A Trip on "Hazel"

At last we've got away from Ashton for a few days with "Forget me Not" and "Hazel". We're running the trip with the crew socially distanced from each other and from the guests. Me and Aaron are in for the whole trip, with a back cabin each. Other people come and go as they can to help us through the locks and lift bridges.


The water level was low and we struggled to get clear of Tameside. Dunkirk bridge and Captain Jack's moorings were particularly bad. I was very pleased to see that the long promised dredging has started though, even if we did have a hard time getting past the dredger. The mud is being unloaded at Warble boatyard.

It was a lovely afternoon as we swung the pair round the tight turns at Gee Cross,

Towards Woodley there were some very odd ducks. Are they Grebe? Any ornithologists reading this?

Today we worked up Marple locks. Liz, Peter and Kim came to help. Tomorrow we're on to Bugsworth. Darren is coming to help. More crew needed for the return trip.

Bin Too Busy to Post, Catching up.

I took a lot of photos of a short trip we did a fortnight ago. I'd decided to let our crew run it themselves and just hover about taking photographs. I did put the photos on here, then my internet went down (Windows 10) and I couldn't save it. So, here they are again.


"Southam" and "Lilith" tied out of the way for the day.

"Forget me Not" and "Hazel" on the wharf to load our guests.

The pair winding.

The butty steerer struggled a bit to get through the gap.

"Still Waters" backed out to begin a trip through the Asda tunnel as our pair did their best to get round the bend into Walk Bridge. Meanwhile the hireboat crew attempt to drag their boat into the bank at the visitor moorings. These moorings used to be deep but after the contractors repaired the bank boats can no longer get in close. Presumably they dropped their surplus stone etc in the water.

After a shaky start the boats were on their way.

That was when my camera batteries ran out.

Our guests on "Hazel" that weekend were a couple who were visiting Ashton so that one of them could do a yoga teaching assessment. They said they'd like to be somewhere nice and peaceful so I took the boat up to Dukinfield drawbridge, away from the sometimes raucus atmosphere on hot days at the basin. Here's some pictures.

The following weekend was the recycling trip. I didn't take any pictures on the Sunday or Monday trips, but on Tuesday evening I let Aaron take charge. He did very well.

Winding at Ashton.

The flats are on the site of the old Junction Mill. Now only the chimney survives.

Fliss and Steve chatting on "Forget me Not"s deck.

Aaron in charge.

Winding at Fairfield Junction.


2008 flats clearly modelled on 1970s Soviet architecture. These also are on the site of a mill.


Recycling Trip 3rd July 2016

A really enjoyable trip for those who showed up. We were a bit low on numbers and struggled to get round the collecting area in a reasonable time, but all who came enjoyed it and we got a big pile of stuff for the charity shop. As well as new people there were long awaited re-appearances by old friends Martin Nestor and Adrian Glasgow.

Hello Again. (5th October 2012)


Hello Again

Sorry I've been away for so long. I've just been struggling to get everything done as I am working all day on rebuilding "Hazel", then there's so much extra to squeeze into each evening. I've decided to try to do an update each Friday. There's now 3 of us working full time on "Hazel". Stuart is off to India at the end of the month so Martin Lowe has come to help finish the job. The hull is now completely replanked so it's mostly cabin building and fitting out to do. Martin is really good at these kind of jobs. He impressed us all today with the way that the new back cabin side fitted when we steamed it to shape. Originally the cabin sides were each formed of one piece of pitch pine about 1.5 inches thick. New good quality pitch pine is now very rare, but we bought a reclaimed pitch pine beam and cut it up with the chainmill. This wasn't quite wide enough to do it in one, so Martin has joined pieces together. When it's finished I doubt you'll be able to see the join.

We've got the sponsors day in a fortnight. They're coming to have a look at the boat, a buffet in the Bulls Head, then a trip up to Mossley on one of the boats. There's a rumour that "Spey" will be attending. Hazel sponsors are great people who have stuck with us for years while the boat's restoration was just a dream, each putting their contribution in each year until it grew into a useful fund. More sponsors are needed. It doesn't cost the Earth and your contributions will be much appreciated. Have a look at the website. http://wcbs.org.uk/?p=393

Stuart has been busy with what in his yachtie way he calls "flogging off" the sides. This means planing them down so that they are smooth. The side he's done certainly looks good.