Small Bears on Trains

We have been busy having small bear adventures, including making a visit to Grizzly's grandcubs in southern England two weekends ago.

Our adventure started as soon as we got to the railway station, where there are nice gardens looked after by a team of lovely volunteers.  We arrived early enough to explore and play in them but we noticed some sections of the platform were surrounded by high, metal fences.  Hanley Bear went to investigate.

'They're digging big holes in the platforms!' he told us.

'That's because they're building a new footbridge, with lifts,' Grizzly explained.  'I started campaigning for it years ago, so people with heavy luggage, pushchairs or mobility problems didn't have to climb over that scruffy old metal footbridge.'

'Well done Grizzly!' we all cheered. 

'It will be, when it's finished,' said Grizzly.  'Work is held up for the moment, because they've found a seam of coal down the hole they've dug for the lift shaft!'

I thought that was a very strange thing to find, but Hanley Bear said there was coal all over this area and he was surprised we hadn't found any when we were digging in the garden.

Soon our train arrived and we were on our way through the countryside, looking out from our bear bag for the canals and other interesting things.  

The train was very busy.  Some people were going to the FA Cup Final.  Hanley Bear was sad and a little bit jealous.  

'I wish Stoke City were in it!' he said.

We gave him extra hugs when we went past Wembley Stadium and told him we were sure Stoke would be there next year, either for the FA Cup or the Premiership play-offs.

We stayed on the train all the way to Euston, the very big station where the fast trains that go from London up the West Coast Main Line to Birmingham, Manchester and Scotland start their journeys.  It was exciting but very busy and quite scary for small bears. 

We stayed in our bear bag while Polar carried us down some very long, steep escalators into tiled tunnels that had a funny smell and a strange warm breeze sweeping through them.

When we saw platforms and railway tracks, we realised this was the London Underground.  A strange train with round-sided carriages ran in very quickly and stopped, the doors slid open and hundreds of people poured out onto the platform, then Polar and Grizzly jumped in.  It was very small inside, for a train, with just one row of seats along each side.

'I wonder if we'll see Paddington?' said Endon, looking around excitedly.

We didn't, because our funny little train went to a station called Victoria instead. 

'As there's Paddington Bear, do you think there might be Victoria Bear as well?' I asked Polar.

'There could be small bears named after all sorts of places, if that's where they were found,' she replied.  'Rather like you three.' 

We didn't see any other small bears on our journey but we did get a glimpse of the famous old power station at Battersey and the airport at Gatwick.

'I bet there are lots of Gatwick Bears, who've been accidently left behind at the airport and found by new human cubs,' said Hanley.

When we see the airport, we know it's not far to where the human cubs live.  Soon we were playing all our favourite games with them, including Bear Star Wars and Lego Bears.  

Then, after watching the real game, we had the FA Bears Cup with the table football.  Hanley Bear was the red team, as usual, and he won.

'Stoke City have won the cup!  Yay!' he cheered.

After another whole day of adventures with the cubs, it was time for another train journey.  This time, we went along the south coast to Southampton, where Polar's dad and step-mum live.

From the train, you get a wonderful view of Arundel Castle.  We bears would love to visit it one day.  Grizzly explained that the Wey Navigation, which I visited on my first ever boat trip, used to link to the River Arun. 

'Wouldn't it be lovely to come here by boat?' I said to the other bears and they both agreed.  Grizzly explained there was lots of work to do before that would be possible, but that we might visit by train one day.

We had quiet visits, without adventures, in Hampshire, although Polar's step-mum loves us and gives us lots of pats, which is how we think she got her name, which is Pat. 

Our last train journey was back to Kidsgrove via Birmingham.  The train runs along by the River Thames between Reading (which is very close to Sonning) and Oxford.  It is quite a long journey and we were glad when Polar and Grizzly gave us some snacks.  We had a little cup of milk each and shared a delicious cheese scone!

When we reached Birmingham, we saw where they are building a new station for the High Speed Line from London.  I don't think we small bears would like very high speed trains, as we would feel sick and giddy if the countryside was going past the window too quickly.

But there are lots of canals in Birmingham, as well as ordinary railways with trains suitable for small bears, and Polar says we will definitely visit on Uppie one day, hopefully quite soon!

When we got home, we put on our pyjamas and did lots of stretches before bed, as we had been in our bear bag all journey because the train was busy, and we had crampy legs, arms and paws.  But, when we went to sleep, we dreamt about going on more train journeys, only with steam engines and nice big seats in the carriages we could bounce about on.  

We really hope Polar and Grizzly will take us on another railway adventure somewhere exciting, like Scotland!

Back to the Macc

The last of our Easter adventures was a journey on Uppie the Narrowboat along the Macclesfield Canal, where we went at Christmas and again in the early spring.

We all jumped excitedly into one of Polar and Grizzly's bags, as we were only going to be away for a couple of days, so didn't need to take our bear basket.

While Grizzly and Polar got Uppie ready to set off, we played in the bluebells on the bank next to Uppie's mooring.  Polar says she will make a proper little garden there one day, with some of the spare plants from the garden.

Soon, we had our life-jackets on and were ready to go.  Hanley Bear asked if we could sit on the roof again, if we were good bears.

'As you were such good bears last time and it isn't windy, I'm sure you can,' said Grizzly.   He lifted us up to sit in the lifebelt, where we had wonderful views of the countryside. 

We saw a beautiful wood full of bluebells, which we would have liked to explore, but it was private land.  We bears could have slipped under the gate but our human guardians wouldn't have been able to go with us.

'Let's just enjoy the views from the boat, then,' said Endon.

After we had been on the move for an hour or so, sitting in the sunshine, listening to the birds singing and even having small bear naps, Polar brought us some cake.  Boating is hungry work for small bears, even when all you are doing is watching humans steering boats and working through locks.

Actually, the Macclesfield Canal isn't very hard work for our humans either, if they just cruise the lower section from our mooring at Kidsgrove to the foot of the Bosley Locks, as there is just one funny little stop-lock to go through at Hall Green.  Sometimes, there is a very helpful human cub there, but we didn't see him that day.

Later in the afternoon, we spotted the big hill called The Cloud.  At Christmas, it had been covered in low cloud and fog but on Easter Day it was warm and sunny and we could see how high it was. 

We moored for the night near an aqueduct over the River Dane with a great view of The Cloud.  Endon said he wanted to climb it.

'We might do that another day, bears,' said Polar.  'The view from the top is fantastic, but it's a long way to the top.'

We were happy to stay on Uppie for now.  The sun was going down and it would soon be tea-time, our favourite time of any day.

Polar had brought a tin of rice pudding for us to enjoy, as it's our favourite, then made us up our little bed on the boat.

'Sleep well, bears!' she said, as she and Grizzly tucked us in.

After breakfast the next morning, we went to have a look down into the valley from the aqueduct.  We were very high up!

Then we helped Polar and Grizzly to give Uppie a good clean along one side, then we went up through the bottom lock of the Bosley flight to turn around, came back down and cleaned the other side.  

We decided to stay inside on the way back.  I had a letter to write to our human cub friend Izzy, telling her about all our adventures.  It took ages to write, because we had done lots of things.

By the time I had finished, we had gone all the back along the long, straight section at Buglawton and were going through Congleton.

'It must be time for another nap!'  I said.  Hanley and Endon agreed.

When we woke up, we were back at the funny little stop-lock and Polar and Grizzly had already worked us through it.

From there, it is only a little way back to our moorings.  We looked out for Mow Cop Castle on top of the hill and all the boats moored at Red Bull, which is where Mr Tony, who does Uppie's annual service and repairs, lives.  Soon after that, we were back at our mooring.

When we got home, Hanley Bear and Grizzly got a shock.  Stoke City had a home game that afternoon, which they had forgotten!  Mr Steve and Mr Andy had come to get them and found no-one at home. 

'Booo!' went Hanley Bear, although I think he prefers boating to going to football really.  I'm sure Grizzly does too!