Sunday, 22nd June
Where we moored last night wasn't very far from the top of Bosley locks. and today we moved on along the canal and down the flight of twelve. These locks are in a very pretty setting and are a pleasure to travel through. Trev set off on the bike, but after the second lock, the bike got another puncture, and so he had to use Shanks' pony. but we had a bit of luck, because all the locks were in our favour and there was a couple walking the flight who used to be boaters, and they opened all the gates for us., which helped no end. Thank you friends!

We continued on through pretty countryside, passing Congleton and mooring eventually at Scholar Green. Last time we were here we had visited the Rising Sun and had had a good meal from a very friendly staff. We moored up nearby and walked down the lane to the pub and were equally as pleased as last time--even though it was new owners.

Monday, 23rd June
We were sad to leave the Macclesfield canal, it's a lovely canal from end to end--it's 27.75 miles long and has thirteen locks. It passes through beautiful countryside and the views of the hills are magnificent. We had less than two miles and one stop lock to do before we joined the Trent & Mersey Canal at Harding's Wood Junction. Just before the junction, however, the Macclesfield canal crosses over the Trent & Mersey Canal on an aqueduct, and one has the unusual experience of looking down from one canal to another.

Then it was sharp right and down to the Harecastle Tunnel--again! I thought once was enough this year, but no, here we go again. This time we weren't as lucky as last time when we went straight in; we had to wait about forty minutes, as a couple of boats had just started to come through from the other end. The tunnel is not wide enough for two boats to pass, so there is a tunnel keeper at each end to regulate the traffic. They phone each other as they let the boats in, saying how many should come out at the other end! "If you have a problem, sound the horn once at regular intervals," we were told. "Will you be able to hear us?" I asked. "Well, there is a bit in the middle where we won't be able to, but otherwise yes!" Mmmmmmmmmmm

Eventually our turn came and we set off with three other boats. It takes about forty minutes, depending on your speed, and then we were out into the sunlight again. It's such a relief to get out of there. Now we were in The Potteries, and passed Middleport Pottery and the Wedgwood outlet shop and then we arrived at the top lock of the Stoke flight. There was a queue of boats waiting to go down the locks, so we pulled in and turned the engine off. It took about forty minutes until we could go in to the lock. There are five locks through Stoke, three close together and two spaced out. Then we started to leave the city behind. We passed the Britannia Stadium, home to Stoke City Football Club, and then came to Stoke's more upmarket neighbour, Trentham.

Barlaston is just a little further on, and we had hoped to moor here, but it was busy and all the moorings were taken. It's a popular place to stay to visit the Wedgwood factory, which is alongside the canal, though for how much longer I don't know. I saw an item on the local television news a while ago which said that production was being moved to Indonesia. I do hope not.

We carried on trying to find somewhere to moor and started off down the flight of four locks at Meaford. In the end we moored up between locks two and three on the Flight. this was a pretty spot and we were all on our own. The weather today has been hot and we've had a lovely cruise.

Tuesday, 24th June
We were up and away early this morning. We have a man coming to check the fire extinguishers and need to be where he can get to us. So we did the last two of the Meaford flight and the mile or so into Stone. Then we dropped down the four locks in Stone and found a mooring. We were all tied up by 11.00. The fire man flound us and checked the fire extinguishers plus the fire blanket. One extinguisher had to be replaced, the others were OK. We said goodbye to eighty-six pounds and to the man and had a cup of coffee to get over the bill. We wondered if we really have to have these extinguishers checked every year. When we had the guest house, we had to have them done annually, but maybe now we don't. I'll have to check with the insurance company. I wonder what other boaters do.

It was very hot today, and Trev kindly volunteered to go and get the shopping as I was feeling tired with the heat. In the evening we went for a super Italian meal at La Dolce Vita, opposite the Star Inn which is allegedly one of the oldest pubs on the waterway. We went in there once but were disappointed with it, it belonged to chain and didn't seem to me to have the right feel for such an old pub. But La Dolce Vita looked after us very well and we would certainly go there again.

Wednesday, 25th June
We walked into Stone today to meet Anita and Wyn. It was at Anita and Wyn's house that I put my quilt together when we were here last time. We had coffee together at "The Lounge" a coffee shop in the town centre and spent a pleasant hour together, catching up on their news. They have just come back from three weeks in New Mexico, not a place I had ever thought of visiting but they certainly made it sound fascinating.

Then, after a final shop, including new shoes and slippers for me, we went back to the boat and set off again. It was another hot day, and we drank lots of cool drinks as we went along. We went through lovely countryside again, pretty locks in the middle of nowhere, little villages all of them inviting me to go and buy a house there immediately! I was delighted to see the narrowboat "Phyllis May" moored up as we went along. This is the boat from the book "Narrow Dog to Carcassonne" and, more recently, "Narrow Dog to Indian River". I was really disappointed not to get a glimpse of any of the occupants, not even Jim, the narrow dog. I would have loved the chance to have had a chat with Terry or Monica Darlison, but I expect they get pretty fed up with people gawping at them. It's not a problem I've had since I published my book of walks in Warwickshire, but I suppose it doesn't have quite the same cachet!

We continued along to Great Haywood, where we filled up with water and then turned right onto The Staffs and Worcs Canal. We passed though Tixall Wide, went up the first lock and mored just above. it was a beautiful evening and we enjoyed the peace and quiet--well we had to, there was no television reception!

Next day we went through Baswich and the delightfully named Acton Trussell to Penkridge. We moored below Penkridge Lock and in the evening we went for supper with the rellies--Trev's cousin Ann and her husband Graham. That was very nice and gave us chance to catch up on their news. The next day we had planned to get to Autherley Junction and turn on to the Shroppie, but the weather closed in and we managed to moor up just before the heavens opened upon us. We tied up on a mooring belonging to Misty's Bar and Restaurant, and it was for customers only, so we had to go in and sample the fare, didn't we?! We were glad to be able to stop and keep dry.

Next day we set off for Autherley Junction, where there was a bit of fun! Immediately on the turn onto the Shropshire Union there is a lock, so one has to wait until it is available. There were two boats in front of us, waiting their turn to go in, and several boats coming down from the Shropshire Union, trying to get out! Then a boat came up the Staffs and Worcs, and the steerer had no idea what was happening, and so decided he would turn into the Shropshire Union. There was a boat in the lock trying to get out, as well as us all trying to get in. I was standing on the side and explained the situation to him. "What shall I do?" he asked. "Well, you'll have to back up and wait," I said. "How do I do that?" he asked. "Put the lever into reverse," I said. Eventually he managed to do that and then started to go round in circles in the middle of the canal. The boat waiting to come out of the lock couldn't, in case he got hit, and the rest of us took cover as close to the bank as possible. "Where shall I go?" he asked. "Right over there," I said, pointing to the farthermost bank, to get him as far away as possible from the rest of us! Eventually he manged to get over there, and then we could sort out the bottleneck.

We turned right onto the Shroppie and, after a few miles, we met Brenda, who lives in Brewood. She knew we were coming and had started to walk to meet us. She'd had a nasty fall some weeks before and had broken her arm in three places, but we were glad to see she was improving. She invited us to her house for a meal that evening, which was very pleasant, and in the morning, it being Sunday, I went to church with her. Brenda came and had lunch with us and then we spent the rest of the day reading the papers and doing the crossword.

Monday saw us at Turner's garage at Wheaton Aston, ready to fill up with the cheapest diesel on the system. We took on 210 litres, so we were nearly empty, as the tank holds 240 litres. Diesel here was 49.9 per litre. We use red diesel on the boat and, since last November, there has been a new ruling that we have to declare what element of the diesel we buy is for propulsion nd what is for heating. The propulsion element attracts a tax of something like 42.7p per litre, so it has increased our fuel bill considerably. The increase in fuel prices, along with dearer licences and mooring charges, is having a considerable effect on people's pockets, and some are having to give it up altogether. As 'live aboards' it's not so bad for us, because we would have living expenses to find any way, but for those for whom it is a weekend or holiday occupation, it is definitely a rich man's hobby. I doubt if one would get away with less than six or seven thousand pounds per year to keep a boat on the canals. This includes an annual mooring in a marina. which one would have to have if the boat wasn't being used all the time. As live aboards, we don't need a permanent home base. It would be boring to sit in a marina looking at all the other boats!

So, homily over and off we went along the Shroppie. There are no locks for miles and we made good progress. I love the Shropshire Union, it goes through gentle countryside and there are wonderful views. We passed through Gnosall--pronounced Nosul--and Norbury, where the Newport Branch used to lock down from the Shroppie, on through a very rural landscape to moor eventually on one of the excellent Shropshire Union Canal Society moorings near Bridge 46. It was a lovely evening, long shadows and warm enough to sit out.

The next day we tackled the Tyrley flight of locks and arrived at Market Drayton. Trev walked into town to fetch some shopping and we stayed here overnight. In the morning we filled up with water and pumped out the w.c. Then we set off to do the Adderley flight and we moored at the bottom. There is a sort of ledge all along the Shropshire Union canal, below the water line and all night the boat bangs on it. The only places where the ledge is not a nuisance is at the recognised mooring places provided by the Shropshire Union Canal Society, and this was one.

The next day we set off to do the Audlem flight of fifteen locks. After thirteen of them, we moored up so that I could visit Audlem Mill. This is a wonderland for me, as they sell all sorts of things for needlework, and also do courses.

Click here for the Audlem Mill website

When I came out, Trev insisted on taking me for a drink at The Bridge, despite my protestations. It was a lovely warm day and we sat out under the parasols and imbibed several glasses. A perfect afternoon.

We finished the last two locks and moored up at Coole Pilate, one of our favourite mooring places, also provided by the Shropshire Union Canal Society. There are picnic tables, and stands to take disposable barbecues and we had a barbecue and sat out for ages. A perfect evening!

Now we're nearing our journey's end, at least in the short term. We need to put the boat into a marina as we have various things to do. We continued into Nantwich and then to Hurleston Junction, where we turned left onto the Llangollen Canal. We went through the Hurleston flight of four locks and along for a short distance and into Swanley Bridge marina. What a surprise--we were right next to Ellisiana, the boat our friends Sheridan and Ron owned before they had their dutch barge built. Quite like old times, except that sadly S & R weren't on board.

Our first event was Ann & Graham's 70th birthday party, in Penkridge. It had a country and western theme, and there was a singer, Jim Ryder, and a good band, The Hanks. It was all great fun!

Then on Sunday, we went to Llangollen to stay with friends Judy and Eric for four nights. They had kindly invited us to stay with them so that we could visit the Eisteddfod. We really had the most fantastic time. The Llangollen International Eisteddfod is quite different from the Welsh Eisteddfod. The Welsh Eisteddfod is all about Welsh culture and is in Welsh, whereas the purpose of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod is to bring nations together to promote peace. It started just after the war, and Judy told me she remembered as a young girl going to the station (which was still part of the national rail system then) and seeing all of the foreign people getting off the train, dressed in their national dress, and everything being so different and exciting. Local families provided accommodation for all of the visitors, and Judy said that, from the moment the visitors arrived on UK soil, they never had to pay for anything. Coaches were sent to pick them up from the ferry ports and food and lodging was provided. It is also said that some of the more exotic visitors expected to be provided with a girl in their bed.............!

Click here for information on the Llangollen International Eisteddfod

We went to three concerts:

The Opening Concert

Barbara Dickson Concert

The Peace Concert

There were also lots of competitions going on, for choral singing, folk dancing, folk singing, solo singing, there was so much to see. There was a grand parade through Llangollen of all the participants, and that was so moving, so many people had come so far; from USA, Canada, South Africa, Singapore, India, Latvia, Italy, Ireland, Estonia, Iceland, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Belgium, Sweden, Kurdistan, Turkish republic of Northern Cyprus, Lithuania, Niger, as well as England and Wales. I think the ones who stirred my emotions the most was the band from Niger, who were dressed in such wonderful clothes and played some mesmeric music.

Click here to see the website of the group from Niger

Watch some Irish dancing here

Here you can see an orchestra from Singapore

All good things come to an end, and on Thursday we went back to Liberty Belle and left the marina. We went less than a mile along the Llangollen Canal, to moor at Burland, another of our favourite moorings. We'd had a fantastic few days, our hosts Judy and Eric had been so hospitable and the Llangollen Eisteddfod more than lived up to expectations.

We went down to Nantwich, as I was going away for three nights, to visit friends in Solihull and Warwick. Trev stayed in the area, doing a little cruising, and then when I got back, we trundles along the Shroppie as far as Calvely. We have friends arriving on Saturday for a couple of nights, and need to be in Nantwich to pick them up from the station. So, as you can see, we've had a fairly action packed few weeks, which we've so enjoyed. Life just gets better! I don't know how I ever found time to go to work.

SummerCruise 2009

Home Page