This is it until May 2009 and the return of the blog. Our plans for next summer are already made.
We join a colourful flotilla of 55 traditional wooden sailing boats and progress with them as stately as Snail can through Gent, Brugges, Ostend and briefly into France. We are very aware that we are not trad or wooden or sailing but the organiser is Fernand (he who rescued us at the start of these wanderings) and he has invited us so that's alright then.
In June we leave them and take Snail to the Netherlands and some very different waterways. So, bye for now.
Monday, January 26, 2009
September 2008
The cruisers crowd in together at the end of navigation here at Lokeren while we make a more dignified mooring, comfortably and securely rafted to Wim's boat where Snail will spend the winter. Friendly and generous, Wim is a taxi driver by day and a tango dancer at night. He has a beautiful boat which dwarfs our twentyone metres of narrowboat.We settle Snail in, watch the cruisers leave, and then return to the UK on our trusty Royal Enfield.
September 2008
We moor overnight at the first of the five lift bridges on the river Moervaart to Lokeren.
Next morning we prepare to leave when first mate is astounded to see crowds of cruisers on this usually deserted waterway about to overtake us. They have stayed put at their moorings all over Belgium during the summer but have decided to take to the water en masse at the very end of September and head for Lokeren in this, the last official cruising weekend of the summer.
There's nothing we can do but let them all pass. Some give a cheery wave, most stare doggedly ahead.
We are recognised by the bridgekeepers who stop to chat and have a laugh about this unexpected increase to their workload. We bring up the rear, knowing our place in the scheme of things.
September 2008
We are near the end of our first summer of wanderings in Europe. To return to Lokeren and Snail's winter mooring we come back through Gent, moor up and see how Rik and Nelly have progressed with their fit-out.
They are hoping to be ready for next year's season and we look forward to meeting up with them again to share some beers and listen to more of Rik's hilarious life stories.
September 2008
Through Antwerp and the Schelde to the river Dender. This lock mooring is at Denderbelle and has a wonderfully camp lock-keeper who, with pet dog tucked under one arm, tells us about his days as a Tour de France masseuse.
We stay for two days and watch a parade of beautifully turned out horse and carriages on the opposite bank taking part in a village festival.
September 2008
We are now on the Dessel where we are finding moorings few and far between. The town of Turnhout provides us with a stop for a couple of days. They have heard about us from the club at Leopoldsburg and give us a discount on the mooring fee.
This moated castle in Turnhout reminded us of Gainsborough Hall in England as it too looks incongruous surrounded completely by very modern offices and shops.
September 2008
We reach the end of the canal at Leopoldsburg and are invited to stay. There is a festival here at the yacht club and we are made very welcome.
To raise money, there is a craft fair selling well-made and original items. The beer tent and waffle stalls are doing a roaring trade and some of the club members are using their cruisers to give trips up and down the canal to the paying public. We see wonderfully overcrowded boats with no obvious life-saving equipment and we doubt if the skippers have trip licences let alone insurance.....Only in Belgium.
September 2008
We explore the quiet Beverlo Canal that ends in the town of Leopoldsburg.
Barring our way is this lift bridge, the only privately owned one in Belgium. It is used to get workers from their cars parked on one side of the canal to the factory on the other. It's Sunday but thankfully the office is manned seven days a week and we are allowed through.
September 2008
Along the banks of the Albert Canal the rocks have been scarred by the digging out of this enormous waterway.
Caves both manmade and naturally forming occur at intervals. Used as ammunition dumps in the wars, they now nurture crops of cultivated mushrooms.
September 2008
This isn't an inland sea but the man-made Albert Canal. So wide that it's waters are choppy even on calm days, it was built in the last century to encourage commercial traffic and ease their way to Antwerp. It's Sunday and the only day off the commercials allow themselves so we have it to ourselves.September 2008
Grim tho' the citadel was, the view was worth the climb. The cable cars weren't running because of high winds so more calories lost.
We are moored in front of the white boat, looking insignificant as usual.
The Meuse winds its way on to France but we stop just before the border, turn easily in this wide river and retrace our way back in to Belgium and towards Flanders.
September 2008
The approach to Huy with the town's citadel looking suitably foreboding. It was used as a concentration camp by the Nazis and now houses a very grim museum recalling Belgium under occupation. In the Great War, P.G.Woodehouse was interred here briefly.
September 2008
There were lovely walks to be had on the forested banks of the Meuse. Skipper, ever the opportunist, took the opportunity to 'harvest' some suitable sticks for carving during the winter.September 2008
We are moored near the bridge in the far distance. Yes it was a long trek here and back again but the view from the citadel after the white-knuckle cable car ride up to it made it worthwhile.
September 2008
Dinant on the Meuse with its famous citadel perched high on the rocks looked worth a visit but with only very expensive moorings in the town we were forced to look elsewhere. Here, next to the famous Bayard's Rock, we found peaceful moorings, gratis. Okay it was a bit of a walk back to Dinant but think of the calories we'd lose.
Skulduggery from this peak in 1945 when the monarch climbed to the top to celebrate the end of the war, only to be pushed to his death in the river by the jealous husband of his mistress. Allegedly.
Woody gathers up his strength for the long walk back.
August 2008
The Meuse in winter is apparently a very different river. The commercial traffic continues all year round and to maintain navigation these hydraulic weirs have been built at intervals all the way to France.
Each weir has a salmon 'maze' at the side of it as a kinder alternative to leaping. Unfortunately we never did see any trying to find their way out.
August 2008
Further upriver we find this free mooring near the lock at Hastiere. It's provided with free electricity too and is used mainly by commercials, this one (white and blue, all one boat) enjoying a short holiday. All the family liveaboard and this boat had two cars,quadbike and small speedboat on the deck as well as a fenced in children's play area.
We are in between it and a Belgium 'spitz' behind us. The spitz are now, at 350 tons, the babies of the commercial world here. They continue to have work as they can go everywhere in France, an option not open to larger boats.
August 2008
We moor for the evening near this lovely abbey church at Hastieres.
On its wall is a memorial to the fate of the town's citizens at the hands of the Germans in the Great War. The wording is to the point and makes harrowing reading. So appalling that when occupied the second time, even the Nazis were careful to tread more gently here.
It is one of many similar stones we find all over Belgium, spelling out unequivocally the crimes of an occupying force in the last century.
August 2008
These high rocky outcrops accompany us for most of the journey along this river. Often if we look hard, we can make out climbers enjoying the challenges these spectatcular formations offer.
The few towns along the river are forced to be long and thin, their houses built hard into the rock.
There are active quarries too. So proficient that the craggy outline we've become used to disappears at intervals, blown up and carried away by the trucks that trundle back and forth.
We hope they know when to stop.
August 2008
The Meuse is wide and, for the most part, empty. It is in the Belgium Ardennes. The hilly terrain attracts and unfortunately keeps cloud and rain even in mid summer. Nothing daunted (we're British) we carry on towards the border with France.
August 2008
Just ahead of the mooring here in Namur is the T junction formed by the meeting of the two rivers, Sambre and Meuse.
These two commercials had a very near miss as they both negotiated this junction from opposite directions much too fast. The incredible noise as they scraped the quay walls to avoid each other brought us out of our boat to look and provided a spectacle from the bridge.
Tomorrow we would be joining the mighty Meuse and looked forward to some spectacular scenery.
August 2008
At the riverside mooring we attract many interested passers-by who are intrigued by the boat. They also comment on the boat's name, a first. All is revealed when we discover that Namur's symbol is the snail, this delightful bronze taking pride of place in front of the town hall.
August 2008
We reach the city of Namur on the junction with the rivers Sambre and Meuse, or Maas depending which country you hale from.
As ever, the free moorings are on a high wall that's not too suitable for a narrowboat and offers little protection from the bigstuff who observe no unwritten courtesy rules. They just steam past, anxious to get to their next port of call. Time's money.
Now very used to being rocked to sleep, we stay several nights here and enjoy the city.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
August 2008
After a busy day on the trams, what better than to relax with a beer?
The brolly, along with one for first mate's chair too, has been gifted to us by a couple from the Netherlands, Rose and Ronald.
They have moored their splendid wooden cruiser in front of us and offered some of their champagne to share. Transpires that Ronald owns a cafe in Holland and the ballast on their boat consists mainly of 126 bottles of champagne. This has to last them 4 weeks (!) and we hope they can still get under the bridges when it's all gone.
August 2008
We hear that there will be a special 'open weekend' while we are in Thuin. A group of enthusiastic volunteers have restored some ancient trams and will run them on what's left of Thuin's rails.We spend all day trying the different trams, some of which date from the early 1900's. The chaos that ensues from them unexpectedly trundling along Thuin's busy roads is very entertaining.
August 2008
On the other side of the town are medieval terraced gardens. They are now used as vineyards although we never did see any of the resulting wine on sale.
We asked why Belgium wasn't known for its wine. The answer is that in the time of Napoleon the vineyards were scrubbed up. Now they concentrate on beer and chocolate instead!
August 2008
As ever, we head for the belfry to get the best views of this lovely town. From here you can clearly see the line of retired bargees' boats and the extent of forest cover in this part of Belgium. So different from agricultural and flat Flanders away to the north.
August 2008
Thuin on the Sambre. Renowned in its heyday a century ago for its commercial boatbuilding.
Now it attracts retired bargees who either line the banks in their 'spits' (Belgian peniche) on the approach to the town or live in the houses hugging the riverline. These are adorned with artefacts from their abandoned boats. Anchors and boathooks, steering wheels and nav. lights are incorporated into walls and gardens.
The remainder of the town is atop the hill. We are told by a very elderly ex boatyard employee that this is where the posh people now live.
August 2008
This is typical Sambre scenery. Beauty and peace, the two qualities we love to find on the waterways we travel through.
August 2008
This mooring was near a ruined abbey. The French Revolution did for them what Henry VIII did for us. The brewery still exists but their results were over-priced and not memorable. A first disappointment for the skipper.August 2008
We reach the Sambre and leave industrial landscapes far behind. All is forested and peaceful, if a little eccentric sometimes.August 2008
You don't see this on the tourist info leaflets. This Dickensian steelworks lines both sides of the Charleroi-Brussels canal for the best part of a mile and people still work there. Two grime-covered workers emerged from the furnaces and doffed their hard hats as we passed.
Assuming the water quality to be poor we were amazed to see a kingfisher getting his lunch a little further on from this picture.
August 2008
Another grand experience courtesy of Walloon waterways and free ofcourse. And operated only for us, ofcourse!
Shortly after we took this picture, a car drove up between the 'rails'. Taken a wrong turn we supposed.
August 2008
Not content with four Anderton-type lifts and a modern hightech ascenseur, Walloon also boasts an inclined plane. This is at Ronquiere and lifts the boat sixty metres up the hill on a railway-like structure. Enormous wheels and pulleys pull the two water tanks up and down accompanied by eerie groanings and moanings.
Strictly speaking we don't need to use it but how could we resist a little detour for the experience?
August 2008
The view from near the top of the boat lift is stunning. Look closely and you can just see Snail, a speck moored up all alone.
August 2008
We decide it's time to head for the river Sambre and to achieve this we must retrace some steps and use the Strepy boat lift once more. As is becoming the norm, we are the only boat wanting to go up and we have the tank to ourselves.August 2008
End of the Blaton-Ath canal and our three lockies suggest we stop for the night on the non-towpath side for a more peaceful stay. They help us moor up and then leave us to enjoy the solitude.
Hard to believe but just the other side of the lock is polluted, industrial, commercial canal. We don't have to join that until tomorrow.
August 2008
The many small locks and swing bridges on this non-commercial canal are cheerfully done for us by this motley crew. They were the happiest workers on the waterways that we came across, whizzing up and down the towpath on their scooters to set the next lock before we got there.August 2008
The Blaton-Ath canal is a delight. This forest lines the banks
of the waterway for several miles and Woody thinks it's heaven. So do we.
Friday, January 23, 2009
July 2008
This is Geraardsbergen, the last Flemish town before we cross the border into Walloon again and the Dender becomes the canal Blaton-Ath.
It claims to have an older 'pissing boy' statue than Brussels.Brussels says "non".They argue still, a small example among many in the continuing rancour between the two parts of Belgium.
This town is on the Tour de France route. They have to climb the 'Muur', a steep, cobbled road behind the town which we puffed and panted our way up with Woody and pitied the cyclists.
July 2008
Ok, this is still a mystery to us. What happens is this: We moor up on some free pontoon near a village or town, begin to settle in for the rest of the day, get the chairs out, that sort of thing when bride, groom and entourage appear from nowhere and pose for photos against Snail. They then disappear. Nothing is ever said. Bizarre.July 2008
Dragging ourselves away from all that frenetic fun in Gent, we look for something more relaxing and find the river Dender.
As usual, all is done for you and once off the tidal, commercial bit, we find the lift bridges just open as if by magic on our approach.
This is probably the only pink bridge on the system and we were probably the only boat that day to use it. Where are all the Belgium boaters?
July 2008
As night falls, one reveller has an ingenious way of getting through the crowds.
The Disney-like building is Gent's castle.
July 2008
We meet Rik and Nelly who are fitting out their sailing boat near our mooring at Tolhius, the freebie near Gent we used before in May. They are a delight and we gladly accept their offer to show us the best places to enjoy the Fest.This entails use of Origami again, taking her through one of the commercial locks, much to the amusement of the lockie.
We tie up behind the Gent Barge, a replica of a 16th century royal boat that comes out for special occasions. Peer closely, there we are.
Spend the rest of the afternoon trying rather too many of the best beers Belgium has to offer while ostensibly listening to live jazz.
We entertain the lockie again attempting to negotiate his lock on the return. Luckily no commercials around as they're all stopped for the Fest as well.
July 2008
We are here for the Gentse Feesten, a twentyfour hour, ten day long free music festival catering for every taste and to be found in every street and square.
Gent is transformed. There is a rock stage built over one of the canals.
We decide to explore but can only access these city waterways using our little folding boat.
The waterpolice look incredulous and stop us but let us go on our way with a wave.
Gent is heaving with very good humoured crowds.
July 2008
Back to the quiet and pleasant 'back streets' of the Gent waterways.
Many of these have low bridges which, even with our 'just for Europe ridiculous on a narrowboat' mast down we can't get under. Many's the time our map lets us down and the poor skipper has to reverse to find somewhere wide enough to wind.
Pretty tho'.
July 2008
This is a thriving waterway lined with docks and shipyards all apparently with plenty of work.We get out of the way of this little threesome as quick as Snail can manage.
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