Rugely to Chatterley to Fools Nook

Miles 15.3 Locks 13
Our hard work of yesterday paid off, we were 3rd in the queue for the tunnel and had a good run up the Macclesfield canal to Bosley locks where we finished our climbing to the Macc summit level. We were intending to moor close to the top of Bosley locks but all the deep moorings were taken so we went on to Fools Nook. We had expected the water level to be a lot lower than we found, though the going is now the slowest we have been doing for our normal cruising revs, particularly in the bridge holes. Final run to High Lane tomorow.
27/7/2010
Rugely to Chatterly
Miles 28 locks 15
Our hardest day so far we decided to do a "double day" to try to get home for Thursday afternoon or evening so that we would have Friday clear. As it turned out we needn't have bothered but we only found out after we had committed ourselves to the trip through Stoke on Trent. The queues at some of the locks were up to an hour long particularly at Colwick and later at Stone when everyone who had stopped for the heavy rain decided to set off after it had finished and just before we arrived.

Yesterday Stone to Fradley Junction

Miles 20.6, Locks 9
After we had descended the first lock of the day at Aston we saw on two separate occasions a Cormorant. As we were following the course of he nearby River Trent, we presumed that they were feeding there, as we did not see any on the canal itself.
Great Hayward Junction was busy with boats trying to turn, cross paths, moor up or just trying to travel in a straight line, still there were no collisions. Todays pictures show the different approach the residents of Rugley take in their end of garden where it meets the canal. The final picture is just for Pete.

Ramsdel Hall to Stone

18.3 miles, 14 Locks & 1 Tunnel

This morning we joined the Trent & Mersey canal @ Hardings Wood Junction. After about an half hours wait we went through the Harecastle Tunnel.
Waiting to go through the Tunnel.

At Westport lake we rescued a pigeon that had exhausted itself trying to get onto the bank from a ledge near the waters edge (our good deed for the day)

We eventually moored up below Star lock at Stone. The view from the top lock at stone is shown below.

Tomorrow Rugely and beyond.