Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year

As the festive season approaches, we would like to wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Thank you for supporting us over the year and into the future!
We are sure you enjoyed the scenic views, the company and , of course, Gina’s delicious food, including little round green things, pointy orange things….
You are not only our valued customers, but also our friends.

Lady Teal V2 may struggle with some of the bridges!

We would like to pass on a big thank you to everyone on our cruises who helped raise £750 for Camsight.

I think most people enjoy the little quiz, and seem to do well enough to take money off us!

Camsight were thrilled, as a small charity this makes a big difference.

Not today. Looks a bit big!

The first cruise of the season starts today and it’s a glorious morning. Sun, ducks and plenty of water in the canal!

@MarketingLancs Well we have finished the 2016 season and over the next week or so I will publish a summary and photos of our travels. Right now its time for a wind down and glass of wine! We would like to extend a huge thank you to those of you who cruised with us this year and all those who have booked for the next couple of years. Particularly though we want to thank Glen who lights up our lives when she arrives to help out, Lady gets particularly excited.  Glen is a key part of Team Teal and we cannot thank her enough for her diligence, good spirits and ready smile. Gina has said I shouldn’t mention her occasional mishaps, such as pouring water over guests, funny as they may be and taken in good part by all concerned, so I wont.

We are re-positioning the boat back to base right now, and what a fabulous morning this is.

Now I told Gina to avoid the nuclear power station!

Having a short break on the lovely South Yorks naviagtions

Well here we are again at one of our favourite flights, Johnson Hillocks.

Is it really that far to Leeds, then onto Goole!

Currently we are on a short break in Liverpool, it really is a great city. We love spending some time here. Lots of history, museums, galleries, shops, bars  and restaurants fab.

Well I didn’t expect to see these in Salthouse dock, never even seen one duck before, though clearly there have been at least 2!

Well another lovely trip into Liverpool. Great weather and such a brilliant trip through the docks.

There really is no other experience like this on the waterways. Coming through the docks, the tunnels and then there are the three graces, what a sky line.

But of course no visit would be complete without a Nick history lecture and a rapt audience.

Having got into Liverpool there is a time for a quick explore then dinner, finishing, well apart from the cheese, port and coffee with a lovely Raspbery Creme Brulee.

Well not the best of days, a tad damp. Then when we stop the sky clears and the sun comes out gorgeous!

Yesterday was simply wonderful and guests enjoyed a glass of wine and sit on top as we cruised into Crook.

A lovely spot now but would have been a pit village with something like 11 pits in the local area and lots of barges taking coal away. Even a tunnel underground for the canal.

Tony Robinson did a really good Walking Through History episode  really good episode on the stretch Liverpool to Wigan well worth a watch on More4.

There seem to be a lot of myths and folk memory associated with the Wigan Flight. I first went through it in the lat 70’s and it was a mess. Punds empty, rubbish and most of the lock gear not working, environment industrial and pretty naff.

How time changes things. Yes it is still 21 locks dropping over 200 feet and yes they are broad locks so harder work than the narrow ones, but we only do wide locks so don’t find them too bad. there are a couple that are tough but we generally take around 4 hours to come down, without trying to rush. You can stop at the wood yard for lunch if you want a break.

It is tree lined and neat and tidy without too much rubbish, surprisingly. Also people have always been fine, none of the trouble that people seem afraid of, and we have gone on all days of the week and started at midday or at 0930.

If you look on the right of the next photo you can see a church spire, we end welbelow the church, quite amazing, a great day.

Well a whole different set of sunsets for Lady Teal tonight.

We have been down the lovely under used Selby canal and peered into the tidal Ouse, we then turned and ran back to the Aire and Calder!

Lovely evening and an amazing rural sunset.

Even the most strange place can look great at night. Night time shots seem to soften things and add mystery or romance.

Here is a night time shot of Ferrybridge flood lock on the Aire and Calder. I guess it may be a picture that may not be possible for a lot longer. The main power stations were coal, thats why they were here. Delivery of coal was in tom puddings, trains of 40 ton barges that were lifted right out of the water by the mechanism and tipped out, incredible. By all accounts the people who drove the barges that pushed or pulled the long strings of tom puddings used to make them dance and weave along the Aire and Calder, pretty terrifying if you were coming the other way!

Well we are having a short break between cruises in the middle of Leeds, and celebrating being a year older!

#chichotelboat #hotelboat it is a lovely spot, the vibrancy of the city and the buzz, but out into the countryside tonight.

Really good video from #CRT on the bicentenary, some great quotes about the canal, with which we obviously agree. Follow this link for the bicentenary video , worth a watch. Must start embedding youtube videos, technical task to look into.

It is quite interesting, well I think it is but Gina says I am just a canal geek, that the original estimate for the canal is about the same as what it cost us to put Lady Teal in the water. Though they over ran their budget by a lot more than us.

We will be moving off the L&L onto the Aire & Calder, so big locks, mostly push button for the next few days.

We do like this as a place to stop. The views of the drumlins, look it up, are brilliant and it is such a great spot.

Having just dropped down  from the summit pound  it is down hill to Leeds from here. But certainly not with the views and places to see. The wonderful Yorkshire dales and towns a villages, we are lucky to be doing this.

Can’t recommend this program enough Nairn Across Britain is on BBC Iplayer and shows a journey from Worsley to Leeds, absolutely fascinating.

Give it a try, for those that have done some of this you will be amazed how it has changed.

A bit slow and droll but well worth half an hour of your life.

Liverpool is really brilliant, I know I say it every time but there is truly nothing else like it on the network.

#HotelBoat loves coming coming here.

Leaving early in the mooring the wait in Canning is great fun, looking at the Bar lightship and the views of sailing boats and the super liverpool architecture, old and new.

As a hotel boat we are so pleased we have been able to introduce so many people to this great city. Can’t recommend it enough.

Our guests who are on now stayed at the Titanic hotel near Tobacco warehouse and adored it, it does sound a really good hotel to stay at in the city.

Glen, who helps us out, and her husband Ian have been stalking us in their boat, the Dog and Ferret, and here is a shot of them with a sail ship and by the Bar. It does look a bit like the Dog and Ferret has masts!

We were also lucky that the Queen Elizabeth came in the day we left so we passed close by to her.

#hotelboat

Great trip into Liverpool again.

The Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse is a grade II listed building and is the world’s largest brick warehouse. It is adjacent to the Stanley Dock, in Liverpool, England. Standing 125 feet (38 m) high, the building was, at the time of its construction in 1901, claimed to be the world’s largest building in terms of area. The 14 storey building spans across 36 acres (15 ha) and its construction used 27 million bricks, 30,000 panes of glass and 8,000 tons of steel. (Wikipedia)

It is currently undergoing conversion, a huge job. The brilliant Titanic  Hotel just across the way.

We are being shadowed by Glen and Ian in their boat as we make our way across to Livepool.

Moored last night by the lovely Pennington Flash, just outside Leigh. Really lovely spot.

Wow what a fab day. Lady Teal made her way down into Worsley, the sky was blue and the sun was shining, true hotel boat weather.

Well enough of that. Worsley is really incredibly interesting but why oh why does somebody not sort out the Delph? The Delph was where the starvationer boats came and went from the mines. So called because you could see their ribs. There are something like 48-52 miles of underground waterway in the mines, in quite good state by all accounts. There were also two locks and an incline plane raising boats around 160 foot, so quite something. Unfortunately when last checked there was too much methane to be able to open them up to boat trips, a shame. the Delph is very overgrown and it would not take a lot to at least make it more presentable. I know there were plans to do a lot more but I guess spending cuts have affected that.

Some good stuff here at a mining site Link  and a great piece on Youtube actually down into the mine.

Then the day ended with a glorious sunset, who could ask for more.

This is a hidden gem in Wigan. An amazing steam engine maintained by a great guy, Bill. #TrencherfieldMill #Chichotelboat.

The engine house and engine is great, unfortunately not in steam when we visited. Wigan wake up and market this and open it more regularly.

Trencherfield Mill should and could be such a tourist draw to the Wigan pier area, as it used to be. if you are visiting Wigan on a Sunday look up the times and go there it is brilliant!

Bill does a great job looking after it and has an apprentice and a work experience guy helping out, so it is also great for them.

A true hidden gem

#HotelBoat

The Desmond Canoe trail from Merseyside to Humberside will utilise the Leeds Liverpool canal. The trail, the longest of its kind in the UK, will stretch for 150 miles connecting Liverpool to Goole along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and Aire & Calder Navigation. Travelling through Wigan, Blackburn, Burnley, Leeds and Skipton it will take the average paddler between five and seven days to complete., all thanks to a £1.3m donation.

Not sure this canoeist got it quite right!

So good to see so many boats heading to Liverpool. We were proud to share the route in with two historic boats, Ambush and Ribble.

Thanks to the National Historic boat register for the following:

AMBUSH is a Leeds and Liverpool longboat, a narrow boat of steel plate construction with a Gardner 41W diesel engine. She was built by W J Yarwood of Northwich in 1933. She was built and worked for H R Ainscough.

After trade finished, she was used to carry coal to Westwood Power Station in Wigan and later was turned into a trip boat in the Liverpool area.  AMBUSH is one of a small number of Leeds and Liverpool long boats and in 2011 was under full restoration by her present owner.

Ribble is a 1933 Leeds Liverpool short boat.

Basically short boats were 60 by 14 foot and long boats 70 by 14 foot. Sometimes the flyboats were narrower. Above Wigan only the shorts could operate, due to lock lengths and curves. Thought was given to lengthening the locks around the end of the 19th century but it was going to be too costly and complex. Also comment was made that the locks at Johnson Hillocks were poorly made, unusually as most of Rennies builds were excellent.

#chichotelboat
Two little videos of Appley Lock on the Leeds Liverpool canal.
Lady Teal, five star awarding winning hotel boat going through.
This is the original deep lock that used so much water a new cut with two shallower locks and a pound for boats to pass was built. They are now in a state of disrepair so only the depp(12 foot) lock is now operational.

 First video  Second Video

What fabulous weather we have had the last few weeks, culminating in this Lazy Sunday Afternoon!

It has been truly extraordinary. Six weeks ago snow then weeks of lovely weather that just keeps on giving!

Really is quite amazing!

Lovely picture off Holme lock Gargrave courtesy of Glen. Gina not too sure about the cost of the art project writing.

A lovely day through the Aire Valley and Gargrave today. The scenery really is stunning and the village is brilliant, so typical of the dales, great views and stone cottages.

There is also a Peacock in the sheep field, not quite sure why the sheep was following it around though.

#LadyTeal #HotelBoat #Skipton

Well lots of cygnets about on the canal now. Not yet seen any riding on mum or dads back but sure we will. Here are some outside the Rendezvous Hotel in Skipton & some video https://youtu.be/-ZY6U7lKk_Y

Is it just up here in #Yorkshire or is it the year of the buttercup?  Every other field seems full of them , a really lovely show.

It seems to happen every few years one flower takes over.

The other great thing about this time of year is all the young. We saw a great flotilla, that the right word, of goslings today. Lots of “ah how cute” comments!

Tim and Pru West are filming #GreatCanalJourneys on the Leeds Liverpool and were at Bank Newton yesterday.

Great to have them filming on the longest single canal in the country, the Leeds Liverpool, yes  I know the Grand Union is longer but it is a union of canals! It is particularly good as it is the bi-centenary year of the opening of the canal. Leeds to Gargrave and Liverpool to Wigan were opened many years prior to 1816 but shortage of money and the Napoleonic wars saw the completion of the canal stalled till 1816.

They really are a lovely couple and the Great Canal Journeys programs are a super showcase for our wonderful canal system. They seem to be covering all of it, along with the pieces they have done abroad.

Not sure when the program will air but will look forward to seeing it and am very interested as to what bits they will choose to highlight, beyond the obvious and iconic Bingley 5 Rise and probably the now very pretty Wigan flight. Of course the Liverpool link past the Three Graces and under Pier Head, oh I could go on and on and normally do, but we will have to await and see.

They were in a hire boat this time and look to be enjoying the trip, we well know that the demands of film crews can drag out going through one lock to well over an hour, but they are hardened pro’s so seem to cope very well with all the rigours of filming. it has caused great excitement along the cut with everyone saying that Tim and Pru are on their way. interesting how we seem to feel we own celebs. so can use their first names.

Do look out for the Great Canal Journeys program  on the Leeds Liverpool, as soon as we know when it is coming out we will let you know.

Pleased to be on BBC Look North as part of the Lock keeper of the year awards, at the Bingley Five Rise.

The three keepers did great interviews, well done John, Nick and Richard.

So good to see such positive TV coverage for the waterways.

Though there is a lot on TV at the moment, and looking forward to Tim and Pru Wests next program.

#LKOY #CRT  #HotelBoat

On behalf of British Marine Inland Boating Hotel Boats Lady Teal was very proud to present the Lock Keeper of the year award to John, Nick & Richard who work the iconic Bingley Five Rise staircase locks.

We hosted Harry Arnold MBE (Waterways photographer & Journalist), Richard Parry (CEO CRT), Chantelle Seaborn (North West Manager CRt) & Bob Pointing (Chair CRT Northwest Partnership) on board Lady Teal.

This is a very prestigious award given annually to the keepers voted for  by the hotel boats. These guys are always helpful, smiling and informative, our guests love them. They are flexible and safe in their approach, who could ask for more.

BBC Look North attended and did film, though we haven’t seen it yet.

Definitely something a bit different for our guests, and we have never seen so many CRT keepers and managers at the Five before!

These guys really reflect the customer service ethic that has always been with the guys on the ground and that CRT now clearly recognises and celebrates.

Went through the huge Lemonroyd lock on the Aire and Calder today.

The lock, which drops 13’6″ replaced two previous locks that washed into the St Aidans open cast mine. It is designed for Euro 2 boats so is really big.

Its fun playing with the big canal toys but nice to be back on the Leeds Liverpool that is more our scale.

Though I have to say it is great to be able to turn around wherever we want to!

It really was such a lovely day. Bright sunshine light breeze and a great canal. We do love the Selby canal as it has so much wildlife and a lovely atmosphere. Its bridges are great and the structures to help the surrounding land drain are quite intriguing.

A short video here, Lady Teal on the Selby . The sound of all the birds is real!

A lovely evening on the quite and gorgeous Selby canal. This canal really is a gem, an ends at an interesting view of the might Ouse. We moored tonight opposite a foxes set, the you were out playing and having their tea, we did not look too closely as to what it was!

But it is a super canal with lots of history and interesting features. Back out onto the Aire tomorow.

Mixing it in Goole with  175 foot long 18.5 foot wide 250 tonne barges! Brilliant place for something different.

The Aire and Calder is still commercial with these large barges shifting oil, quite exciting when you pass them, or them you!

Well the weather has been interesting, from snow to shorts and t-shirts in a couple of weeks! The guests loved the special Christmas cruise, though it was a surprise for us all.

We were held up with a lock failure but it meant a cruise bonus for guests as they did the Wigan flight, or went through Foulridge Tunnel as an extra. A great time seemed to be had by all. But that is why we have not been posting, long cruising days catching up on the schedule. Which we successfully did in double quick time. Have to say the unexpected mud bank in Leeds as a result of the new flood alleviation scheme  and then sonic booms as two Typhoons from Coningsby chased a French jet were a surprise, all go.

Thanks to #CRT for all there help with locks etc

Out on the Aire and Calder for a few more days of lovely sunshine cruising!