Onto the Macclesfield Canal

We left Bugsworth Basin at 10:30 am after watering both boats, the weather has been quite warm and sunny today giving us fantastic views over the Derbyshire countryside.

‘Toulouse’ and ‘Chance’ being watered just before leaving Bugsworth.

Just another section of canal – lovely!

As promised yesterday a  few photos of the views  from the Peak Forest canal – we’re very high and able to see the Pennines on occasions. 

 

 

A shear drop of a few hundred feet below this house!

Turning left at Marple junction we got onto the Macclesfield Canal and one of the first sights,  just outside Marple, is the huge Goyt Mill.  Said to be one of the most impressive cotton mills ever built – today it’s home to a variety of small businesses.

After a few more miles we moored up at about 3 o’clock just past the Braidbar Boat Yard at Higher Poynton.  Had tea and cakes on on the  rear deck, as it was warm and the sun was still out.

Gerald, Janet and Doug enjoying the weather (and tea and cakes!)  The canal is very wide here, probably due to a ‘burst’ where it seems it was cheaper to pay out out compensation to the farmer than go to the trouble of rebuilding the canal bank – it certainly provides a very nice backdrop to our mooring position.

We are moored up next to the newest Braidbar boat ‘Dolce Far Niente's’  (behind the washing line – sorry!) which owners Stephen and Jayne kindly let Doug have a look on today – very nice.

We also took a wander down to the ‘Trading Post’ (shop), next to Braidbar Boats, where we saw nb  ‘Sanity Again’, but Bruce and Sheila weren’t at home.  When inside the Trading Post, after finding a mug the same colour as ‘Chance’,  Doug’s attention was drawn to one of the magazines for sale………

And look who’s on the front (and back cover) of it!  James just had to buy a copy as he was in the picture with Adam from Canal Boat magazine.  Bit of a surprise as we had no idea we were being used on The Canal Boat Buyers Guide!

The day ended with drinks and wonderful nibbles with Janet and Gerald on board ‘Toulouse’.

Bound for Bugsworth Basin

Friday 16th September

We carried on along the Peak Forest Canal which winds its way towards a terminus at Bugsworth Basin and Whaley Bridge.  There are lovely views out over the River Goyt Valley and, hopefully, we will get some nice photos on our way back as the visibility was not too good on the way out.

Doug walking along the towpath with nb ‘Toulouse’ -  he was doing all the lift and swing bridges along the way.

A typical view along the canal -  with pretty cottages, tree lined glades and the lovely panoramic scenes makes it a very nice journey.

Doug, taking his life in his hands, sweeping the roof of leaves at the start of the trip on Friday (rule no 368 – do not moor under trees!)

The smell is better than the sight! – the Swizzles factory at Newtown – manufacturer of many sticky substances.

The occasional disaster lurks round the corner.  This was a ‘Springer’ narrow boat only recently meeting its demise.  The pot plant on the front must have been screwed down!  

We arrived at Bugsworth basin about lunch time and spent the afternoon cleaning and doing some maintenance – working up an appetite for an evening meal in ‘The Navigation’ pub next to the basin.

Bugsworth Basin was opened in 2005 after  a fantastic restoration by the Inland Waterways Protection Society.  Now enjoying Ancient Monument status, the basin was a transhipment terminal for lime and limestone.  There are many wharfs available for mooring and the whole complex is a mass of original walls and bridges and definitely worth visiting.

Doug with Janet and Gerald at the Navigation Inn -  they also allowed Oscar in as well!

Saturday 17th September

Today we have stayed put, getting  a few more jobs done on the boats (in between the heavy showers of rain) - taking a walk to the nearby Tesco’s and a walk into Whaley Bridge.  Tomorrow we plan to head back and onto the Macclesfield Canal.

‘Chance’ and ‘Toulouse’ basking in this evenings’ sunshine.

The Marple Flight

Yesterday we tackled the flight of 16 locks at Marple.  On the way, passing through Woodley and Hyde Bank tunnels and on to the Marple Aqueduct – reminding us very much of the Chirk Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal with the railway viaduct running alongside.

James steering across the Marple Aqueduct.
Very soon after the aqueduct we arrived at the bottom of the Marple Locks.  The locks raise the canal 208 feet to the town of Marple.  We think this flight is one of the prettiest on the system – ascending through an area of dense vegetation, it’s well maintained although the paddles of almost every lock are very, very heavy to operate.

The pool at the bottom of the flight with ‘Toulouse’ waiting to go up.

Some of the masons marks on the each of the stone blocks making up the lock walls.

Doug on the folding bike we carry on board racing up and down the flight setting the upper locks and going back to drain the lower ones ready for ‘Toulouse’ following up behind.

‘Chance’ about half way up the flight.

Some of the locks can resemble a jungle!

At the top!  Lovely views.
We stopped to water up both boats and get provisions in Marple before continuing on the Peak Forest Canal (towards Whaley Bridge).  After a short distance we moored up for the night.  A good days’ work!
16 Locks, 7 Miles,  5.6 hours.

A visit from Renaissance Canal Carrying Company

We set off late yesterday morning for a very short journey (1 1/2 hours!) along the Peak Forest Canal and moored up for lunch.

The beautiful Peak Forest Canal but very shallow…

After mooring for lunch we all decided that we would stay put for the day, as we had a busy day on Tuesday with all the locks and we’re about to tackle the Marple flight (16 locks) so decided on a rest day (cleaning the boats!). 

Later in the afternoon Nb Alton of the Renaissance Canal Carrying Company and its butty came passed so we stopped them to buy a couple of bags of coal and also had a pump out.

‘Chance’ receiving its pump out.

And the couple of bags of coal. It was then ‘Toulouse’s’ turn as they wanted to fill with diesel.

We were really impressed with this little enterprise.  We do try and buy from canal traders if and when we can so this was a bit of luck that they came past today.  They had their butty in tow as well which didn’t help manoeuvring.  You can follow nb Alton’s diary where they will be on their blog.

We were joined later in the day by nb ‘The Pearl’ so all had a peaceful evening moored in the middle of nowhere even if it was under the flight path of Manchester airport!

Farewell Manchester!

Yesterday we left Manchester after a really enjoyable 3 weeks!

Getting ready to leave Castlefield at 8am! with nb Toulouse (hidden) for the Rochdale Canal.  The wind had dropped and the sun was starting to come out.
Luckily, as we had 27 locks ahead of us, we had help from nb Toulouse’s friends Graham and Lorna who joined us all for the day.

Two of this years’ Crick show boats slip through the Rochdale 9 locks by Whitworth Street.

Travelling in between the apartments and under the hotels.

Continuing through the locks along Canal Street.

Doug, Janet and Graham stopping for a coffee in Canal Street, and enjoying the sunshine.

Doug travelling on the front of “Chance” as there is no towpath for some of the way in Canal Street so you have to access the locks from the boat .

‘Chance’ and ‘Toulouse’ under the Malmaison Hotel and nearing the end of the Rochdale 9.

A good way up the Ashton Flight of 18 locks  - ‘Toulouse’, with Gerald steering, passing the entrance to the old Stockport Branch between locks 10 and 11.
We had a really good passage through,what can be, a fairly tough days’ work thanks to massive efforts from Janet, Lorna, Graham and Doug who worked all the locks and Janet, who provided a fabulous lunch eaten on the hoof.  Gerald and James just steered the boats! – trying hard to avoid a lot of  debris under the water and, on more than one occasion, getting down in the weed hatch to remove all sorts of rubbish from the propellers.  Not a clean canal but it could have been worse – last time we did this stretch on ‘Spirit’ Doug had to remove a bed from the entrance to one of the locks!
Anyway, we have now turned right at Portland Basin and on to the Peak Forest Canal – mooring up for the night as soon as a good spot presented itself.  With great thanks to Janet and Doug all six of us plus Oscar and Graham and Lorna’s dog Billy had a brilliant meal on board ‘Chance’ thanks to Waitrose’s 2 meals for £10 deal!!
12 miles and 27 locks in 8 hours!

Our Last day in Manchester

After being here on and off for 3 weeks we plan to leave Manchester in the morning.  With Janet and Gerald, on nb Toulouse,we will tackle the Rochdale 9 out of the city and then up the Ashton Canal (18 locks at the last count) and on to the Peak Forest Canal.  Anyway:---

Saturday 10th September

We spent a lovely evening on board with Birgit and Michael after mooring up at Lymm.  At 12.30 in the morning Doug woke James to tell him he thought someone was on the boat.  James rushed outside (forgetting to put any clothes on!) to find a guy walking off up the towpath and quickly realised he had pulled both mooring pins out of the ground and pushed the back of the boat out.  Luckily James was able to jump off and secure the boat before we drifted too far out ( a leap of about 5 feet in the dark – this time with his dressing gown on!).   We guess it was just someone thinking they were having some fun on their way home in Oughtrington from the pub in Lymm.  If it had been windy it might not have been such a great jape but “hey ho” no harm done.  This has never happened to us, even on our last boat ‘Spirit’, but at least we can now look other boaters in the face. 

Sunday 11th September

We left Lymm in the morning and travelled back to Manchester – hoping to get back to port before the hurricane.  It was very windy but we had a pleasant journey meeting both the (very wide) trip boats from Manchester in bridge holes!  One was a blind bridge and (technically) ours because we were there first – and luckily the trip boat stopped very quickly!

We passed nb ‘Seyella’ (fellow bloggers) at Dunham Massey, but Geoff and Mags weren’t aboard..

Michael and Birgit doing very well steering ‘Chance’  towards Manchester.

We arrived back in Castlefield around 1.30pm giving Oscar a well deserved walk around the basin – something he’s been used to of late.

James, Oscar and Michael taking a walk in Castlefield

We then all went to The Ox just off of Deansgate for a lovely Sunday lunch!

Sunday Lunch at the excellent Ox.

We arrived back at the boat at around 5pm and were invited for drinks and nibbles on nb Toulouse and so spent a lovely evening with Gerald and Janet.

Monday 12th September

This morning we said our goodbyes to Birgit and Michael at Deansgate station as they got the train to Manchester Airport to fly back to Frankfurt.

We have spent the rest of the day, getting the washing done at the YHA and food shopping for our trip tomorrow.

A trip out to Lymm!

On Thursday our friends Birgit and Michael flew into Manchester airport so Doug went on the train to meet them in the afternoon.

Friday was spent showing them around Manchester – John Rylands’ Library and the Town Hall being on the itinerary.

Michael, Doug and Birgit in Albert Square outside the  Town Hall.

We had a lovely warm sunny day, so took a walk through Canal Street – stopped at Via for a pint and sat outside watching the world go by.  We helped two American couples on an Anderson hire boat through a few of the locks on our walk back along the canal to the Castlefield Basin.

Birgit and Doug enjoying the weather at the Canal Street Locks.

Getting back to ‘Chance’ in the afternoon, although the weather forecast was not good for Friday, we spent a wonderful few hours on the rear deck relaxing, drinking wine and catching up in the sunshine…….

For our evening meal we graced Pesto in Deansgate, a very good Italian  Restaurant that serves the meal as tappas and with 4 dishes for £9.95 we had a lovely evening with plenty of dishes to choose from…

Michael, Doug and Birgit at Pesto in Deansgate.  We even sat outside it was so warm! – watching the Friday rush hour

Today (Saturday) after doing some shopping in the Arndale Centre this morning we decided, after lunch, to head off to Lymm for the night.  We were intending to do it Sunday to give Birgit and Michael a trip out of the city but the weather forecast for Monday (our planned return day) is for the tail end of a hurricane so we are doing it a day early and hopefully ride out any extreme weather back in Manchester. 

Birgit steering ‘Chance’ out of Manchester.   James having a break for a change!

All four of us enjoying the cruise to Lymm

Although quite windy today it’s been extremely warm so it was a pleasant 4 hour cruise to Lymm during which we had fresh home made spring onion soup made by Doug followed by Victoria sponge cake (made by Doug). We took a walk into Lymm and up to the Lymm Dam (through the Dingle and up to the Bong! – well that’s what the sign post says). We’ve enjoyed a warm sunny evening again despite a poor forecast.

A view of Lymm Dam.