Below Dutton Lock

Last night we had our last meal in Northwich at Relish, its very close and handy for the town moorings, unlike last Thursday night when the weather was hot and the place empty, last night they were quite busy.

A bit of admin to do this morning so we didn’t leave until 11-45am. heading down stream for the last time, I like this river. Down passed the Anderton Lift that still doesn’t work noting that the trip boat wasn’t there, we met it just a few minutes later and this time about half full. I don’t know how far they go and what it cost.

I called Saltersford just before the the dredging disposal site, today is Martin’s day off and his relief is a lady, today she was instructing another CRT member on how Saltersford  lock operates, the same chap will be locking us out of Marsh Lock on Friday. Down to Acton Bridge where I gave Bob at Dutton Lock a call so that lock was ready for us as well. The water must be gushing through the top gate of the lock at almost the same rate as an open paddle on a narrow canal lock.

Once clear of the lock we turned to face upstream and moored on the visitor moorings/waterpoint for the night again, while we were here we also filled the water tank.

Today’s Journey

 

6¾ miles with 2 locks in 2½ hours

Northwich Town Moorings

Last night we moored below Dutton lock in the same spot Robbie Cummins used for the TV show . I wouldn’t normally consider doing such a thing but there is next to nothing moving on the river.

A little before 10 I walked up and had a word with Bob the lock keeper about locking up, there were still 2 vans there doing maintenance work on the system. The bottom lock gates started to open and I moved forward, then they stopped, the whole system had tripped. Thankfully he was able to reset it and we were on our way.
Just above Acton Bridge someone has this on their empty mooring, I can’t even go that slow if I stay in gear.

The Heron we passed yesterday has lent his stilt to a Canada goose today.

At Saltersford Lock Martin had the bottom gates open ready for us, so straight in and up. We did meet one boat today, the CRT trip boat just below Anderton Lift, they must have had a coach load in.
We moored at the pontoons in Northwich to make a visit to Asda. Just before we left I checked my emails. I had one from the MSC saying my booking  for Friday had been refused and sent my money back, no reason given, but at least an email address, so I asked why. I had a reply within 10 minutes saying I had failed to attach my “sea Worthy certificate”. I felt sure I had and when I got back to the boat I checked, they were right, I had attached another surveyors report, not the one they wanted, so a new application sent ready for Friday. We then moved up to Northwich Dry Dock to see Matt who blacked our hull for us before mooring for the night on the town moorings again.

Today’s Journey

7¼ miles with 2 locks in 2¾ hours

Dutton Lock

Well in three days we have gone from sleeping with no bedclothes and all hatches open to every thing closed up and the duvet on. Last night or early this morning I photographed the moon, not easy as its low in the sky and we were down below the locks, plus its half one in the morning and I am naked .

This morning we went to the Dry Dock to find Matt without any luck, so back to Harnser and on our way down through town, this Cormorant was resting on the old British Waterways crane.

Down through the bridges and out of town, then passed the Anderton Lift, they looked to have a

couple of customers at the café and down to Saltersford Lock which fortunately was already full.Martin the keeper rang ahead to Bob at Dutton to hell him we were on our way. Shortly later Martin rang back and said we may get held up for a short time at Dutton as they were doing routine maintenance. Passing the Riverside Inn at Acton Bridge the water looks quite shallow unless this Heron had stilts on.

I rand Bob at Dutton and told him we would stop in Acton Bridge for lunch  so the chaps doing the maintenance could finish.
On the approach to Dutton Lock there is an old wreck, every year it decays slightly more and it must be heading towards the time it was removed before in breaks up completely into the river.

We were soon locking down as Bob had the lock full and the gate open ready for us. looking back as we dropped there was quite a bit of water coming through the top gate.

Once clear of the lock we chugged downstream for a bit looking for somewhere to moor, but as things we so overgrown we headed back upstream and moored just below the lock, it says no overnight mooring, but if Robbie can moor here on TV then so can I.

Today’s Journey,

7¾ miles with 2 locks in 3½ hours

Below Hunts Lock

This morning while we were having breakfast it started raining with a really heavy drizzle sort of rain, thankfully it had stopped before we set off. They call this Winsford Marina, its basically just a

basin with mooring rings, there is one tap, I didn’t try it but was told its out of order. As we were leaving just after 10 am this chap was surrounded with geese and swans.

Doesn’t this look inviting to cruise at the top of this section of the Weaver, Its not, its a flash, very shallow in places. I have creped some of the way up the edge here, taking depth soundings as I went dead slow.

We had spoken to the lock keeper yesterday and agreed that we would wait above Vale Royal for when he brought a cruiser  up from Hunts starting at 11-30, so that should have been around 12-15. Our plan to arrive a little after 11am and wait on the lock landing. Passing under Newbridge the level was about 2.1M, last time we visited the river it was about 1.8M .
Last time we visited the river the company name was on the cladding of this salt mine winding gear, so it must have been reclad since then.

We got to the lock moorings and waited and waited and waited, had lunch and rang the phone number displayed on the notice board, it went to voice mail, so left a message. Left it a while and tried again. same thing. We had  by now resigned ourselves with going back to Winsford for the night and booking a passage for Monday, then the phone rang. The lock keepers were at Hunts lock and would be with us as soon as they had worked the two boat waiting there to come up.When we finally locked down we had waited about 4¼ hours. The chaps had been called away to an emergency fix on the T&M. They locked up down before locking the other two boats up, so we had another wait above Hunts until they arrived to lock us down.
Once we left the lock we went down through the town , winded and filled the water tank, then back up stream to moor for the night just below Hunts Lock.
Today’s Journey

6½ miles with 2 locks in 7¼ hours

Winsford Marina

It was a good decision yesterday moving to the Town Moorings  as the housed gave us evening shade, I even had to get up during the night and close the hatches because we were feeling cold.This morning was much fresher, a bit of cloud and a breeze.
We pushed off at about 10am up to Hunts Lock which is maned at weekends. At the lock there was no sign of life but a notice in the window with a phone number saying they were at vale Lock so I gave them a ring to let them know we were waiting. They had two boats to lock down Vale and then they would be with us. It must have been about mid day when they arrived, just a barge came up and moored by the lock gate and a cruiser came in just in front of us. I went to see the lock keeper, a proper CRT one and he assured me, both us and the barge would get in together and we did.

 

We both thought they could have squeezed the cruiser in, but he locked up alone afterwards. Severn’s plan was to go up to Winsford and back down again this afternoon. He left the lock first and off he went.

when we reached Vale Lock he had just tied up to the wall and we tucked in behind him. We had bit of a wait for the lock keepers as they had to lock the cruiser up Hunts, close up and then drive to Vale Royal. The cruiser turned up just after they did. Again Severn went in first against went to the right bank and we lay beside him. Being 60 foot long even he looked small in the lock.

While waiting he lowered the forward section of his cloths so that he could clear Newbridge Swing Bridge with it’s 2M clearance. We waved him goodbye and pulled onto the visitor moorings for lunch.
A couple of hours later just before we set off again he came down the river heading back to Northwich.

I think the good people of Cheshire must all be doing their laundry today, looking at the outflow of the sewage discharge point. Loads of foam.

At the Red Lion a small dingy had just pulled in, he had ran out of petrol and had to row back, I offered him a tow to the slipway but he said if we had been an hour earlier he would have been glad of it. We carried on past the end of the CRT navigation to the

mouth of Winsford Flash where I decided to reverse down into the moorings. A real pigs ear as soon as I  stopped the wind caught my bows and tried to turn me round as I went back down. having the prop in the treacle in the mooring arm didn’t aid manoeuvring. There is only a little sailing boat  moored here, but as I wright this it is thundering and the heavens just opened.

Today’s Journey lots of hanging about.

5¾ miles with 2 locks in 4 hours

Northwich Town Moorings

No sign of Matt this morning so we still haven’t paid our dues, but we cant get off the river until early next month. Not only did Matt black the hull, sides and bottom but he also changed the top bearing of the rudder. I had tried several times to get the swan neck off with no luck. While they had the boat Rebekah painted a panel in the back cabin as well as repairing the warn scumbling.

Looking out of the side hatch we had ducks and a family of swans playing around. By the time we left at a few minutes to ten the swans had moved back down to their nest just below the marina.

We pulled in at the moorings by Anderton Lift to put the Bimini as it was hot again with a cloudless sky, We cruised downstream to moor for a few hours at Barnton and relax. After lunch we headed back upstream and pulled in at the town pontoon moorings to visit Asda for a few odds and ends (beer). Lots of their fridges and freezers are out of action with covers drawn down . That done we set off again for the short journey to the town moorings which a shaded by the riverside houses.

Today’s Journey

 

6¼ miles with no locks in 1¾ hours

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