kpnut

I’ve spent the last three days exploring the area round where my daughter and son in law have just moved to. A few miles west of Burton on Trent. Right in the ‘National Forest’ and absolutely heaving with footpaths and lovely little villages. Finlay springer and I are certainly going to enjoy getting to know the local area. I’m looking forward to walking some of the canal towpaths too. No photos I’m afraid though. Maybe most areas of the country are actually just lovely if we all just had enough time to get to know them intimately. I for one have certainly fallen in love with the Broads by getting OFF the boat. Without a dog, I doubt I would have done!!!

Send them the bill for a new one Helen. That’s just downright thoughtless and stupid. You can be as slapdash or as careful with a chainsaw as you want to be. In the right hands, they can be used to carve very intricate sculptures, and Tony cuts to within half an inch of the edge of small trunks/branches when hedgelaying. They don’t have to be ‘driven’ full pelt all the time. Charge them!!!!!

I’d only ever used bounty 37s and 42s when hiring and loved them so much I bought a horizon 35. I now use her on my own much of the time and as others have said, forward planning with ropes etc is the way to go. It’s so easy to access the bank from the front well and with the stern rope brought up to the bow, simple to take hold of both at once. I’ve bought a couple of centre cleats to fit. I also keep the rhond hooks handy rather than storing them away, so any time I see an enticing wild mooring I can use it without any faffing about. My top criteria for buying was definitely easy access from front and back with the ability to see out of the back door. The horizon 35 has a central door, whereas the bounty 37’s door is offset and not so easy to see down the boat and through it. Bonuses that came with my boat purchase were bow thruster, (very handy when on my own but I think I could manage without with practice), reversing camera which takes some getting used to and good for when going very slowly stern on. I find without it I tend to leave a bit of a gap, try to get off and have to go back to the helm and reverse some more! (With other people on board I don’t mind leaving her in reverse gear to hold her to the quay, but don’t like leaving her in gear if leaving the helm seat when on my own). The reversing camera doesn’t show the sides of the boat though. And a port side wing mirror which is just BRILLIANT. So good I’m thinking of putting one on the starboard side too. The other thing I have fitted is a safety ladder, pull down type. I don’t intend using it! And don’t think it’d be much use if I were to fall in when going along, but then how would I do that if I were driving! But if I were to fall in on a mooring I’d at least have a chance of getting back on board. Maybe it’s over the top, but for less than £40, potentially worth every penny. Oh, and I wear my life jacket all the time when on my own. Whatever you do, don’t get a boat with no side decks. I have seen some hire boat designs without them.

Apologies from me this week. At my daughters viewing her newly acquired wedding photos.

Without meaning to be an evangelist, try him on a raw diet. I’ve often heard that picky dogs turn into enthusiastic eaters and if he likes chicken already you’re partway there. You can buy it frozen and defrost enough to portion up and re freeze perfectly ok. Not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ I must also say but my springer has had that from weaning and is thriving. He is mighty cute.

Well done on taking the plunge. Hope you get as much fun from your boat as I do from mine, owner for a year, poorer in cash, but oh so much richer in life!

I’m sorry I asked! It was just a general question as to how it impacted on boat waterfills, if it were ever to be the case. I was just curious and thought a few people would have had experience from past years.

LOL. I'm sure they will. I don't even buy a 500ml bottle of water from supermarkets!!!

What we all need right now!

I've submitted 3 forms. Womack to Potter, Repps Staithe Rd to Thurne Dyke, and Fleet Dyke to Thurne mouth. Unfortunately when I registered on the website, so I could receive updates, it then wouldn't allow me to submit them. So I've had to do them without being signed in, so no updates will be sent to me. I'll back it up by letter and send more when I spot them, with photos. Their website implies obligation on their part for paths designated as either Public Right of Way cutting, or as National Trail cutting and the routes are clearly marked on the interactive map. So they are publishing that they are responsible for their maintenance, just haven't done it for whatever reason, which I'll hopefully find out in a reply to my letter. I must say that when I have used the East Riding website to report fly tipping, it has been dealt with very promptly. I don't hold out so much hope here, but maybe by flagging it up (hopefully lots of locals have done too) next year the council will be more proactive.

No, I know you can't use a hosepipe to water allotments during a hosepipe ban unless growing food on a commercial basis, which most allotment sites don't allow anyway. Our allotment site doesn't allow hosepipes at any time, so its just watering cans for us. It certainly concentrates the mind and encourages sensible watering. Most veg plants don't need anything like the amount they are given, only at sensitive periods of growth like flowering of peas and beans. The meaner you normally are, the deeper they put their roots to their benefit. And watering into milk bottles with the bottoms cut off and dug into the ground and the like, means any water you do put in goes to where its needed rather than just wetting the surface for the water to be soon evaporated by the warmth/wind. And as Meantime says, early morning or evening are the best times to water. Sprinklers use enormous amounts of water and waste most of it. As regards using a hosepipe/sprinkler when on a water meter, it would be very easy for water companies to spot excessive use through the meter. Mind you, you'd think the same would apply to their own leaks going through their pipes. But little seems to be done about those.

Thanks to all. Ah, so presumably it’s the watering/cleaning aspect that’s banned, not the actual use of the hosepipe. So filling a tank for drinking water would be ok. Maybe the term ‘hosepipe ban’ should be changed! Thanks.

Just a query. If and when the Norfolk area has a hosepipe ban put in place, how do we go about filling the boat water tanks? In the past, has there been an exemption for things like that? Hoping experienced boaters will know the answer, thanks. Not just the hopepipes at public moorings, but at the yards where private owners fill up next to their own mooring using a privately owned hosereel.

I'm going to spend some time today with my map and the council website page to earmark a few of the worst paths and go from there on the form filling exercise. If I swamp it with too many, it'll backfire. And a letter too. Will let you all know the outcome, but i won't expect miracles!

Can’t have something for nothing, while trying not to be political!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone is welcome to give me details of paths they’ve found so overgrown that it has been really difficult to walk along eg grass/reeds that has to be parted to get through, nettles/brambles across the path etc. Starting point and direction of travel. eg River Bure, opposite St Benets, from Fleet Dyke travelling downstream. Or River Thurne from Womack dyke entrance towards Potter Heigham etc. No grid reference required if description is obvious. I can then look up the footpath number to report. Yes, your thread is now intact again, I just ‘borrowed’ it!!!!!

As a relative newbie, I use it to learn the makes/models of boats. Very useful.

I was wondering about taking the strimmer for a walk too!! And I also wondered if ‘no mow May’ had something to do with it. Trouble is, let it get long then and it soon gets out of hand. Doesn’t necessarily do the area any good either, as the dominant ‘weeds’ just take hold more strongly and the weaker species get shaded/outcompeted, so biodiversity actually decreases over time. Fleet Dyke was a real disappointment last month. One of the best walks on the Broads. And I also love the one round from Womack towards Potter, Lulu. Well, in fact I love most of the walks (or did).

Doing a bit of a search, it seems right that it’s Norfolk County Council which is in charge. Their website states that there is a statutory responsibility by themselves and landowners to keep public footpaths open and it is important for tourism etc There is an interactive map marking all the footpaths, with their numbers, that they are responsible for. There is the facility to report problems. So I will make it my mission for the rest of this year to do just that. And to write a letter on behalf of users of the paths, to suggest they carry out their responsibilities. As an ecologist, I am well aware that there is a balance to be had between peoples needs and wildlife needs, but some paths on the Broads are very strategic for purposes of tourism. Moderators - if this topic continues to be commented on in Moonlight Shadows thread, is it possible to put it in one of its own? I maybe shouldn’t haven’t hijacked the thread. Sorry.

I meant to comment on this the other day when you posted. I too would like to know what’s happened with the riverbank footpaths this year. Many are virtually impassable, even though marked on the OS map as public footpaths. on my ‘springers retreat holiday blog’ I’ve also highlighted if a few times. It’s taken away a measurable part of my enjoyment of the Broads this year. Id love someone to be able to tell me who is responsible for the paths (the ones that tend to run along the tops of the banks eg round Upton marshes, Ludham marshes, up from Ludham Bridge to How Hill, from Thurne dyke to Potter Heigham start of the chalets etc, from Acle Bridge to Upton Dyke etc), so I can write a letter of enquiry as to why they are in the overgrown state they are. Sorry to hijack your thread Helen. Hope the family is all on the mend.

Everything looks like straw on the east side of the Pennines. When we went over the top of the A66 it changed to a fresh green. Our lawn also looks like straw with occasional burnt off brown circles thanks to the dog! And nothing in the waterbutts, although maybe that's changed today. Hopefully so as I need to top up the pond as soon as I can. Id be happy if it rained every night of the year, with dry weather during the day!

You don’t need to Helen, you just need to take it easy for a few days. Let the boys do the work! I was pleased the caulies are coming on stream now, we love cauliflower cheese.

Yes, you’re absolutely right. They look so grey and drab and Richard’s looks decidedly like a prison building with the small windows. But round the back is another story; beautiful sunny little garden. Happy sailing.

Excellent dog training venue there Griff. I wrote in my holiday diary thingie about the freebie steadiness lesson that Finlay had when a group training session was taking place. 9 labs all waiting their turns beautifully. The swans and ducks take no notice as you send the dog over, must be used to it! Enjoy the peaceful surroundings once the day’s activities at the mill die down a bit.

After two and half weeks on the Broads and then half a week in Scotland making sure my son was safe up a ladder refurbishing and painting his window surrounds, it was meant to be a big allotment day today. I managed till 3.30 when the rain got a bit too persistent for even me to work in. A big box of produce for my friend who’s been watering the greenhouse, autumn planted onions and garlic dug up and put in cold frame for drying, although they won’t need much drying this year. I’m glad I got them safely stored before this afternoon’s rain. Half a goosegog bush (of four) picked, grapevines had a haircut, as did the cordon apples and pears, one plum tree (of four) picked before the wasps had too many and wasp sugar traps now erected, lots of gladioli and dahlias to put in the house, outdoor cucumbers and tomatoes are about starting. Wasps have been munching the remains of the rasps, I picked what was good but a lot have dried up in last week’s heat. The autumn rasps aren’t ripe yet so it won’t be rasps every day from July to November this year, but I have got more in the freezer than normal. All in all, it’s a really bumper year for all types of fruit. Even my grapevines will yield very well if I can keep the powdery mildew at bay till they are sweet enough to pick for winemaking in October. I should have picked peas and dug potatoes too but that can wait till tomorrow. It’ll take me a few days to get the allotments back to how I like them, just ready to be off again on the boat!