We Make Progress on Four Different Canals

March 18th--29th

Saturday, 18th & Sunday, 19th March
We moved on along the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal today. I had rather hoped Trev might suggest we stayed put, as it was another windy day, but no, he was raring to go! The Middlewich Branch is only ten miles long and has four locks. It goes through the flat Cheshire Plain, and is fairly featureless, but is peaceful and rural. We passed a few boats out travelling, quite a novelty after the tranquillity of the Llangollen Canal. There was a couple of pretty moorings near Church Minshull, high up on an embankment, and the views were far reaching over the flat landscape. We must remember them for next time.

We eventually moored up almost at the end of the branch, by Bridge 30. Just one hundred and fifty yards and a lock between us and the Trent & Mersey Canal. Trev walked down to Somerfield's to get some shopping and we battened down the hatches and kept snug and warm.

In the morning, we were thinking about moving on when we had a 'phone call from Trev's cousin Ann and her husband--were we 'at home' to receive visitors? They arrived in about an hour and we walked into Middlewich to find somwehere for lunch. Middlewich doesn't exactly inspire, and the first couple of pubs we went in to made us think that beans on toast back on the boat might be a better option! But then we found a place called Kinderton's and had a really good lunch. After Ann & Graham left, we decided to stay put, as it was getting late.

Monday, 20th March
Another really cold day. We set off down the lock and through the junction. Here I must say I made an excellent right turn! There wasn't a lot of room, and this was compounded by two boats being moored on the opposite bank, reducing the amount of space I had. The thing is, with any length of boat, one cannot start to make the turn until the whole boat is out of the junction. So I had a 70' boat to get out of the Middlewich Canal, and then had to turn it sharp right. I did about a thirty point turn, watched by several men, and performed it impeccably. Even Trev complimented me, though he tempered it by saying that he didn't know how I would have managed if there had been a strong wind blowing........ Well, there wasn't, and I did it beautifully!

Then we were on the Trent & Mersey Canal, and on our way south. We passed the Ideal Standard Works, where there were hundreds of new w.c.'s stacked ready for delivery, and past the British Salt Works, where the salt was piled so high, it looked like snow. The weather was soooooo cold. I had two fleeces and a windproof anorak on, plus a woolly hat with my Biggles helmet over it, gloves, tights, joggers two pairs of socks and walking boots on! I could hardly move. If I had fallen in, I wouldn't have got out, for sure! We eventually moored up at Wheelock, near Bridge 30, and were very glad to escape indoors.



IN A LOCK NEAR WHEELOCK

Tuesday, 21st March
Well, it doesn't feel much like the first day of Spring, but I suppose it can only get better. It was bitterly cold again, and today was very much a repeat of yesterday, me togged up to the hilt on the back of the boat steering and Trev riding ahead to do the locks. This area of the canal was known as Heartbreak Hill to the old working boatmen, there are over thirty locks in about five miles. Once out of Wheelock, the scenery was delightful, and we moored up in the country all by ourselves.

Wednesday, 22nd March
The weather was much better today. The sun was out and there was real warmth in it. I didn't have to wear all of my layers, and looked a little less like a Michelin tyre man! We moored up sooner than planned, as we found a lovely mooring spot, with mooring rings, which makes it so much easier to tie up.Trev sawed up some more of the wood we'd collected on the Llangollen, we still have loads left. It was a lucky find! Free heat, I like it!

Thursday, 23rd March
We set off early--well early for us--as we had quite a lot to do today. We went through the last but one of the locks and in to Red Bull Basin, where we off loaded rubbish and took on water. Then we moored up above the last lock, and I walked to Kidsgrove Station to get tickets for us to go to London tomorrow. We're going to stay with friends for the weekend, and, apparently, if we buy tickets in advance, they will cost half of what they would cost if we purchased them on the day. I was expecting to have to catch the train to Stoke-on-Trent to buy the tickets, I hadn't expected Kidsgrove Station to be staffed, but it was. However, there were no advance tickets available, they'd all gone, so we would have to pay full fare.

I walked back to the boat and surprised Trev, who'd expected me to be gone for a couple of hours. So, we set off to Harding's Wood, to the junction with the Macclesfield Canal. Here we turned right and described a sharp bend and, by dint of a couple of locks, actually sailed over the canal we had been on a few moments before. It's a very clever bit of planning.



LOOKING DOWN ON THE TRENT & MERSEY CANAL FROM THE MACCIE.
(The water's rusty colour is due to the iron deposits seeping from nearby mine works.)

Then we were on the Maccie. This is a peaceful, rural canal, and there were few boats about. We were aiming for Heritage Marina at Scholar Green. I'd 'phoned them a couple of weeks ago to make sure we could leave Liberty Belle there whilst we went to London, and they said they'd find somewhere for us.



AN INTERESTING GARDEN FEATURE

We moored up opposite the marina, and Trev went over to make sure they were still expecting us. Yes they were, and we were to go in tomorrow morning. Trev also went to see some friends who were moored in the marina, Malcolm and Lindsay, whom we'd met eighteen months ago on the Stratford Canal, at Wootton Wawen. Then they had just taken delivery of their new boat, called 'Plan B', and were living aboard, like us. The other thing we had in common was that they have a Whispergen. That makes three of us so far! Friends Jean and Brian on 'A New Song' have one too. Malcolm kindly offered to take us to catch the train at Stoke-on-Trent tomorrow, and also invited us for coffee before we leave.

In the evening we went to The Rising Sun for a meal, and would strongly recommend it, both for its food and its friendliness.

Friday, 23rd to Monday, 27th March
So, this morning Trev went over to the marina to ask where we should put our boat, only to be told that they had no room for us!!!!! After booking two weeks ahead and going to visit the day before, they now decided that they couldn't accommodate us. Fortunately, the spot where we were moored along the towpath seemed a quiet and secure sort of a place, so we had no alternative but to leave it there. Malcolm kindly offered to walk by each day and check it, and he even sent us a text message each day whilst we were in London, to say that all was well. We had a great weekend with our friends Eileen and Gordon, in London, and, when Malcolm picked us up from the station on Sunday evening we had a meal with him and Lindsay on their boat. Thank you to all of our friends for a great weekend.

Tuesday, 28th March
The weather on Monday was atrocious, so we stayed put. But then, on Tuesday, after five days at Scholar Green, Liberty Belle was fired up and off we went. The weather wasn't good, but better than it had been over the last week or so. We were aiming for the bottom of the Bosley Flight. we have friends coming to see us tomorrow and we have planned to meet them at the top of the flight. Just as we were mooring up, the rain really poured down, but we managed to get indoors before we got a soaking. This canal is so pretty, and, when the cloud lifts, we can see the beginning of the Peak District hills.

Wednesday, 29th March
We set off for the Bosley Flight, expecting that it would take us hours. There are twelve locks in the flight, and we did them in under two hours. Not bad, eh? Most of them were set in our favour, and, with Trev riding ahead on the bike, we soon got them cracked.



LOOKING BACK DOWN THE BOSLEY FLIGHT

Just as we were approaching the last lock, our friends appeared, walking down to meet us. They had brought two of their grandchildren with them John, aged four, and Elizabeth, aged two. The children were most entertaining company, far better then tv! And Trev was in his element with them, he could be as daft as he liked, and the children thought it was brilliant! They had brought their picnic and ate that in the cratch. They explored the boat and even had a little ride. What fun to be four!

After they had left, we moved on, looking for somewhere to moor where there was easy road access. On Friday, we're having the Whispergen serviced, and the mechanics need to be able to bring their tools to the boat. It took us ages to find somewhere, we travelled a long way before we found the right place, at Whitley Green. It's a lovely spot, well away from traffic, and the towpath is used by people rambling or taking their dogs out for a walk and cyclists. At least the towpath here isn't too muddy, it's been in a dire state along most of the canal. We shall stay here until the Whispergen has been serviced.

We saw a male Mandarin duck on the bank at Bollington. Its colours were incredible, so exotic, and its feathers didn't just lie flat, they went in all sorts of directions, a bit like a punk rocker. Sadly, I didn't have the camera with me, but I'll look out for it on the way back.



THE FIRST NEST WE'VE SEEN THIS YEAR

And what about the four canals? Well, there was The Middlewich, The Trent and Mersey, the Wardle and the Macclesfield. The Wardle is the shortest canal in the country, just one hundred yards long, and it is actually the last one hundred yards of the Middlewich Branch.

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