An early start for us this morning as we wanted to be at the tunnel entrance by 8am. we knew there were a couple of hire boats moored ahead and if they had gone up we would need to turn the lock so 7-15am we were on our way and even passed the fuel boat Halsall who was only just crawling out of the back door. There were 2 boats on the tunnel moorings when we arrived so we had to go to the front to get in. A third boat arrived and moored along side us and eventually Halsall turned up. By now the tunnel keeper had told us that there were 4 boats coming from the other end first, so it would be about 9am when we went in. Halsall would go first as ex working boats lead in this direction due to the air flow, then the boat on the outside of me, me and then the hire boat who had been there all night. The boat at the back was booked for 2pm this afternoon. We actually entered the tunnel at 9-08am.
The passage took me exactly 40 minutes and the keeper closed the doors after Halsall had exited and also after I had exited due to the gap between the boats. Its quite a busy morning for the tunnel keepers, 4 in the first convoy, 4 in the second and 6 waiting for the third .
We passed Halsall at Westport Lake tied up along side Bream, so I guess they were making a delivery.
A little further on the towpath was thick with daisies, I have never seen them so dense.
The chap ahead of us was effectively single handing so he had arranged for a local chap called Rob to assist him down the Stoke locks, that was music to my ears as with Rob helping him he would fly down, we didn’t see him after the top two and he even back set a couple for us. Working down the flight we met a couple of boats coming up. One was a single hander and Diana as she was standing by the lock offered to help, the chap didn’t even get off and drop a top paddle or help her push the gate.
One for all you plant people out there, is this giant hog weed growing on the offside bank?
There is a major development going on by bridge 113 called The Urban Village and it looks as if they are keeping the old front of the building, there are more details here
We carried on cruising under a cloudy sky but feeling reasonably warm to Trentham Lock where we had to wait for a boat to ascend before we could continue on our way, the boat we had been following earlier was moored up on the Wedgwood visitor mooring and invited us to join them, but we were continuing to Barlaston as we planed to eat in The Plume of Feathers tonight.
Today’s Journey
12 miles, 7 locks in 6¾ hours (1 spent waiting for the tunnel)
1 comment:
Hi, giant hogweed grows to 12 feet or more. I have reported two lots over the years, once by the railway line on the way into Birmingham and one on a footpath near the Avon, following a winter of severe flooding. Ordinary hogweed grows to 6 feet or less. I don't know how tall the giant would be this early in the year, but if that's what you think it is there is a site to report invasive plants, with as accurate a location as you can give. I did that for mine, and I know the railway one was verified and removed. The leaves certainly look suspicious.
Though I hope you are wrong! ;)
Debby
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