Northwich Thursday 29 June

Well we are back onboard Harnser so more riveting stories to follow.

We left home at 8-30am and the drive didn’t start well. At Hensted crossroads just 2 miles from home highways (unless someone had moved them)had put the road closed signs on the wrong junction, so we got to Hulver and had to turn round and come back and go via Mutford. Things then went well until well along the A14. Tomtom alert 6 minute delay, then 10, 11 Accident ahead turn left in 1¼ miles. Of round roads full of S bends and bumpy surfaces to re-join an empty, well our side, east bound traffic was going nowhere, A14 some miles further along. We heard later it was a lorry fire.
On to Rugby Enterprise to pick up a small hire van to get us to Northwich, dropping our car off at Barby Moorings.
Unloaded our things at the Northwich drydock where Harnser was moored at the end of the yard ready for us. Returned the van to Northwich Enterprise. It all seemed so much simpler than last time I hired from them and walked to the bus stop. The next bus was an hour, so called Uber.
We had planned to eat at the Bowling green as its only a short walk from the Dry Dock, a bit further from where we are moored, anyway we trudged up there only to find that due to the heat they had closed the kitchen early. This meant we had to walk back, out through the main gates of the old CRT/BW yard, luckily we still have the key and go for an Indian at Relish in their nice air conditioned restaurant where we were his only customers. The heat has just killed their trad, not even any takeaways . Back to the boat and off to bet with all hatches open until 6 this morning when it started to rain.

Home

Just to put you all in the picture, this morning we left Harnser at Northwich Drydock and took an Uber, first for us, back to Barby, picked up our car and drove home. Harnser will get a cleaned and painted bum and we will return to continue with our journey. Sorry is its not as exciting as Narrow Escapes or Canal Boat diaries.

Northwich Drydock

We dumped the rubbish, this is the last waste disposal point going upstream waved goodbye to Steve and set off upstream, I gave Martin the Saltisford lock keeper a ring to say we were on our way and he had the lock ready when we arrived. Shortly after leaving the lock we passed the dredging disposal site. the digger driver sitting in his cab waiting so I knew Rouben was on his way and we passed  on a bend just before Winsford swing bridge we also met a canoe and once above Anderton the CRT trip boat, they were doing more trade than when we saw them last, this time they had 8 people onboard.
With June  16 approaching, the start of the course fishing season the local angling clubs have been doing vegetation management where they intend to fish.  
The dredger in now working right opposite the town mooring pontoons, I gave him a couple of blasts on the horn and moved slowly closer but no acknowledgment, By the time I was up to him he was dredging around the end of the dredger and behind the flat, so I wound it on and went past diving two more blasts, at this point the lookout chap stuck his head out of the hut for a look. On both occasions we have passed the unit the lookout has failed to see us coming and he has a very large window in his hut. We wanted to fill with water but there was a very nice cruised there so we dropped in below him and waited until he was finished before topping our tank up. From here its a short chug up to Hunts Lock where we are booked for 2-30pm. As we came into the moorings a CRT operative walked down and said would it be OK if we went up at 2PM. Weather wise we have had a couple of very heavy showers. In the end we went up at 2-15 just as the hail started. About 50 yards above the lock we turned sharp left down the wear stream and passed the rowing club, then it really started to hail as we approached the

drydock gate. Instructions were to moor above the gate and on Saturday, when the other boat leaves they would rope Harnser in.

Today’s Journey 6¾ miles with 2 locks in 3¼ hours

Acton Bridge

Boy did it rain last night, about 8mm in a series of very heavy showers. We heard a noise about 7 AM an looking out saw a bunch of canoes, no idea where they came from that time of the day. We pushed off about 10 AM. Bob the Dutton lock keeper had given me his phone number so I rang him from near the viaduct to tell him we were on our way.

Good news he had a boat in the lock coming down and he should be exiting just as we arrived. It worked well with no waiting. Locked up and we were off again to moor at Acton Bridge. We are not in the best of spots as there is another boat almost dead centre of the straight quay heading. The reason of mooring here was that Nigel Hamilton from Thorne Marine was coming to do our BSS inspection. Thankfully we passed so are good for another 4 years

Todays Journey

3¾ miles 1 lock in 1¼ hours

Somewhere between Dutton and Sutton locks

Not a good night, it was quite windy when we went to bed and the boat was knocking, so got up and put wheelbarrow wheel fenders down, then the rudder was creaking, so out again and lashed that down, come 1-30 AM the police were out with a big light shining down from their helicopter somewhere over Frodsham way.
This morning we woke to light rain but it soon died away. The river has been busy again, one canoe and a few rowers out from the club, that plus two lads in swimming shorts who couldn’t decide whether to go in or not was the total activity.
We shoved off at about 11 AM heading for the very end of the river where the old Runcorn canal went off, what a shame its not still operational.

You can only go a few yards passed this and there is a bridge across the cut, I don’t know if there is a right of navigation passed it or not.

As you can see I have dropped back between a pair of gate, I think this was just an old stop lock protecting the Weaver from the Mersey when that stretch of the ship canal was tidal. I made bit of a hash of turning as I didn’t realise the wind coming down the river was so strong, dolling round the stone lock gate bullnose. Last time we were down here Eddy Stobbart was using the land between the river and the ship canal, now its just derelict.

We headed back upstream passed the chemical works, the works is about a mile and a half long with less steam leaks than last time we were this way. The two lads contemplating a swim were sitting on the landing stage by Sutton Swing Bridge. Continuing on our way we met the canoeist that we had seen going upstream earlier.

I had spotted a nice section of bank in the middle of nowhere about half a mile below Devils Garden, we would have moored there but I didn’t fancy paying £10 to hammer two stakes in for the night.

Today’s Journey

8¼ miles with no locks in 2¼ hours

Sutton Weaver

What has happened to summer, the outside temperature was in single figures last night and we woke to heavy rain. Thankfully the rain stopped before we got up. The river is really busy now, another Narrowboat joined us on the moorings last night and we have seen two cruisers go by today, well it is Saturday. Last night I posted a photo of the dredger, flat and tug going by. It seems there were off to Acton Bridge for a crane to reinstall the spud rams for some reason.It’s now moored on the offside at Acton Bridge for the weekend.
We set off about 10 am. and headed down to Saltersford Lock, this lock is quite slow and after Diana visited the keeper it was probably 20 minutes before the top gate opened and a similar time to drain down. The assistant lock keeper kept a close eye on us.

At the tail of the lock the depth over the cill is engraved into the stone work in Roman numerals, I suspect they are feet.

As you approach Acton Bridge the channel to the left is used for long term mooring, I am not even sure if you can get all the way through because it runs

under the bridge approach. We made a quick stop just after the bridge to dispose of rubbish, I think they are the only bins on the river now then down to Dutton Lock. A bit better photo of the old wreck as we passed. Bob had the gate open when we arrived as the other keeper rang ahead and said we were coming.

Our mooring for tonight would be the same one as we used the first night on the river at Sutton Weaver and we are in exactly the same spot, but facing the other way, that puts the bedroom further from the road bridge.

Today’s Journey

8 miles with 2 locks in 3 hours

Barnton

Last night we ate at the small Indian restaurant The Relish Tandoori We had the set meal for two and ended up bringing one rice, one main course and half a Nan home because it was far too much. Late last night I got the TV aerial in and this was my view from the deck.

Today was just a short just running downstream to the visitor moorings at . While we were here Rueben came by with this.

On the way we passed an obliging Cormorant who posed nicely for me as we passed so that I could photograph it.

Up at Nantwich this looks like Himalayan Balsam growing just below the marina

Today’s Journey

3¼ miles with no locks in 1 hour

Northwich

Last night as planned we went to The Red Lion for dinner. it was their two for one Mexican night so we had different dishes and shared them 50/50, I bet it will be the best value this trip, unless we come back.
It was gone 11 when we set off, we had a booking at Vale Royal lock for 2pm and its only about an hours run. There wasn’t room to wind by the bridge, so rather than going to the mouth of the Flash a ran backwards until the river widened and I could turn to head down stream. Yesterday we spotted a submerged boat so today we tried to photograph it. Not the best of shots through the rippley surface. We carried on down and moored on the lock landing for lunch, minutes before the rain started.On the way we passed these rather smart prefabricated bungalows, they were being built last time we were this way. The brick one at the extreme right has a rather smart bug hotel in the garden

After lunch we kept an eye out for a CRT van arriving to work the lock and swing bridge for us but no sign, so Diana walked to the lock and there they were, so we set off towards the lock arriving just as the top gate was opening but I still had to wait for the swing bridge to be moved, they use a battery powered drill to do this.

Luckily we discussed Hunts Lock with them because they were unaware we were going through so now they said they would see us there .
Passing Jalsea Marine all the moored boats have now left, goodness knows where they have all gone

Moving what's left on the bank may be more of a problem, I shouldn’t want the job of slinging and lifting it.

At this point I realised why we hadn’t seen a CRT van at Vale Royal as the two Volockies came hurtling down the towpath on their bikes to be at Hunts lock first.
Once through the lock the first thing we noticed was no dredging and the equipment tied up at the old British Waterways Yard. The yard is looking very sad now with all the windows missing.

We moored in the rain, it only started after we left the lock and stopped as soon as we moored. The reason for mooring here was a quick visit to Asda, that done it was up to the water point and then return to the mooring we have used opposite the marina.

Todays Journey

5½ Miles with 2 locks in 2¼ hours

Winsford Red Lion

Just as we were about to get up it started to rain, so no rush. Todays plan is a cruise to Vale Royal locks and back up as we have a table booked at the Red Lion tonight.
Once the rain finally stopped we headed off, reversing out onto the Flash, what I hadn’t realised was just how windy it would be, which made life interesting for a few minutes. Back down the river the CRT jurisdiction doesn’t start until the second bridge by the Red Lion moorings. Apart from the boats that live up on the Flash we are the only boat on the river above Vale Locks. Passing the water outlet the flow was much greater than yesterday

with lots more foam with the flow reaching the far side of the river. At the salt mine  a chap with his front loader was hard at work making the salt mountain bigger. There is a real range of colours in this salt, I don’t know if each colour has a different use.

We passed under the Swing Bridge again, I thought it was just a path but there was a car crossing just before we arrived.

The water level looks the same but we have only had about 7mm of rain this week although it seemed more.

We carried on downstream to Vale Royal locks where we winded and came up to the visitor moorings for lunch and when the sun came out with some nice blue sky made our way up the The Red Lion moorings at the head of the CRT navigation by bridge . I said earlier we were the only boat up here, just as we came in to moor 6 canoes came down from the Flash.

 

Today’s Journey

 

6 miles with no locks in 2 hours

Winsford Marina

This morning I spent half an hour on the phone trying to sort a transit up through Hunts (easy and Vale Royal(the problem) Last night I booked Hunts for today and went to do the same at Vale Royal and there were no passages listed this month. So this morning I rang CRT and spoke to a young lady, she didn’t know the answers but contacted someone who did so at 10am we set off to Hunts lock to find 2 CRT chaps and two lady Volockies being trained. However just before we set of Rueben came by with an empty flat to take to the dredging, so now between us and the lock was a dredger, full pan, empty pan and a tug. I  must admit I have never passed one like this before, under the arm of the dredger

Roger Alsop was on the bridge as we passed under it and I noticed he was taking photographs of us.  He has kingly agreed that I could post this one of us heading for the dredger bridge on my blog.

 

  
At Hunts Lock we entered the smaller chamber, We actually arrived before our booking but it was all OK as they were there doing the training. We discussed our plans and after locking us through they drove up to Vale Royal to lock us through there .
We had some lovely reflections as we made our way upstream with mill pond calmness.

At Vale Royal the smaller chamber, the one that is in use is to the right of the larger one. We arrived before our locking team and when they arrived that had to first empty the chamber and swing the foot bridge that crosses the chamber before we could enter.

The flow on the river is almost undetectable at the moment and we had a good headroom under Newbridge Foot Bridge. We have been under when its much tighter.

There was plenty of water coming in, I think this is from a sewage works but I am not sure on that.

We carried on up to beyond the head of Navigation to Winsford Marina, when we arrived I counted 28 swans in there. As we went in they all swam out, I took care to make sure none were between Harnser and the moorings.

The name Winsford Marina is interesting, it consists of a hard edged basin with a free to use slipway at the mouth, a single tap and a free carpark. Not what  most people would consider to be a Marina.

If anyone watches Canalboat Diaries Robbie was here in last weeks episode Canal Boat Diaries - Series 7: Episode 4 | Channel 4.

Todays Journey

 

6 miles with 2 locks in 2½ hours

Northwich

This morning Diana spotted this flat and tug hovering alongside. He was waiting for the Town Bridge to swing and timed it perfectly, well he has been boating since he was a kid.

We headed upstream to visit Matt at the Northwich Drydock Since we were here last they have got the side slip working, I can’t think where there is another working one in the UK, loads in mainland Europe.

Just beyond this is where the dredging is taking place so moorings alongside the yard are limited but we got in up near the end of the drydock.

After finding Matt and having a chat we turned round and headed back downstream, we had to wait a few minutes for the dredger driver to make safe so that we could pass.
Down at Anderton lift the Daniel Adamson  was still 

moored up. She is doing a few cruises from there over the next couple of weeks so we will probably see her on the move. We made our way downstream passing an island of Floating Pennywort before mooring for lunch . While were there Rueben came back up with his tug and an empty flat, slowing as he passed us. Soon it was time for us to set off so we went a little further downstream, passed where the dredging's were being offloaded to

wind and head back upstream. Again we had to pass under Winnington Bridge, this photo shows the arch a bit better.

We just passed the Anderton Lift and the pontoon moorings when Diana spotter the bow of a loaded flat coming round the bend. I gave a quick blast on the horn to let him know we were there and we passed with loads of room. We are now moored in exactly the same spot as last night.
At the moment you have to book Hunts and Vale Royal locks. I have booked Hunts OK for tomorrow and return Thursday but there are no bookings available at all for Vale Royal so that’s a none runner, I will ring them in the morning.

Today’s journey

 

7¾ miles with no locks in 2¼ hours