On to Market Drayton

 They never tell you when you get married to check the length of a girl's legs. That's why I've ended up doing 16 locks today. You remember, long legs and you can step across the lock gates. 

I even started the day off by walking to the first lock. Here's the captain driving the boat away from the mooring. 

It's interesting to note the different types of huts used by the lock keepers and linesmen. 

Some big, some small. 

We actually made good time getting to the top of the Audlem flight. Only a couple of hours to clear 11 locks. At the top lock (above) there is a small canalside stall with homemade pies and pasties, cakes, cold drinks, etc. We bought a couple of pasties and a pork pie and supper and lunch respectively. 

Then on to Adderley Locks. Note, the captain's still driving. 

Mind you we did get stuck on the ledge at one of the locks and I had to forgo any intelligence I may have had and resort to brute force to get us off. The only problem with brute force is that I was sitting on the narrow gunwale with my back against the cabin and when I extended my legs to get us moving I nearly slid off into the canal. To avoid that calamity I quickly slid along and gracelessly lowered myself backwards into the well deck at the front. Now, not a pretty sight but try to imagine me on my back, legs in the air, in a narrow space thinking: how do I get out of this position? I managed somehow but the captain was quite concerned for my safety since she couldn't see what was going on. I'm sure that someone with shorter legs would have done it more gracefully. 

A glance back at the turnover bridge. As you look at the bridge, the horse would come along the towpath, through the arch, over the bridge on the right hand side and recommence towing on the left hand side. 

A nice welcome sign as we enter Market Harborough. 

The renovated canalside in the centre. 

And, at the weekend, a floating market. It seems to be doing a good trade already and it's only Thursday. 

Not all the old buildings have disappeared. 

We moored up close to the road into town. We also helped a Canadian boater to squeeze in behind us and I had fun playing with the ropes to give him a bit more room to get in. 

No walks today, I've already walked nearly 3 miles just up and down the locks. 

Should sleep well. 

Memories of Audlem

 We set off from Nantwich at around 11 o'clock. 

Passing the moored boats, someone called to us that there was a buzzard in a tree opposite.

Being up on an embankment meant that we were level with the top of the tree and had a good view of this bird of prey. 

Next, just round the corner, Nantwich Aqueduct. 

The Nantwich Aqueduct is a radical 1826 civil engineering design by Thomas Telford that uses a lightweight cast-iron water trough instead of heavy traditional stonework. 

And here we are floating across the main road. 

The first lock of the day at Hack Green. Please note that I drew the short straw and the captain is driving today. It was all carefully explained to me that because my legs are longer I can step across the lock gates to shut them both. 

At Hack Green there is a 'Secret Nuclear Bunker.' Usually there is a sign to this effect but I missed it this time round. 

Remember the mile posts on the Macclesfield Canal, all stone. Well these are the cast iron ones on this canal. 

We are now at the foot of the Audlem flight of 15 locks. 

18 years ago on our first ever trip in Polgara, this is where it started to snow. Something we had not prepared for. The captain looked like Michelin Man in jumpers and waterproofs. 

3 locks done and we're at the Shroppie Fly. This is where the snow had started to settle. 

Audlem Mill, next to the Fly, is up for rent and the lovely shop is no longer there. 

The entrance to these locks is very narrow and the bye wash is quite strong. It's a given that you won't enter many of the locks without touching the sides. 

We went through one last lock and then stopped for the night. We didn't fancy tackling the remaining 11 locks straight off, so we went for a walk instead.

Our first stile of the day.

The second one was a bit superfluous, just standing in the middle of the field. 

What an imposing church. The church stands on a hill in the middle of the village. We had a good old mooch around the town and then back to the boat. 

We were lucky to get a mooring because there is going to be a gathering of old working boats this coming weekend and various moorings have been reserved for participants. Mind you, we did get stuck on the shelf which we noticed when the boat started to lean over at an angle. For some reason this canal was built with a shelf along most of its length. Many folk have tyres floating in the water to keep a distance from the bank. All we did was to push the boat out a bit and kept our fingers crossed. 

A peaceful night was had by all with no odd bumps in the night. 

On to Nantwich

 

Our mooring overnight came complete with mooring rings, picnic bench and barbecue stand. The height of luxury. 

After setting off we realised that we had chosen the best place as, round the corner, there was a line of boats moored nose to tail. 

We stopped at Venetian Marina to top up with fuel (an arm and a leg job) before going through the lock which was being looked after by two lockies. 

Then a steady cruise along to Barbridge Junction where we purchased Polgara some 18 years ago. 

A look back at the bridge we just came through and we are now officially on the Shropshire Union Canal. 

The Olde Barbridge Inn. 

And a look at the place where we picked up the boat all those years ago. 

We are now approaching the Llangollen Canal and this is Hurleston Reservoir. Normally the reservoir is fed by water from Horseshoe Falls in Llangollen. However, because of a breach, water is being pumped into it from the Shroppie. The reason for doing so is because it is a major source of drinking water for South Cheshire. Obviously, this doesn't help the water levels in the canal. 

A temporarily redundant sign post to Llangollen.

Because a notice on the lock gate says: Canal Closed. A shame really because we had hoped to go that way this year. 

Instead we stopped in Nantwich and had a walk around the town. The captain is standing in front of the chimney of what used to be a Coach Manufactory. There's also a clock inside a see through cabinet but it wasn't working! 

Nantwich has many old buildings, too many to include in the blog. If ever you're along this way it's well worth a visit. 

And right in the middle of Nantwich, the River Weaver. We just can't get away from it. 

Low water levels

 Having said that we had escaped the lock closures, we woke up to boaters saying that the levels on the Middlewich Branch were very low and boats were running aground. 

Well, we set off and said farewell to the pleasant gardens opposite. 

But the levels are low. The grey line at the top is where the water should be. We managed to get past a boat that was having difficulty clearing one of the bridges. 

Once through the first lock things got a bit better. Just passing a rather nice property which may have been stables or maybe a replica. Not sure. 

Here we are looking across to Church Minshull. We have moored here before and walked down to the village. But not this time. 

Looking across to Aqueduct Marina. On the approach to the marina an unpowered boat was across the canal but there were half a dozen marina staff hauling on ropes and sorting things out. 

This was followed by towpath repairs at Minshull Lock where I had to drop the captain off way back down the towpath while I waited midstream for the dredger to stop work to allow me to pass. 

Here we are in the lock, all of them are fairly deep on this canal. 

What a day! Low water, drifting boat and canal dredging. Time to moor the boat for the night and dream about tomorrow. 

A quiet Sunday

 Having got out of the immediate danger of getting stuck because of lock closures, time for a more relaxed day today. 

We were picked up at 10 o'clock by our friends Matthew and Gail in time for the church service at St Peters, Elworthy. We had a great time there in a packed hall with many families. There was a good music group that led us through some modern worship songs that we hadn't heard before. All in all a wonderful time of worship. 

Following that, lunch at Kiki's Table in Sandbach. Excellent Mediterranean food. 

Afterwards, no rest for the wicked, Matthew and Gail offered to take us to Morrisons so that we could stock up again but without the half mile walk each way. 

The view opposite our mooring. 

Mad rush at Middlewich

 Saturday 18th 

Set off for a pleasant cruise, the intention being to get through the Big Lock, moor up, walk to Morrisons to get the shopping and then back to the boat for our usual steak supper. 

The first bit went as planned with a lovely cruise looking out over the Weaver Valley. The second bit was OK getting through the Big Lock. It was only after that that things started to take a dive. We found an ideal mooring in the shade and were just about to set off for the shops when a boater came along telling us all that the locks on Heartbreak Hill were closed because of low water and that they were talking about closing the Big Lock as well. 

The name Big sums up the problem. The Big Lock was draining more water out of the system than was being let down from above. The only way to cure the problem would be to shut the lock until levels improved. 

What to do? 

After looking online at the stoppages map we decided to move up through the next 4 locks and get ourselves on the Middlewich Branch, just in case. 

Just entering the first lock. A slow fill because of only one ground paddle in operation. 

Now waiting to enter Wardle Lock. Maureen Shaw lived in Wardle Lock Cottage for many years. She was an ex-working boatwoman and delighted in looking after Wardle Lock. In fact many regular boaters called it “Maureen’s Lock”. 

We went through the lock and stopped a couple of bridges along glad to be away from closures for the time being. Now we will have to keep an eye on the C&RT stoppages page to see if we will need to make a dash back to the marina should water levels affect the Leicester Branch and threaten closure of the Watford Gap Locks. 

Mind you, it's very hard to dash at 4 miles per hour! 

Opposite Oakwood Marina

 Another day of motoring along. Two tunnels today which we managed to catch just at the right time. The first, Saltersford Tunnel, we arrived on the half hour and the second, Barnton Tunnel, we cleared without anyone coming through the other way. 

A farewell wave to the volunteers on the C&RT table at the Anderton Boat Lift. Stopped at the facilities to do all the necessaries and then on to Marston.

Two views of the Lion Salt Works, now a museum, which we visited on a prior trip this way. 

Details on the bridge at Northwich, the formula being that for brine. 

We motored through the industrial part of Northwich and stopped just before Oakwood Marina. 

Nice and quiet (moored in the nettles!) 

PS very late post again because of poor WiFi.