Ramsdell Hall to Lyme View

Miles 20.3 Locks 12
We are now moored a few miles from home and have been to the Miners Arms for a final meal. The day was similar to yesterday starting fine with rain setting in at about 4 pm. We were helped up the locks at Bosley by the members of the Macclesfield Canal society making this the second canal society lock help we have had this Bank Holiday, the other being the S.U.C. last friday at Cholmondeston lock. This is the new foot bridge No 26 A at Clarence Mill Bollington. We saw the approach piers when we went out and caught the stoppage notice on Waterscape when the Deck was lifted on.
This is the last blog from the boat on this cruise the closing day and summary will be done from home tomorrow.

Wheelock to Ramsdell Hall

Miles 8.8 Locks 27

We left Wheelock at 7.40 am to get a good run up Heartbreak Hill and with 27 locks to do there was little chance to take photographs so you will have to do with a pic of the pub at Hassel Green

which is about a third of the way up. We had a good run with minimal waits at the locks and the weather kept clear untill just after we moored up on the Macclesfield canal by bridge 86 then the rain started. Bosley tomorrow and probably back in High Lane some time on Tuesday.

Church Minshull to Wheelock

Miles 11.3 Locks 7
We are now moored in Whelock where we stopped 20 days ago on our way out on this cruise. One problem with adding pictures to a blog about travelling on the canals where we are doing an "Out and Back" trip is making sure that the pics taken on the return are not a repeat of those taken on the outward journey Passing converted stables on the Middlewich branch shortly after setting off this morning. We were to have a struggle with a BW work boat adrift in a bridge hole soon after this picture was taken.

Waiting at Kings lock on the Trent and Mersey Canal with Middlewich junction just behind

Kings Lock withe a pub of the same name in the background

Bates Mill to Church Minshull

Miles 10 Locks 8
No pics tonight as it has been raining on and off all day. We managed to pick damsons at Tilstone lock just before the Bunbury 2 rise and a few more, just to make sure we have enough to make Damson Gin, at Calverley. At Cholmondeston the Shropshire Union Canal Society were operating the lock and raising funds for their many projects.

Chester to Bates Mill

Miles 9.9 Locks 5
we have finally left Chester a day later that intended. Yesterday was wet and windy so we decided to get a bus to the Cheshire Oaks outlet centre. It is only about 20 mins by the Chester to Liverpool bus. Earlier we had walked round the wall and looked in many shops. I had a particularly successful visit to a Model shop, not only did they have the items I wanted, I also got the name and phone no of a supplier of Plasticard in Stockport.

One can't not take a picture of the River Dee of the spot where memories are made.

We are now moored in the shadow of Beeston Castle at Bates Mill 48 hr mooring

Although the pictures ware taken in the sunshine only a short while ago it is threatening to rain so the covers are on!.

Gowy Aqueduct to Chester

Miles 8.0 Locks 5
We have reached Chester and have moored just south of Cow Bridge. This is the bridge near Tesco and Iceland. We have been for a stroll round to check out the shops that will have further visits as we intend to stay a few days.

The Cheshire Regiment Memorial garden in the grounds of the cathedral. After our quick tour we sat outside the boat chatting until the rain started. There was one disappointment - the cinema is closed ,I will have to do a Google to see if it has moved to an out of town location and if s can we get there on the bus. Unless there is any significant event between now and Wednesday I do not intend to update the blog till then, as we will still be moored in Chester

Venetian Marina to Gowy Aqueduct

Miles 8.6 locks 6
We are now on the Shropshire Union canal proper having come off the Middlewich branch at Barbridge and turned northe towards Chester. The locks are allwide and have a round building beside the lock as well as the lock cottage. A typical example of the small round building beside the lock. Suggestions as to their use are welcome.

Beeston stone lock with both cottage and round building in view.

Beeston steel lock, waiting for it to fill. Our overnight mooring is where the canal crosses a small river called the Gowy.

Bramble Cutting T+M canal to Gowy Aqueduct SU Canal.

Two days update today, we were busy enjoying the company of friends last night.

Friday 21 Aug 2009

Miles 11.5 Locks 8

We moved off the Trent and mersey canal and onto the Middlewich brancu of the Shropshire Union Canal.we called in at Aqueduct marina to visit Indian ummer and then spent the night near Venetian Marina Middlewich Big Lock

Minshull Lock

Anderton to Bramble cutting

Miles 7.3 Locks 0
Just a short blog today. We left Anderton at 9.30 am after taking on water and eventually geting a pump-out. We then cruised south past the two flashes near Orchard Marina to bramble cutting a 48hr mooring spot just north of bridge 176. The sightused to be a clay pit for the waterway when it needed clay for puddling the bottom, now it is a pleasent mooring and picnic site on the non towpath side looked after by Broken Cross Boat Club.

Back on the Trent and Mersey Canal

Miles 10.9 Locks 2 Boat Lift 1
We travelled from our overnight moorings at Devils Elbow on the R. Weaver to Northwich for some essential shopping and then up the Anderton Lift to the Trent and Mersey Canal.Saltisford locks

Not Purton but the Hulks of the WWII concrete barges are everywhere

Entering the Anderton Lift from the River Weaver

Looking down at the other cassion that has just taken two boats from the Trent a and Mersey canal level to the R. Weaver Level.
Captions for the previous days blog have now been added, or will be in a few minutes

On the River Weaver

Most of the mooring places on the R. Weaver are out in the sticks where the signal level is poor therefore this blog entry covers several days.
Sat 15 August
Miles 6.0 Locks 0 Boat Lift 1 The Upper entry to the Anderton Boat Lift

In the cassion at the top of the lift before we descend.

Looking up - going down.

The opposite cassion almost at the top

Looking back at the lift on the way to Northwich
Sunday 16 August

Miles 3.3 Locks 2

and even those were worked for us. we sailed through Hunts lock and Vale Royal Lock to the Vale Royal moorings for our overnight stop.

Monday 17 August

Miles 6.1 Locks 2

Back through Vale Royal and Hunts lock and downstream of the Anderton Lift to Barnton Moorings and a luvly BBQ

Just left Hunts Lock

Looking back at Northwich Town moorings with Cindy and Petralee on the opposite bank

Passing the Anderton Boat Lift

Lunch Break at Acton Bridge.

About to go down at Dutton Locks.

Big Boats below Dutton Locks.

Dunham to Dutton

14 August 2009
Miles 16.4 Locls 1 Tunnels 1
We have been on two walks today one round the lake at Lymm dam via "The Dingle"

and one from our overnight mooring by Bridge 211 on the Trent and Mersey canal down into the R. Weaver valley to Dutton Locks. At the locks we had a chat with the lock keeper who was on "Extra paid duty" this evening to let a trip boat through the lock. It wll return later.

The view from the mooring streaches from the Acton Swing bridge on the left covering the River Weaver valley round to Dutton locks on the right and the view continues down the Weaver valley. We are hoping to get down the Anderton Lift later today and if we do tonights posting should include some snaps of the descent.

Anderton to Dunham Massey via Lymm and Altrincham

Miles 29 Locks 1 Tunnels 3 Days 2

There was no internet connection at Lymm last night so we it is two days blog tonight. We went through three tunnels yesterday the first Barnton , the southern portal below
And almost reaching the northern end

Then Saltersford tunnel nearby with the kink that makes it difficult to see the other end

and finally Preston Brook, the southern portal below.

Then we are on the Bridgewater canal one designed to accommodate wide beam craft as the Water Womble the boat from the Lorenz boatyard the goes along picking the rubbish out of the canal

Our mooring last night was at Lymm

Today we went to the market at Lymm before setting out towards Manchester. It is very pleasant being able to cruise along in wide deep water. We went as far as Altrincham to visit B&Q for some bits. Then we turned round an headed the way we had just travelled to meet up with some friends, the final mooring near Dunham Massey where the BBQ came out for the first time. Tomorrow we will be heading back towards Anderton for a trip down the lift and onto the R. Weaver

Wheelock to Anderton

Miles 16.2 locks 9 days 2
No signal last night we were moored out in the country by bridge 176 on the Trent and Mersey canal below Midlewich. Middlewich must be the only town in the country that doesn't have any phone shops. I suppose I should have guessed as we went looking for a charger for M's Mobile. We stayed until about 5pm and headed out into the country. North of Middlewich there are several "Flashes" created by subsidence from the extraction of salt. In the past they have been a place for people including BW to abandon boats they no longer have a use for. Most of the historic hulks were recovered many years ago but some still sit on the bottom slowly rotting away. The one pictured below is on Croxton Flash close to the Dane Aqueduct but from its shape and construction it looks like a private lifeboat convertion rather than an ex working boat. Today we passed the two flashes at Rudheath the southern one first

and the northern one that I think has outline planning permission for development as a marina. I am never sure about this wreck it has square bows and stern and almost looks like it was put there to remember the many wrecks that once inhabited this flash.

And on to Anderton were we arrive in the sunshine went into Northwich by bus and had a pleasant stroll along the towpath from Barnton tunnel mouth back to the boat to sitting in the boat typing this Blog and it has been raining for the past half hour.

Red Bull Basin to Wheelock

Locks 26 Miles 6.9
As I mentioned yesterday we were to pass under the aqueduct the we were moored by last night, here we are in a fine morning almost exactly 1/2 an hour after we set off

We are on the Trent and Mersey canal propper now heading North down Heartbreak Hill and very pleasant it has been. Unlike our earlier trip there are plenty of boats about and even better going the opposite direction to us , which meant locks ready when we get there, or not having to close off the ones we are leaving. Below is a pic of the boat about to leave lock 55
We arrived in Wheelock just after 3.30 so we have been sitting out in the sun watching the boats go by

Wheelock the bottom of Heartbreak Hill and on good authority ther are showers in the service block now and you dont even need a BW Card to activate them.

Whitely Green to Red Bull

Miles 20.1 locks 13
We set off in glorious sunshine and made our way south on the Macclesfield canal. the picture below was taken just north of the road running from Macclesfield to Leek. It was just after this we met Geoff and Maureen R who had given up boating several years ago but had just bought themselves a 23 ft springer
As we started down Bosley locks the weather changed and although it stayed warm the sun had gone in. The pic is of us entering lock No3 with the cloud in the background.

We were undecided where to moor overnight and finally settled for the spot below just as the canal crosses itself near to Red Bull basin We will be passing under this aqueduct about half an hour from when we set off in the morning.

High Lane to Whiteley Green

Miles 4.8 Locks 0
An afternoon cruise to Whiteley Green (Br 25 Macclesfield canal) to start our second cruise of the season. I started with a repair to the wiring as none of the overhead lights were working, fortunately when the fuse/switch panel was removed it was easy to see the problem - a spade lug had come off of its terminal - a quick tighten, push back on and all was working. Good job I found the problem early, I wouldn't like to have found out when the light in the loo wouldn't work in the middle of the night. In all it took longer to unscrew and screw-up the panel than it took to fix the fault.

Blog Reopens

We are getting ready for another trip on the boat. This time we will be off to the Runchorn branch of the Bridgewater canal and then back to Anderton, down the lift and onto the R Weaver and then if we have the time and inclanation up the Langollen.