Chester

Today we stormed the walls of Chester!



Actually we sneaked around the outside before anybody noticed us.

It was supposed to be an easy day. Five lock free miles into Chester, then five locks through Chester and finish with a flourish going down the three rise staircase by the city walls and back into the countryside. It took all day, what happened there then?????



We are somewhere on the Wirral now, ready for going into Ellesmere Port and the boat museum for a couple of days. Before we have to retrace our steps and make our way to the Llangollen canal.

Big Locks, Broad Canal

Today we finished the middlewich branch and turned onto the Shropshire Union proper at Barbridge Junction. Back on to a broad canal after weeks of narrow gauge boating. Stopping off briefly at Calveley way station for a shower, the best we've come across yet. Then on to our first big lock. The two tier staircase lock at Bunbury.




We felt a little lost all by ourselves in a big lock chamber.



The sun was out this morning and I think it went to our heads or our wardrobe at least. ORANGE pants ! and, god forbid, SHORTS !!!!!!




We passed through a very unusual lock under the shadow of Beeston castle. It's lined in cast iron. To combat the shifting sandy soil into which it was cut.

We are now moored up somewhere between the back end of beyond and nowhere in particular. All I can tell is that it's six miles south east of Chester. Where we'll be tomorrow.

A Day of Rest.

Hi everybody,

Today is a well deserved day of rest. We may have only covered sixteen and a half miles yesterday but the twenty seven locks in between certainly take it out of you !




We left our overnight mooring on the Trent and Mersey and began our gruelling day at the windlass, or rather I did as the captain settled in at the helm. I'd rather do the locks. Time seems to fly by as there is always something to be done. At the helm it's bursts of intense concentration getting the boat into the lock without bashing it too much. Followed by a seemingly endless wait for the chamber to fill.

It was an early start, all the more surprising because it was a Sunday. Though days are starting to mean less and less as we go on. A beautiful day and we stopped again by 9am for an ice cream. Then came some more locks, which you may have seen as you flash pass on the M6.



Look at those poor truckers working, and on a Sunday too, and here I am messing about with boats in the sunshine. Did I make the right decision ???????????????

We carried on up the canal towards Middlewich passing the salt works and the toilet factory. We get to see all the sights !

We stopped off at Kings lock's Chandlery for some bits for the boat. Chimney, navigation lights, fire rope, coal and a seal kit for the toilet.

Then we hung a left onto a new canal. The Shropshire Union ( Middlewich branch ) I like it, the water is the same colour as hot chocolate. Though I expect it doesn't taste great.

The Captain complained of a lack of power as we set off from a lock as we started this stretch and there was a lot of vibration through the tiller. We pulled over to the side and I got out the trusty boat hook and had a probe under the boat and around the prop. Pulled out a huge industrial polythene bag. Normal function restored we headed for the last lock of the day!



Victory is mine !!!!

It was plain sailing from here to Church Minshull where we moored for the night. With more curious cows for neighbours. This bad girl had her hind legs chained together like a convict?



Where we watched the sun go down. Strange but true, I have never taken the time to properly watch the sun set.



That brings us to today our " Day of rest " We replaced the chimney I carefully removed with a tunnel, bit of maintenance in the engine bay and then the afore mentioned seal kit for the loo.

The seal from the loo to the holding tank had perished and was letting smells back into the boat. So roll up your sleeves and get your spanners our. Not pleasant !! twenty three years worth of poo have passed this way, eeerrrrrrrrr!!!!

Actually it wasn't actually that bad. The valve into the tank kept the evil bellow from sight at least. The new seal worked a treat and the pong has been banished.

Next time the Shroppie proper and onto Chester, The lock keeper.

Trent & Mersey here we come

Hi gang,

We retrieved our washing this morning,



Then we got on the move again,



With the good captain steering a steady course through some of the Macc's more interesting architecture.





and on into open waters.



We arrived at a VERY narrow, VERY long stop lock. The character of the canal changed from the fine stone bridges and narrow gaps to simple, crude that'll do bridges with nice wide gaps.

We stopped for lunch on an aqueduct over the top of the Trent & Mersey. Before doing the last quarter of a mile to the junction of the two canals. The T&M has nice orange water just like the Bridgewater used to have back at home before they cleaned it up. Interestingly the T&M has pairs of narrow locks side by side, you just use the one that's working for you at the time. We've done six today only twenty two tomorrow. No wonder it's know as " Heartbreak Hill "

Some don't make it !



Only kidding, it's a mile marker.

Service Wash

Hi everybody,

Sorry no pictures today, the web site won't let us post any.

We've made it all the way to Congleton, not bad for a fortnights travelling! and we've found a laundrette too.

Jen tried to get us some tea last night but it gave her the slip, tricky things these spring lambs.

We set off in the morning straight into the tow path rush hour. Four people and five dogs !!!!

We made it to congleton, loaded up the bikes with washing and went off in search of a washing machine. We found one but it's a service wash and won't be ready until the morning so we're stuck here until then. So we made good use of our forced shore leave and did some shopping for provisions.

Then I continued my battle against the engine noise. The stern is or rather was full of gaps that let the engine noise escape. I been finding and plugging them the whole cruise, got serious today and made up some extra panel pieces to plug the larger voids. Flushed with success I stripped, cleaned and re greased the stern tube greaser and realigned the stern gland compression plate. In simple terms I stopped the drip drip water leak around the prop shaft.

So that's us for now, hopefully photos for you all next time.

Wash day

Not gone far today, sailed to and then down Bosley flight of locks.

Another leisurely morning, and off in search of adventure and a washing machine. We seemed to be of great interest to the cows today ????





We arrived at the top of the Bosley flight of twelve locks where there is a convenient way station complete with toilets, showers , laundry, water and waste.

We filled up with water, dumped our rubbish, had a long luxurious shower ( not our water or gas ) but no laundry. You needed a BW payment card which we didn't have. We could get one two days down the line from a BW office. Which just happens to be the weekend, and you guessed it the offices shut on the weekends. Hey who needs clean clothes anyway.

Then we made our way down the flight.



Then we moored up at the bottom on a monumental embankment, or I imagine it's very impressive, you can't see it when you're sat on top of it. It was an early finish today so it gave me time to indulge in my new obsession. Cheese coiling the ropes.





Yes I know it's a bit sad, decorating them with rubber ducks maybe a step too far even for me. The captain runs a tight ship and everything has to be ship shape and Bristol fashion.

Where's Maya ?

HI everybody !!

Sorry it's been a while, communication black spot. Sheep don't need mobile broadband coverage.

Where were we, oh yes, moored up with Jens porcine pals. We didn't have far to go to Whaley bridge so there was no need to rush Saturday morning so we treated ourselves to a lie in and listened to the dawn chorus, with backing vocals from wild deer and something that screeched? En route we stopped at a handy canal side super market and stocked up on provisions. I shan't mention the captain testing the waters, I think she told you herself.

Another lazy morning in Whaley bridge while we waited for the good captain's parents to join us. Who brought us all kinds of useful stuff, licences, engine manuals, etc. The we set off for the Buxworth branch and Bugsworth basin. A very old wharf complex where limestone was brought down from the hills to be processed and loaded onto the barges. Where we met the narrowest bit of canal yet, a gauging stop.






I had to concentrate so hard on getting through clean I almost phase shifted into an alternate dimension. Interesting old place bugsworth, none of the buildings remain, except the pub " The Navigation " highly recommended, good grub. All the old workings and track ways for the trams can still be seen on the ground.

We dropped our guests off at the junction with the main canal and made our way back to the piggy mooring.

The next morning we set off for the Macclesfield canal, but on the way we passed through New Mills, home to the swizzle factory. I paid tribute with a drumstick lolly salute.



There was no time to dawdle though, we were facing a dead line. We were to meet up with Phil & Elaine just north of high lane. Then as we entered the Macc we met some old duffer doing a six million point turn in the canal, after quarter of an hour watching him prat about I just barged my way past, he may still be there yet. We met up with our dinner guests only to be cut short by a virulent attack of the raj's revenge on the good captain. Must have been a bad weevil in the ships biscuits. A mercifully short but unpleasant event, after a couple of hours rest the captain was something like back to normal. We carried on for a couple of miles to find a quiet mooring for the night.

Tuesday was a day of fettling the boat. We stopped at the " Trading Post " for a bottle of gas and filled the water tank.







The next stop was some what less glamorous, emptying the loo and refuelling at Lyme view marina. Then we headed off into the countryside once more to moor, erm yeah, play on words, that's it. It was still early in the day so after a spot of lunch and time to let the engine cool. Up came the deck panels over the engine and in I went spannered up. The wiring was a bit of a cob web affair, so everything was cut loose, rerouted and cable tied up neatly. A most pleasing job, we like a bit of order in the engine bay, but there are one or two awkward bits to reach. The good captain sacrificed her dignity and went in !




She has the bruises to prove it was her.

Flushed with success at our fine efforts we went on to cover the plank we use for sitting at the helm, with high density foam. So it can now be called a bench now it's upholstered.

And so to today,

We stopped off in Macclesfield, to visit the silk museum. The good captain insisted on hiking in. Must have been a mile there, a mile around the exhibition and around the town. Then a mile back to the boat, all up hill. She did it too, what a trooper !

The museum was fantastic and a floor of the old mill has been preserved as it was while it was still in use. Some of the original staff from the 1800's still work there.










There are 9,200 threads going into that loom, took two men two whole days to thread it. It then then takes two hundred passes of the shuttle to produce one inch of fabric. I have a new respect for silk, and the people who made it.

Until next time blog watchers, the lock keeper signing off.