Northern Exposure: Day 18

As we watched Boris Johnson lock down the UK last night, we realised we’d be implementing Plan B rather than Plan A: we wouldn’t be able to return to our home marina, and would have to leave the boat up north instead.  Fortunately we’d already been in touch with our good friend Bill who owns the Nantwich Canal Centre, who said he had room for us.  We considered his other marina, Uplands, which is closer, but it’s more difficult to get to a station from there.

Perhaps not surprisingly, we were awake early and set off just before 7am.  It was a beautiful morning.

I thought I’d worked out what time we needed to leave to cut down the waiting time at Preston Brook Tunnel, which only allows southbound from half past for ten minutes.  However, we ended up having to wait for half an hour before going in.

Once inside the tunnel we were back on the Trent and Mersey Canal, and CRT waters.  We were also back the land of mile posts, which reassuringly count your progress.

Saltersford Tunnel is another one which can only be used from half past the hour when heading south, but this time we had just ten minutes to wait.  By the time we set off, there were three boats behind us.

In fact we’ve seen more moving boats today that pretty much any day of the trip; we reckon a lot of people were caught out by the sudden implementation of the lock down, and are returning home or moving somewhere with good services.  One of the permanent moorers at Acton Bridge summed it up: ‘At least the weather’s nice,’ he said, ‘the world’s gone to sh*t but at least the weather’s nice.’

We made another touch and go visit to the bins at Anderton — the Bridgewater is terrible for services, in fact we haven’t seen a bin since we last came through Anderton.  We had lunch on the move, just before going through the chemical works, which if anything looks even more impressive going this way.

Back out in the countryside, we saw our first kingfishers of the trip — in fact there were two, but only one stayed still long enough for a photo.

We passed a boat shortly before Middlewich, so were hopeful the locks would be in our favour.  They were, largely.  Adrian worked Big Lock, then I took over for the flight.  Andersen Boats at the bottom had lots of boats in, and I guess it will stay that way.

There’s a right angle turn between the middle and top lock.

I walked up to the junction and found a boat about to come down Wardle Lock.  Adrian waited until he was down and had made the turn before bringing the boat through the junction bridge into the lock.

Another boat was waiting at the top of the lock, and another boat arrived below.  A bit further along, we came to Stanthorne Lock, which is more than 11 ft deep.

We carried on until just before Church Minshull.  Last time we spent ages trying to get into the side, so this time we decided to stop where there was a bit of piling to moor against.  It was 5.15 so we’ve done another long day.

25 miles, 7 locks.  (253 miles, 103 locks)