Oh, yes ... Ely!

I quite forgot to write about Ely ... and Oliver Cromwell.

Oliver Cromwell (1599 – 1658) lived in Ely for some considerable time, whilst he was the Member of Parliament for a constituency which encompassed Cambridge.  He was a very active and effective M.P., but it was only with the onset of the English Civil War (1642 - 1649) that his innate aptitude for military tactics and strategy blossomed. Parliament appointed him the first: 'Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland'. His onetime family home is now an excellent museum, and the local Tourist Information Office.

The small city of Ely (denoted as such, because it has a cathedral; unlike Noth America; where the criterion for such designation is ownership of a traffic light!) has a long history; from the first millenium (C.E.), when it was small community, established on an outcropping of clay; just a scant few feet higher than the many miles of surrounding marsh and fen-land. From all directions of approach, the cathedral can be seen at a great distance ...

and it certainly dominates the surrounding flat, low-lying ground.

The community is compact and charming; having managed to stave off much of modern development. Despite being in the centre of the city, the cathedral itself (used for the coronation scenes in the movie: The King's Speech) is almost hidden form view by the narrowness of the streets ... but once encountered is breathtaking.

As commonly found in Norman construction, from some angles it presents itself as much a defensible military structure, as a place of worship!

On the days we visited, the cathedral was being used as the venue for a film production, but impressive, nonetheless.

Whilst folks in the Middle Ages did not have access to ice-cream; nonetheless, local purveyors of the delicacy do their best to fit in with the surroundings!

The weather being clement, we availed ourselves of some of this vendor's wares!

More anon ... 

At the end of our tether ...

 ... well ... at the farthest end of this leg of our voyage, anyway. We're at St. Neots; in Cambridgeshire; though some of our friends believe - wistfully - that it is still in Huntingdonshire ... don't you Roger? This will be our turn-around spot. We'll park Moonstone in a marina for a few days, whilst we take ourselves off to the http://www.biedaip.nl/, in Appingedam (near Groningen) in the northern part of The Netherlands.

Once returned to the U.K., we'll start to retrace our route back down the Great Ouse. That's pronounced: 'ooze' ... doubtless an etymological link somewhere there; but my Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology fails to mention it! Currently we're on 'The Old West River' tributary of the Great Ouse; but it does not appear to wend its way through Abilene, Tucson, nor yet Carson City.

Going downstream - towards The Middle Levels and The Fens - we will be presented (at Denver!!!) with a choice. We can continue to retrace our route via The Middle Levels, back to Peterborough, Northampton, etc.; or we can seek ou courage and opt for the offshore option: through Kings Lynn and across The Wash, to Boston; and thence up the River Witham up to Lincoln. Before making any concrete plans, we shall need to liaise with a qualified pilot. More about that later. No pictures this time. One five mile stretch of green riverbank is much like the next, I'm afraid. 

I've just realised that I've neglected to complete the editing of a snippet about our visit to Ely ... sorry! I'll get around to that very soon ... promise!

Cheers, Tom.

I can't get no-oh ...

... wireless connection!!! You can tell we’re a considerable distance from (what passes for) civilization. There is a complete dearth of cans, bottles, plastic jetsam, etc.; and considerable numbers of Great Blue Herons. However; connectivity is almost nil! This is, in no wise, a complaint. Our mobile phones (cell-phones) almost never remind us of ‘the greater world out there’; but the minuscule downside is the difficulty of posting to this (b)Log. The fact that you are now reading it, is proof positive, not only that I was alive at 14:39(BST) on Friday , 14^th. of August, 2015, but also that ‘connectivity’ was eventually found.

Since departing Northampton, on Wednesday morning, we have been cruising leisurely (roughly Eastward) along the River Nene. That’s pronounced, hereabouts as: ‘nenn’; though I am assured that nearer Peterborough the received pronunciation is: ‘neen’! Peterborough – Cambridgeshire – is our jumping-off-point for The Fens; also known as The Middle Levels. This is n extremely flat region of England, and the home district of (the late) Oliver Cromwell. Latterly; during the recent unpleasantness with our German cousins; this area was home to many personnel of The United States Air Force, and their bases. We’re investigating this part of the world for no better reason than we’ve not  been here before, and now we can.

Despite the seeming isolation of many of the small communities we pass, I’m still keeping up with the news. Since returning to the U.K. I’ve been giving free rein to my ‘inner political junkie’! There is rarely a day passes when I do not manage to lay hands on my newspaper of choice ... The I Paper, a small brother of the long-standing ‘Independent’, and a ‘tabloid’, rather than a ‘broadsheet’. We live in strange times when the only (two) truly autonomous print media in the country, are owned by a trust; funded by an exiled (by Vladimir Putin) Russian plutocrat!!!

For those who's eyes will glaze over at my political diatribe; you are welcome to slide quickly past the next section, in a blue font.

My current attention is focused on the competition for the leadership of the Labour Party; recently vacated by Mr. Edward Milliband. ‘Red Ed’ was never any deeper than a barely perceptible shade of pale pink; though the first three pretenders to his throne ( Andy Burnham, Liz Kendall and Yvette Cooper) all sail so close to the Tory wind, that they seemed in danger of challenging David Cameron for leadership of the Conservative Party!

(This next, mainly for the benefit of our colonial readers.) If you’ve never heard of any of the above, you would be blameless ... about a month ago most Brits would not have recognised those names. However; the least recognisable of all the leadership candidates is definitely the joker in the pack ... Jeremy Corbyn! Because the first three proposed candidates were so bland, some idiot suggested that: “in order to widen the debate”; a candidate representing the more progressive philosophy of the labour movement (read ‘left wing’) should be proposed ... enter (stage left?) a man with actual principles. Having proved the democratic values of the leadership election process, Jeremy was supposed to sink quietly into the background. If wishes were horses then beggars would ride!

The bizarre thing about Mr. Corbyn is that he has -  for nearly three decades - been a good, involved, hard-working member of parliament; for a very mixed bag (both socially and economically) of folks in his North London constituency; all the while remaining true to his egalitarian ideals ... and he’s got a beard!!! During that time he has received no preferment, been appointed to no positions in government nor the ‘shadow cabinet’, and voted against his own party whip over 100 times; and all in a non-blustering, quiet, even retiring way. He simply feels that the least advantaged in our society deserve more consideration than is currently the case, thinks that public services should be adequately funded, and holds that this country should not be invading other countries on flimsy, trumped up evidence. Oh, yes ... he also believes that Tony Blair should be tried for war-crimes and crimes against humanity. How can a man like that be entrusted with the leadership of a political party; much more with the leadership of a government?

Strangely enough; tens of thousands of previously politically unengaged under-30s, and similar numbers of recently estranged, previous members of the Labour Party, are flocking to this unlikely banner. The Labour Party hierarchy are aghast and panic-stricken; crying ‘foul’ for a myriad, spurious reasons; whilst the Tories are reported to be jubilant, even going so far as to be taking membership of the Labour Party, in order to ensure an ‘unelectable’ leader for their party of opposition! Has no-one ever said to them: “Beware what you wish for.”? Much less, drawn their attention to: ‘The law of unintended consequences.’? As to Jeremy Corbyn (aged 66) he is barely campaigning; just giving straight answers to straight questions, in a quiet, unassuming manner.

By this point you will probably have guessed the candidate for whom I’ll be casting MY vote. I’m old enough to remember the old truism of electoral politics ... “Opposition parties do not get elected to government; government parties get booted out”!

Enough of my 'grumpy old man' act! on with the (b)Log ... where were we? Oh, yes ... rural isolation. Here it is:

Miles ... 

... and miles ... 

... and miles ... 

... and miles and miles of it ... not that we're complaining ... we're not!

Yes we went under here; the 3rd. arch from the left.

The biggish one over on the right, on this one.

 ... but here's the puzzle ... for the greatest part of the time there is barely a habitation to be seen ... so who went to the multifarious churches we keep passing.

These aren't what I'd call 'small country churches; in parishes of several cosy thatched-cottages ... 

 ... some of these are HUGE ... without another building in sight!!!

One of the unexpected benefits of being aboard Moonstone, is our ability to stop at waterside bramble patches, and harvest the berries, unavailable to land-bound foragers.

In what seemed no more than an instant, Lyn had these made up into a delicious blackberry and apple (a friend gifted us some lovely - Bramley - cooking apples); which she (Lyn) served up doused in thick custard (Bird's, of course!); which we ate whilst basking in a glorious sunset.

More later. Great to hear from some of you folks. T.

What are you doing in Northampton, Tom?

Well ... yes ... when last we wrote we were in the Saltisford Arm, in Warwick. During our time there, we've been on a couple of short (2 - 4 day) trips; with visiting friends. Of course, Warwick Folk Festival is in there somewhere, too!

Now we've decided that a cruise to THE FENS is top of the (current) priorities list; so for a few days or weeks the landscape is going to be similar to this ... minus the trees!

We'll hope to visit the historic city of Cambridge, the ancient cathedral at Ely,



and - hopefully - visit our friends Patti and Roger Pitt ... even though the St. Neots Folk Club will be closed for the month of August. The real reason we're doing this is that neither of us have ever spent any significant time in this out-of-the-way corner of England.

We've travelled back down the Grand Union Canal, almost to the Blisworth Tunnel; then turned East along the Northampton Arm. Almost immediately we were faced with a flight of 17 locks. Happily they are 'narrow locks'; little more than seven feet wide. For a narrowboat with a crew of just two, this is totally different from the 14' locks to which we've become accustomed over the past 14 months. However; during our various 'FLOAT TO THE FESTIVAL' trips; we operated plenty of these narrow locks, and much prefer them to their wider cousins. For a start: one crew-member ashore can operate both sides of the lock ... 

Remember ... one hand for the ship, and one for y'rself!

We've got a few 'domestic' issues to deal with; so we'll be in Northampton for 2 or 3 days; then we'll proceed down the River Nene to Peterborough, and out onto the MIDDLE-LEVEL NAVIGATIONS. Think of Humphrey Bogart towing the African Queen and you'll get the picture! "Leeches; I hate 'em."

It will (probably) be about 2-3 months before we get back to Warwick; returning the long way around. Of course; during that time; we've got festivals in The Netherlands and Bromyard. We'll try to keep the (b)Log of the Narrowboat Moonstone updated along the way.

All for now, Tom.

Around The Cape!

Ian; the manager of the Saltisford Canal Trust (the Saltisford Arm, Warwick) ... which is to be our base of operations for the next couple of months - had requested our arrival in time for the garden-party to celebrate the opening of a new building on the site

That's the new building.

; had asked for a bit of entertainment. Entertainment was duly provided, and not just sea-shanties either! The weather cooperated and a good time was had by all.

Before we got to Saltisford, of course, we had to get around The Cape of Good Hope ... 

One of the most famous pubs on the canal system.

We didn't get past entirely unscathed ... there was an ale which I've never tried before ... it was excellent!

So ... only a few hundred yards before the end of this first leg of a journey. It's been 370 miles and 325 locks; but now the (b)Log of the Narrowboat Moonstone is taking a rest. We have festivals here in Warwick, Bromyard and Groningen, Holland and - though I may find that (b)Log withdrawal kicks in in the meantime - I'll be back thereafter.

Cheerio for now, Tom.

Back to Long Itchington.

Hello folks. It's been almost a week since last I reported and in some ways it's been frenetic whilst, on the canal, life has been more leisurely.

All the plans for our attendance at the Cleckheaton Folk Festival worked as hoped; with our friend : Brian Mayland providing transport between the boat and the car rental depot. Our 200+ mile commutes went without incident, and my part of the festival went well ... if I do say so myself! Much of our time in Cleckheaton involved spending time with several friends whom we've not seen for quite a while; so that was particularly enjoyable for both Lyn and me.

Back 'on the cut' by Monday evening, we travelled a mere 4 or 5 miles before stopping for a (much needed) early night. Since then we've cruised some more miles, and traversed a few more locks, until our arrival, here, in Long Itchington.

Some of you alumni of the Warwickshire Ring versions of our FLOAT TO THE FESTIVAL expeditions may remember this delightful village, and, in particular, The Buck and Bell; a truly delightful 'gastropub'! Nigel is still 'mein host', and our meal, last evening, was delicious!

We're now only a few miles and locks from Warwick, and the Saltisford Arm; which will become our 'base of explorations' for the next few months. Despite all our previous visits to Warwick (with some of you!), we have yet to visit the castle, and several other significant places in the vicinity. We'll try to rectify these omissions.

We'll let you know when we arrive in Warwick. 'Til then ... cheers!

Change mode of travel.

Thursday, July 2nd. (At Blisworth Village)

Since entering (for the second time) the Grand Union Canal - from the Thames Lock at Brentford - we've made 74 miles and 89 locks. Our complete trip (thus far) encompasses 334 miles and 297 locks.

We're parking Moonstone in Blisworth Marina, over the weekend, in order to take a (rental) car up to Cleckheaton (in Yorkshire) Folk Festival. Once we're back on the boat, we have only three or four days of cruising to bring us to the marina in the arm of the  Saltisford Canal (in Warwick); and the end of this first episode of our Grand Procession!

Yesterday we traversed the famous Blisworth Tunnel.

 

(3,076 yards. (2.804 kilometres; nearly 1 3/4 miles)

To our surprise (though why should we be surprised?) one of the readers of this (b)Log: Rob Folsom, of Tacoma Sound (Sound Engineer on three of my recordings!); has steered a boat through this marvel of Victorian engineering!!! I'd bet you sang a song or two, en route, didn't you, Rob?

This transit was - again - 'an experience'; though it would have been easier if the tunnel was actually straight. ;-)) Sometimes; in life; the light one can observe is the end of the tunnel. Twice on this journey, it was a boat coming towards us. Strangely ... we were (obviously) the more experienced and capable crew!!! Our boats are seven feet wide, and the widest part of the construction is barely fifteen feet. Singing in these places is a great joy. When, eventually (after about 50 minutes) we emerged from the North end, we found we had an audience awaiting us. Their comments were exceedingly gracious.

The weather - once out from the pleasant coolness - was very hot (for England); about 33 degrees; almost 92, for our American readers. We were pleased to pull over to the canal-bank, and have some time and a meal with our old friends: Rose and Brian.

All for now, folks. Live well. Tom and Lyn.