Tixall Wide to Rugeley to Taft Bridge

The depth of the canal at Tixall was too deep again for Mick to explore the bow thruster tube so after a cooked breakfast we moved on. I can vouch for the gluten free black pudding, a little more crumbly than normal, but very tasty. A lot of the git gaps had vanished as boats had moved off before us. Prime position was available with the view straight out across to the gate house, but we were moving now.

Turning right at the junction we pulled in at the end of the line of moored boats above the lock. There were a few trading boats here including The Pirate Boat, owned by Heidi who we met on the Macc last January when trying to refloat the sunken boat. No-one was home, so we’ll have to say hello another time. Mick popped to the Post Office to collect a parcel of more fuses for the bow thruster and then we were on our way again.

We took our turn at Haywood Lock and cruised our way to Colwich Lock. This lock for us always seems to have a queue, not as bad as the queuing lock on the Middlewich Branch, but still bad. Today we were surprised as we were next into the lock and below there was not one single boat waiting. Shortly afterwards we realised that this is only the second time that we have been in this direction along this stretch, we seem to prefer heading north.

As we approached Taft Bridge I went up the front so that we could pull in on the off side for diesel at Dexta. There was no sign on the roof, so maybe they didn’t have any. Mick tied up the stern as a chap walked over from the farm buildings. He had to get the keys, they’d had a delivery this morning so he’d have to pump some down to the boat if we could wait a while. This was fine, at 63p a litre we’d have waited a while longer. On his third trip back to Dexta there was enough diesel pumped down and we filled the tank.

Approaching Bridge 68 a brightly coloured chap sat on a fence post watching us.

He stayed put for quite a while before darting off again into a tree. Here he sat and waited until we’d almost come level before swooping down, touching the water and doing the Heron thing of moving up a short distance hoping we wouldn’t follow.

Certainly not shy he stayed put long enough for me to focus and take several photos at each of his perches. When he thought we’d seen enough he upped and disappeared high into the branches.

Sorry Bridget, maybe they prefer blue boats!

We could have winded before Rugeley, but with a wool shop in town I wanted to have a look at what they did. So we pootled on into town, Oleanna rearing up on an underwater obstacle as we went. Mick stayed to look at the prop whilst I headed into town only to find that the shop had closed ten minutes earlier! With a mug of tea in hand each we carried on under the railway bridges to wind. We were now heading north for Christmas.

Finding a mooring opposite Dexta we pulled in away from the noisy dog a few boats behind and let Tilly out. The fallen down tree was great to climb around, it was nice of all the birdies to welcome me with so much singing too. The depth of water was measured, around about hip height and a lowish bank. I think I know what we’ll be doing in the morning.

2 locks, 9.11 miles, 1 right, 2 winds, 1 reverse, 1 Rum Wench, 4 more fuses, 1 big house, 124 litres, 3.30pm closing time, 2 conditioners, 1 big lump under the water, 2wice found, 0 camera shy kingfisher, 2ft 6ish, 1 pair of waders coming out in the morning.

Lower Burston Bridge to Tixall Wide

Before we pushed off this morning there were quite a few boats that passed us heading north. One of the first was very familiar, Tench, last seen with Heather Bleasdale at the helm, but today there was a man. I’m fairly sure it was Brian who we’d seen the new year in with at Bugsworth Basin, we waved but not being yellow we were out of context. As we untied the ropes a boat was coming towards us so we clung on and waited for it to pass, then another appeared around the bend behind us. This necessitated clinging on even harder as they showed no inclination of slowing down and Oleanna was wanting to speed up to join in. Mick thanked them (!) but it fell on deaf ears as the chaps were too busy chatting at the stern. Yesterday we’d come across the same boat near a bridge hole, there was no slowing down then, it was as if we’d not existed as Mick quickly brought Oleanna to a stop to avoid collision.

A  short distance further on and another familiar boat. NB Ferndale with her new owners at the helm. I wonder how many jolly cheery waves they get from people as they pass?

At Sandon Lock the speedy boat sat waiting almost mid channel for one to come up in the lock, waving at the lady to whip the paddles up. Once they were up his crew hopped off to work the lock for him. Normally I’d have headed up to help, but today I had no inclination, so we just waited for them to close the gates so that we could refill the lock. Soon from behind we were caught up by a boat we’ve been leapfrogging with for the last week or so since we were at Bramble Cuttings. Today they would reach their home mooring, so this would be the last we see of them.

Before Weston Lock we passed Dante and his acquaintances. He seems to be stuck now with the wrong crowd, turning greyer every day, such a sad demise of such a talented one.

At the line of moored boats there was another boat we knew, NB Calon Lan. We’d shared crossing the Ribble with them back in August. No-one was home to say hello to.

Once we were down the next two locks we carried on, passing the entrance to Great Haywood Marina (Broken Foot Marina). A space opposite the cafe was free so we pulled in for some lunch. Opposite NB Autumn Wine was on it’s home mooring, they’d helped ferry me to Stafford Hospital back in February with my broken ankle. After devouring some of the cheese we’d bought at the festival for lunch, Mick set off with Oleanna to find a mooring as I headed to the Farm Shop for a couple of bits.

The hill up to the bridge seemed so small today. Last time we were here I hopped all the way up it with the support of Mick to a hire car to get me to hospital. Looking back we should really have called for an ambulance to help. With some mushrooms, tomatoes and hash browns I then walked along the towpath to meet up with Mick.

Who told so many boaters about Tixall Wide? The line of moored boats started and carried on, I could see the stern of Oleanna getting further away. There were plenty of git gaps, but few people around to ask to nudge up, anyway I hadn’t got a boat with me. Eventually Mick added Oleanna to the end of the line and was just tying up as I arrived. None of the really good view for us this time. We had pulled in next to NB Jemima, it also seemed familiar. It turned out that he and his five dogs had spent last winter on the Macc and I’m fairly sure he was moored opposite us at Christmas.

With so many woofers behind, what was I to do? I used the front door until I realised they were all either too slow or not interested in me. Then another boat arrived with another woofer. I was surrounded! But with plenty of friendly cover I managed to go for an explore. Playing chicken with pheasants is quite good fun.

The tunnel light has been gradually changing from chrome to orange so as it was still fine I got the Bar Keepers Friend out and returned it to silver. I also, at last, got round to soaking off the label on the stove flue pipe.

3 locks, 7 miles, 1 right, 1 speedy boater, 5 familiar boats, 2 new owners, 3 mushrooms, 6 tomatoes, 4 hash browns, 1 barbecue, 1 camp fire, 0 further to fall, 152 paces of git gaps, 6 boats worth, 6 woofers, 0 broken bones, 1 clean tunnel light, 1 clean flue, 1 battery being chased up!

Stone Top Lock to Lower Burston Bridge 85

After an email yesterday morning our plans have changed. We no longer need to head south, apart from to pick up a parcel of fuses in Great Haywood.

So this morning we could take our time looking round the Farmers Market on the High Street. It is held on the first Saturday of every month, but with it being the festival it is bigger than normal. Here we found what I felt was missing yesterday. If you were to come to the festival for just one day, today would have to be it so that you catch the market too.

A few of the stalls were familiar from Macclesfield’s Treacle Market last year, well we are only 30 miles away. Today there was bread, meat galore, black puddings, cakes, bags(!), huge Russian pies rammed full of tasty looking things. The Port of Lancaster Smokehouse was there with masses of game 4 small birds for £10, I was tempted but our freezer is quite full.

We had a good look round first. You never know where the best looking pies are, if you buy one at the first stall you might get pie envy five minutes later at the next stall. The mushroom man was here, I’d wondered what to do with a punnet last year on the Macc, but now I have two recipes that would be spot on for them. A gluten free meat pie and Black Pudding to try along with a big treat of a joint of beef. The only thing lacking was veg on the market, but the local green grocer provided us with what we were after and we went back to the boat with bags full of goodies to enjoy over the next few days.

After some lunch and emptying the yellow water tank we were ready for the off. We stopped at the water point two locks down to fill the tank. Mick popped to the chandlers and bought a bag of coal, sadly we’d missed a coal boat this morning (not Halsall) as we didn’t know of it’s existence until it had already passed us.

The Star had plenty of people drinking outside which gave us an audience as we passed down the last of the Stone locks. We were lucky to have arrived in Stone when we did as all but one mooring were taken through the town.

At Aston Lock the local trip boat was coming up. The tourists had been having a look at the mile stone here, half way between Preston Brook and Shardlow. The chap at the helm, said ‘We always like to point out that this is the middle of the Trent and Mersey Canal’. To which I replied, ‘Except it isn’t, there’s around another mile from Shardlow to Derwent Mouth on the T&M’. He’s either got so used to telling his passengers this or wasn’t aware of the actual end of the canal, or maybe I was just being pedantic.

No more Farm Shop at Aston Marina, it is now all restaurant and The Boat House is a huge venue for weddings and such.

Onwards to find a mooring for the night, just far enough away from the busy road and railway with plenty for Tilly to explore. She made the most of it even though it started to pour down once we’d moored up.

Today marks our first six months on board Oleanna. She has lived up  to our expectations and more. If we won the Euro millions then maybe we’d change the windows for double glazing, air vent from the engine bay would move and we wouldn’t still be waiting for a third lithium battery! Here’s to plenty more cruising months and years.

5 locks, 4.15 miles, 1 black pud, 1 pie, 2 Portuguese custard tarts, 1 joint beef, 5 varieties mushrooms, 1 loaf, 1 empty yellow tank, 1 full water tank, 3 hours of pouncing soggyness friend finding, 2 plates of pasta with garlicy mushrooms, 5th bag complete, 6 months in our new floating home.

In the last six months Oleanna has travelled 962 miles, been through 541 locks and done 676 engine hours. Think she’s earning her keep!

Stone

Mick hopped on a bike this morning to go down to the moorings below the locks in Stone to see if there were any spaces. There were, but it was really quite windy, so we decided to stay put at the top.

The Food and Drink Festival starts tomorrow and even though it doesn’t go on late the moorings at that end of the town may be just a bit too public. Tilly was allowed out, but she chose to stay indoors for much of the day, she really doesn’t like it when it’s windy.

I have spent much of the day ripping up more sheeting for some more bags. It takes forever to rip, twist and wind my home made yarn and then a few hours on an evening to use it all up. But hopefully I’ve now got enough for the next bag. A few boats have passed us today, but most have pulled up and moored to take shelter from the gusts of wind.

A walk into town for a bag of salad has broken the day up a bit. We have paid in advance for tickets to the festival saving 70p each! So tomorrow we’ll go and see what it is all about and make the most of our entrance fee. Saturday there is a Farmers Market in the main street which will be worth a look at, then we shall move down the locks and out into the countryside. Bagnall Lock looks like it is being manned by volunteers for a few hours a day, so we may not get held up for long.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 bike ride, 2 blowy!!!! 1 rain shower, 1 bag salad, 3 colours ripped and ready, 1 mackerel and potato bake bubbling in the oven.

Brook House to Stone Top Lock

Everyone seemed to have woken up at the same time this morning, as we joined in we were at least third in line for Meaford Locks, another boat about to untie said he’d leave it half an hour before setting off. At The Plume Of Feathers the lead boat had stopped to pick up a newspaper, so they then became third.

Pulling in behind NB Campanula I went to help set the lock and see what I could do to help the lady single hander down. I had a feeling I’d met this lady before on this flight as I had deja vu. With her boat lowered she opened her gate and climbed down the ladder to move it on to the next lock. However my gate hadn’t done the little sigh indicating that it was almost ready. I pulled, I pushed, Mick came to help, two bums better than one. Back and forth we giggled the gate but it was well and truly stuck at the bottom. Nothing could be seen, looking down, nothing obvious behind the gate like a log. A third bum was needed before we would have to call C&RT. Mrs Campanula climbed back up and all three of us managed to get the gate to move a little bit. We then closed it again and opened it, our combined force had got what ever it was shifted. Crew from the following boat at first thought that I must be a wimp ‘the beams are short, makes the gates heavy’. But he soon realised that hadn’t been the problem.

The three boats made our way down the four locks with no-one coming up. The lady from behind closed up our lock so that I could walk ahead to close the gates behind the single hander. By the time I got to the last lock, she was down and closing the gates and returned to lift a paddle for us. Very good team work.

We decided to stop for some lunch before working our way down through the Stone locks and by the time we’d finished it was nearly 3pm and the gusting wind was a bit stronger. So instead we stayed put, went for a walk around the town, checked to see if the chandlers stocked an air filter (they do Barrus not Beta). The Co-op were selling butter at a price we’d not seen for around six months, so we stocked up.

In several shops and pubs there were signs up about Stone Food and Drink Festival which is this coming weekend and in Westbourne Park large marquees were being erected. It looks like it might be worth hanging around for, good job we’ve already had our two days alcohol free this week!

To reach our current destination would take us 21 hours and we have ten days to do it in, so we can afford to take things slower and maybe loiter with intent in Stone. When we got back to the boat there was a C&RT stoppage notice saying that at Bagnall Lock there was a broken beam, which until mended would mean that the canal was closed. So there is no point in rushing along, Oh dear!

4 locks, 3.06 miles, 3 boat convoy, 1 stuck gate, 3 bum power, 2 puzzle books, £1 for butter! 1 inoperable gate at Alrewas, 2013 our last hire boat, 1 disappointing mooring!

Westport Lake to Brook House Winding Hole

We wondered what time Harecastle Tunnel opens in the morning as we lay in bed listening to NB Valerie quietly pull away, this is something that doesn’t normally concern us as we rarely do early starts. Heading southwards we pootled the next couple of miles. Passing Stoke Boats we wondered how Oleanna would have turned out if they had built her, they were a very close second choice. Past Middleport Pottery which now seems to be thriving with it’s tea shop, guided factory tours and it is where The Great Pottery Throw Down is filmed. One day we’ll actually stop and go round one of the potteries.

Arriving at Festival Park Marina we pulled onto the pub moorings. Mick made his way to B&Q for a bumper load of kindling whilst I walked up the hill into Hanley, just over a mile. Once past all the modern retail I realised I’d been here before years ago whilst working at the New Vic, their costume and furniture store is off on one of the side streets. Every now and then a building would stand out from the masses. The Quality Hotel looked like it had recently had a coat of white paint, soon followed by one building not needing any paint, the terracotta Telephone Buildings. Built about 1900 it replaced the original telephone exchange (handling 200 subscribers) and by 1904 it had over 2000 subscribers. It was itself replaced by a standard concrete exchange just beside it.

My visit was to buy some more fabrics and wool at my third Abakhan shop. This would the last heading south. But it seems that the population of Hanley would rather knit with acrylic than wool, so none of the yarns I was after were stocked. I did however manage to pick up a couple of new colours of sheeting for bags and three foam pads so that I can add a more substantially comfortable top to our stools on Oleanna.

Taking a slightly different route back to the boat I passed a wonderful, uncelebrated 30’s shop front and then found a good art shop which was surrounded by graffiti.

Back at Oleanna we decided to head straight on down the T&M. Our original plan had been to turn up the Caldon canal where there is a stretch of low bridges for Chimney Test 2. There being no winding holes close by should we not be able to continue, lack of bow thruster and the gusting wind all added up to this being a bad idea. Maybe we’ll have time when we head back north in four or five weeks time.

With hand cuff key in hand I hopped off to work Summit Lock, however the locks have been removed. There only being a couple of feet of water in it I set it for a boat coming up the lock below. NB JoJo were out for a weeks cruise, making the most of holiday from work, they are on the verge of becoming full time live aboards, but just need to take the final leap and hand in their notice at work. The lock below had been left for us with top gate wide open. As our lock was emptying I saw a lady come and she was just starting to lift a bottom paddle when I shouted for her to hang on, she quickly noticed and closed it again. We’ve all been there, every lock set against you, only two more to go before you can put the kettle on and have a sit down. It turns out that Mr Celtic May reads our blog and I think our paths may have crossed once before when we were yellow and they were brand new on the Leicester Section after Crick Boat Show last year. Enjoy the Four Counties.

We continued to work our way down through the locks meeting several boats coming up. The house (with barking dog) at the last lock seems to have an epidemic of cars. When we first came through Stoke there were one or two, then a couple more, now at least eight which spill out onto the road. Past the familiar sights of Shufflebottoms and the ‘Tackle and Bait, Air Guns, Archery, Boats and Engines, Country and Western Line Dancing’ Do they use the dancers as moving targets on the shooting range we wonder?!

At Trentham Lock we caught up with a hire boat that was having serious difficulty moving out of the lock. They had what seemed to be a duvet around their prop! A volunteer greeted us, very jolly young chap who reset the lock and helped us down. We’ve not seen a Lockie here before, he said that he likes to move about and had his bike beside the lock.

As we passed the Wedgwood Factory I tried taking a photo of the knitting I’d been doing out the back, but sadly without getting into serious camera settings and sitting still it wouldn’t work, not enough depth of field (I think). To honour the Potteries and especially Wedgwood I’d started on some blue wrist warmers, in Wedgwood Blue.

This evening Tilly has been very busy, her hour of shore leave turned into four! I got really quite worried as I could hear a fox constantly not that far away. It was only making that stupid noise because I was on it’s case and wondering if I could carry that much back home!

6 locks, 8.15 miles, 1 straight, 1.5 hours turned into 3, 1 hour turned into 4, 1 blog reader, 8 cars, 1 new front end, 1 jolly Lockie, 1 cat wary fox, 1 big mouth full.

Red Bull to Westport Lake

It still being very calm by the services we planned to move on today. But first we had our shopping delivery, the chap turned up bang on 9.30am the start of the slot.  Now everything just needed stowing! The back steps had to come out (time the cellar had a sweep) so that I could make the most of the available space under there. We are now back onto trying to have two dry days a week so our supplies should last us a while.

After another load of washing was done and dried in the services, yellow water tank emptied, I’d had a shower and we’d topped up the water tank we were ready to move onwards. Above the first of the last three locks it was quite blustery, we must have been quite well sheltered below.

At Red Bull Top Lock Mick pointed the bow of Oleanna to the port side lock, even though it was full. Below the two locks is a road bridge which slopes, the port side lock having the lower opening. A few years ago we came down this lock on our shareboat NB Winding Down and had to quickly put the breaks on as the chimney was too high to get under the bridge, Mick removed it and we carried on. So today we wanted to try out our new fixed chimney here.

With the cap removed from the top it is just about level with the horns. These sailed through with inches to spare as did the chimney. Chimney Test Part 1 PASSED.

If we have enough time we’ll divert our route to check on other low bridges that we’ve come across. If we get stuck we need to have enough time to be able to reverse to a winding hole, which of course are not close by!

Once we were up the other chamber we carried straight on to Harecastle Tunnel, resisting the lure of the Macc. Soon a boat came towards us, had we timed this well? The tunnel is one way traffic and the direction of travel is controlled by C&RT tunnel keepers. With the chance that we might be able to go straight through I grabbed our life jackets and big torch so that we could be ready. One boat was just starting to enter the tunnel and the keeper walked up to meet us. He could see that we’d been through before, he checked our tunnel light and horn were in working order and then asked us to pull up in the mouth of the tunnel. Even though we were prepared and had been through before, he still needed to go through what to do in an emergency, make sure it was fresh in our minds. He did complement us on our perfect timing, any earlier and we’d have had to moor up and wait, our arrival gave us just the right distance to the boat ahead so that we could enter. Any later and we might have had to wait for any boats coming the other way.

I’ve written about the tunnel a few times before, so here is a Link to Wiki about it. With our new super doper torch on at the back we are seeing things that we’ve never noticed before in tunnels. Today we saw the skeleton and Hull Rag Week graffitti, nothing new there. But on our port side we noticed what looked like tiles in the wall marking every hundred yards, counting upwards towards the southern portal. The meter marks are on the starboard side and count up to the centre point and then back down again. The lighting wasn’t good enough to be able to get a photo. Stalagmites of different colours hang from the ceiling, the best looking like they’ve been made from black treacle.

Once back in the sunshine we cruised on to Westport Lake where there was plenty of mooring free. We managed to tag onto the end of the 48hr VM. Once settled I realised that the boat in front was green, could this be Jaq on NB Valerie? Earlier in the day I’d read her latest post which said that she had moored here but would be moving off. A quick look at her blog to find a photo, the plants and wind chime in the well deck were hers. On his way back from sussing out the services Mick got chance to say hello and have a chat. Hope your trip up onto the Macc is a good one Jaq, enjoy the bridges, sorry I didn’t get chance to say hello myself.

With the stove lit tonight we made full use of it, jackets in next to the coals and a pot of chicken stock gently simmering on top. I think this is our first go at jackets with our Bubble stove, next time we’ll leave them for longer or have a bigger hotter fire going. It takes a while to get used to a new stove.

3 locks, 3.68 miles, 1.68 miles underground,  8 boxes, 1 load washing, 2 new fans, 1 empty yellow tank, 1 straight on, 1 blustery day, 2nd and last in the tunnel, 2 many people, 2 much grass not enough friendly cover, 2 jackets, 1 homemade pie, 2 glasses water, 1 bag base crocheted.

Red Bull

Today was a very very good day. They only moved the outside a little tiny bit after the boat in front had moved off, this was something to do with being nearer the tap. The stove was warmed up and as they settled down to a cooked breakfast the back doors were opened up and I was given the morning to explore. There was still plenty to see, pounce on, climb, smell and scratch. Whenever I came home I was allowed a few treats, today though they weren’t Dreeeamieess, today they came from a pot with ears just like mine. They were very tasty, so I made sure I came home often to get some more.  If this is what Birthdays are like then I’d like to have one every day please.

Whilst Tilly spent much of the day outside we celebrated her 2nd (or is it 24th?) birthday by having a cooked breakfast. A walk up to Tescos got us out, mainly so that we could get a green vegetable to go with our roast this evening and buy the Birthday Girl a present. There wasn’t much to chose from, but three new brightly coloured mice were rolled on, licked and killed before Tilly was back out reducing Red Bull of their real mice population.

We had been expecting a storm today, but it never seemed to arrive. Not much rain and only a couple of gusts of wind that might have caused difficulty moving a boat. Maybe we had found a sheltered spot and a few miles further north it was blowing a hoolie! But with shopping arriving in the morning we weren’t going to move anywhere.

Mick didn’t bother getting his waders out. Even though the towpath is on the right side to check out the bow thruster tube the bank side is very high. When we arrived there was getting on for a two foot height difference between the orange water and the towpath, far too high to be able to get out. The levels on this pound fluctuate quite greatly. This morning we could open our hatch, but by mid afternoon the level was two foot lower again.

Our bedding has all been washed and then dried in the service block here. The tumble dryer was very efficient as it only took one go to get everything dry. I finished off my second pair of socks and then started to rip up more sheeting for the next bag creation.

0 locks, 60 ft, 2 or is it 24 year old second mate, 8 hours! 4 lots of treats!, 1 girl mouse, 1 boy mouse, 1 transgender mouse, 1 load washing, 2 pairs complete socks, 3 colours ripped and ready, 2 deep for waders, 2 ears fresh corn, 0 taste! 3 monthly wormer and flea postponed til tomorrow.

Thurlwood Bridge to Red Bull

Mick got a bike out this morning and cycled up to the shop at Rode Heath for a newspaper so that we’d have one at breakfast time. It was quite damp, but by the time we were ready to move off it had dried up.

At the first lock we had the choice between two chambers, here we checked Oleanna’s width in the narrow one. Boats over 6ft 10in wide should not use this lock as it has quite a few bows in the sides. We took it steady, just in case but ended up not having to breath in at all, which we knew anyway. So we should fit through the bottom lock onto the Llangollen later in the year.

The water from the next lock being emptied announced that there was a boat on it’s way down, so we left the gates for them but I was too late to attract their attention to leave the gates for us. Thurlwood Lock isn’t one of my favourites as it has a gate paddle that is surrounded by a very large metal box, this makes it cumbersome to cross the top gates and when one of your hands doesn’t grip how it used to I’d now rather walk round. But today it gave me another reason not to like it.

I opened the bottom gates, once Oleanna was in I went to close them. They are angled in such a way that they need a good pull/push to get them past their balance point (for want of a better term) to be able to close them. I pulled, then climbed over the gate to push as the beams overlap the lock bridge. I pushed and thought I’d just got it, when it decided otherwise. The damp wooden bridge and my walking shoes repelled each other. I had enough time to wonder if trying to regain my footing was worth while or would that just create a Wile E. Coyte moment. Then more pressing thoughts of getting limbs and arms out of the way of  bridge railings and lock beam took over. Leaving the slippy bridge slightly cleaner than when I arrived I escaped with only a soggy bum.

At Lawton Locks I set a chamber for us and then topped up the one next door for a boat coming down. I opened their gate and they did ours and then one boat rose as the other went down, a perfect use of these locks with both boats helping each other. As we reached Halls Lock 49 we considered stopping for Mick to try the bow thruster again. We’ve moored here twice before. The first time was on a hire boat in 2008 with Mick’s sisters Kath and Ann for company. We woke in the morning to snow, so today we decided we carry on and avoid a chilly night.

Church Bottom lock was full with a boat coming down the top lock when we arrived. There is a short pound between them which you may or may not be able to pass in. We helped them down and left the top lock ready for us. Soon after we’d started our ascent a lady appeared above, looking puzzled at what we were doing. With no other boats around it made sense to us. Then as we moved from one chamber to the next a boat appeared below, the crew waited to man the bottom lock for the next boat to come down. More boats arrived, whether it was best to do one boat up, one boat down, or a few in one direction was up to them. The pound above was very high, brimming over the towpath in parts.

As we passed the dairy farm and NB Mellow, I took my usual photo. We love Oleanna but this photo will never ever be the same as it was with Lillian.

Clearing the last but one lock to Red Bull I could see that major works were happening at one of the locks, so only one chamber would be in use. As I walked up to check on mooring space above the last lock I could see that a boat was stopped and moored in the entrance to the working chamber. It was a Middlewich Hire Boat, just what were they doing? It turned out that they were waiting to tow another of their hire boats that had broken down on the Macc which was just about to be pulled into the chamber to come down. With plenty of space by the C&RT offices we moved up to the next pound. Here we could moor on rings and weather out the forecast storm, do washing, top up with water and get it dry at the services and have a supermarket delivery.

Whilst outside it rained for most of the afternoon we did our shopping, chased and caught a Tilly friend, moved Tilly’s towel from seat to seat to minimise muddy paw prints, lit the stove and stayed cosy.

11 locks, 2.82 miles, 1 near Looney Tunes moment, 0 anti slip on bridge, 0 damage done, 0 snow, 4 in the queue, 0 yellow anymore, 1 boat on tow, 4 soggy brilliant hours, 1 friend trying to get cosy under the sofa, 4th sock complete, 1 wine cellar needing sorting, 25% off wine!