Big Trip - Day 13

We woke to bright sunshine, and set off from our mooring just after 9am, saying goodbye to many of our old and new friends along the way.  We stopped at the Trading Post to get some coal and kindling, in case we need a fire in the evenings over the next few days.

There are lots of permanent moorings along the stretch to Marple, so going was slow.  But the countryside was pretty.

At Marple junction we turned right onto the Upper Peak Forest canal.

This canal clings to the side of a hill, and between the trees you get fantastic views across the Goyt valley.  In today's sunshine, the vast vistas looked great.

We had two lift bridges and two swing bridges to do.  Both lift bridges were done for us, by boats coming the other way; but Adrian got off to swing the other two.

There was a boat across the canal at New Mills.  It turned out that the narrowboat moors across the slipway, which was needed to get a plastic boat out of the water.  We then had to wait another couple of minutes while a boat turned in the winding hole just beyond.  But it didn't really matter.  This canal is shallow and narrow, and you can't go fast; passing another boat almost always means that you both end up scraping along the bottom.  But before long we reached the junction near the end of the canal.  It's right to Whaley Bridge, but we turned left to Bugsworth Basin.

We stopped at the water point to fill the tank, the turned and reversed into the lower basin.  Last time we were here it was packed; this time there were only a handful of boats.

In the afternoon, we had visitors.  David and Judy were some of out co-owners when we had a share in Debdale, and live about half an hour away.  We had a good couple of hours catching up, and it was lovely to see them.

This evening, we had a wander round the fascinating network of basins, and had dinner in The Navigation Inn.

10 miles, 0 locks.  (150 miles, 73 locks)