Family Visit to the Strepy-Thieu Boat Lift, the Ronquières Inclined Plane and the Four Historic Boat Lifts of the Canal du Centre (27/08 to 02/09)
0
0
So, the children have all been with us since late Thursday (27th) night, and we now know that this boat is NOT designed for 7 people to live in comfortably for too long! Nevertheless, with some jiggery-pokery we all had space to live and sleep (with Alec opting to spend his nights sleeping on the aft deck).
28 August – During their stay I had planned for us to visit the Strepy-Thieu Funicular lift, followed by the Ronquiere Incline Plain, stop overnight at Ittre and then return to Mons via the ancient historic lifts along the canal du centre. Nicki and I had already visited the first two, but this would be out first trip through the historic lifts.
29th August – After a good night’s sleep (and leaving their car parked in the public carpark near our mooring) we were able to set off fairly quickly towards the lift at Strepy-Thieu, which loomed large in the distance. Although I had thought we would all make the trip together, Alec had already arranged to meet up with friends back in Mons today, so he borrowed my bike and we dropped him along the way and he cycled back to Mons with the intention of collecting his car after meeting his friends, and meeting up with us again later in the evening.
Arriving at the Strepy-Thieu lift I was pleased to find that we were the only ship heading into the basin on the journey up, which meant that everyone could wander around easily whilst we rise to the top.
The views were no less incredible than on our previous visits, and it was good to see that everyone enjoyed the ride (well, maybe not so much Sam as he’s not keen on heights).
Once at the top we cruised on to the Ronquiere Incline Plain on the Charleroi-Bruxelles canal, where commercials and pleasure craft can drop 70 metres between the higher level and the lower level over an incline of about 1.5 km. Again, we werethe only boat arriving at that time and so were able to enter smoothly into the basin for the downward journey – its a noisy old ride as the basin is pulled along its tracks but the views eere spectacular with the countryside stretching out around us.
Exiting at the lower level and still on the Charleroi-Bruxelles canal, we headed off to Ecluse lIttre no 5 which I had earmarked as a potential overnight stop (Ittre was once known as the geographical centre of Belgium until WW1, and it’s lock is apparently one of the deepest locks in Belgium). We had not visited before but Ittre turned out to be a lovely, quiet mooring opposite a small jachthaven and alongside a field of sheep, with its huge lock gates just behind us. It was all quite charming, and the views from the other side of the lock gates were astonishing – the drop at that point is 14 metres and had we had time I would have enjoyed passing through and down to the lower level, but we’ll save that for another day.
As a bonus at this mooring, we were able to fill up with water (and with so many on board we were honking through our water supply, so that was quite a relief) although as it turned out, we did not have the right hose fitting and I had to stand by the pump holding the hose in place as best I could, getting absolutely saturated and water boarded at the same time!.
Whilst Nicki and I were dealing with this, the others had taken themselves off for a walk into town, which left us free to recover from our ordeal with a beer in the jachthaven clubhouse. A little later they arrived back, and we sorted out food for the evening, and Alec returned with car at around 9pm – we were back to full capacity again for the night.
30th August – While we were prepping the boat for the next stage of our journey, Alec drove the car back to our next destination of Houdeng at the start of the four historic boat lifts (the first – no 1 – being known as the Houdeng-Goegnies lift) and, with Sam taking the wheel for most of the journey, we met up there to spend the night.
31st August – By 9.30 we were ready and waiting to start our journey down these old lifts, which we had been led to believe could take 5-6 hours but, as it turned out, it only took us 4, probably due to still being the only ship on the move.
The first of these lifts at Houdeng was opened in 1888, and the following three lifts (no 2 Houdeng-Aimeries; no 3 Strépy-Bracquegnies, and no 4 Thieu) were opened in 1917 – to my mind they look as though someone has put together four huge Meccano construction kits along the canal. Nowadays they are used purely by pleasurecraft, as all the commercial ships use the Strepy-Thieu Boat Lift.
This was mine and Nicki’s first experience of these lifts, and it was amazing watching them in action and seeing the canal stretching out ahead of us – although Nicki did feel ill as we descended in the first lift, possibly due to motion sickness, so it was up to the others to help out with ropes etc for the most part. That being said, it was all rather exciting. The scenery between each of the lifts was very peaceful and green, and following the 7km route we passed through a couple of opening bridges which all added to the entertainment.
At lock no 3 Stuart and Sara spotted a small market going on, so they got off with Casper to explore, and walked the rest of the way down the canal to join us at the final stage for our return to Mons.
Once we arrived back at Mons, we see able to moor back in our previous position and after a brief rest Alec ran back to houteng to collect his car (about 20k away!) while the rest of us relaxed/strolled into town to look around. Later on we all agreed that drinks at the local jachthaven were in order before the evening ended.
1st September – Today was a more relaxed day, followed in the evening by another visit to the jachthaven for a ‘pre-70th birthdays/last night of the visit’ meal – good food, good drinks and great company made for s very enjoyable evening together. It has been lovely having them all with us and was worth all of the secretiveness.
Early birthday drinks
2nd September – Today I woke to the grand old age of 70! And also today the children all leave for their various homes back in the UK, after which Nicki and I spent the rest of the day tidying and re-ordering everything in the boat. Happy birthday me!!!
