THE BIG SUMMER CRUISE--August 11th--17th


Monday, 11th August
Today we set off reluctantly on our return journey along the Peak Canal
and then on to the Macclesfield Canal.
We moored up at Higher Poynton.
Here mining subsidence has caused the canal banks to fall away
and it is about three times the width of a normal canal.
It's a very attractive spot, with a lot of birdlife.
We watched a heron fishing on the opposite bank.

Tuesday, 12th August
Today we thought we would have "a day out".
As if every day isn't a day out, I hear you cry!
So we decided to go in to Buxton by train.
The station was about a mile and a half away, and we walked there,
along a disused railway track which has been turned into a public foot path.
We arrved at the station ten minutes before the 10.00 a.m. train was due.
It was a little unmanned station, quite a distance from any road.
A public address system informed us that the train was about to arrive.
Then it told us that the train would be ten minutes late.
Twenty minutes later, when the train still hadn't arrived,
Trev phoned to see what had happened to it.
He was told it was on its way, and, sure enough within a couple of minutes it arrived--and departed.
In fact, it just went straight through the station without stopping,
politely sounding its whistle as it went!!!
This didn't actually go down too well with us!
We'd walked quite a way to get the train, it was scheduled to stop,
and there wasn't another one for two hours.
So Trev rang again, and they said they would investigate and ring us back. Which they did.
They weren't able to give us a proper reason as to why the train didn't stop,
although they did say it wasn't the driver's decision.
But they said they would send a taxi to take us to Buxton!
We had to walk quite a distance to find the nearest road,
and sure enough, in about fifteen minutes a taxi arrived.
It seems it's quite a regular occurrence.........

We had a good day in Buxton, and, after asking the train driver himself
if he would be stopping in Middlewood on the way back (!) we got home safely.
Don't we have some adventures!

Wednesday, 13th August
Today we moved on to Bollington.
First we called in at the Post Office to pick up our mail
This was the first time we'd used the Poste Restante service, and it worked well.
Our friends in Solihull put all the letters in to an envelope
and addressed it to us at the Post Office in Bollington.
Then we called in at the Mill for some 'Dri Deck' type rubber flooring which we'd ordered.
It has holes in it to allow the water to get through,
and it's to use on external areas of the boat, to stop us slipping.
Simon, the man who sold it to us, helped Trev to carry it out,
and said that we must have been the first narrowboat to tie up at the wharf
and take on supplies for many many years.

Thursday, 14th August
Today we have an appointment at Macclesfield Canal Centre, to have some "fairleads" fixed on to the boat.
Now, I could offer a prize to the first person to tell me what a fairlead is,
but I'll just tell you instead!
In fact, even better I'll go straight outside right now and take a picture of one!


There, now you can see them.
We had two fitted on the bows, and two in the middle on the top sides.
They prevent the rope from scraping the paint off when the boat is moored up.

This evening we moored up on the Gurnett aqueduct at Bollington.
It was treat time--a meal out at the Old Royal Oak!
A dear little boat came in behind us--28' long.
Ours is 2.5 times as long!
We had a quick chat with the people on board, Audrey and Ray,
and later met them in the pub, so we ate together.
Drinks flowed rather freely, and they came back on board for coffee--yes, honestly, only coffee!

Friday, 15th August
In the morning, before they left, our new found drinking partners (!)
asked if we could charge their mobile phone,
as they only had 12v electricity on board.
So they came on board for more coffee!
We agreed to meet at the bottom of Bosley locks, to return the 'phone.

So, off we all set.
Bosley locks are all single locks, so boats can't share.
I did about three, but began to feel tired, so Trev persuaded me to steer,
so that he could do the hard work.
Just as he started, who should appear, but the people who had helped us go up the locks
nearly two weeks ago, Heather and Pat!
(Of course you remember Heather & Pat? I told you all about them last week........
You see, you need to keep up to speed on this website to know what I'm talking about.)

Then, a couple of locks later, Ray, from the little boat that moored behind us last night, also appeared.
He had finished all of the locks and had come back to help us! It was quite like a party!
And, more to the point, and even though I say it myself, I steered magnificently!
No fenders knocked off, nor even any paint.
I was congratulated by the whole crew!
It quite restored my confidence.

We said a reluctant goodbye to Heather and Pat.
Then we moored at the bottom of the locks and repaired to Audrey and Ray's boat
--called, incidentally, Meinzapint!
(Well we had to return their mobile 'phone.....)
Three hours, and rather a lot of wine later, we toddled back to our own boat
and I think I cooked dinner!

It will not have escaped the eyes of my readers that there aren't many pictures this week.
Well, it's all over the same ground as last week, so I'm sorry,
there's nothing new to show, until you get to the bottom of the page.
Stick with it, there's some coming!

Saturday, 16th August
Another fantastic day for weather. We've been so lucky in our first year.
We went on along the Maccie, and moored up near Bridge 86, as tomorrow we want to visit Little Moreton Hall.
It's a National Trust property, allegedly the finest black and white half timbered building in the country.

Sunday, 17th August
Today we visited Little Moreton Hall, about a mile and a half walk.
It really is an amazing building, no right angles anywhere.
One would wonder how it stays up!
We had a guided tour, and were told that it was built on a marsh area,
which accounts for its lopsided state.
There was a re-enactment group there, dressed in period dress,
and they certainly lent an extra flavour to the day.
Here are your pictures!

LITTLE MORETON HALL




This is our last night on the Macclesfield Canal. I shall be sorry to leave.
It's been very pretty and peaceful, and we've met such nice people.
Tomorrow we shall rejoin the Trent & Mersey Canal at Red Bull Basin
and travel north up "Heartbreak Hill"!
So named because there are thirty-two locks in thirteen miles
I shall certainly steer tomorrow
See you next week!

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