goodshipcalliope

The Magnificent Meuse

– part 1 From Belgium into France

7th – 13th May 2022

We didn’t start at the bottom, or the mouth, of the Meuse; we joined at Namur, so this account does not do full justice to the river. It was a rather overcast day when we left the Sambre and found turning upstream to head South a somehow counter-intuitive experience, but at least we were heading towards the sun!

The first lock on the Meuse looked quite small, despite the width of the river, after the bigger ones we had been through on the Sambre. Probably there is not a lot of difference

We shared the first lock, at Namur, with a pretty little passenger boat, seemingly out for an afternoon of female fun!

We didn’t stop in Namur this time but carried on to Profondeville, on the way passing some of the many many grand houses that border the river.

Here is a taste of a few!

And when we were not looking at mansions and chateaux we were looking at increasingly wonderful hills, trees, and rocks – often with people, like ants, climbing up.

Once there we spent a little bit of time working out which was the official 40m mooring place. Luckily the 30 meter barge ‘Cinclus’ that was already moored there offered to budge up a bit so that we could fit on too. Ecco and Sasha from Cinclus were to become good friends as we all motored on up the river.

It’s a nice spot on the edge of the little town and we were able to use the small supermarket and excellent boulangerie to top up for a few days. Apart from the view of wooded cliffs there is not a lot to see, but I enjoyed the giant ‘coq gauloise’, the street art, and the ability to exercise while sitting down!

Despite the beautifully lit cliffs, we had something of a disturbed night with water levels going up and down by at least 18 inches because of a great deluge up-river the previous day necessitating frequent adjustment of the ropes. Even this great effort did not avoid one of the ropes ending up so taut and tight that we could not undo it and it had to be cut. That’s the first time in eight years we’ve had to do that.

Onwards the next day through Dinant, firstly past the Leffe brewery, just spotted by the towers and steeples of its Abbey, and the gaping black rectangle where the Leffe river joins the Meuse.

Then on past more tall graceful buildings and churches, and under the bridge celebrating the famous Mr Saxe, native of Dinant.

Leaving Dinant the scenery became even more dramatic, with colourful little houses crowding onto strips along the river, below the mountains.

Our destination was Waulsort where we were due to meet up with friends. As we moved slowly up river the cliffs became craggier (and the people climbing them braver); the houses more fascinating.

We had no idea what to expect at Waulsort and we therefore delighted to find the long pontoons set out from the riverbank in a glorious part of the valley.

Acquaintances were very soon re-made, especially with TinTin who ran down the pontoon to greet Stewart whenever he appeared!

By evening the Captain was taking on a saintly appearance under the setting sun – all perfect!

There began a perfect four days of working on the boat; Stewart did useful things like painting, but I am dangerous with a paintbrush so got to catch up on the washing.

Our views were this ….

……… and this ……

…… and this ……..

……. and this.

What is not to like?

There were walks in the woods (one longer than expected), trips across the (free) man-hauled ferry – and yes, I asked if I could have a go – meals shared with friends and such a good time that our four booked nights flew by.

Part way through we moved to there opposite side of the pontoon to give Stu a chance to touch up the rubbing strake on the port side – in the process of which a fender escaped and we had to take a short trip downstream to retrieve it with a boathook!

Such is the life of the sailor.

The best and most exhausting walk was when we offered to take Tin Tin (ship’s dog on Pavot) out and in trying to follow our own instincts got lost at the top of a hill which then required descending into and scrambling out of a series of ravines. All good fun, but not what we had signed up for!

The views and the flowers more than compensated for the energy expended.

The whole experience – only 8 kms, but rough up and down terrain for two pairs of 70 year old legs – led to a relaxed evening on the back deck, as far as I can remember …..

The fifth night was guaranteed by friend Sally calling the captain ‘Honey’ and inviting him to a curry on the pontoon. This has to be one of the most wonderful evenings of my life – except that poor Sally came a very painful cropper onto a bollard, badly bruising her ribs.

While there we also walked along the river, past the weir, to the next village, Hastière, for bread. The church there is rather lovely, sitting next to the water by the bridge.

Actually the 2 km walk on old legs already tired from the hill top excursion made us decide to buy ready-made sandwiches instead and sit by the weir to eat them on the way back! Well we all deserve a treat from time to time.

It was sad to be leaving our Pavot friends, especially after Sally had fallen and hurt herself on our final evening. Still, off we went, waving goodbye, and heading upstream to Givet, just across the French border.

In no time we were crossing the border – goodbye Belgium, for now. We have loved being with you for the past three years. And hello France; thanks you for being the country who would offer us a 6 month visa.

Although it is a town mooring with a quite noisy bridge nearby, it is also okay for shopping, good for boulangeries, and great for bars!

The long quay is divided into commercial and ‘pleasure boat’ use; I think we got ourselves into the right place! 😁

Many of the towns and cities along the Meuse have huge forts (citadels) perched on hills way above the river – the Meuse has been a frontier in many wars. Givet is no exception with its Fort de Charlemont, and also the ancient old watch tower, named after St Grégoire’s chapel that once was nearby. I have added the simple old church opposite the mooring too as it glowed in the setting sun.

Givet is a town of towers! The Victoire Tour is just along the quay and was originally a corner tower of the seigneurial manor that occupied the south west corner of the old fortified town. It has been utilised both as a toll house, for river traffic, and as a prison over its long life. For sone reason I did not get a good photo of this tower, but it can be partially seen from our table at the local bar.

As twilight fell the town across the water looked more and more attractive, with the full moon shining down from the sky and up from the river.

With all that history the town probably deserves a longer visit, but we wanted to get into the countryside upstream so we were off next morning, but not until a good French baguette was found for our first morning back in France .

Sorry I’m a bit bleary – must have been the wine from the night before!

Next on the agenda was Vireux-Wallerand, a complete unknown to us. All is to be revealed in the next chapter – The Magnificent Meuse part 2!

From the Haut Escaut to the Meuse

Up the Nimy-Blaton-Péronne, through the Canal du Centre, down the Brussels-Charleroi and along the Sambre.

April 28 to May 7 2022

After 3 splendid nights on the new curved pontoon of the Royal Yacht Club of Péronnes it was time to move on.

While there we had had a couple of good walks around Le Grand Large, and along part of the old canal. The old Pommereul-Antoing canal came up out of the Petit Large, along the western edge of what is now the Grand Large, then off around the hill, using 5 small locks to gain the necessary rise.

Looking towards Lock 1 (Maubray-Péronnes) from Lock 2 (Péronnes)

The new Nimy-Blaton-Pommereul canal replaces the old canal; it was opened in 1826. At that time, the Borinage mining area needed an efficient means of transport for the enormous amount of coal mined in the region. This meant a much wider canal and two much taller locks; this would be our route when we left.

In the meantime we took advantage of the on-site bar and restaurant, treating ourselves to a few Belgian beers and to a burger and meatballs meal.

The mornings across Le Grand Large were mystical in their slow beauty.

And we had the breakfast bonus of swallows flying and landing all around us.

There was a pleasant array of wild fowl to watch on the water too – grebes, cormorants, ducks, geese, swans. Apparently in the autumn the area is full of migrating birds and a sight to behold.

Then it was time to go. We were lucky with Maubray-Péronnes lock – the 12.5m giant (although not as deep as several we went through on the Rhône) – it was prepared for us immediately and we were soon on our way up.

The opening of the rising lock door is such a lovely experience on a day like this, so I have tried to embed a video. Let’s see if you can view it!

Off went Calliope, down the Nimy-Blaton-Péronnes on a beautiful April Sunday. There were few other boats around, commercial or leisure, so we had the canal mostly to ourselves. As we left the lock we looked back at the jetty on the right where we moored up a few years ago, in the dark and amongst about 6 commercial barges and 4 other leisure cfaft! It was something of an unplanned stop and the whole exciting adventure is described in a previous blog! (https://calliope.blog/2019/07/15/a-river-and-three-canals-in-a-week/)

On nice clear, wide, quiet sections like this the crew sometimes takes the helm. I do love steering and feel very comfortable to be at the wheel, but I prefer the action of throwing ropes when it comes to locks and mooring up; the Captain is far better to be in charge at times like those.

We passed the closed off end of the old canal (on the right), and continued on to look at one of our favourite moorings – another Grand Large. This one is at the entrance to the Pommereul-Condé canal which, despite being modern, has been closed for several years due to silting up at the French end. It is due to re-open this year, so dredging is going on, this making it a less attractive mooring proposition.

Soon after this we passed the Mons basin which marks the start of the Canal du Centre and the end of the Nimy-Blaton-Peronnes.

There were two locks ahead of us before our chosen stop for the night at Thieu.

The first is the 5m Obourg-Warton. And the second, which we are heading towards in the photo, is the 10m Havre. The welcome green light allowed us to steam straight in.

(talk about locks)

Many of the big locks have a door/gate half way along. This means that it is possible to only use half a locks worth of water for smaller boats like us.

We rarely see this in action, but the Captain always takes Calliope to the front of the lock so that it is possible if the lock keeper chooses.

This time we did find the tall midway doors close behind us.

Then onwards over the last 4kms of the day to Thieu!

Looking down at the Thieu quay, and Calliope, with the New Ascenseur in the distance, and the historic Ascenbseur to the right

We like the quay at Thieu – just a kilometre from the stunning 20 year old 240 ft high Strèpy-Thieu Ascenseur (boat lift), This giant structure was completed in 2002 and allowed far larger vessels to travel the Canal du Centre.

The quay is next to the start of the Historic Canal du Centre, which is the route we had planned to take this time. But unfortunately we discovered that it is currently closed for maintenance.

The original canal, now renamed the Historic Canal, has a series of 4 boat lifts to achieve the same height as the one newer Ascenseur.

It starts, at its lower end, here is this lovely basin.

Happily ensconced at Thieu it felt sensible to enjoy the sun and the view by sipping cold beer on the back deck.

And then there are the sunsets top enjoy too!

Next day we were joined by fellow Piper Pilgrim, on their way in the opposite direction; a good opportunity to talk through the delights of life on the waterways of Europe.

Being moored up on a nice steady high quay gave the Captain a chance to become my water engineer and rig up a pump to squirt canal water on the deck for cleaning purposes – I let him try to out first!

After two nights and a full day enjoying being at Thieu we decided to carry on towards our main objective fo the summer, Strasbourg.

So we waited until a commercial barge came past heading for the Ascenseur, and tagged along behind.

After speaking to the ‘lock keeper’, or should I say Ascenseur Operative, we were asked to wait for a barge that was coming down to leave the boat lift, and then we could go up with the commercial.

This is what the inside of the boat lift looks like – a complete giant ‘bath’ of water, complete with its boats, ascends (or descends).

Up we went! It is always a spectacular experience, The vista that gradually opens up before one as the lift rises with your barge tucked safely inside never fails to impress. And this particular day was the best – clear and sunny.

Leaving the Ascenseur we cruised along the new wide Canal de Centre until its junction with the Brussels – Charleroi Canal.

On our way we watched out for a strange short-stay mooring, usefully next to a Carrefour supermarket. We were in need of fresh milk – to always an easy purchase in Belgium and France, but usually to be fund in the larger supermarkets.

The stop requires spotting a bollard often hidden in long grass, and an arrangement of ropes, metal bars, nuts and bolts. We found it; we moored up; we shopped!

I didn’t discover the reason, but all customers were being given a fresh rose, with lily of the valley. all in a little plastic vase.

Makes a nice addition to the wheelhouse!

Our aim for the night was to stop above the lock at Viesville. It is not an immediately desirable mooring, but we have stopped there a few times and find it a peaceful spot, despite the trains that rush by now and then.

One of the fascinations of this lock is the installation of 3 giant Archimedes screws. These, by each raising 9000 cubic metres of water per hour, replace upstream the water that is ‘lost’ when the lock empties.

For those as interested as us, here is a link to the company that proudly installed the screws. https://www.besix.com/en/news/the-three-locks

We also has an unexpected visit from the Belgian Navy – well two of them, off duty, cycling he canal and interested in Calliope. They were welcomed aboard and given the grand tour!

Next morning, while I was slowly getting up, I was informed by the Captain that the lock was full and the gate open, with a green light – an invitation to get going! So we did.

Viesville Lock, looking across at the floating bollards opposite to those we used

Down through Viesville (7m), Gosselies (7m) and Marchienne-au-Pont (7m) – a full 21m down the valley to Charleroi. Because of the layout of the floating bollards, designed for 40m and 80m commercial barges, we had to straddle the gates in the centre. We were lucky to be alone! Obviously we could not have done this if we were sharing the locks.

All three locks have these wonderful floating bollards, although a note in our map book from last year warned us that one floating bollard was missing in Gosselies lock, so we made sure we went to the other side.

They also all have lock doors that slide open sideways, revealing the next beef, or stretch of canal, slowly and tantalisingly!

Everything was amazingly smooth and I made the mistake of saying what a good day we were having ……

We reached the awkward right hand bend under a bridge and out onto the River Sambre at about 11.30, pleased to see the illuminated green arrows to the left of the bridge (just visible on photo) indicating that we were free to turn left or right onto the Sambre..

Happily we steamed on through the bridge, towards the almost gothic outline of the abandoned steel works.

Last year we turned right and went up the Sambre, into Fracxne that way. It was a lovely journey. The town of Thuin mentioned on the sign is a fascinating place, famous for its (often alcoholic) cherries!

But this year, 2022, we turned left towards the Meuse.

Then as I called the Marcinelle lock, by then just a few hundred yards from us, we realised we would be queuing behind a working barge.

As I talked to the lock keeper in my inadequate French I came to understand that there was a problem ahead at the lock.

We managed to moor up, with our ropes across a cycle path (although you cannot see that here thank goodness!) next to and surrounded by the architectural ruins of Charlerpoi’s industrial past.

I walked down to the lock. It contained a large barge, going nowhere, with the top lock gate wide open. The presence of a Diving van signalled an underwater problem, and I managed to discover that it would be about two hours before things would get moving again.

Every cloud has a silver lining. I found a five star sandwicherie only half a mile away and set out to buy a lunch time treat. We would never have thought we would sit enjoying a tuna, egg and anchovy baguette in the middle the noisy dusty canal at Charleroi, but on that day we did!

And after the prescribed two hours everything got moving again.

We went through the lock with our new commercial friend Sirius, and continued down the Sambre for the next 3 hours, following Sirius in and out of locks.

May is such a lovely month to be travelling on the water – all the wildfowl are raising their young – this neatly camouflaged Egyptian goose standing sentry over a little pile of goslings.

And then there are the surprise new structures – we are sure this smooth blue bridge was not there last time we passed this way.

Finally our paths diverged from Sirius, as they stopped overnight a couple of kilometres before we arrived at our chosen destination – a mooring in front of a disused fire station!

It was a very tranquil rural mooring, with just a little traffic over the bridge a couple of hundred yards behind us. In fact anything seems tranquil after the rush and kerfuffle of Charleroi and its environs!

Next day we set off from our fire station stop (on the market at a mere €850,000) to travel round a couple of bends and one lock before stopping again for some food shopping.

The lock in question was at Auvelais. It is currently in the middle of a major upgrade, and there was some consternation when the lock began to empty next to a small diving platform.

All was slowed down, and everyone was happy again. Apologies for this misty photo – it was not good light on that morning! But I hope it gives an indication fo what was going on as we left the lock.

Then we were tied up in the ‘cut-out’ next to the railway bridge at Auvelais. Up the stairs we went, over the river, and into town for a few bags full of supplies; then retracing our steps a little slower than we went!

We stayed at Auvelais long enough to have a good lunch full of the fresh things we had bought, and then got going for the final 12 kilometres of the day to Floreffe.

Our last lock for that day was Mornimont – just 4.6m down, but without floating bollards and being behind a large commercial brings its own need for careful attention.

Stu is watching here to see how soon he can move his rope from the bollard on the quay onto the first of the bollards in the wall -as you cn see from my rope attached to one of these.

You might also notice the Captain’s headset. This Nauti Talk system makes it so much easier for us to discuss where to tie up, who will move their rope down first, any requirements to move ahead, or astern etc.

And before long we were coming into Floreffe, looking up at the 900 year old Abbey, and looking down for a place to moor.

We were in luck again. The 40m pontoon was empty and we snuggled up to the restaurant/party boat Carpe Diem, with the most amazing scenery all around us.

We wandered up to the abbey during late afternoon (more to follow) but were back aboard to watch the sun go down across the river.

Much has been said about the Abbey at Floreffe, so our take on it is rather inconsequential. It is a good walk up the hill, pleasant to do, and when we arrived we discovered that the complex is now a school. Visitors are still welcome to wander around the grounds; the surprising thing, to us, was all the youngsters happily using the space as their playground, which indeed it is.

It was invigorating to see a game of volley ball going on not far from the bar and terraces for visitors. Students were everywhere, enjoying the sun much as we were.

So here are a few photos of our visits over the two days we were there.

The Abbey has its own range of beers – no longer brewed there sadly, but I guess there are no monks left to do the brewing!

The long distance vista from the top is well worth the climb …….

…… and we could see Calliope way below on her mooring.

The mornings at Floreffe, each following a beautiful clear day, were wistfully misty. We sat happily drinking tea waiting for the mists to clear before making plans for the day.

Plans included more cleaning – was still trying to get rid of the dust of Kortrijk building sites and Charleroi scrap metal works!

And the pontoon at Floreffe is just the right height to make easy work of cleaning the side – well one side at least!

One of the things I really enjoy about being on the barge is the frequent passing of other boats.

For example, this bow of a 40m full laden barge, low in the water, and passing our door at lunch time.

The return of the hot sun later in the day prompted the skipper to try out the new back deck shade.

We have always favoured a lime green shade, but this year there were none to be found in the rectangular shape and size that we wanted, so grey it is this year.

It was lovely to enjoy the long evenings, with darkness not descending until about 21.30. The idea of a walk upstream along the bank just acts as a magnet on my soul! Although I didn’t go far – if you look carefully you can see Calliope moored around the bend.

After two fine and interesting days in Floreffe we were ready for our last few hours on the Sambre. Just 12 kilometres and two locks separated us from the Meuse.

We waited half an hour after a working barge had passed us going down stream, to give it time to go through Florifoux lock without the bother of us. But in fact when we arrived we had a red light and needed to wait for a barge coming up.

Then at the second lock we were asked to move to the front to make room for long a massive barge came in behind us – right up close! But always safe. It was marked with Jaws style teeth on the bow and a photo would have been great, but my phone was in the wheelhouse!

We followed her down into Namur, watching with incredulity as she made her way under low old bridges. She had a wheelhouse that lowers about 8′ to go under low infrastructure, but when in that mode the Captain can hardly see anything ahead!

Something we had not expected and did not know about was the new cable car from Namur town up to the Citadel. Over the last 3 years we have moored a couple of times right next to the new cable car station, and had no idea it was planned!

So a final couple of images to indicate the juxtaposition of old and new in Namur – there is far more than this, and I have included lots of photos on previous blogs, so I will spare you now.

And finally we were out on the Meuse, heading upstream, Southwards on a rather grey day. Apologies for the photo! But we were off, towards Strasbourg, Nancy, Toul, Metz and other joys.

And the next instalment of that journey will be in the next blog. 😊

[PS my onboard garden, for those who are following the planting of seeds, is beginning to appear; flax, carrots, marigolds, sunflowers and snap-dragons. An eclectic mix, that will be explained later]

Short Trip on the Scheldt

(Actually the Haut Escaut; we are in Wallonia!)

From Bossuit, at the end of the canal from Kortrijk, it is not far to Peronnes where we were to join the Nimy-Blaton- Peronnes canal – just 27 kilometres. Nonetheless, in our new sedate gentle mindset we took a break of two nights along the way at Antoing, because we like it!

We woke to much brighter skies than the evening before – in fact it paired with rain the night, which helps to wash the cabin roof, so quite welcome!

At 10am we contacted the lock keepers and asked if we could go down in the 11am lock, and were told he would prepare the lock immediately. We were ready to go and within a few minutes we were heading into the lock.

We have been through this 9.5m lock a few times and are quite comfortable with it – but this day was not so easy. A gusty tail wind, strange eddies in the water, and the bollards not where we expected meant that we had a rather inelegant landing. It happens to the best of helmsmen and bargees from time to time.

We were soon sorted, tied up neatly, and ready to descend with the ‘singing’ floating bollards to the bottom. (The ‘singing’ is the echoing squeaks and squeals of the bollards as they roll down their metal runners).

I know I look a bit if a twit here (alright – a lot of a twit), but at tine like the entrance to this lock our nauti talk has been SO useful.

I have to admit to being against these walkie talkie things to start with, but it so nice to converse gently and with full understanding with my Captain when plans have to change from A to B to C … to D!

And then the great doors opened and we were out onto the Scheldt, which, as I have said above, becomes known as the Haut Escaut in the French speaking Wallonian area of Belgium.

I have taken many photos before of the stretch of the Haut Escaut from Bossuit to Antoing, so I will restrict myself to just these few. In the distance, I could see churches and windmills on the horizon.

We love the continuous commercial use of the waterways, apparently keeping 40 lorries per boat load (on average) off the roads!

Along the way is quite a shallow lock, but sufficiently interesting to a group of friendly students to provide us with an audience. I also performed an act if public duty, hauling form the water in the lock what looks like a mashed up traffic cone.

The final image, on the right, is, I think, part of the modern hydraulic system to open the sluices and allow water into the lock.

Going through Tournai we always look to see how the rebuild of the mediaeval bridge is going – all to allow the much wider modern commercial barges to fit through. It is coming on, though after two plus years still not complete.

And this time we found another bridge almost completed – except that at the moment there seems to be a lack of road at either end!

We reached the small ‘port’ of Antoing, in the metaphorical shadow of the castle, in good time and tied up happily for two nights.

We must be getting lazy, because apart from changing two gas bottles at Neptunia chandlery (50 yards away) and doing some shopping at Aldi (100 yards away) we had a quiet time.

Oh, we did get out for a pizza one night -and the glass off wine on board beforehand brought the distant castle into play once more!

The weather was improving and by the second night the glinting setting sun shone across the river to Calliope in fine artistic style.

After two nights, and with a replenished ship, we were ready to travel the three kilometres to the Péronnes lock and join the next canal. This short section of the river is pleasant, though not remarkable.

The actual travel time was about half an hour, but a 40 minutes wait to go through the lock meant we almost felt we had had a half day of travel! We tied up to the ‘dolphins’ before the lock and waited in the sunshine for a working barge to come down; quite right that they have precedence.

We had come to Le Grand Large – a big basin between two large locks that lift boats from the Haut Escaut to the Nimy-Blaton-Peronnes canal – and within the basin is the Royal Péronne Yacht Club, and it’s new curving visitors pontoon!

It is rather lovely, although a strange shape to moor a 20m straight boat to! Anyway we did it, and sat back to await the arrival of our dinner guests, and bargee friends, Martin, Sally, and dog Tin Tin.

Just look at that view!

I was down below cooking up a feast (well, a meal created from some Aldi ingredients plus a good tart from the boulangerie) and Captain Stu kept an eye out for our friends to arrive.

Together we had a lovely evening, talking about moorings old and new, locks easy and difficult, friends on boats, food, wine and generally a good time with good mates.

Next day they moved on up the canal gradually towards the Meuse. We will be following tin their wake, but a few days behind.

They left us to enjoy a morning flight of swallows, one of who was cheeky enough to perch on our flagstaff long enough for me to get a photo through the window.

And then we enjoyed another two days of this wonderful mooring, and its adjacent walks, some alongside the old canal that was used before these giant locks at either end of our lake came into use.

But I get ahead off myself, because officially we are now on the ‘new’ Nimy-Blaton-Peronnes canal, and not on the Haut Escaut at all!

So with a reminder of how peaceful it is here, I’m off until the next episode.

Day One of the 2022 Season

The Bossuit-Kortrijk Canal

25th April 2022

We are very excited about the prospect of the 2022 season – we are going to have a full six months cruising again. This follows the last two years of Brexit and Covid restrictions that resulted in a three month and a two month season.

We went through the necessary paperwork in January with photos and meetings to get a six month French visa and were delighted to discover you can get it without having a permanent port address – the French are pleased to welcome us with our own movable floating home, so are were able to use a few Schengen days to move the boat from Belgium and then enjoy a summer en France.

And we’re off!

Chronologically our journey went taxi, ferry, train, taxi, train, train and finally a walk across Kortrijk, all starting with the crossing of Portsmouth Harbour on a bright late April morning.

A mere 8 hours of travelling later we were throwing our bags aboard Calliope and all set to change gear into summer cruising mode.

But first we needed to relax! So before long we were in our favourite Kortrijk bar in the park, with Omer beer and Kriek Max as our celebratory drinks of choice!

We had allowed ourselves a couple fo days to prepare Calliope, bearing in mind we had been to visit her in December and earlier in April to sort things like engine servicing, central heating boiler servicing, spare parts for pumps etc.

Stewart’s work was mainly below decks, so here is the crew scrubbing the deck and preparing this year’s garden!

There is still more cleaning to be done, but we can set off knowing that our lovely barge is presentable.

It was not all work! A massive fair was installed across the centre of the city – plenty of colour and noise (not the Captain’s favourite!).

We had a walk round and evaded the temptations of being turned upside down 100 feet above the ground, and of deep fried doughnut balls!

There was also the much gentler stimulation of the Kortrijk port wildlife – herons, geese, grebes, moorhens, coots, and of course ducks.

Apparently on average only two ducklings survive from each clutch – lets hope these 8 all make it.

And then it was time to go; we had booked the first lock on the Kortrijk-Bossuit Canal at 10am, so at 9.30 we were straining at the ropes to be off ……..

…… but a glance at the VisuRIS live traffic map showed two big commercial barges on their unstoppable way to cross the port exit. This is where we have to go out astern into the main river before a sharp turn to port and the to starboard to enter the canal. (see bottom left quadrant of the map).

Having let the big boats pass Calliope’s Captain carefully took us out backwards, under the low bridge, and out onto the main River Leie waterway.

A small manoeuvre turned us round and we headed for the small canal entrance at Sluis (Lock) 11. Unfortunately the gates to the lock were closed, so we engaged Plan B and moored up on the waiting jetty.

It was decided that I would to go up and see what was happening, whereupon and met a lovely lady lock keeper – on her first day!

She soon had the gates open and Calliope gently entered her first lock of the year – one of the narrowest in Belgium.

We tied up and gave some general advice to the lock keeper about what to do next ……. but after ten minutes we were wondering why it was taking so long for the lock to fill.

Unfortunately she had not understood my question about whether she had closed the ‘paddles’ on the bottom gates (not sure of the Dutch term). Water was therefore leaving the bottom of the lock almost as fast as water came in at the top!

This was soon put right and we gently eased on up through the next two of the three manual locks. These three, leading out of Kortrijk, took us our first kilometre. It was just the right pace to start the new season.

After Lock 9 the waterway widens to commercial size so we bade farewell to our ‘lockie’, who now had the experience of three locks behind her.

At this point the beautiful blue sky rapidly went through grey to black and we found ourselves in quite a rain storm. The next lock is a big commercial size one – where one of us has to be on the foredeck with ropes in the rain!

After ascending the lock we thought that we needed to change our (almost) empty gas bottles for full ones – and sooner rather than later. We wanted to be sure of a nice cup of tea and hot supper when we stopped for the night. So I began an online search for a supermarket, a garage, a garden centre, or anywhere that was near enough to the canal for us to stop and buy some.

I found two garden centres nearby. After a quick lunch on board with Stu I set off to check them out. The first did not have any large gas bottles – but did have the potting compost and a small watering can that I needed, so all was not lost.

The second was a bit further away; given that we wanted to carry on with the journey did we actually need new gas yet or not? The clever Captain realised we could weigh our two gas bottles with our luggage scales and compare the weights. In doing so we discovered that we had enough gas for at least another 24 hours.

Phew!

(Normally we replace gas bottles one at a time as each runs out. We do this while we are in port and with a car, but somehow this winter each time we planned to buy some our plan was thwarted.)

The final part of our Day One cruise was lit by golden green sunlight and brooding black skies over the canal; all very dramatic.

The rain held off as we moored up in the basin above Bossuit lock. The horizontal flag indicates the strengthening gusty winds and we were glad of the final flickers of gas for a hearty meal of ham, egg, chips and beans.

The final activity of the day, apart from a soothing camomile tea, was a walk round to view the first lock of Day 2 – the 9.5m drop at Bossuit. The rain began to fall as we looked at the mighty lock gates, so back to the warmth and comfort of Calliope’s cabin, and that feeling of contentment that always comes when we are back on the water again.

A winter visit

6th – 10th December 2021

We had kept enough off our Schengen 90 days to visit Calliope at least once during the winter, and despite Covid rules both sides of the chan new requiring several tests each we decided to go. So with the ‘leaving UK’ PCR test accomplished and negative results received we were off into a beautiful winter sunrise.

Driving through to Kent the skies greyed. The journey was quicker than normal, and the roads leading to Dover Port were early quiet!

It was relatively deserted waiting in the short queue to board the ferry too. Even the seagulls were fewer in number! But just as insistently hungry.

The car deck was emptier than we have ever seen, though there were plenty off lorries to keep DFDS in business and to make sure the kitchens were fired up to cook our lunch.

Presumably the winter season and Covid had kept most travellers tucked up at home, putting up the Christmas decorations and wrapping presents. – tasks that we would undertake on our return.

Two DFDS Christmas dinners and a trip to the duty free shop later we were heading into Dunkirk ready for our 80 minute drive down to Kortrijk.

It’s a good straightforward drive from Dunkirk to Kortrijk – one of the many reasons that we like wintering there. We enjoy seeing Ypres as we go round it, going over the Ypres canal that we cruised down a couple of years ago. And we enjoy coming into Kortrijk, driving through roads that are now familiar as we approach the mooring.

And relax! It is always so lovely to be back aboard and it never takes long to warm Calliope up, unpack and settle down to our first December evening in Kortrijk. The combination of central heating and the Refleks stove lifts the temperature to a gentle cosiness – cheers Calliope!

Luckily the Belgian Covid rules had changed just before we left, meaning we did not need an ‘entering Belgium’ test and could get on with enjoying the few days of our stay. We had some things to achieve while we were there – some on the maintenance front, plus some catching up with friends and some shopping.

Of course the first thing to do is to make sure that Calliope is trim and safe. Our neighbour had been kindly clearing leaves off the boat through the autumn, so she was looking cleaner than we usually find her at this time of year. Nonetheless there is always cleaning to do.

Also we had booked an engine service with a local marine engineering company. They arrived as expected and worked through the maintenance schedule; all done in a morning.

We both had things to do – I collected our new hull ID sign and Stewart screwed it in place, we swept up the last of the autumnal debris, we bought additional anti freeze for the cooling system (just to be sure!), checked the bilges, put away the new ropes and fenders we had brought with us, and generally tidied up.

An important task was to re-instal the PV panels onto the wheelhouse roof, covering up our smart new wheelhouse cover! That allowed us to fully clean the cabin roof and be ready for solar power come Spring.

The evenings were special times, catching up with our barging friends Sally and Martin, going for walks with their dog Tin Tin and enjoying food and wine together.

Evenings were also times to walk round Kortrijk taking in the Christmas lights – one of my main reasons for wanting to come back to the boat in December! There is such a lovely atmosphere in Belgian cities at this time of year.

In the daytime I went supermarket shopping for some of our favourite Belgian foods and drinks to take home, both for us and as presents – some cheese, paté, Ganda ham, Abbey and Kriek beer – and the inevitable Belgian chocolate!

I had to go to the chocolatier twice – back at Calliope after the first visit I found that the carefully selected gluten free chocolates for our daughter had not been put in my bag!

But the benefit of an extra walk out in the rain was finding these beautiful yellow leaves on the pavement.

As next day was expected to be our last in Kortrijk. Covid regulations demanded that we have a negative PCR test within 48 hours of leaving the EU so we went to a very friendly pharmacist who did the necessary swabbing. Within a few hours we had our negative results; hooray.

Then we discovered that ‘Christmas in Kortrijk’, their outdoor winter food, drink and entertainment event, started on our planned last evening there!

Together with Martin and Sally we ent exploring. We were allowed in with our Covid vaccination certificates, and negative test results. And then found that the first beer was free, with good gluwein to follow.

And that a very good jazz band from Gent was playing!

We had struck it just right.

We moved on to the ‘food court’ area, with its wooden cabins, Christmas trees and ‘snow’. Tin Tin, encouraged by the smell of our Bratworst, and perhaps with cold paws, decided that Stewart’s lap was the best place to be.

It was the start of our festive season, in style; Sally and I danced back to the port!

Luckily we had had dry weather for our evening out, but next day, when we were planning to go home, was somewhat on the wild, wet and windy side. A decision was made to delay our return by a day and have a calmer channel crossing.

The wet weather allowed some thinking and planning for 2022 cruising. The idea is to go back to France, at least for the summer. It is a big country and there are areas we have not touched.

So we looked through our French waterway guides and worked out the extra ones we would need to take us down to the Strasbourg area; an addition to our UK shopping list.

The re-scheduled travel day arrived sufficiently blue and calm. We packed up our bags and said goodbye to our lovely second home once more. See you in March Calliope!

Then headed off to Dunkirk, where we arrived with just two hours to spare on our negative Covid tests! They were a little surprised that w were so close to the cut off, but all was OK and we boarded our ferry.

About 5 hours later we were home, driving past all the Christmas lights that had sprung up while we were away.

Now time to do ours. Happy Christmas everyone.

The Longer Way Home

Tournai to Kortrijk, via Gent

24th September to 5th October 2021 plus a week in Kortrijk

We were sad to be losing our visitor Hugh, but taxi companies at the next places up the river were less than co-operative, and with his luggage Hugh was not keen on using a series of buses to get back to his car – don’t blame him!

So once we had given him a good send off in Tournai it was our turn to be moving on.

We left Tournai, on the Escaut or Scheldt or Schelde river (depending on your language preference) heading North, enjoying the ever changing glimpses of the city as we went.

There were only two locks along the way that day; here we are at the first one, waiting as it is prepared for us, as signalled by the red and green lights. Before long we we’re in, alone in quite a big lock lengthwise, although not deep and easy to navigate.

We have been up and down this section of the Haut Escaut (also known as Schelde) a few times now, but I am still inspired by things that we see – maybe in a different light or from a different angle. It is such a mix of ancient and modern, rural and urban.

We intended to look at the mooring below Bossuit lock, hoping that not would be empty and looking good; it was, on both counts. We managed to get there by lunch time; it was an almost perfect place to arrive at for the weekend, and on a beautiful day too.

The nose of the big barge seen towards mid-left on the photo indicates the entrance two the Bossuit lock. If we were in a hurry to get home we would be going up through the lock (quite a deep one) and along the subsequent canal to Kortrijk and our winter mooring. But we had time to spare!

We had a beautiful afternoon and evening there, watching people come for weekend fun in speed boats and on jet skis – and on Vespas! There is the only Vespa hire place I have ever seen in my long life there at Bossuit!

Stu and I had a gentle stroll around Bossuit, discovering its ‘chateau’ and long avenue, now unused. There is also a marvellous church that was destroyed in WW1, rebuilt then partially destroyed again in WW2. It os now left as a shell to show what has been and what is now. It is rather beautiful.

I found this moth on board, sadly dead, and was fascinated to see how colourful the back wings were, underneath the rather dull front wings.

A bit of research seems to indicate that it is a Large Yellow Underwing – which is pretty much how I would have e described it!

Later, after the Saturday boaters left us all alone, we watched the sun go down ….

… with a glass of wine!

Sunday morning was a bit misty, but the early sun soon came slanting in, catching Calliope broadbeam and creating a warm light space in the wheelhouse for breakfast.

We were now onto new waters for us, continuing downstream towards Oudenaarde. We have not cruised along this part of the Schelde (Escaut) before, and were surprised to see some distant hills in a normally quite flat Belgian countryside. The early blue skies were sliding towards greyness as we travelled northwards., and the scenery kept changing, though mostly rural.

Then we reached Oudenaarde. Ahead off us was a lift bridge, and its was not until it actually began to left that we realised it was one of the rather modern ‘verticals take-off’ ones! More modern miracles to see.

When it came to mooring he we had listened to the advice from Belgian barging friends and tied up to the wall. This is opposite the lift bridge entrance to the marina where most leisure boats go. Calliope would fit in the marina, but the wall was more convenient for the town and saved the faff of asking for another bridge to be raised, and hoping for a space within the port.

As usual, once lunch and a short rest were out of the way, we were off to explore our new surroundings, starting with a nearby park.

Then into the centre, and what a town Oudenaarde is! We were not prepared for yet another of Belgium’s hidden wonders!

The main square is replete an d picturesque with gilded town hall, bars, restaurants and high quality shops. I have rarely seen such a good collection of independent clothes shops.

The town hall was splendid day and night.

And the colourful paper spheres hung across all the streets in the centre brought a sense of fun and fiesta to the town.

There is a towering cathedral, watching over everything across there town. In its shadow was an ancient bar; we chose this from the multitude on offer and watched Oudenaarde’s evening promenades over a couple of beers.

Then on to what turned out to be one of the best Italian restaurants we have been to. The pizzas were superb – hand thrown dough and excellent topping.

The carafe of rosé wine was good too!

Thank you Google maps and all those who bother to review restaurants, so that we can quickly see which one of many pizza places was likely to one best.

And, luckily for us on the following morning, there was also a full set of commerce in town, including a brico, or DIY shop, about a kilometre’s walk from the boat. We wanted some nuts and bolts, a new mop and I got a pipe cleaner while I was there.

Those purchases led to a bit of boat maintenance, before lunch, and then a bit more exploring.

We had been told that the museum and the beguinage were well worth seeing. Sadly we were there on the one day of the week that the museum is shut, the beguinage is always open; people live there still, though no longer as beguines. (A beguine was a single woman wanting to live a life of safety amongst other woman, but not under holy vows. There were many such groups across Flanders from C13 onwards).

When we were not in the town we were enjoying the mooring between the lift bridge and the lock. Although this photos os serene we did have a lot of commercial traffic passing by – probably 30-40 barges a day – but not causing us more than a small amount of turbulence.

We stayed two nights and could have enjoyed Oudenaarde for longer. We always say we love the rural moorings best, and indeed we do, but there s something about the lights of a town playing on the water that makes urban living very palatable too!

Just before we leave Oudenaarde I will use the town as an example of the enthusiasm with which the Belgians have added Halloween to their festivities.

From early October, and in this case late September, shop windows become spooky and homes have heaps of pumpkins outside.

However we were keen to get to Gent to meet our good friends and spend a few days with them, so with a fair day dawning we prepared to go off along the river. Over on the right, across this wide basin, you can just see the lift bridge entrance to the port, back at a hairpin angle to Calliope’s direction.

There was the usual activity in and out of Oudenaarde lock as we set off, and we waited our turn below Liefman’s brewery – home of one of my favourite Kriek beers. Fancy discovering that as I am leaving!

Soon we were through the lock and on our way towards Ghent – or Gent as it is spelt in Belgium.

After a gentle journey through the countryside we arrived at Asper lock, our last of the day (or so we thought).

We had followed Avary down from Oudenaarde, where we had let her into the lock first. We prefer to be behind the big boats, rather than in front.

It is just another 2.4m lock, but this was an other of those occasions when the spacing of the bollards, on the quay and in the wall, is not in our favour.

Not a problem; just a quick change of plan and we do the one rope trick!

On we went through the September sunshine. At one point Avary and Calliope passed a little Visuris (Flanders Waterway Authority) survey vessel. They are good at keeping an eye on the state of the canals and infrastructure, and even take responsibility if your boat is damaged b y something they should have moved or repaired – or at least warned you about.

It was not too long before we were crossing the Ring Vaart, the ‘express’ waterway that surrounds Gent, allowing the commercial boats to avoid the little twisting rivers that enter into the heart of the city.

For us, crossing to the narrower part of the Schelde was essential for our plan to enter the city. It is a mostly pretty way to enter Gent and with the sun behind us Calliope made happy progress. We came to the junction with the Muinkschelde – a canal built by the monks of St Peter’s Abbey in the Middle Ages to make out easier to transport their goods. It still leads to the city centre and two of the main moorings (Lindelei and Ketelvest), but we were heading for Portus Ganda and took the right fork.

Then came a slight surprise! We had forgotten that we had one more, small, lock to go through – Brusselse-Poort. It had been out of action every other time we had been to this majestic city, so we had always used another route. This time we needed to call and ask to descend the lock.

Soon after the lock we turned left onto the Visservaart up to the Portus Ganda basin. The lock keeper had asked our height and on hearing we were 3m he said that we would fit under the Lousbergbrugg. It looked a bit tight to us when we arrived there, but we squeaked under, PV panels intact!

We always enjoy entering a city by water and seeing the homes and businesses that have grown up around the river or canal. Gent is no exception.

And so into Portus Ganda – a lovely basin in central Gent. We were surprised to see two other boats on the Rood Touren quai where we have moored before, but there was still plenty of room for us and soon we were tied up at the bridge end; makes a change as we have always moored at the other end of this quay!

It wasn’t long before our friend Captain Frans was on the quay to say hello. Annoyingly I had picked up some throat infection thing and was soon asleep, but expecting to be better next day – and was!

The morning views upwards from the bow, past the bridge to the blue sky and early sun were rather special – I like the interplay of the bridge and barge shapes. We had previously thought that this berth might be noisy because of the bridge, but all was quiet at night and we slept well while there.

We did some food shopping in the morning – it’s nice to be in a place that you sort of know and can just go to the shops with our too much thought.

Later we got an invitation to supper with Frans and wife Mieke on their barge, Dreamer – moored just 150 yards along the basin. Dreamer is the last third boat from the right along the tree lined Voorhoutkaai in the photo above. And that evening we were treated to a Brazilian fish soup with rice, cooked by Masterchef Frans! It was delicious.

We were full of intentions to return the culinary favour next day, but then Stewart caught my throaty thing and it was his turn to be asleep for most of the day. Our plan of a walk round the evening bright lights off Gent, followed by a frites supper had to be called off.

I went for my own walk around the parts of the city that I love best, and came across this wonderful roof in a street I had not come across before. It is the old City Hall started in the 16th/17th centuries. My Super Gent Guide Mieke tells me that construction came to a halt because of religious disputes. When the dust had settled there was no more money left …

Although we were going the next day I knew there would be time for a breakfast treat at one of the excellent local coffee shops and an opportunity to say goodbye. In the end it was just Mieke and I who did this – Frans being busy dismantling a mast, and Stewart being busy doing manly things in the engine room.

As you can see we had a very good breakfast! Far more than I expected, and ‘lekker’ (delicious) too.

By 1015 we were off, leaving Mieke with the white chrysanthemum that had been one of my deck plants for the two months aboard.

It would be far happier in the warmth of Dreamer’s saloon than left out in the winter winds of Kortrijk!

Back through the Portus Ganda basin, along Visservaart and under the low bridge (which we had raised for us this time), up the Brusselse Poort lock, and along the Scheldt to the Ring Vaart ……

…. which we joined this time, to take us round to the Leie river – eventual direction Kortrijk! Before peeping out of the Schelde I checked the traffic movements on the VisuRis website – it is very helpful for checking the position of big barges if you don’t have AIS own your boat.

The Leie between Gent and Deinze is as beautiful as it is bendy! Some of the bends are hairpin, and many are right angle, so the Captain is constantly on his toes in case anything appears around the bend. Usually it is just ducks and coots at this time off the year.

We were heading for and hoping for one of our favourite moorings – Saint-Marten-Latem. The VisuRis system was showing a boat there already, and we know it is only a 20m pontoon, so no room for us if another boat is moored up.

Then, just as we got to the last 200 yards, I saw on the screen that the boat was moving towards us! How lucky were we? Just as we came round the final grey bend we saw the ‘offending’ cabin cruiser come towards us, and beyond an empty pontoon. Hooray! (There is a smile on my face under that hat, I promise!)

There was a gap in the showers and we set off for a walk – only for it to start raining before we had gone 100 yards! Normally at Saint-Martens we walk around the village and marvel at the art gallery and sculptures that abound in this well heeled yet bohemian place. This time we went along country paths, wet, green and dotted with sheep.

Then back to a cosy evening aboard with our Refleks stove lit for the first time in 2021. I love Calliope on autumn and winter nights, so warm and intimate.

We only stayed one night. The cruise next day had three distinct themes.

The first theme was older houses. There are many striking modern houses along the edge of the Leie, but this time ~I thought I would capture some of the older properties, with their big lawns and sense of belonging.

The second theme was pastoral – stretches of water meadows feeding herds of cows and sheep, many inquisitive about this boat passing them by.

Then, just as we were navigating some of the most tortuous twists in the river, wide came upon the third theme!!

We came upon a rowing event. This comprised something like twenty coxed skiffs of various sizes from pairs to eights. They were well spread out and each time we asked a boat of they were the last one they replied “No, many more boats to come!” And come they did, usually just as we went round a sharp bend! I stood in the bow calling out to each one to make sure they had seen us; we didn’t hit any, and they did not hit us. There was a series of friendly happy exchanges between different craft on the same river.

Our thoughts had been to go to Deinze that day, but as we reached Astene and came through the manually (note man in red jacket) lifted bridge we saw that the pontoon there was empty.

It has always been full when we have passed before so we had not expected to stop there, but now was our chance.

So here we are moored up next to a reed bed on a grey October Saturday; very pleasant, calm and secure – although it poured with rain that night and the river rose at least 20cms! But before all that I went for a walk.

I went along a loop of the old Leie, now sensibly cut off by a simple straight bit of canalised river through Astene. That has left a beautiful piece of countryside, full of waterscapes. Just look at those 5 views – all with part of the Leie – including bottom centre the straight bit at Astene with Calliope moored up.

I got back in time to cook a good warming supper, and just before the rain began to lash down – for the next 14 hours non-stop! We realised in the morning that the river level had gone up 20cm overnight; all safe and sound for us on a floating pontoon.

We waited and waited in the morning for the rain to stop before we set off, and eventually gave up as we were only going about 3kms!

So off under grey skies to Deinze.

We know Deinze quite well now and were soon easily tied up on the long curved quay. By then the skies had started to clear and the rain had stopped, so after lunch we were off to take a Sunday walk around town and the park.

There are so many interesting little corners of Deinze it is hard to know where to start. A new feature was this inside/outside dining room where you are invited to bring your own meal a sit down to dine. Next to this fascination is a small park, with a duckweed filled channel adding to the greenness. And outside the fire station a slightly larger than life statue of a ‘brandweerman’ at work.

We moved on into the main park – De Brielmeersen – a big open area on the ‘corner’ between the Leie and the Schipdonkcanal.

It looks to me as if ti includes some more old loops and twirls of the Leie, now cut off fro the main river.

It includes a collection of animals – not quite a zoo, but interesting and entertaining just the same.

There are sheep – some more interested in me than others!

There are donkeys (my favourite), humans having too much fun, and storks.

But back to boats and barges!

We went back aboard to enjoy our last evening and night out on the waterways, planning to steam along the final stretch in the morning, to reach Kortrijk and our winter mooring .

Monday morning was beautiful – just right for a cruise with just two big wide locks to go through.

But as we were getting ready to go just after 9 o’clock I received a VisuRis notice to say that the first of the two locks on front of us was closed for the morning due to underwater damage.

We were concerned that there would be a build up of large commercial barges either side of the lock, and that even when it opened there could be considerable delay in us getting through. We could risk spending our last night away from ‘home’ moored by a lock in a queue of other barges – or stay in Deinze in the sun!

So we stayed another night in Deinze.

We sat back and enjoyed the extra time we had had donated to us. It enabled me to notice the one rosemary flower that my little rosemary bush had produced all year; time to note that the river level had dropped quite a bit and ropes were now slack; time for the Captain to enjoy a glass of wine as the autumn sun went down – a sun so brightened low that he needed to wear his panama hat in the wheelhouse!

As the sun went down clouds began to appear in the West – was this a harbinger of what was too come tomorrow?

My walk to the bakery in the morning was in golden-hued sun, shining in on the old disused mill complex.

I was glad the buildings were so well lit as they appear to be due for demolition and this might be my last chance to see them.

I love to think of the years of workers and barges coming and going here; it would have been a busy wharf, noisy and by today’s standards quite dangerous!

Back on board we got ready to go just as the sun disappeared – as forecast! We knew to expect rain by the time we reached the second lock, but in the meantime the Captain concentrated on taking Calliope through the two lift bridges on the way out of Deinze.

The second one, on the right, is very new, only opened a few months previously. It is a useful footbridge connection across to the park – very modern.

By the time we reached the first lock at Sint-Baafs-Vijve the weather was definitely turning. The flags show how gusty the wind was becoming, and the rain was threatening to arrive any minute.

We allowed a hotel barge that had been following us to slip ahead of Calliope, and behind a freycinet at the front of the queue.

The lock keeper had explained over the radio that we would be waiting half an hour for some other boats to come down the lock, so we tied up and had a cup of tea.

Then we were in the lock – a huge new lock that was still being built this time last year.

It is about 200m long!!!!

For those of a civil engineering mindset, here is a link to a one minute speeded up video of installing the new 43 ton lock gates:

By the time we reached Harelbeke, the second lock of the day, and the last of the season, the storm had arrived.

Thank goodness for my mother’s old sailing trousers! It was not nice out there, although I do like to be out in all weathers to be honest.

The Captain, meantime, stayed in the dry!

Three hours later the storm had blown over, we were moored up in our home port of Kortrijk for the winter months, the mast was up and all was good.

Our shortened season was complete. Instead of our usual 6 months aboard each summer we were curtailed in 2021 by Covid regulations and by the new Brexit rules.

Nonetheless we had had a really good time, exploring new waterways including the Sambre, and revisiting old favourites like Pommeroeul, Antoing and Leers Nord.

The map shows, in purple, our route, with just the final section across the top from Waregem to Kortrijk rising.

We like Kortrijk and have enjoyed it as a home port for three years now. Each time we come back I post a few photos to give an idea of the city – small, historical, arty, friendly. This year there has been a huge art installation exhibition across the city called Paradise in Kortrijk.

Here is my Autumn 2021 election.

I seem to have done a lot of my walking and phogtobgrapohing in the dark this time, but it is dark by about 7pm at this time of year.

Autumn was certainly upon us, with inside in the shops and outside in the early morning mists, that could last until midday.

We made the most of autumn – enjoying the city socially, and going out with boating friends two nights running and having a good food fun meal at the Egyptian Restaurant that we like.

But then down to work!

Preparing and varnishing the wheelhouse, mast and dog box is an annual task, keeping the wood nice and shiny. I’m involved in the prep work, but the Master does the skilful stuff as I’m not to be trusted with a paint brush!

We had arranged in advance for new canvas top covers for the wheelhouse and the dog box. Once Elvis (yes, he is called Elvis) had been to measure up and take the old covers as a guide I went up atop the wheelhouse to give the wood a good clean before the new cover arrived

Nice view along the port from there!.

A few days later Elvis was back for the final fitting – just in time as we watched the dark skies gather around us!

He was meticulous with his fitting, returning one more time to his factory to do some finishing off before he was done.

He did a great job; Calliope looks really smart.

Another task we had set ourselves was to try and choose a new winter mooring place for the next year. As I have said we do like Kortrijk a lot, but wanted to explore more of the waterways of France in 2022, where we can also more easily get a long-stay visa.

That included a short trip by car across to Wambrechies – a port on the Deûle in northern France, and just a 30 minute journey away. We liked the port, the town, and a very pleasant park behind a chateau (now library and museum) all very close by.

The empty quay shown is due for a makeover, to include water and electricity – maybe by winter 2022, and maybe not! So for now we will keep looking.

Before we knew it it was time to go. We left the PV panels down off the wheelhouse for the winter and closed all windows and hatches tight. Captain Stu ‘winterised’ the electricity and water systems, I set the thermostatically controlled plugs for the winter heaters, and we were off.

It `always feels a little sad to look back at Calliope, tucked in between the other boats and left alone for a few months – but we should be back to see her and Kortrijk in December for a few days.

Before long we were on another boat – a much larger one – and crossing the channel from Dunkirk on a perfect calm and sunny day.

No ropes to throw; no wheel to steer, apart from the car on the way back to Hampshire from Dover.

So that’s it for another year – our seventh happy summer with Calliope.

Visitors aboard for our last days in France in 2021!

With family and friends in North East France and Western Belgium

14th to 24th September 2021

We were at Corbehem, just inside Le Scarpe Superieure, which goes on to Arras, with a plan of a slow cruise to Lille; there we would meet with son and partner who were arriving by Eurostar for a short stay.

We also had just 10 days left on our vignette (waterway tax) for France, so good planning was key.

On a rather grey day Stu steered us past the collection of old stationary barges that line the right bank, out to the ‘crossroads’ where we meet the Canal de la Sensée, Dérivation de la Scarpe and La Scarpe Moyenne.

We joined the main waterway heading North (the Dérivation) and into the first of only two locks that day.

It has the lovely name of Courchelettes – the name of the adjacent small town.

We found ourselves needing to deploy our ‘one-rope’ strategy in the lock, due to the spacing of the bollards on the quay and in the wall.

By now we were quite practised at this, so whilst always being aware that things can change at any moment in a lock, we felt comfortable.

Before long we were through the second lock at Douai and looking at the entrance to La Scarpe Inférieure, normally a route through to Belgium and a join with the Escaut, but currently closed. This has meant quite a lot more boats going up towards Lille on the Canal de la Deûle, onto which we had just moved.

We were looking at our journey so far this, shortened, year; shortened by Covid and Brexit.

Our journey, in the dark purple, looked as if we were circumventing Africa! Or India.

This shows us up as far as Douai, with Le Scarpe Inférieure crossed through. We still had a way to go before winter, up to Kortrijk, but that is for future blogs!

Along the way we saw plenty of barges, working and retired, including a large basin full of ‘house-barges’. We also passed under about 17 bridges – I lost count – but the colourful penultimate one, for the A1, was my favourite.

After 3 hours we were nearing our stop. We had considered stopping at Courcelles Centre Aquatique, but on looking through the entrance to its basin it did look rather full up. Knowing that 8 kms further there was a mooring highly recommended by like minded boaters we thought it worth the extra time to get there.

To reach this mooring, in the Park des Berges de la Souchez at Courrières , Calliope turned to starboard at the Canal de Lens.

It is a narrow entrance but helpfully well signed.

The best thing I can say is that the mooring was entirely delightful!

Right next to us was an artificial floating island to en courage wildlife and we sat watching coots, ducks and moorhen coming and going. It was just wonderful for a nature freak like me!

A little later we were unexpectedly joined by an other Piper boat with friends aboard, leading to a pleasant evening chat on the back deck.

Next day Tadham Castle left for a round-about trip to their winter mooring – one of the boats that was having to take the long route due to the Scarpe closure.

We waved them off and decided to have a second day and night at Courrières, it being so tranquil.

But things don’t always go to plan on a boat. We discovered that morning a small but annoying problem with one of the pumps on board – the one that empties the black water tank. We looked locally for a brico (DIY) store in order to buy the parts needed, but there was none within walking distance – so a change of plan was required.

We decided to go on to Lille that day, bringing our journey forward by a day. In many ways this was good, giving us longer to look around Lille as well as find the pump parts. So off we went. The journey was relatively smooth and uneventful, northwards on the Canal de la Deule, and then onto La Deûle itself – somehow I didn’t take any photos en route!

It was nice to arrive and moor up in Lille – just in front of a startled Tadham Castle! – put our feet up and reward ourselves with a glass of wine.

This mooring at Lille is on the dead end old arm of the river up by the citadel, park and zoo. It is close by to a good Greek restaurant. More about all of these below!

Next day we got the parts we needed for the pump and Stewart was able to effect a full repair – which means we felt free to enjoy Lille.

We started by a walk round the citadel park to the next lock we would be passing on La Deûle. We needed to collect a re mote control from here that would let us enter the Roubaix canal when we next set off – and decided this was easier to do in advance on foot than when we arrived at the lock in the boat. This took us on a glorious promenade through the woods, meeting and losing the star shaped moat as we went. And mission was accomplished, with the rem one control obtained.

Next on our list was a relaxing drink at the Greek restaurant – you can see Calliope in the photo, meaning that there was not far to get back home.

And there was good beer and kir pêche on offer, before a very good moussaka and salad. We definitely recommend a visit here if you are in Lille.

Lille has hundreds of iconic and beautiful buildings. It is a university city, with many old colleges, gardens, and rich merchants homes. On this trip I failed to take photos of these, apart from this one doorway that I liked for its irises.

Next day was the zoo – quite a gallery from here! It’s a small zoo, but with a range of animals from white rhinos to meerkats, and a proliferation of birds. Here is a selection of animals.

And a selection of birds!

Plenty more on offer if you get the chance for a stroll around. The whole area around the citadel is lovely, and you can go into the fort itself as well, although we did not on this occasion.

Our last evening was warm and full of wonderful colours in the sky at sunset. We were all set for the first of our visitors to arrive the next day.

Son Ashley with partner Theresa were due to arrive on Eurostar at lunchtime; I met them, came back by bus, and we were ready to cast off by 1430.

Our guests had a good varied start to barging life – first backing out of the mooring to turn round in the widening 250 yards astern, then out on to the big commercial waterway of La Deûle. Here they were impressed (ha ha) to hear me talk in French on the VHF to the lock keeper and arrange for us to go through a largish lock.

Before long we saw the sign for the Canal de Roubaix, and soon turning, under a bridge, into this much smaller channel – another experience for A and T.

We were ready for the first lock along the canal, knowing that we needed to use the remote control collected two days before.

We saw the sign, saw the lock, and began pressing the button to prepare the lock for us.

But nothing was happening.

We got closer and closer – still nothing.

Then the Captain realised why! A big commercial barge was coming backwards into the lock from above! It had obviously been working upstream at a quay where it could not turn round, so was backing out of the canal to reach La Deûle with its wide waters! We would need to wait – in awe – until this clever manoeuvre was complete.

We now had almost 4 kilometres to cover before our booked meeting at the next lock with the local éclusier team – and we were not going to make it! So I rang and apologised, delaying our arrival for 30 minutes.

Calliope got to the lock at Marcq-en-Baroeil at the newly appointed time, to find three smiling éclusiers waiting to take ropes, operate the lock, and generally be incredibly helpful.

This was to be the third type of lock operation in two hours for our new bargees – quite an introduction!

Marcq-en-Baroeil was our overnight stop. There was a small commotion on the pontoon at the idea of a 38 ton steel barge mooring up amongst the plastic pedals, motor boats and kayaks that were awaiting hire, but all was soon sorted.

Then first evening was celebrated by an early evening visit to two of the villages bars – the second being an Irish bar, packed with Lille football supporters watching TV and cheering their team on. It was the ‘Northern Derby’ against Lens – a crucial match!

Then back to the peace of the back deck for supper and a drink or two to end the day.

A beautiful end to our first day back together.

The morning was as beautiful as the evening had been. We went off relatively early to the boulangerie to get a full French pastries tasting experience for us all – Ashley looking particularly delighted! Then off towards the autumn sun to our first of 5 locks of the day.

We turned sharp to port to enter Trieste lock past a dazzling display of graffiti.

I enjoy seeing these splashes of clever colour in otherwise rather dank places. Certainly I couldn’t do what these street artists create on blank walls!

I was now able to hand over to the Trainee crew and do other useful things like deck cleaning, making tea, and talking to the lock audience – who inevitably watched our progress as it was a Sunday morning and at the edge of a park.

We thought our day’s journey was well under way, but on the water there is so often something to slow you down. This time we were asked by the éclusier team if we would mind waiting, before going through the next lock, for another boat that was on it’s way up to join us. If both boats will fit in the lock together this is an obvious work and water saver, so naturally we agreed.

This gave us a beautiful hour and a half to sit in the sun for a prolonged coffee break. We were moored mid-stream against a row of bollards, just before the next lock, so could not go ashore for a stroll. All we could do was ….. relax. Theresa had finished her self-imposed drying up duties, and even the Captain can be seen relaxing if you look carefully.

The sun was warm enough for Stu to take the waiting opportunity to drop down the windscreen, giving us a lovely flow of fresh air through the wheelhouse, and the best of views along the canal.

We both love it when the weather is right for this!

Periodically we looked back at the lock we had ascended to see if we could see our new companion on the horizon – and after about 90 minutes he was coming out of the lock.

Into lock number two of the day, Plomeux, a 3.37m rise, we went. We needed to go right to the front of the lock to allow space for the second boat, which meant having our bow rope round the ladder handrail; not ideal, and not something we would do ordinarily, but the lock keepers suggested it and everything worked out fine.

The system was repeated for the next three locks, along a kilometre and a half, and then one lift bridge to take us on into Roubaix.

We moored up at the nice new pontoon, complete with free electricity and water, and a security gate at the end, with our companion cabin cruiser moored just behind.

We had been given a lovely folder of information about Roubaix, its art works, its museum and history, so were looking forward to exploring the town. We even talked about looking for a restaurant open on a Sunday evening for a meal out.

Ashley and Theresa set out to explore the town that afternoon, and unfortunately were not impressed. Maybe they took the wrong route, maybe it was different with so much closed on a Sunday – but they returned disappointed. I was sad too, because others had told me of lovely things to see there, like the Art Deco Piscine – now an art gallery – so please don’t let this put you off making your own visit there.

It left us with a quandary over our supper, until Ashley discovered a wacky place to go, simply requiring an Uber car to get there.

We arrived at La Friche Gourmande to find a fabulous use of an old warehouse, including removing the central roof panels, so open to the sky. No attempt has been made to pretty it up – just add an assortment of tables and chairs, some shipping containers for various food and drink offerings, and there we are with a very convivial place to eat and drink. So we did.

Then ‘Ubered’ ourselves back to Calliope to find the pontoon transformed by its lighting.

Next morning proved very interesting.

Due to our failure so far to go out for a restaurant meal together I had booked lunch at La Maison du Canal at Leers Nord – our next stop, only 8 kilometres, 5 locks and 5 lift bridges away. Should be a simple enough cruise, with our eager and friendly team of éclusiers ready to go at 10 o’clock that would be an easy cruise. How wrong can you be????

Our first lock was within sight – almost within touching distance! So by 10.05 Calliope was sitting comfortably within, looking back at our companion cruiser who was to join us.

His boat stayed steadfastly still, and eventually we discovered from the éclusiers that his boat would not start this morning. He had only owned it a couple of days and we were all feeling sorry for him. But the super Roubaix team were on the case, phoning up someone to help him.

So on we went, working the crew hard as you can see! Luckily they were both willing volunteers, not pressed men and women, so we were in good cheer as we approached our next obstacle – a double lift bridge for the two sides of a roundabout that straddled the canal.

We were a bit perturbed to see the double red light ‘en panne’, or out of order, showing.

We slowed down and asked the team. Apparently the two bridges had started to lift, then stopped – meaning that it was still too low for us to go under, but too high for traffic to carry on round the roundabout!

Quite a problem! Not to us. We could tie up and wait. But this is a major roundabout, and now traffic from four directions was stopped. And it was stopped for two hours!

All is told in this picture. Calliope tied to the railings; the orange jacket of the technician who arrived to fix the mechanism; and in the foreground, the difference in levels between the partly risen bridge and the road!

Well once we knew that it would be quite some time to wait we realised that our luncheon booking could not be fulfilled. Ashley and I set off to find a boulangerie so that we would have bread for what would now be lunch on board.

We also bought a bag of pastries for the rather glum team of lock keepers, their manager (who had turned up) and the technician who would save the day.

They looked a bit happier once they had their treat!

And Ashley enjoyed demonstrating the difference in levels that meant we now had a team of 10 gendarmes directing the traffic, articulated lorries trying to cross grassy central reservations to turn round, and a good honking of French car horns – as you would expect!

Eventually, almost two hours after arriving at Pont des Couteaux, the bridge was tested, lowered, traffic allowed to move, and then raised again for us to make triumphal progress towards Leers Nord; only 3 locks and 4 bridges still to go!

So here is a taste of the journey – all a bit strange because as the canal twisted round the light changed and the two locks and the one lift bridge shown looks if they were in different days, or at least different times of day! Apologies; it was a nice trip!

Two more colourful things happened as we went along.

First we were joined for part pf the trip by a lovely peacock butterfly that actually stayed put long enough for me to photograph!

And then this colourful faience covered house which Theresa noticed at the side of a lock as we passed through.

(I know I shouldn’t start a sentence with ‘and’, but sometimes it just works; sorry).

(Faience is a kind of ceramic building material – glazed terracotta faced bricks. I fell in love with them when working for a brewery as many of he pubs in Portsmouth, and nom doubt elsewhere, had this kind of finish.)

And then. at last, at about 3pm, Leers Nord! It seems funny to get so excited about getting to such a little out of the way place on the French/Belgium border, but after the small disappointments of the last 24 hours, and with or visitors only having an other 24 to go, it felt important to reach somewhere we knew and where we also knew it would be good to end a short holiday!

The first thing to do once moored up was to provide a substitute lunch fro the one we had planned. A tapas style meal was hastily put together and en joyed on the aft deck with a glass of something refeshing!

After a bit of a walk an d getting to know the area more it seemed to be time to go to La Maison du Canal for a beer. Sadly they did not do food on a Monday night, but as Ashley had offered to put together a bolognese sauce we were happy to let that bubble like away gently while we tried one or two local brews.

All of which ended up with a beautiful full moon night and an ‘all-too-soon’ final evening with our first guests.

Tuesday, departure day, dawned in sparkling dewdrop fashion, the moon of the previous night giving way to the sun. A plan was hatched. For our guests to get back to Lille for their late afternoon Eurostar they would need to walk from Leers Nord into Leers – about 20 minutes – for a bus.

So lets all go together, and having checked out the bus stop and timetable we could look for somewhere to have a final lunch together.

And so, after breakfast, off we went.

We really hit in lucky in Leers. The brasserie Le Grain D’Orge was not only open, but welcoming, had a nice interior, and a good lunch menu.

My cassoulet de mer was especially delicious, but everyone enjoyed their meal, and the wine.

It was the best send off after our difficulties finding somewhere for a special meal out together on the previous days.

Stewart and I walked back to what now seemed a rather empty barge, and finding the pontoon empty, and very clean (it had been jet washed that day) we moved from the grass bank mooring so that we were close enough to fill up with water before our next visitor arrived. We also plugged into shore power for a while so that I could get the bedding through the washing machine and out into the sun.

Not long after our move a cabin cruiser came up through the lock to join us on the pontoon – and not long after that the boat that had broken down back in Roubaix arrived to see the grass bank.

We were pleased to se he had made it. He told me that his plan was to travel round France – and this was only day 4!

The end of the day was relaxed – boat and spare cabin prepared for our next guests arriving – and so I went for a walk along the canal. It turned out to be a livestock walk, with donkeys and a hare in addition to the chickens and geese seen above! That’s my kind of walk, being a farmer at heart!

And the skies did not disappoint as evening drew in, earlier and earlier now that we near the end of September.

In the morning I went to buy bread …. and having discovered both a great boulangerie and great charcuterie, plus fruit and veg shop, I came back somewhat more heavily laden than expected!

But it was good to have some treats in store for Hugh, especially for the late lunch he was expecting on arrival!

He arrived on time, in fact half an hour early, but we were ready and it was just great to see him.

After lunch Hugh and I went for a walk to stretch his legs after the three hour drive to meet us. As we came back past the Maison du Canal it seemed just the right time for a first beer in the sun. Captain Stu came to join us for a perfect ‘aperitif’; then back deck aperos before dinner in the Calliope café.

We had a sailing plan for Hugh, allowing him to get back to his car, or collect it part way through his three days with us. It meant setting off soon after he and I returned from a foraging excursionto the local boulangerie for breakfast croissants.

All in line with the plan we were through the Leers Nord lock at 0930, and on down the canal with Hugh spreading old bread to the geese – who made a lot of appreciative noise! We then discovered that the small cabin cruiser who had moored next to us was also coming down the canal – but preferred not to share the locks with us. We do understand; 38 tons of steel could look intimidating within the confines of a lock, although we are always careful and considerate of other craft.

The end result of this era that we travelled slower than expected, waiting for the lock to be reset for the smaller boat to follow through.

This gave Hugh the perfect opportunity to take the helm. He has plenty of sailing experience, so steering along a canal was no problem.

But Captain Stu took back the wheel to go through the narrow exit out onto the Haut Escaut!

Hugh was soon back in charge, enjoying the broad waters of the river.

We went through the one big lock of the day with no problem and were soon on the outskirts of Tournai, facing for the first time the big red traffic light, telling us that we must wait our turn to travel the narrow channel that goes through the city. The light has been in our favour in the past; a quick VHF call ascertained that we would not be waiting long for a barge coming in the other direction. We tied up to the quay for a while and then could carry on.

We went through the Tournai Pont des Trous (Bridge if Holes) noting the progress b being made since we were last there.

The bridge is having its central arch widened to accommodate todays commercial traffic, despite much angst from local people and history lovers.

It is a tough call, but as it is happening I will admire the engineering and final design.

We arrived at Antoing to find the whole (small) basin empty, allowing us to choose where to moor.

With lunch behind us I was able to take Hugh on a little exploration of Antoing and a walk around the perimeter of its castle. It was open for visits that day, but all places were booked.

I posted so many photos of the castle last time we were here in August that I will just put one in as a reminder of this fairy tale structure. It was taken on a much sunnier day!

Hugh had offered to take us out for a meal, and we knew of a good restaurant in Antoing that we thought would meet with his approval. I had had a confirmatory phone call from them to let us know that the reservation message I had left on their answer phone in garbled French had been understood!

An excellent culinary evening ensured, starting with drinks in the square, then a good meal in good company – just the apero tray and my dessert on show here!

Having whizzed through Tournai on the way to Antoing we decided to go back there so that Hugh could have an explore. It is an interesting city, with a long and varied history.

As we left Antoing we stopped at Neptunia, literally round the corner from the mooring basin, to top up with fuel,

I forgot to take a photo ofd the fuelling process, but I also got a new mop head – very pleasing!

The short cruise to Tournai took us past some interesting old buildings – maybe all industrial, or possibly some of them military. There is always plenty to see on the river; I am glad we travel slowly.

By half past ten we were coming up to the little port at Tournai – at the end of the fence on the left – giving us plenty of time to have a wander and probably lunch

The Captain was not on top form, so Hugh and I left him aboard to relax.

There are far too many interesting buildings in Tournai to do justice to them here, so a mini-selection of what Hugh and I wandered past.

The moving statue on the left, of a child leading the blind, is by Guillaume Charlier. He made it around 1908 after a visit to Zagreb where he saw children leading the blind through the streets and felt compelled to recreate what he had seen.

It being near lunch time, and having found out that Stu would prefer to keep resting rather than join us, I took High to a locals bistro I had been recommended.

The menu was not too exciting, but my aubergine and halloumi burger was very tasty; Hugh enjoyed his devilled prawns too, and the beer and frites!

I was keen to go to the Museum of Folklore so we retarced our steps and spent about an hour and a half in this extensive and very varied museum. I only include two ‘exhibits’. Top left is the old wood entrance door, showing evidence of the Covid times with all the garish but necessary signs spoiling the beauty of the door. Top right is a trouser press! We found this hard to believe as it is about 7′ tall, but it is true and is from a place where trousers were made, so presumably to press several pairs at a time!

We were back at Calliope well before dusk, and in time for a relaxed evening together on the barge. We spent quite a bit of time trying to organise travel for Hugh back to his car from various places that we could cruise to the next day, but sadly ended up deciding that it was easiest for him to get a taxi from Tournai back to his car at Leers Nord – and onwards to see other friends in France.

So next morning soon after 9 a taxi arrived, and Hugh departed. We were sorry to see him go.

Stu, me and Calliope would continue on towards Gent without additional crew.

Canal du Nord – bottom to top!

Almost five and a half years ago we arrived in France on Calliope at the mouth of La Somme. This was our introduction to boating in Europe, and when at the end of La Somme we turned right onto the Canal du Nord we thought we were really now among the big barges of the continent. We scuttled down to Pont Leveque, looking at the ‘huge’ freycinet barges in awe, and glad to be off this mighty canal at the end.

We certainly gained experience in those years, in the size of locks, of barges, and of waterways in general. Good experience, that we have enjoyed hugely.

We have also found out more about the canal itself, started in 1908 to allow better transportation of coal; halted and the work partially destroyed during WW1; not re-started until after WW2; finally opened in 1966. It is the only canal built in France to the intermediate dimensions between the Freycinette and the huge modern barges.

And now soon to be abandoned when the new Seine-Nord Europe canal is open to traffic. Its is all rather sad – a 95 kms canal through great countryside, so needed 60 years ago and already defunct.

So when, on September 8th, we slipped our ropes at our Pont L’eveque mooring and went through the lock (putting our trusty remote control into the required letterbox) we went with a bit more confidence, but still humbly. If we have learned one thing in life it is not to be smug!

We would be getting used to a different style of lock again – always interesting – how will the bollards be spaced, both on then quay and down the wall; will there be floating bollards; will the lock movement be fast or slow; how do we contact the lock keepers to say we are coming through????? This one, at Libermont, is smaller than some at the Northern end.

Nonetheless this canal calls for our Nautic Talk sets again! I was against having these, but now find them so useful when we have to move back and forth in a lock to allow us each to move ropes down the bollards in the wall – they are rarely spaced so that we are directly in front of a set forward and aft!

It took us 5 days cruising to go from the bottom to the top – albeit they were short days! We rather like to set off at about 0930 and arrive at our next mooring between 1200 and 1300, in time for lunch. Then we have a relaxed afternoon and evening to enjoy whatever surroundings our mooring offers us.

So here are our stops, and any adventures worth reporting.

1. Port L’Ercheu – we stopped at this mooring, way out int the country, on our way South 5 years before. We don’t know why it is called a port, because if is a relatively short quay miles form anywhere. There was a village of Ercheu in the past, obliterated in WW1.

It was a hot when we arrived – a beautiful day for swimming and for washing down the decks! The water at the top of the canal is beautiful – so clear – and hasn’t had a chance to be polluted. It felt very good to swim in it.

On the way to Ercheu we went through the first of the two tunnels on the canal. Panneterie is only 1 kilometre long, getting boaters set up for the 4.5 kms tunnel ahead! Five years ago it was our first tunnel in Calliope, so approached with some apprehension, but this time it was quite straightforward.

But perhaps the most interesting thing about the tunnel was being told before we went in that there was a a boat in distress at the other end, with divers down in the water. So we would have to stop.

It turned out to be a Dutch working barge that had got rope so badly twisted around its propellor that divers were called out to cut it off – and even they found it a tough job.

We waited in the shade, wishing we could help, and having our lunch.

Back to Ercheu – just to include one memory of the serene sunset we enjoyed up there amongst the fields.

2. Péronne – the next stop was also one we had used on the way South. It is a small port so we had phoned ahead to make sure there was space for a 65 foot peniche like us. There was, so PMT (Pre Mooring Tension) removed for the day!

The journey there was uneventful, apart from a small slow visitor, a change of scenery, and a new style of lock gate – so maybe uneventful after all!

There are long mostly empty quays on the canal at Péronne, but these are subject to quite a lot of wash from the commercial barges who work long hours. So we went into the little port there, next to and run jointly with a camp site. The entrance is slightly tricky due to some shallow water, but it is marked with tall red poles and with Stu taking it slowly we were soon moored up on a pontoon.

The channel in is quite deep and relatively clear of weed, but to the side the weed grows thickly from the bed, spreading fingers this way and that as the flow changes.

The setting is quite rural; in fact the main, interesting and historic, town is a good kilometres walk, but well worth the effort.

We tied up behind a cruiser belonging to some new UK friends (met briefly at Pont L’Eveque) and were able to get too know them better over a glass or three of wine later that evening.

We walked into Péronne, being in need of food and drink. I tried to resist taking photos but these three give an indication of the town – the typically Northern French town hall, the bullet marked church, and the more ancient fortifications. There are plenty of information boards around the town, in English as well as French; a place to gain some history lessons.

Next morning I did walk back into town, for fresh baguette and for flamische, the local speciality – a kind of leek pie. I went looking at a boulangerie; a mistake. A helpful French lady took me to a little butcher and charcuterie in a side street where I found good flamische. Yum!

I also came away with some of his dried ham, local beer, and paté de tête, shown here on his wonderful butcher’s paper.

And I did remember the bread too.

Back on board Captain was ready to cast off and reverse back onto the main canal, keeping those red marker posts carefully to one side.

3. Ytres, southern end of Ruyaulcourt Tunnel. We had come down from the Panneterie tunnel towards Péronne and the Somme basin, so now we needed to climb once more, up 5 locks to the Ruyaulcourt tunnel. We were pleased to find the first lock being prepared for us, and with no other boat in sight we went in and took possession, choosing a nice central position where we could use bow and stern ropes.

A fair amount of rapid French on the VHF and shouting down into the lock alerted us to the fact that a commercial barge was approaching and we would need to move to the front of the lock – not our preferred position!

I think this is the lock where the new method of roping was deployed – my rope brought back from the bow to the first bit back, round a wall bollard, then to the second bit back.

Here I made a turn so that Captain could drive against it and keep Calliope in position – because there were no bollards within reach for the stern rope.

Each time I needed to take the rope up to the next level Stu slackened the drive on the rope, I made as quick a change as I could, and then back to driving against it.

All this with Anti-lope, a big commercial barge, breathing down our necks, in a friendly kind of a way!

It worked a treat, although I am glad we had our communication devices for this!

When we came out of that first lock of the day we let the commercial barge go ahead of us – so that we could follow her into each of the next 4 locks. Although we still needed to use our new roping system it was easier to do at the back of the lock, at least for us.

The afternoon saw Anti-lope disappear into the Ruyaulcourt tunnel, and us stop for the night.

What an incredibly magical place to stop. Probably we were not far from human habitation, but the cut leading into the tunnel isolated us from all around.

The wild life – we saw deer, a hare, many butterflies. birds we could identify and some that we couldn’t, picked blackberries and generally enjoyed the peace.

This photo gives a sense of the scale of isolation we had – Calliope is moored up at the end of the quay and I am standing just above the tunnel.

Mind you it did not feel quite so isolated when this beautiful barge full of scrap metal came in to moor in front of us while waiting her turn through the tunnel. She came in SO close to us I thought that she must touch Calliope – but despite how it looks in the photo she didn’t!

Later our new cruising companions arrived and this time we were able to go aboard their boat, Libellule, and strengthen the friendship.

And so to bed.

4. Sains-les-Marquion (2 nights) The following day would take us to our last mooring on the Canal du Nord for this year – maybe for ever, depending on when it is closed.

Our day obviously began with a trip through the Ruyaulcourt tunnel. It is a great tunnel – wide enough to make it easier than usual for the Captain, good lighting, and of the 4.35m length there is a section of just over a kilometres in the centre of double width, allowing barges to pass and this increasing the traffic through.

We were out into bright sunshine, open country and farmland, five locks down, and passing canal traffic.

After a few hours Calliope came to the Sains-les-Marquion mooring – well spaced yellow topped bollards, hidden in long grass! But we found them. And later Libellule glided in behind us too.

I liked mooring there – most walkers and cyclists were on the other side of the canal where there is a better pathway, so quite private.

(It makes me sound a bit snooty and a loner! Really I am neither, but it is nice to have a bit of space to oneself isn’t it?)

It was a great time fo year to be out walking. The butterflies were plentiful, the teazels at their statuesque best, and, for me, plenty of farmland to look out over. But apart from my walk we had a gentle relaxing day after all the locks and the tunnel. In fact we felt so good here that we decided to stay for a second, whilst Libellule continued on their journey.

In the morning we went over the canal to see the actual village of Sains-les-Marquion.

It is a small village with farming at its heart – more so in the past, but still tractors and cows to be seen.

Here are some of the cows – I like cows!

The white ones are the marvellous French Charolais, famed for the beef that is produced from them. I think that the young brown calves are Limousin, but I am not sure. Please correct me!

And here is a small taste of some of my favourite parts of the village. It seems that there was a big grand house through the old wrought iron gates in the past, with quite a large set of farm buildings close by. The white house at the bottom is in a different set of grounds – but all is speculation as I have not been able to find much history of the village on line.

Before we leave this mooring – our last on the Canal du Nord – I must include some of the superb skies that gathered around us.

These two up towards the hills behind the mooring.

Looking from the mooring over the canal towards Sains-les-Marquion – the church steeple can just be picked out in each one.

We did moor up once more before we left Canal du Nord – just before the lock at Marquion, some 500 yards from where we had moored the night before!

Not too long too wait for the lock to be ready for us and a following freycinet before we continued our ‘avalant’ (downward) journey.

The locks continued to keep us alert – rarely the same configuration of bollards twice in a row – but, without being smug, we had by now mainly got a system for each.

We were counting down the kilometres until we would join the Canal de la Sensée at Arleux.

Not because we were keen to leave this soon-to-be lost canal, but because we were looking forward to reaching Lille in a few days time and meeting up with sone of the family.

It was not long before we were at our final lock on the Canal du Nord journey – Palluel – our final 6.2m down from the heights.

As in the previous lock that morning we followed a commercial barge – enough room for us both with us hanging in at the back with our new roping technique.

The junction with the Sensée is big and wide, as one would expect with the amount of commercial traffic, both freycinet and ‘giant’ size, that passes through.

We joined our new canal following Vanguard, the turquoise barge we had followed through the last two locks.

So endeth the Canal du Nord for us. Will we get to travel it again before it closes? I don’t know – certainly parts of the big new canal are due to open next year and maybe that will mean the the Nord’s closure. For us, on that day, it was on down the Sensée looking for the Scarpe Superieure, towards Arras, where we planned to spend one night just off the big waterways. And that will be the start of the next blog. 😊

A short trip East to West on 3 canals

Canals Sambre, Saint Quentin and Lateral à L’Oise

5th to 7th September 2021

It took just two days cruising to go the final three and a half kilometres on the Canal de la Sambre from Beautor, the seven and a half kilometres on the Canal de Saint-Quentin to Chauny, and the eighteen kilometres on the Canal Lateral à L’Oise to Pont-L’Évêque. It could easily have been done in a day, but much more pleasant to take our time, see another town, and take in the scenery.

We were soon along the short final part of the Canal de La Sambre and into a wide junction with the Saint Quentin where the blue of the sky almost met the blue of the canals.

We looked towards the section of the Saint Quentin going north, which includes the tunnel that boats are towed through. We have never fancied that, hearing a mix of the tales, good and bad, of boaters experiences.

We were gong fore the Canal du Nord, with its two tunnels, both under self propulsion!

I like to take photos of the different lock keeper house styles from canal to canal. Each canal ends to have one style of house along its length – perhaps now and then a large one for the lock keepers who had extra duties.

This one on the Saint Quentin is quite small. I like to imagine who used to live there, with their family, and what their lives were like. Not os bad on a day like this with sunshine and blue sky – but less fun in the depth of a cold wet dark winter I’m sure.

The Saint Quentin’s southern end is at Chauny. We were not sure what to expect. There is a port/marina there and it looks quite smart, but is designed for smaller boats that Calliope. So we moored next to some steps, and also, in some trepidation, a shuttered Karaoke bar. We were quickly reassured by a friendly and welcoming local that the bar was no longer in business.

It was a hot day and I put up the shade sails over the dog box and main cabin window to keep us cool.

You may have spotted the goose in the larger photo above, on the left. He was a very friendly gander, constantly swimming over to us and talking – for company as well as for bread, or so it seemed. He lived, during the day, on a ledge at the edge of the canal, with a few moorhens for company, but sadly no partnering goose.

When it began to cool a little we went to take a look at Chauny. It was much nicer than we expected. There are a lot of old and interesting buildings, she ofd open spaces and parks, many shops, cafés and bars. Overall it is a vibrant town (city?) and worth a visit.

After a cooling beer in the main square we returned to Calliope and her cool interior. Supper aboard and a shady evening on the aft deck rounded off a good day.

The sky played its part in the final hours, turning striking flaming red and pink.

In the morning – another brought blue one – I added a short diversion to my boulangerie trip by gong to see the Oise, still running to and fro quite wildly next to the canal.

This is the weir at Chauny, smooth and polished before its enthusiastic tumble down to the next level.

The glory of these waters never ceases to enthralled me. I apologise for so many blue and green photos, but it may inspire you to follow in our wake. Of course it is not always like this. There are stormy days, wet weeks, gale ridden months; but each has its splendour.

Here we are crossing a wide basin that marks the junction with the Canal de l’Oise à l’Aisne, on the left under the bridge.

But our route was plotted to continue on the Canal Lateral à l’Oise. For this depending on the canal side signs, that is the name half hidden on the sign behind the bush!

With this canal comes new canal infrastructure. The locks have two ‘lanes’, although it seemed as if only one side is currently in use. There is probably insufficent traffic. The lock house is much bigger; the signage explaining where you are is completely different with its blue writing; the locks along this stretch los each have one or two intriguing old wheelbarrows. I guess they were used for loading and unloading barges in earlier days. That must have kept plenty of people in work – tough manual work.

Sometimes we pass barge and boat graveyards – often far bigger than this. They are always an emotional sight. Once people were proud to own and work these craft, usually living on them with their families. Now they relax into the water, pride gone.

Ah, time to relax! The Captain takes his time over his lunch, whilst studying the Book on our next canal – Canal du Nord. Meantime crew goes ashore with a bag of compost and replants the thyme plant in the little tin bath given to Calliope and crew by a sculptor back on Canal de la Sambre.

Not long after the relaxation I saw the bow of a big commercial barge appear in our doorway. Watching to see what L’Aout was going to do next I discovered that she planned to moor just astern of us. I thought there was hardly room for her, but with the usual brilliant helmsmanship of these guys he brought her gently in to moor with us for the rest of the day and overnight.

As we got closer to evening Stu and I took a good walk round Pont L’Éveque and tried to see the place we had moored 5 years before on the other side of town – on the Canal du Nord. But it was not easy to get there so instead we aimed for Le Confluence – a small bar at the junction of the two canals that we had been to last time. It was April 2016, and colder and darker than a hot early September evening. This time we sat outside!

On our way back via the port we saw this vibrant street art. It was just too wonderful not to capture ‘on film’. I would love this on a giant poster on my wall – make me smile each time I looked at it.

I went for an evening walk / dance back along the canal, our into the country where no-one can see me prance about! Playing music as I go certainly puts a lift into my 10000 steps.

We rose to a morning glow as beautiful as the evening glow had been 12 hours before. There is something special about sunlight over water.

Commercial barges were already moving on to their next collection or deposit by the time I emerged.

I went out for some morning air and the possibility of fresh bread in the morning. The former was in abundance, but the latter was not to be found; we managed to be there on the day of the week that it was closed, quite a habit of ours! But the walk was well worth it to see the early light on the bridge over the entrance to the port.

The port itself seemed to still be slumbering under the 8am skies, but no doubt there was activity inside the houses and boats.

It is an attractive port, and can take longer boats, but on this occasion it was full.

Not a worry. We were very happy moored up just above Sempigny lock.

The last lock on the Lateral à l’Oise is called Sempigny – the village just across the canal from Pont-L’Évêque – and is where the telecommand, or remote control, that we have used to open all the locks for the past week since Origny-Ste-Benoite, must be posted back to the VNF in the dockside letterbox.

Moving on to the much bigger Canal du Nord we will be working with manned (and ‘womanned’) locks.

And then there we were, on our way to our first lock of Canal du Nord. Read about that voyage next!

Canal de Sambre à l’Oise

A wonderful week on country waters

30th August – 5th September 2021

Robert Louis Stevenson was still with us as we moved onto the canal built in the 1800s to link the Sambre at Landrecies with the Oise at La Fère – both places mentioned by RLS in his book ‘An Inland Voyage’. To write in his marvellous style is far beyond my reach, but I will attempt to use a slightly more lyrical style to describe the people and events on this magically empty stretch of water.

(I am doomed to failure, but let’s give it a go).

We left Landrecies with replenished stores – enough to see us through our week away from commerce, apart from the ubiquitous baguettes that we hoped to find from time to time. Luckily there is a fair size Carrefour just up the road – and they were selling off LOTS of wine before they changed to their new lines; Dame Fortune smiled our way.

I had noticed the WW1 cemetery in Landrecies and then read how close we were to where the war poet Wilfred Owen died. He was probably killed crossing the canal on a raft when the allied forces were pushing back the enemy.

He is buried in Ors cemetery, close to Ors lock. Here is where his prophetic words came true:

“If I should die, think only this of me:
That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. “

Soon after Ors we were at Catillon-sur-Sambre, trying in vain to use our zapper (remote control) only to see a helpful, seemingly happy, member of the French state waiting to lift the bridge for us.

Long may this last. I have tried to find out how many jobs on the waterways have been lost to automation, and how many lock keepers losing their lock side homes, but cannot find a source for that information.

In days gone by, now long ago, the bridge keeper would have worked from the brick hut on the right, and open and closed the roads and bridge by manual labour. Now he has a dull grey metal cabin in which to press his operating buttons.

Then we were off into the countryside with just the sleepy waters, banks of green and occasional heron or buzzard for company.

We always hope to reach our next night’s mooring by lunch time, giving us the afternoon to explore the area. Such was the case at Bois L’Abbaye, the last lock on the Canal de la Sambre before it becomes the Canal de la Sambre à l’Oise. We knew that the mooring was by the lock, but were surprised by just how adjacent the quay was to the lock gates!

We came out of the lock, and with magnificent skill from the Captain, and of course some adept rope throwing from the crew, we moved sideways into moor. Engine switched off and absolute peace descended over us and Calliope.

Time now to enjoy the French rural life; lunch, siesta, and then a walk around the long fishing lake that we doisciver4d behind the trees, and which runs, hidden, along side the canal for two kilometres.

The walk round was a real ramble, enjoying peeks at the many little fishing cabins along the lake – all empty on a weekday! There were too many wild flowers to photograph and categorise, so a few must suffice.

Bois L’Abbaye was also the place to say goodbye to our friendly zapper – the first we have seen that allows you to choose your language and then receive merry little messages to make your voyage easier. But good-bye it was, and into its little letterbox it was posted.

Next morning, ‘zapperless’, we continued on our way; next stop somewhere down a flight of 17 locks. The first 14 locks are within the space of 8 kilometres – and first we had to reach Étreux, the start of our rapid descent!

The cruise along to Étreux was smooth and uneventful, and we arrived full of interest and mild apprehension about what the next few hours would bring. The flags were out waiting for us, including the Union Jack, which has been removed from some flagpoles since Brexit.

It’s easy to see the long chain of locks on the map, some closer than a few hundred yards apart, but until you understand how it is all going to operate, and whether bollards are easily accessible, there is a feeling of ‘wait and see’ in the air. In this lock, number 2 I think, the ‘bollards’ in the wall to let ourselves down were cross shaped and not always easy to throw a line over, but as everything was slow and gentle it wasn’t a problem.

The view from Lock 2 was a taster of the glory that was to come. Before long the skies started to clear as well – it seemed we were heading South for the sun.

In fact it all turned out to be simple and straightforward. We were accompanied by a series of èclusiers who, like kingfishers, have their own stretch of the canal and will stay with you until the end of their territory – whereupon another takes over.

Lock 6 presented us with a nice contrast between the new light house brickwork and old brickwork path. I was amused by the lighthouse m motif in the middle of the countryside – a whimsical architect i think!

The VNF van with its accompanying éclusier was usually ahead of us at the locks, but on this occasion he arrived just as we were closing in on raising the operating rod.

And for those who are not familiar with these ‘operating rods’, here is a close up from an other lock.

(We did once, a long time ago, manage to pull the red alarm rod once trying to get balance and purchase on the green rod! Not a good idea – to brings all sorts of people running)

Our thought had been to moor up after lock 8 but we were speeding along so successfully that we decided to continue to lock 14. And just as that decision was made, and the canalised river took snake like turn under Vénérolles bridge, the water became very shallow on the inside of both bends! Captain Stu coped as always and we did not run aground.

By midday we were appropriately at lock 12, Hannapes. We enjoyed going through Hannapés, first of all with its lift bridge just before the lock, stopping the local traffic in its tracks for a few minutes – but not inconveniencing many! Someone has taken the time to create a nice garden be tween the bridge and the lock, and in fact around the lock itself. These little touches add to the enjoyment and variation of our travels all the time.

The second lock at Hannapés have me a chance to collect a little more lock nurdiness. The lock gates here are true natural moss gardens; I would love to spend time studying the various flora gathered on these gates! And the water levels along this stretch mean that almost as soon as the lock gates close behind you a waterfall starts to fall into the empty lock, sometimes threatening to drench the Captain who always has the stern rope!

Finally we came through into Tupigny, where the young éclusier was reminded of the manual effort that went into the locks in the days of Robert Louis Stevenson! One vantelle (panel that lifts within the lock gate to let water in/out) had a problem with its automation and he was compelled to use the winding method of old – something with which that many boaters in the UK will be very familiar.

It was an hour past our usual lunch time, but we could see our mooring 100 yards in front of us, so all well.

I neglected to say that this day was the anniversary of the day we met, long ago at a folk club. So we were pleased to find an excellent solitary, legal, even romantic, mooring at Tupigny.

In the afternoon we walked round the village, slightly in hope of a bar where we could start our anniversary celebrations, But although a very well kept village there was no bar that looked to be open that day.

So we returned to the boat and had a wonderful home made tapas style supper on the back deck. And a gentle sunset to match the rosé. What could be better?

As we left Tupigny next morning we saw some of the work that is still going on on this re-opened river/canal to modernise it.

Here a swing bridge is being replaced. Looks like it will be completed soon.

Out of Tupigny and back out into the country, with a straight run down towards the second Grand Verly lock. These wide open spaces, with the pastoral hills beginning to rise around us, never cease to fill us both with natural wellbeing – our form of mindfulness I guess.

Moving on down stream we soon came to Lock 17, Grand Verly where a female éclusier joined us for the manual work where some of the automated vantelles were currently non-automated!

The main reason for the 14 year closure of the Sambre mentioned earlier was the failure of two viaducts at Vadencourt and Macquigny, shown by the two red ‘no entry’ marks on our map, and both now rebuilt thanks to a €30m investment shared by the French government and various local authorities.

So here we are arriving at the first of the two new pont canals; very smart! And over one of many many loops of the Oise we go.

Of course the locks along this stretch were out of use for years. They all seem to have had a new coat of paint in VNF blue and green. And the house Lock 21, Proix Noyales, has been turned into a lovely home and garden. I wonder how they feel after all the very quiet years to suddenly have boats full of people coming by.

The local wildlife are also having to get used to boats appearing from round the bend! A branch rather awkwardly placed for barges has been a good fishing spot for this heron until we arrived.

Towards lunchtime we were approaching Origny-Ste-Benoite – our mooring for the night. The initial view looked somewhat industrial, and turned to to be a major sugar factory, utilising sugar beet from a huge surrounding area.

Even as we came to and through Oriogny lock we were wondering why we had chosen Origny – the one;y place we could see to moor being ‘underneath some HUGE silos – but we tied up, had lunch, and looked around!

We were on one side of a huge empty basin on a quay unused apart from the grain-watching pigeon collection! Lorries came occasionally at the other en d of the quay to deposit their load, and a tractor passed us by even less often – so amazingly peaceful given the setting. And when they all went home for tea, even better.

Moy-de-l’Aisne

The next day’s morning sun lit up the saloon and galley magically, getting me up and going.

I returned to both the previous day’s boulangeries, hoping to find quiches in one of them . (I have now learned that am more likely to find a quiche in a butcher than a baker … so expect sweet things plus bread in a boulangerie and savoury ready to eat delicious meals, plus raw meat, in a boucherie.

Anyway I did find bread for lunch and a huge pain au chocolat which seemed to be a perfect breakfast.

At thew Origny lock we were given a new remote control to take us on down stream, and in fact beyond the end of this canal onto the Canal St Quentin. That gives me a chance to show a little of the changes that have occurred for éclusiers. The photo on the left shows the sort of house, on this canal, that an éclusier would have had as part off their job when the locks were operated manually; generally one éclusier per lock. Then as it became automated the éclusiers lost their houses and had cabins full of controls, perhaps with a van to manage several locks. Now we, the boaters, use a remote control to operate the lock, only seeing an éclusier if there is a problem – so one éclusier can manage a whole string of locks. Result is less jobs, empty houses and less contact for boaters with the local people.

But there are chances to live on these lock houses. Usually you cannot buy them, but at a peppercorn rent you can enter into an agreement to do it up at your own cost.

As we moved on down to our next halt I was reminded again of RLS who, apparently, almost got sucked into a ‘siphon’ under this pont canal. He was on the river underneath where it flows through a series of holes in the structure, rather than a full river.

He was alerted by someone on the bank and avoided getting jammed, with his canoe, under water!

Another sense of wonder along the way was the cappuccino style froth in some of the locks. I am sure that the brown foam is somewhat dirty, but the overvall effect is very stylish!

We were on our way, via 7 locks, to Moy-de-l’Aisne where we had read of one of our favourite type of moorings – quite and seemingly miles from anywhere. I am not sure which of the 7 ,locks is shown above, but a feeling of tranquility and calm falls upon one just looking at it.

We arrived, stopping just below Hamégicourt lock, to just what we had hoped for – and even an empty picnic bench waiting for us to have al fresco lunch. Happy Captain.

We had our customary walk – this time a kilometre into Moy-de-l’Aisne – and found that RLS had got there first! He had enjoyed watching people going in and out of the moated chateau – unfortunately destroyed during the First World War. And he stayed at the Mouton D’Or – also no more! There was evidence of confident building after the war; many houses had towers, steeples, and echos of chateau style decoration.

As we came through Hamégicourt lock the man who now lives in the lock house(a retired lock keeper we later discovered) emerged to say hello and watch Calliope descend.

I used my best French to say how lucky I thought he was to live in a lock house, and he replied that he thought I was lucky to live on a boat! He invited us back to see his little secret garden later.

So we did – and discovered that we were in the presence of a sculptor of some renown. His stable is now a workshop, and full of dustcover cloaked pieces of his art. He is a very private man, so I am not showing his work or his name, but here is his barbecue – sculpted out of various old objects and built to the right height for him to cook.

And he was delightfully kind in giving me a present from the wonderful collection of dusty antiquities he had stored in his workshop.

This little tin ‘bath’ is now mine and will for ever remind me of our stop at Moy.

That evening the quietness, the light, the sound of birds – all combined to make it one of the gentlest evenings of the summer.

But that was before we travelled a full 2 kms to Vendeuil, even deeper into the country, even more peaceful. Even now, writing this, I shake my head in wonder at the perfection of the place.

Vendeuil – here we are, moored tip on a hot day in the shade of trees next to a field of rambling cows, moving together in synchronised grazing. I think a very few cyclists went past, and one boat gong in the opposite direction – a real shock as we saw so few other craft on this canal.

There was the scheduled walk in the afternoon. A long lake runs alongside the canal at this point – no doubt a stretch of the troublesome run-away Oise. We had hoped to get down to it, but it was a private fishing lake so we just enjoyed the view. We were surprised to see a lot of wild hops growing – normally hops are grown in Alsace.

We had a wonderfully dark and peaceful night, expecting it to be or last on a tranquil mooring for some time.

On Saturday 4th September, two weeks and two days after entering the Sambre at Charleroi, we were leaving this scenic waterway, heading for Beautor and within three and a half kilometres of this canal meeting the Canal de St Quentin – another story!

Our three hour trip included a complete change of lock style for the two locks at Travecy, with these recessed blue bollards – very smart and easy to work with. There was also nice green growth on the second lock wall – hanging gardens of Travecy!

We waved goodbye to our new friends at Travecy, and also to our last Canal de Sambre à l’Oise lock – a sense of the end of a journey – the end of our heading South.

Time to veer slightly West before heading back north for the winter.

The mooring in Beautor – along a huge empty 100m+ quay, was much nicer than we had expected. And nicer than this photo suggests.

It was very quiet – some traffic across the bridge behind us, but not close enough to be troublesome. Otherwise a quay that rarely had people or cars on it, with a bank opposite that was an isthmus between the canal and the ever wandering Oise.

Nice enough to attract a few cyclists and dog walkers.

So nice that we stayed two nights.

It’s funny the things that can make a mooring especially good. Yes, it is useful to have access occasionally to water and electricity – but almost more important on a regular basis are places to get rid of our rubbish – and when there is a bin for recycling plus a bottle bank we feel very pleased; our little bit of ‘green’.

That afternoon we needed to do a quick shop at the LeClerq supermarket, a convenient 500 yards away.

It was hot, but had to be done that day as the shops were shut on the following day, Sunday.

When we returned, fully laden, the locked up wheelhouse had clocked up a magnificent 40 degrees C!

But all cooled down with doors open and a sun setting earlier now that we were into September, and a change in the weather!

The route to Le Clerq took us past the church – an art deco building that couldn’t help but grab our attention.

I wish now that I had gone inside too – I wonder what it is like. Google will help me!

The heat caused billowing clouds to gather, thunder to roll, and eventually rain to fall; a sweet half-rainbow appeared too.

The following day we had a good walk round La Fere, the historic military town across the other side of the canal. It is another of the places where RLS washed up and has quite a bit to say about the number of soldiers and reservists in town. Now it seems to be entirely civilian.

But there are huge remnants of the military presence – magnificent in their grandeur and might!

and parts of the old town, although tired, are still fascinating.

Streams and tributaries of the Oise find their way between streets all over the place!

The two towns of Beautor and La Fere have gone to great effort to be Ville de Fleurs. Everywhere possible are huge and colourful beds of flowers and grasses. Boxes adorn every surface and most lamp posts have their own min-garden! I bet it wasn’t like this for Robert Louis.

And more! I took even more photos so I am treating to you to just a few of the many.

The walk to La Fere also resulted in bread for lunch. We were ready to eat to when we got back from our exploration.

I was still keen to have a better understanding of the wiggles of the l’Oise, so took a walk along to the next bridge, over, and back along the other bank – where I found the Oise curling round just a few feet away.

RLS gives wonderful descriptions old the tortuous meanderings of the river, always rushing in haste to the sea, so it is nice to get a sense of his experience.

That evening the effects of the sunset were spectacular. Our last night on this totally stunning, completely absorbing, very relaxing and tranquil waterway – La Sambre and the Sambre à l’Oise Canal.