Birthday Girl!

Yesterday was Lyn’s birthday and it was set in motion, in a right and proper way, by birthday cake and coffee.  Before we left our mooring we were joined by nb ‘New Dawn’ and ‘Eleventh Heaven’ who did a short hop up the canal from their own overnight moorings to be with us.

Clockwise: Les, Lyn (the birthday girl), Chris (last week ends birthday boy!), Chris, Bill, Eileen and Doug.  All tucking into chocolate cake at 11 o, clock in the morning.  Doug baked a “decoy” victoria sponge cake the night before to put Lyn of the scent of the real birthday cake!

Farewell to ‘New Dawn’ and ‘Eleventh Heaven’ for the time being – see you all later in the year.  Safe passage to you all.

A fine example of a stable block used for the Fly Boat horses when a change of horse was required. (now converted to a very nice house).

At the end of the Middlewich Branch is the attractive Wardle Lock. Lyn and Doug are sitting on the arm of the lock gate and Chris is on the back of nb ‘Niamh’.

Between Wardle Lock and Bridge 168 – seen here, is (technically) the shortest canal in the country.  It was built as a ruse to get more tax revenue by the Trent and Mersey Canal Company.

It’s a tight squeeze getting out of Wardle lock.

Getting towards the end of, what was a fairly busy, long and very hot, journey – we’re now entering the ‘flash’ area of the Trent and Mersey canal.  This is Croxton Flash (a collapse of the ground due to the mine workings underneath) an area you have to keep well to the edge of as it’s not very deep!

We found a nice mooring on the edge of another ‘flash’ and were soon continuing Lyn’s birthday celebrations by opening a bottle of Champagne.  This was followed by a three course  dinner on board ‘Chance’.  We all slept well last night!

6 locks and 10 miles

Au revoir Nantwich.

Early this morning, James had an appointment for a blood test at Nantwich health centre where, luckily, they were able to give him an immediate result.  We’re hoping all this will soon be a thing of the past when he sees his consultant in Chichester later this month.  Getting that out of the way we were soon away from our mooring and heading out of dear old Nantwich to meet up with friends Lyn and Chris on nb ‘Niamh’ for a cruise towards Manchester.

A lovely example of a replica Dutch barge ‘Strawberry Fields’ which we came across just outside Nantwich.

We needed to take on water this morning but the service area at Nantwich was very busy so we journeyed up to the water point at Barbridge Junction which turned out to be a bit of nightmare!

Here’s us waiting on the opposite side of the canal for the water point.  It’s an awful place to get water so we found out!  Nb ‘Niamh’ caught us up here and just managed to get through the gap.

Another view of the junction and water point.  It just so happened that as we got there a number of boats converged on the area at the same time and made it all a bit tricky.  Not a water point we’ll use again in a hurry.

Turning at Barbridge Junction onto the Middlewich Branch we soon passed Venetian Marina which was undergoing a superb makeover.  All boats cleared out while new pontoons go in.

We passed through Cholmondeston Lock and Minshull Lock and soon met up with Lyn and Chris who were moored up near the River Weaver aqueduct. 

So here we are for the evening, wine and nibbles before dinner on Chance!  The weather has been fine, regardless of the forecast.

Surprise Surprise!

We have to admit that the last bit of Friday’s blog was a terrible untruth!  We are still, at present, in Nantwich, (we plan to leave tomorrow) but the bit about leaving and going up to Middlewich was all lies to put someone, whose surprise birthday party has been planned for some time, off the scent. The birthday boy was Chris from nb ‘Eleventh Heaven’ who we met at the Crick Boat Show earlier this year.

This is Chris as he entered the room to find 29 of his family and friends waiting to help him celebrate his birthday.  The hero, and organiser, of the moment is modestly standing in the background – Bill from nb ‘New Dawn’ - with his wife Eileen and Chris’s wife Les, she shouldered the huge responsibility of organising and keeping the party a secret from Chris. (Not an easy job!)

Some of the party revellers: Susan, Jayne, Doug, James and sideways Stephen.

This is Bill making his speech and giving his best wishes (from us all) to Chris.  Thanks so much Bill, the evening was splendid beyond all expectations.

Little did Les know that, although she was in on the surprise for Chris, she was not in on the surprise presentation to herself and Chris, as it was also their tenth wedding anniversary as well! Yes it had us all filling up!!

The anniversary cake, decorated with eleven ducks – the design used on the sides of nb ‘Eleventh Heaven’.

Chris sandwiched between Jayne and Doug.  The smiles tell it all.

That was Saturday!  Just going back to Friday, Doug made the trip down to Rugby (and Brinklow Marina) to fetch our car.  The day was very hot, his journey was long (having to change trains twice) and the traffic on the return trip was horrendous.  But he made it!  James spent the day servicing the engine which included oil changes to the engine and gearbox and drive belt tensioning and, when the sun got too hot, reading his new Julian Clary book!

Today we awoke from a good, but short, nights’ rest after our late Saturday night.  Stephen and Jayne from nb ‘Dolce Far Niente’, stayed  with us on ‘Chance’ overnight and, after a cooked breakfast Jayne and Doug made the most of having the car by going into Crewe to do a bit of shopping.  We took Stephen and Jayne back to their boat at Norbury Junction where we all enjoyed a mid afternoon lunch at “The Junction” pub (our day has been somewhat out of kilter!).

Stephen, Jayne and Doug (at table 15).

This evening we popped up to Swanley Marina to leave the car there. We’ve booked into the marina for 2 weeks to go home at the end of August so the car will be there for us when we return from Manchester.

A bad shot of James with Lyn on board nb ‘Niamh’ at Swanley Marina this evening before Chris kindly ran us back to ‘Chance’ at Nantwich.  We weren’t allowed to leave without a small glass of wine and some nibbles!  We’re looking forward to travelling with Chris and Lyn this week.

Overnight in Nantwich

We left our Coole Pilate mooring about 11 o’clock yesterday, saying our farewells to John and Ali (and taking half of Ali’s, newly baked, walnut cake with us!).  It was only a short hop to our next planned resting place of Nantwich.

Lovely day – the sky as blue as the boat.

At the lower of the two Hack Green locks we met our friends Jan and George, with their family and friends, on board nb ‘Lady Patricia’ coming the other way.  We knew they were on their way to Audlem for lunch – what a way to travel!

Nb ‘Lady Patricia’, with a gleaming new (Andy Russell) paint job, leaving Hack Green lock.

We arrived in Nantwich about 1pm with the intention of getting our “black water” pumped out at the new service area.  We’ve done about four or five weeks of travelling since the last pump out and, coincidentally, the warning light came on at Coole Pilate (giving us another 10 days before it becomes urgent).  After the pump out we winded and went back to find a mooring for the night.

Enjoying a glass of wine in the evening sunshine.

Jan and George stopped briefly on their way back to Swanley Marina after a good lunch.

George, Stephen and Jan.  Mind that new paintwork! (and mine)

We took Oscar for a late evening stroll – across the aqueduct and down towards the town centre.  He was on a bit of roll and did very well with distance but we had to carry him a lot of the way back!  Nantwich is full of lovely old buildings and even the new ones have been designed to blend in very well.

A sneaky look up a few allies and you can find some real gems – even if they’re past their sell by date.

Sadly we didn’t stop.

Towards the town centre.

The lovely old Savings Bank.

This morning we winded again and left Nantwich.  Turning right at Barbridge Junction we are now heading up the Middlewich Arm - hoping to visit Manchester in the next couple of weeks .

Hot afternoon at Coole Pilate

An 8 o’clock start yesterday morning saw us heading down the remaining 13 locks at Audlem in the cool morning air. We were being followed by a loan boater on a Wilderness boat so, for the first half of the lock flight, Doug opened up a top paddle to fill the lock for him. We had to stop this favour when we met a couple of boats coming up the flight.

An idyllic scene in the early morning on the Audlem lock flight.

Always wanted to take a photo of one of these lovely cast iron mileposts.  This one might be original (?).

Same shot as Tuesday but ‘Chance ‘ has replaced nb ‘Ecky Thump’ at the bottom lock (15). We tried to get more black French beans but there were none ready to pick.

No sooner had we left the lock flight than we were hailed by two boats (moored together but probably not known to each other!): Judith and John on nb ’Serena’, who told us they read our blog, and who we would like to thank – its great fun meeting people who read about us.  Also nb ‘Unique’, who we moored next to on the Rufford Arm last year, who enquired about Oscar and were surprised he’s still around! Happy boating to you both.

Looking across the countryside as we came out of  Audlem – the infant River Weaver flows through its own little valley on the left.

It wasn’t long before we’d arrived at Coole Pilate picnic site where we’d arranged to meet John and Ali on nb ‘Triskaideka’ (thirteen in English!) for a BBQ.

A rare picture of James sitting down.

John and Ali duly arrived from Nantwich and, after a catch up chat (and a glass of wine), Ali and James walked the mile to the “secret” nuclear bunker at Hack Green for the afternoon, while John and Doug sat on the towpath and slowly turned the colour of tomatoes!  There are no pictures of the “secret” bunker as it has to remain secret! (actually James forgot the camera).

A very hot afternoon at Coole Pilate.

Retiring to ‘Chance’ for dessert and coffee.  We had a great time with Ali and John and look forward to seeing you guys again soon.

Audlem walkabout

We left our mooring at bridge 66 this morning having waited to the end of a delightful shower of heavy drizzle – real wet rain!  The rest of our day has looked threatening but has remained dry and quite sunny this afternoon.

We had a good run down the five locks in the Adderley flight, with a couple of boats coming up which made life much easier.

The approach to the first lock is neat and tidy with a very well  kept property bordering the winding hole on the left.

Once we were out of the Adderley flight there was just enough time for Doug to do the vacuuming and make James a cup of coffee before we got to the top of the Audlem flight of 15 locks. We planned to go through the first 2 locks and moor up for the day.  So by noon we’d done just that and we’re now moored up for the day with the washing dried and put away. 

This afternoon we went walkabout – down the lock flight………

………..passing this lovely original barrel roofed maintenance building at lock 10.

This is lock 11 with its fierce spill weir outlet, which pushes your boat into the wall opposite – a bit of a challenge, especially when you’re going into the lock.  Luckily we will be coming out of the lock tomorrow so it shouldn’t be too bad.

Leaving the canal environment and walking into Audlem you come across the church dominating the centre of the village.

There are some nice little corners if you’re nosey!

Some police station! (as was)

From the village we walked down the private road towards Moss Hall and then took the public footpath over the fields, coming out at the bottom lock on the canal.  At this lock there’s http://www.georges-pork-poultry.co.uk/ selling fresh vegetables (grown on the spot!) and many different meat products.  We bought some freshly picked broad beans and black French beans which, having just had them for dinner tonight, were delicious. While we were there……………….

………….nb ‘Ecky Thump’, who we’ve been leap-frogging for the last couple of days, arrived. Our final leg of our walkabout was to get up the lock flight and back “home” but on the way, to slake our thirst, we stopped at the “Shroppie Fly”.

We took this pic.of the “Shroppie Fly” to show how quiet the canal is at the moment.  This was at 4:30 this afternoon! Plenty of mooring space….

A journey in three parts

Our start from Goldstone Wharf, for the first stage of our journey this morning, soon took us into the very deep Woodseaves Cutting.

Oscar, in one of his favourite places, having a cuddle from a member of the crew, as we make our way through the cutting.

Even during its construction this cutting was prone to frequent land slips and this years bad weather has brought further large falls of rock and soil down into the canal.  Rock falls have always been a problem in this cutting and this year the towpath has been closed for safety’s  sake.

In places the cutting can be 80 feet deep, hence the height of this road bridge.

Once out of Woodseaves we were straight onto the top of Tyrley Locks where we moored up as we waited for Stephen and Jayne on nb ‘Dolce Far Niente’ to make their way up the locks to join us for mid morning coffee and cake on board ‘Chance’.  We had a very pleasant hour or so before we all went our separate ways.  While we were moored, Paul and Kath on nb ‘Lola’, as expected, came up through the locks.  We had a very quick “hello” with them and we’re sorry it was not longer.  We look forward to a proper catch up chat next time guys – it was good to see you.  

Saying farewell to ‘Dolce Far Niente’.

At the start of the second stage of the journey we were soon into the top lock of  five in the Tyrley flight (pronounced Turley).

This lock flight is one of our favourites.  It’s so attractive – starting with lock cottages and grassy open locks and descending in to rocky cuttings and overhanging trees.  This was the easiest flight of locks we think we’ve ever worked.  There was a boat coming out of every lock just at the right time which meant we  could leave our gates open for them and they for us.

Leaving the locks behind we were soon in Market Drayton where we had lunch on board before popping into the town for supplies.  Oh dear! the town is looking very down, with even more empty shops it seems than the last time we came.  

The town is not all doom and gloom as there are a few very nice renovations to be seen………..

and some very nice buildings to please the eye.

The third, and final, part of today’s journey was a quick hop from Market Drayton to bridge 66 where we planned our mooring for tonight.  We safely tied up with no one around and we’ve managed (very luckily) to stay clear of most of the rain today.

Dark thunder clouds back and front of us and sunshine in the middle.