From Manchester to Barbridge Junction 29.8.14

Bridgewater Canal

Friday 29.8.14

We turned left, leaving the Rochdale canal behind us...thank goodness!

We turned left and were immediately on deep wide waters and on our way to Sale. Lots of boats coming and going, people cruised this canal, we haven't seen this many boats since we left Liverpool!

Lots of boats come and go, we havent seen this many boats for ages

A bit of graffiti under one of the bridges... there's talent and soul here

Cruising through Sale

... and there's work being done to improve the towpath here, not C&RT waters I must add

We cruised 7 miles out of Manchester on the Bridgewater and got to Little Bollington, our intended stop for the night.

Our stop off at Little Bollington, back in the peace and tranquillity of the countryside

We'd stopped here 4 months ago on our way up the Bridgewater so we knew it was a good stop. Green fields all around us, feint noise of a road somewhere in the distance. All was great now!

We walked Jack over the fields near the boat, this was our view 

It rained but we didn't care, we took Jack out over stubble fields and meadows and woodland and up tracks, he ran to his hearts content. He hadn't been able to do that for a while!

Back at the boat we had lovely hot showers, got into our pjs and relaxed in the peace and tranquility of the countryside.

On Saturday we walked Jack and set off in the cold, rainy and windy morning. We decided to cruise the 3 miles to Lymm, we needed food and water, life's essentials.

Setting off in the drizzle we went the half mile to the only waterpoint we've found on this canal, two boats waiting, so we waited our turn. It didn't take long and soon we were off again, wind quite strong now, heading the couple of miles to Lymm through the wide and deep waters, past rows and rows of moored boats. 

Boats moored up at Lymm

We soon got to Lymm where we found a spot right near the Golden Fleece pub and the bridge in the town moorings, 3 days limit here.

This was the last spot free, right near the pub and the road bridge, but it was quiet enough

It seemed nice, lots of happy people about, good walks for Jack to Lymm Dam and the surrounding woodlands and stubble fields. 

One of the carved tree trunks in the woods by the dam

Lymm was a pretty little town...

Roy turned up on his boat and we all chatted for a while.

We went into town and shopped at the small Sainsburys, we also went out for a meal, originally at the Golden Fleece but they were so busy we went to The Spread Eagle instead, it was ok but small!

The Spread Eagle....

... but don't eat here if you're hungry. This bit of cod was supposed to be large!

View from the bridge, its busy with boats here, a good shopping stop off!

Surprisingly we had a peaceful night, and on Sunday 31st August we set off from Lymm in the drizzley cold morning waving goodbye once again to Roy!

Waving goodbye to Roy, probably won't see him again for a while now

We cruised 12.5 miles today passing through some nice places; Grappenhall, Stockton Heath, Lower and Higher Walton. 

Leaving Lymm, the canal is well kept and pretty

There's some lovely bridges.....

... and some very soggy towpaths

People watch as we make our way through this bridge hole

The drizzle eventually stopped but it was cold and grey, the cruise was nice though, there were no locks to do, it was easy cruising.

The M56 road bridge, the Runcorn arm is just off to the left through the bridge

We went past the Runcorn Arm, under the M56 road bridge, the last half mile to the tunnel was narrow, preparing us for the Trent & Mersey canal the other side of the tunnel.

We pull up behind this boat waiting for the right time to go through the tunnel

You have to obey the signs as the tunnel is narrow and bendy inside

There was an instruction board that told us we could go through the narrow Preston Brook tunnel on the half hour, it was now 1.20 so we only had 10 minutes to wait. there was one boat waiting before us, two behind.

The sign tells all the details of what's ahead

Entering the tunnel I look behind us and the boat follows close on our tail

Their tunnel light reflects all around us helping us to see too!

Finally we make it out the other end, into daylight again

Off we all went at 1.30pm through the mile long twisty tunnel. As we came out of the southern end of the tunnel the canal changes from the Bridgewater to the Trent & Mersey canal. 

... and we've done it, we're off the Bridgewater and onto the cute Trent and Mersey Canal

Immediatly we were into the tiny lock, 3" deep, this used to be a stop lock where you had to make a payment to change to a new canal. 

Into the near useless lock, only three inches difference, but it's still a lock!

Looking back at the tiny lock, boats waiting in line to get in

Not any more though, and we were on our way through twisty bendy waters, wooded cuttings and tree lined banks. We soon got to our chosen moorings, the Dutton Breech.

Woodlands line the canal here....

.... but it soon narrows up, making passing boats quite tricky with all the overgrown reeds in the way

... but you have to take your chance and just go for it!

This is a section of canal on a massive embankment that gave way only two years ago draining the canal of water for miles, flooding out the farmland and houses below leaving boats stuck on the bottom with no water!

This plaque is attached to the concrete bank at the place of the breech only 2 years ago

It's all been repaired now but where the water took the trees down the embankment it cleared a section making it a great view.

There used to be trees all along this embankment until the canal burst its banks flooding the land below

But thanks to the breech, we had a great view!

Its a very popular spot to moor

It was a lovely spot to stay for a few days. 

This huge viaduct takes the train over the River Weaver

We had great walks down to the River Weaver, people came and went, we used the time to rub down one gunwale and undercoat and top coat. Now the boats looking smart both sides!

Our shiney black gunwale, we worked hard preparing it for the first coat of paint. No more red oxide patches!

These two labs have been having the time of their lives, they escaped from their garden 3 miles away, but Bonio biscuits did the job. Once on leads, tied up, a quick phone call to the owners, and they were on their way home. Naughty Boys!!

We were ready to move again on Thursday 4th September, the sun was shining and there wasn't a bit of breeze in the air. Perfect for cruising!

Narrow reedy canal channel makes it tricky to manouvre around moored boats!

The canal was very narrow with reed beds coming right out into the channel, it's twisty and bendy with very shallow sides. We cruised on three miles till we got to our first of two tunnels for the day, Saltersford tunnel.

We make our way onwards to the next tunnel...

Saltersford Tunnel, entry on the half hour for 20 minutes... we made it there without having to pull over and wait!

The entry into the tunnel was on the half hour until ten to, and as it was quarter to the hour we went straight through. It was a twisty narrow tunnel that you had to concentrate totally on getting it right or you would be hitting the walls. It was more like an underground cave ride!

Leaving the narrow low tunnel into the big wide basin...

Immediately we left the tunnel we were in a big basin, the mouth of the next tunnel, Barnton tunnel, showing around the corner!

The big wide basin between tunnels, these boats were here when we were here the last time! That's not the rules!

Inside the tunnel it twists and turns, accuracy is the key word here or you would hit the walls!

We went straight in, another twisty bendy low tunnel, a bit longer than the first, and we soon were out into the glorious sunshine again.

Stopping for supplies, Paul went off to look for the local shops

We stopped for supplies at the small local shop on the way, soon we were heading past Anderton Lift and onwards to the Sanitary Station at Anderton.

A boat turns in front of us ready to take his place in the Anderton Lift, the 50' drop down to the River Weaver

After a water fill up and a rubbish dump we set off again, past the beautiful wooded Marbury Country Park (we stopped here on the way up) and on through Northwich, past the chemical works and other industries.

No mooring signs for a precaution near the Chemical Works in Northwich

.... but I know we wouldn't want to moor here anyway!

The canal carries on through some very narrow sections now, until it gets to the flashes (lakes formed by sinking salt mines) where it becomes wide open, but shallow!

The sign says to keep away from the shallows

Big fat wide sections.... but do not be deceived, you still have to keep to the canal channel

It's very rural here, wooded and isolated as we chug along through the lovely countryside.

More narrow sections, visibility here round this bridge bend is virtually zero!

... and the other side isn't much better! Only wide enough for one boat I think!

We pulled over near to Croxton aqueduct and moored up very near to where we moored up 4 months ago! It wasn't ideal, the dog walks were minimal, but we'd cruised a long way today and were ready to stop.

Setting off on a cloudy day, over the Croxton Aqueduct

The next day, Friday 5th September was misty and grey. We set off at 8.30am and headed for Middlewich. The first lock, Big Lock, our last double lock for a while!

Welcome to Middlewich, and 'The Big Lock' pub situated on 'the Big Lock' Where else?

A quarter of a mile further were the three Middlewich locks, narrow, deep and on  awkward bends.

Deep but narrow gauge locks, all at tight angles on a tight bend

But no problems here, we were soon up the top and crept slowly past rows of hire boats moored both sides of the canal making the channel very narrow.

Breath in! There's not much space here!

It was busy here, we soon arrived at Kings Lock, we were leaving the Trent & Mersey Canal and making a right turn onto the Middlewich Branch, under a bridge on a 90 degree turn. I had to wait a while tho, two boats were reversing past me and one boat was coming under the bridge out of the lock. But he got grounded on a shallow bit, got stuck for ages. 

I had to wait while this guy got off the bottom, but a bit of forward and reverse soon saw him moving again

I couldn't push the boat out to get the wide turn I needed as this was where he was stuck. So I just had to wait, forwards and reverse he went until finally he was off the bottom and away.

Paul and Jack at the entrance to the Middlewich Branch, watching how the expert does it!

This left me room to push Happy Daze away from the side and do the big turn under the bridge and into the first lock on the Middlewich Branch, Wardle Lock.

... a line of boats waiting to come down while I make my accent up Wardle Lock

... and looking back towards the lock, the queue just continues!

Up I went but when I got to the top I discovered six boats waiting to go down! All in a line, waiting for me to come up! Apologies all round, we slowly made our way past the line of boats and cruised out of Middlewich.
Leaving Middlewich we got to our second lock after only about a mile. No queue to go up, but there's several boats waiting to come down.

Jack waits with Paul while I steadily steer Happy Daze into the next lock

Bodies everywhere, all willing to help to hurry themselves along

We went straight in, no queue, but there were several boats waiting to come down the lock. 
We were soon on our way again, but we stopped mid channel to chat to a friend we'd met last year, Gill and John on nb Butty Lark. Lovely to see them again.

Jill and John's nb Butty Lark, we met them winter time on the South Oxford Canal

We continued for five miles in the glorious sunshine along the Middlewich Branch, getting held up for half an hour while repairs were taking place on a bridge.

Don't think there's enough room to get through here! We waited till they were ready...

.... and they soon moved their work pontoon out the way so we could get through

Contractors moved the pontoon they were working from so we could get through but not before they'd persuaded me to make them a brew!

Aqueduct Marina, we moored right opposite the marina ready for the sign writing course on Saturday

On our way another mile to Aqueduct Marina in Church Munshill, we soon arrived and moored up just outside the 48's (we weren't going to be leaving till Monday and that would have been longer than 48hrs). It had been a lovely cruise, sunny and warm, a beautiful September day.

Nice bit of towpath, we settled here for the weekend

We went for an explore under the aqueduct with Jack and found some lovely fields for him to have a run. It's quiet here, towpath is lovely and there's plenty of boats about too!

Spot the (Andy says) deliberate mistake!!

Andy's tray of paints, theres more paint laying around his mixing tray than in the pots!

The sign writing course was due to start at 9am on Saturday morning. It was great, I thoroughly enjoyed it! 

.... mixing up the colours, everyone has a go

... this is how its done, easy as that!

Allison has a go, and does a lovely job with her sign (she is an art teacher!)

My first attempt, not perfect, but that's what practice makes....

.... and this is my second attempt!

Alison's happy with her finished sign, although I don't think I captured her best side!

Andy Russel, the guy who was taking it was a lovely guy, very patient and explained stuff well. There were 7 people on the course, all of us came away with a lovely looking sign that we'd painted ourselves, they all looked great! And I came away with a new friend, Alison, who joined us on the boat for a cuppa at the end of the day on Sunday.

Time for a rest now, but Freddie wants to carry on playing!

Gill and John moored up behind us over the weekend, we had a great catch up while Freddie, the labradoodle, and Jack had a wonderful time chasing each other up and down the towpath.

After the beautiful misty morning the sun came out

Monday 8th September was sunny and bright. 

After a cheery wave to Gill and John we were on our way to our first lock of the day

The canal was busy with lots of boats coming past us. We pushed the boat away from the side and took our place at the end of the line of boats and cruised up the canal. But just up ahead was our first lock of the day, and when we got there there were five boats waiting in a queue to go through the lock!

It's a sunny day all lots of canal folk are cruising today.... it's a busy canal this one!

So we waited our turn, we'd waited 1 1/2 hours to get through the lock and by the time it was our turn there were nine boats waiting behind us!

Nine boats waited their turn to get through the lock. It took us an hour and a half, I guess they're their for a while yet!

We cruised on another mile to our next lock, this time the wait was for 1 1/4 hours! We had our lunch while we waited, Paul helped with the lock to speed things up a bit!

The long straight Middlewich, on our way to the next lock.... bet there's a queue!

... and there was, boat in front of us and behind. Looking back at Venetian Marina at the top of the lock

After we'd eventually got through the lock we went on another couple of miles to Barbridge Junction where the Middlewich meets the Shropshire Union Canal

Making our way past moored boats, nearly at the end of the Middlewich Branch

.... and this is it! Where the Shropshire Union Canal meets the Middlewich, Barbridge Junction.

Here we turn left, and make our way down the Shropshire Union Canal.... 
to be continued... 8.9.14