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Post by kris on Aug 4, 2023 15:54:13 GMT
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Post by metanoia on Aug 4, 2023 18:54:32 GMT
I think I can understand why "donations" are only making up about 3% of their income now - the towpaths (certainly outside of the NBTA London area anyway) are virtually unusable. Not necessarily a bad thing if you are one of those rare "boaters" though.... very few cyclists are bothering, few walkers venture amongst the head high nettles and the thriving insects are biting us to the point some victims are attending busy A&E departments (per ianali ). CRT - a charity making life better by water?
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Post by fi on Aug 4, 2023 19:00:38 GMT
CRT kindly cut my grass this morning, fourth cut of the year.
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Post by kris on Aug 4, 2023 19:01:07 GMT
Iβm just happy thereβs some facilities open where I am now.
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Post by metanoia on Aug 4, 2023 19:17:22 GMT
Iβm just happy thereβs some facilities open where I am now. The elsan I passed two days ago was out of order, again. The queue at the next meant about a two hour delay for anyone needing to stop there and, being on a lock, made it unbelievably confusing for holiday boats... All good fun though - especially when the lovely hirer moored on the bollards decided my centre line was too loose and insisted on retying it for me - cue kitchen cupboard flung open, coffee pot on floor, etc... Lovely family, met them again in town, then again on the way back to my boat - they were having a great time and good to see as it is incredibly quiet out here.... can't believe how very quiet it is considering it's the first weekend of August and I'm on a popular cruising ring. CRT probably do need to start worrying ..........
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Post by dogless on Aug 4, 2023 20:23:27 GMT
Beyond worrying for the hire companies I think.
We've just been out on 'owl watch' and it really is quite chilly for early August.
Constant rain all day tomorrow and only 13 degrees ... I can see the fire being lit ... 5 AUGUST π±π±
And it is fairly quiet with boats in general.
I enquired about a couple of days mooring at Fazeley Mill marina whilst we went home but there were no free spaces ... nobody seems to be going out this year.
Rog
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Post by kris on Aug 4, 2023 20:24:55 GMT
Beyond worrying for the hire companies I think. We've just been out on 'owl watch' and it really is quite chilly for early August. Constant rain all day tomorrow and only 13 degrees ... I can see the fire being lit ... 5 AUGUST π±π± And it is fairly quiet with boats in general. I enquired about a couple of days mooring at Fazeley Mill marina whilst we went home but there were no free spaces ... nobody seems to be going out this year. Rog It does seem to be quiet, Iβm just happy to be at the best end of the country again.
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Post by dogless on Aug 4, 2023 20:26:43 GMT
Beyond worrying for the hire companies I think. We've just been out on 'owl watch' and it really is quite chilly for early August. Constant rain all day tomorrow and only 13 degrees ... I can see the fire being lit ... 5 AUGUST π±π± And it is fairly quiet with boats in general. I enquired about a couple of days mooring at Fazeley Mill marina whilst we went home but there were no free spaces ... nobody seems to be going out this year. Rog It does seem to be quiet, Iβm just happy to be at the best end of the country again. Aberdeen ? Rog
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Post by kris on Aug 4, 2023 20:31:43 GMT
It does seem to be quiet, Iβm just happy to be at the best end of the country again. Aberdeen ? Rog Thats another country. Even though Iβm from Derbyshire, the midlands feels like being down south nowadays. It felt like the north when I was growing up. England definitely gets better the further north you go imho.
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Post by metanoia on Aug 4, 2023 20:33:10 GMT
Beyond worrying for the hire companies I think. We've just been out on 'owl watch' and it really is quite chilly for early August. Constant rain all day tomorrow and only 13 degrees ... I can see the fire being lit ... 5 AUGUST π±π± And it is fairly quiet with boats in general. I enquired about a couple of days mooring at Fazeley Mill marina whilst we went home but there were no free spaces ... nobody seems to be going out this year. Rog Agree, dogless that the hire companies all seem to have far too many boats tied up when you pass. It is a tad chilly and I can't believe how very many fungi there are around for the first week of August - a delicious puffball for breakfast. The few that are venturing out seem to be very new, shiny and ugly or the ignorant oldies who think they're entitled to pull your pins at their speed in case they don't make it to the next lock before they die.... Had to smile at the last one who whizzed past when I went for a walk later - FIVE (yes, really, I don't honestly think I have ever seen that - FIVE pins to moor his boat against his fellow speedsters) I was hoping to say hello and ask if he thought he was pegging a tent rather than mooring a 50ft boat....
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Post by dogless on Aug 4, 2023 20:38:01 GMT
On the plus side metanoia ... we came to Fishers Mill bridge on the Birm & Fazeley for a night or two (one of our favourite spots) and there wasn't a single boat moored ... in early August ! Rog
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Post by metanoia on Aug 4, 2023 20:45:48 GMT
On the plus side metanoia ... we came to Fishers Mill bridge on the Birm & Fazeley for a night or two (one of our favourite spots) and there wasn't a single boat moored ... in early August ! Rog That's spooky because when you mentioned hanging around the Tamworth area I really WAS going to suggest that mooring. A great spot! The first time I ventured there I thought I must be mad with that busy, noisy road - then the enchantment of the helter skelter bridge and then the water and the birds and .... ... can't believe you've got it to yourselves - and at this time of year.... Enjoy!
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Post by kris on Aug 4, 2023 20:48:37 GMT
Thats another country. Even though Iβm from Derbyshire, the midlands feels like being down south nowadays. It felt like the north when I was growing up. England definitely gets better the further north you go imho. I lived and worked in Chesterfield/Sheffield for many years and loved it - but never felt that mythical friendly northerness to be honest, probably because I was obviously "southern". Travelling around most of the country most years (when I untie from the waterpoint Telemachus thinks I live on) I get to "feel" where I am and as a boater I feel most comfortable in and around Staffordshire/Shropshire/Cheshire where the people seem more genuine and have more time for you. Ive only been back up here for a few days really. But Iβve already had people being genuinely interested in the boat rather than people looking down their noses at it which Iβve had enough of further south.
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Post by dogless on Aug 4, 2023 20:50:00 GMT
Jane loves zoos, so I looked at taking her to Drayton Manor who have a small zoo.
Β£64 !
They do a Β£10 zoo only ticket but only at 'out of season' times.
We will of course not be going π
Rog
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Post by kris on Aug 4, 2023 20:54:11 GMT
Jane loves zoos, so I looked at taking her to Drayton Manor who have a small zoo. Β£64 ! They do a Β£10 zoo only ticket but only at 'out of season' times. We will of course not be going π Rog You can take the man out of Yorkshire.
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