We didn't sleep to well last night and I almost got up at 0600hrs to set off, but good sense prevailed but we were away at 0900 hrs not expecting to meet any boats coming down. 2 boats went up at 0830hrs so we gave them bit of a start but by the third lock we were meeting boats quite regularly so we didn't turn many locks at all.
As we came up the locks, which are paired the section between the locks behind the bottom gate have what looks like a false wooden wall. Was there at one time a paddle in here connecting the two locks together to save water like Hillmorton by any chance.
Passing under the M6 Motorway bridge the Highways Authority look to have finished their bridge strengthening works with these two cast concrete block, they have only done 2 supports on each side of the canal.
Passing the moored boats at Hassle Green this cat looked to have found the number one bed for sunbathing, as you can see he even has a cushion to lay on .
The wall at Snaps Aqueduct looks quite strange from up here with the turned back wing walls and the curved buttress face, but from down on the road it all looks normal.
We stopped for lunch at the visitor moorings in Lawton and while we were there experienced our first light shower of the trip. Checking the weather forecast which showed rain for tomorrow we set off up the rest of the Cheshire locks a short way behind a Black Price Hire boat, all the next locks were with us and in each case the lock-wheeler from the hire boat opened the bottom gates ready for us. Hirers don't normally think of doing things like that. We stopped in Kidsgrove and I went to Tesco to buy more charcoal, well the weather may be OK. As I returned to the boat I expected to get a soaking and it started raining again just as I got back to the boat, this time there was quite a bit more of the wet stuff coming down. We sat it out and then did the final lock before turning up towards the Macclesfield canal, by now there was a boat coming towards us so we left the lock gate for him, but he also turned up towards the Mac. he made a much better job of it than I did, I got it totally wrong and Diana had to go back and shut the gate, I managed to pick her up halfway between the junction and the bend. We had hoped to moor on the Aqueduct but all moorings were taken so once clear of the moored boats I waved the boat following passed and started to get into the side on rough ground. An elderly gentleman off one of the moored boats who I think had just had a soaking in the rain came along the towpath to tell us he was just leaving and we would be more than welcome to have his spot, he was wearing plastic clogs, a shirt and I don't know if they were swimming trunks or his pants. We backed up to where he was leaving, his elderly wife pushing the bows out with a pole, she wasn't wearing much more than him, a lose dress and not much else.
So now we are moored on rings and the BBQ is alight and its not raining any more.
Today's Journey 
7 miles, 24 locks 1 junction in 6 hours and 10 minuets
1 comment:
We are moored wild near Congleton so we'll meet tomorrow
Post a Comment