up from top lock of the Wigan flight to top lock of Johnsons Hillock is a short trip but a very pleasant one. We managed to get a partner boat up the 7 locks that always makes a flight of locks easier and its nice to be able to chat whilst rising up the lock. O reaching Top lock we were lucky and managed to get a mooring on the visitor moorings and very nice they are too, as the following morning the locks were being closed we thought we would take the opertunity and have an extra day on such a good mooring. Being so close to our old home and lots of friends and family still here we have decided to hang around for a few days at Riley Green Marina great place to moor up very friendly and very convenient for us. As we are so close to the rellies and friends we have had visitors most days I have managed to get my car up from Rufford so things are very comfortable. Noreen and Maryanne have been able to get together and do the shops being ladies they both NEEDED new outfits for Windsor, I am managing with my suit having passed through the dry cleaners as Noreen says no one will be looking at me, anyway if you can't splash out for the Queen who can you splash out for. For Me it will be one of the proudest days of my life I just wish both her Granddads were here to experience it  Both Noreen and Maryanne will look stunning the Queen will be well impressed. We leave for Windsor tomorrow staying overnight ready for the investiture on Tuseday. Then its back to reality on Wednesday we are heading for Reedley Marina just south of Burnley I have secured a birth in the marina for a few days I do not like being out on the water over a bank Holiday its absolute chaos even in this quiet neck of the woods.
I will be giving a full report on the investiture and the trip to Windsor and how it all all pans out, I just hope the Queen doesn't recognise me and ask us all  over to tea as we have a busy day and can't hang around ??

I think thats about everything
SO speak soon
Buggerlugs

Wigan Flight

It has been a very busy day up at 06.30 boat moving by 07.00 we had to get a good start as we were meeting Steph and Phil who were meeting us at the bottom lock of the Wigan flight for our two new recruits wanted to experience the Wigan Flight before they did it with their own boat though the weather was bad with cold blustery winds we made good time until lock 72, we had been slowly running low on water and with no boats coming down the locks we soon ran out of water and T 72 there was nowhere to go so we had to start sending water down from three locks ahead this meant at least we got a sit down lunch whilst we waited for the pound to fill
Arriving at top lock was a relieve to all of us
Phil and Steph now know that a long flight of locks is no problem just get a good rhythm going and stay at it
Noreen and I will stay the night here for tomorrow again we have an early start tomorrow as we need to be above Johnsons hillock as on Monday morning they are being closed for repair.
God Bless
BUGGERLGS

  moorings very nice Haigh country park- 

Manchester Farewell

Hi Everyon

Yesterday was the funeral that we had gone it to Manchester to attend Noreens brother Bob Norma and Martin picked us up and on the whole it was a good day and a very fitting way to say goodbye to a very dear old friend

So that’s it we left Manchester this morning, We are not sorry to leave though we had a great time plenty of visitors lots to do near the shops its got everything going for it, the only thing that is against it is the boaters who now live there, Boats with wood piled high on the roof billowing out toxic smoke, engines running until late my stern neighbour though I only saw him once had a generator running until midnight. Don’t get me wrong I live on a boat but I hope I do it with courtesy, consideration and with the law. The so called boaters in Castlefield are now blocking the moorings by only leaving  20ft between their boats thereby restricting the amount of real mooring space for real boaters. I do believe that there is a clique of these boaters making it difficult for the rest of us. Though I suggest that if visiting Manchester you do as I did ask them to reduce the space between boats and if they refuse phone CRT and Peel holding. These boaters may attempt to make it difficult but we had a great time, I am a past master at ignoring morons. Today we are moored up in Leigh awaiting Andy and Sue who will be joining us for “light refreshments” later on.  It would appear that whilst in Castlefields we had 30 visitors and two visitors we could not fit it as time had run out. We will catch up with them next time around.

Tomorrow we set out early to the Wigan flight 21 locks I would imagine that’s tomorrow will be a long day, Steph and Phil are expected to be at bottom lock waiting for us, they will be taking there own boat Blossom up the flight in the summer and wanted to find out what awaits them, I find all locks flights the same the easiest way is not to rush find a rhythm that suits you and stay with it, I hate being rushed and will not be rushed my opinion is if you want to get there faster then go by car.

Then with a little bit of luck we should be in Riley green some time Sunday if not then early Monday.

Manchester moorings by night

Moorings by Day

Approaching Barton swing Bridge

Looking down from the Bridgwater canal onto the Manchester Ship Canal

and across to Barton Road swing Bridge