Floating about: Day 12

We were up and about early this morning, as we had a car booked at Enterprise at 8am.  This time we were given a small car (which we’d booked) rather than a big one, but it was a rather nice brand new Renault Clio Alpine.  We headed up to Braidbar, which took less than an hour, and where the water levels are well down and continuing to fall — which means there’s a delay in getting our boat into the paint dock as everything is sitting on the bottom.  There are more details on the Kingley Vale blog.

On the way back we diverted to a big Asda to get some food in while we had the car, and also buy some bulky stuff.  There was a car park close to where we were moored.  While Adrian put everything away, I took the car back.  We’d only had it for about 6 hours.  We then had a slightly late lunch, and headed off.  As we’ll now have less time in Lymm than we’d expected, we wanted to get a few miles under our belts.  When we got back to Preston Brook we filled with water and got some washing on, then headed for the junction.  We’re going over the railway here, then there’s the little junction bridge, and then the M56 (which we were on earlier) looming behind.

We turned left, where the canal seems to have new houses everywhere, and then the skyline is dominated by the tower of the Daresbury Research Centre.

We carried on to Moore, where we pulled in past the village stores, once it becomes countrified again.  We can hear the beat of the Creamfields festival.  I don’t recognise any of the names on the lineup!  The last time we moored here was March 2020 after we had aborted our efforts to get to Liverpool.  Lockdown was announced that evening.

7 miles, 0 locks.  (56 miles, 14 locks)

Floating about: Day 11

With Adrian not due back until this afternoon, I had quite a bit of the day to myself.  I went for a walk, and this time went to look at the Murdishaw Valley Park.  The road outside has a sign warning of migratory toads crossing the road in February and March.  As I walked through the park, this little chap was sitting on the path; I’m not sure if he’s migratory or not.

I found a path leading to some steps, which took me up and over the M56.

I then walked through Preston Brook, went back onto the towpath opposite Midland Chandlers, and back to the junction.  Then I walked up the mainline, down the path across the railway line, and back to the boat on the Runcorn Arm.  Then I baked a carrot cake for tomorrow, using up excess carrots.  When it was out of the oven and cooling, I went across to see our friends who live across the canal.  In the afternoon, I made a chilli for tonight’s dinner, then walked up to the station to meet Adrian’s train.

Back at the boat we immediately set off.  It was a lovely sunny afternoon, and there are lots of nice wooded sections along the arm, and some nice bridges and houses.

We also passed a very wide plastic boat going the other way.

As we approached Runcorn there were glimpses of Runcorn suspension bridge, which crosses the Ship Canal and the River Mersey.

We turned at the end of the canal and returned to the moorings by the theatre.  During the afternoon a CRT email arrived, saying that the closure of the Cheshire Locks on the Trent and Mersey is being extended to include the Middlewich Locks and Big Lock from next Thursday.  This means we’ll have to make sure we’re back up them before then, so we’ll be spending less time here on the Bridgewater than we had planned.

4 miles, 0 locks.  (49 miles, 14 locks)

Floating around: Day 10

We were up early this morning and set off around 7.15, although it turned out it was all a bit unnecessary!  Preston Brook Tunnel is another one with timed entry, and going north you can only go in from the top of the hour until 10 past; we wanted to get through in the 8am transit, so we set off at 7.15 in some light drizzle.  We went through the stop lock, and had less that five minutes to wait until we could enter the tunnel.

At the other end we continued to Preston Brook Waters Meeting, and turned left into the Runcorn Arm.  We moored up in the same place as last time, just after Cawley’s Bridge.  The clover is much taller than it was a month ago.  The reason we were here, and at this time, was that Adrian was going to Worthing for a Trustee meeting, and wanted to get the 10.11 train from Runcorn East.  We walked up to the station, which is another English station managed by Transport for Wales.

Adrian got his train, which was taking him just one stop to Warrington Bank Quay where he was changing to a London train.  However, there were big signalling problems in the Wigan area so the trains south were a nightmare.  His train was more than an hour late leaving.

Meanwhile, I walked back via a decent little Co-op in Murdishaw.  The whole area is one big housing estate which is definitely of a time, but there are lots of traffic-free footpaths all over it.  I’ve also put together another podcast, and been for another walk.  I did the same circle we did last time, going from the next bridge, down across the railway line and then the Bridgewater Canal mainline.  This time I went to see what was on the other side of the aqueduct, where the path up the hill is cut out of the rock.

The path leads up to a huge new housing development, so I went back down to the canal, along to the junction, and back to the boat.

3 miles, 1 lock.  (45 miles, 14 locks)

Floating about: Day 9

This morning we walked up to Barnton to get my prescription from the pharmacy, which was pretty efficiently done.  Barnton is having a Scarecrow Trail, with the theme of film characters.  We particularly liked Mary Poppins.

We set off at about 9.20, heading for Barnton Tunnel, which you can just about see through so doesn’t have any restrictions.  It’s still far from straight inside though.

Saltersford Tunnel is only available for northbound traffic from the top of the hour until 20 past, because it’s so unstraight you can’t see whether anything is coming.  We had just over five minutes to wait for 10am to come round.

After that it’s a pleasant plod through wooded sections and farm land.  We arrived at the Dutton breach site moorings to find them completely empty, so we put ourselves where the hedge is lowest, so the plaque marking the centre of the breach is right outside the dinette window.

After lunch we went for a walk.  Last time we were here we walked down from the previous bridge to the River Weaver and went to look at Dutton Locks.  This time we took the path down to the river but went upstream, to look at Acton Bridge.  It’s a swing bridge, but doesn’t have to swing very often these days.

We walked up the road to the canal, and back along the towpath.

5 miles, 0 locks.  (42 miles, 13 locks)

Floating about: Day 8

Today ended up being the day when we tested how easy it is to get NHS treatment when you’re living on a boat.  But first, Bramble Cuttings was an idyllic mooring.  It was sunny and warm last night, and we had our Sunday roast on the picnic bench by the boat, as it was actually cooler outside than in.  This morning, we got yet another load of washing going (finally caught up) and set off just before 9.  When we got to the big flash, there were two boats across ways, and it wasn’t clear what was happening so I just drifted about waiting.  It turned out the blue boat had gone too far over and run aground on the mud, and the grey boat had rescued him.

There were lots of anglers setting up for a match through Broken Cross.  At the new waste to power site, three very tall cranes were in action today.

We needed water, but at the Anderton service point there were already two boats so we pulled over and waited.  Before long it was our turn and we filled to the brim.  We moored past the lift, where we stopped last time, where the mobile signal is better.

After lunch, we walked up the path into Barnton, because I wanted to see a pharmacist.  I’ve had an insect bite on my leg that’s not going away, and having Googled was worried it might be Lymes Disease, from a tick.  The pharmacist looked at it and agreed, but that meant he couldn’t treat it — saying it would need a doctor, and the best bet was NHS 111.  I rang straight away, and got through to a person almost immediately, in spite of the warnings of a 10 minute wait time.  They took loads of info and said I would get a call back.  We walked back to the boat and sure enough a call came fairly soon; they took loads of info and said it would be passed on and I’d get another call within 2 hours.  That call also came quite quickly, they took a load of information and said I needed to be seen in person.  However, apparently there were no suitable doctors at the Urgent Treatment Centre in Northwich, I needed to go to Leighton Hospital in Crewe.  So I took an appointment for 5pm and jumped in an Uber.  I was there an hour early, and was finally seen an hour late, so there was a lot of sitting about.  The decision was that as I’ve had the bite for a little while, I should be treated, so I have a prescription which I’ll have to get filled tomorrow.  All in all it’s been a long afternoon, but we got there in the end.  For some reason the Uber back as much cheaper than the one there.

8 miles, 0 locks.  (37 miles, 13 locks)

Floating about: Day 7

Another sunny morning, although there was a distinct nip in the air first thing.  We got a wash load going before we set off, and then untied at about 9am, straight through the first bridge.

Before the next bridge there’s a place where there used to be a shop selling gifts and flowers, but last time we came by there was a sign up saying it had changed hands and would be re-opening soon.  Today there was a new sign, which we might have to investigate further on the way back.

A tree, probably a sycamore I think, was absolutely loaded with propellers ready to go.

We had a short wait at Stanthorne Lock while a boat came up, and Adrian was telling them about shared ownership as they hire every year.  Then a boat arrived below.  We also had a short wait at Wardle Lock while the boat ahead went down.  I turned the corner at the junction while Adrian walked ahead, and at first it appeared we were fourth in the queue for the Middlewich three locks.  However,  it turned out that the bright green Bickerstaffe boat had broken down, and the ABC boat on the lock landing (which had been moored in front of us last night and left before us) had knocked their rudder out of the cup and were waiting for help.

A boat came up the top lock before we went down, and Adrian went and filled the middle one while we descended, so it was ready.

There was a boat coming up the bottom lock that we then swapped with.  At the bottom we tied up by the children’s park, had lunch, and then went to Lidl to get food for the next few days.  When we were about to set off again a boat came round the corner, so we joined them in Big Lock.

We continued to Bramble Cuttings, and this time moored up on the offside moorings.  There’s one other boat here so we’ve got to the opposite end leaving a space in the middle for any potential latecomers.  We’ve been sitting outside at a picnic table, watching the planes on approach to Manchester Airport.

7 miles, 6 locks.  (29 miles, 13 locks)

Floating about: Day 6

No rush this morning as we were expecting a visitor: my friend and former colleague, Jordan, was coming to see as, as his girlfriend’s family live nearby and he was up for the weekend.  He was quite keen for a little ride on the boat, so we went across the aqueduct and round the corner, all the way to the water point!  There we filled the tank, got the washing machine going and did other domestic tasks, while continuing to catch up with what we’d all been up to.  It really is nice to see people from our former lives.

When the water tank was full (it took a while as we hadn’t filled since Monday), Jordan headed over the bridge back to his car, while we continued north.  We caught up with a little boat going pretty slowly — we were only just over tickover the whole time, and when he went into tickover we had to slip into neutral.  Fortunately he pulled in at the Barbridge Inn and we slipped past.  We then turned right onto the Middlewich Branch.

We were amazed to see the moorings above Cholmondeston Lock with only two boats on them, as rhey’re noamally busy.  A boat which had not long come up the lock said there were lots more to come, so we’d have an easy ride.  Another boat was just coming up, and then we went into the lock.  There were four boats waiting below, with another arriving to join the queue.

We pulled onto the wharf at the Chamberlain Chandlery at Venitian Marina, to get a top up of diesel and change a gas bottle.  We also wanted to see Nik at Covers and Canvass about some new porthole bung covers, as ours are disintegrating.  He was out on a job, so we pulled forward onto a pontoon and waited for him to come back.  With those ordered, we set off again.  At Minshull Lock, Adrian got off with a windlass at the bridge, but we could see a boat was coming up so I just waited in the middle.  There was another one waiting to come up, and the crew said they’d work the lock so Adrian could get on board.  He’d closed one paddle and shut the top gate, so had done some of the work.  It’s a lock where it’s not easy to get back on at the bottom, so it was quite handy.

The moorings beyond Aqueduct Marina had a few boats on them.  At Bridge 12, which is on a blind bend, there was a boat coming the other way so I had to get out of the way to let him through.  Then it turned out there was another one, but he backed off so we could come through.

The moorings overlooking Church Minshull were surprisingly completely empty.  We considered stopping there, but there are rocks under the water that make lift difficult, so we carried on to the rings before Bridge 14 where we stopped last time we were here.  These were also empty, but a couple of boats arrived soon after.  Where is everyone?  Have they all gone back to their marinas because of the imminent closure of some Midlands waterways?  Are they all on the Llangollen?

Because of the late start and the several stops it was gone 3pm before we had tied up, which is pretty late for us these days.

8 miles, 2 locks.  (22 miles, 6 locks)

Floating about: Day 5

I think there was a bit more rain in the night, certainly things looked a bit wet outside this morning.  We got the washing machine going before we set off, and untied from our mooring at about 8.45.  We were straight into the Hack Green Locks.  The top one was full, and didn’t even need a top up.  The bottom one needed just a couple of inches of water added.

As we went down the second lock a boat arrived to go up, so we could leave the gates.

We then plodded along in the sunshine, wondering what the mooring situation would be in Nantwich.  I thought we might be arriving slightly too early to guarantee a space, but needn’t have worried: there was masses.  We picked a spot on the embankment before the aqueduct, right after the boats already there.  Since then it has filled up in front of us.

Adrian has been doing stuff for his charity trusteeship, and this afternoon we walked into Nantwich for a small top-up shop.  I walked back to the boat while Adrian went for a haircut.  The latest podcast episode is out, recorded at the Floating Market in Market Drayton a couple of weeks ago.

3 miles, 2 locks.  (14 mikes, 4 locks)

Floating about: Day 4

We had a lovely evening with George and Carol last night, with plenty of boating and other stories exchanged.  It was really lovely to see them, and not just make them work locks!  I walked back with them to their car at dusk, and the towpath up by the lock was full of little frogs hopping about.

This morning the temperature was much more comfortable.  There had also been some rain overnight, and there have been a few showers this afternoon, one of which brought some really heavy rain.  We need a lot more, however, as canals keep being closed because of water shortages.

First thing, we walked up to Audlem to top of the fridge with a couple of things, and came back across the playing field to the path between the Mill and the Shroppie Fly pub.  Then we set off, straight into the winding hole to turn around.  We then did just a few miles to moor before the bridge at Hack Green.

This afternoon I went back to the Secret Nuclear Bunker to make some recordings for a future podcast.

3 miles, 0 locks.  (11 miles, 2 locks)

Floating about: Day 3

Last night we went outside after dark to see if we could see any shooting stars, because of the meteor shower.  We saw a few, although most were quite feint.  This morning was another sunny one, and we set off a little before 10.

We were only going to the bottom of Audlem Locks, so wanted to arrive when people who were going had left the moorings, and others hadn’t yet stopped for the day.  It turned out there was loads of space, so we went up to the very first mooring ring before the winding hole.  That’s us on the right.

We walked up into the village, which is very pretty and well supplied with shops, and went to the Co-op and the butcher.  We have guests for dinner this evening: George and Carol (ex Rock’n’Roll and Still Rockin’) are coming over as they live fairly near by.

This afternoon we’ve been doing bits of prep for tonight but have mostly been trying to keep cool as it’s really hot again.  We moored without turning around so the galley and dinette windows would be out of the sun, and the side doors would be on the water side.

2 miles, 0 locks. (8 miles, 2 locks)

Floating about: Day 2

A heatwave was forecast for today, but to be honest it didn’t look much like it first thing, with heavy cloud and then a shower or two of rain.  We had booked tickets for the Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, just back along the canal — as we’ve passed this way many times but never been to have a look.  So mid morning we walked back along the towpath to the correct bridge, and then just two minutes up the lane.

The site had been an RAF radar station for decades, but throughout the 1980s and into the early 90s it was used as a nuclear bunker, and would have been the regional centre for government had there been a nuclear attack.  There’s all sorts of tech, which of course now looks hopelessly out of date, which would have been used to keep things going in the event of Armageddon.

A couple of rooms of particular interest to me were the BBC office and studio, with a desk which clearly came from Radio Shropshire.

I used to work with the much-missed Radio 4 announcer, Peter Donaldson, and one of his claims to fame was that he’d recorded a load of announcements which would have been broadcast in the event of a nuclear war.

We had very nice toasted sandwiches in the NAAFI canteen (mine was cheese and Marmite!) and then wandered back to the boat.  As soon as we left the underground complex we realised it had got very warm outside, and it has continued all afternoon.  There has been a half-hearted attempt at a shower, and it was actually quite nice being out in it.

0 miles, 0 locks.  (6 miles, 2 locks)