Ants in our pants

Saturday 3^rd August

The end of our journey is definitely in sight now – we are on waters that we have cruised before, and by the end of the day we will be in very familiar territory (wrong word – aquatory?). We need to decide whether we want to get home on Sunday or Monday – if the latter then we will need to dawdle very deliberately. Probably it will be Sunday, though the weather may decide.

A Crowded Stern Deck

It was warm and sunny this morning, and we made a fairly leisurely start from Wheelock, getting under way at about 11:30 – Loulie went ahead with the dogs to give them a good walk before we reached Middlewich. Having reached the bottom of Heartbreak Hill, which is 26 locks with only small breaks between them, we had four more to do before reaching Kings Lock in Middlewich, but these are well spaced out over about four miles. Although we set out ahead of them, Just Joe came up fast behind us and I let them through – we later overtook them, moored above Kings Lock. At Ettiley Heath we passed a canalside property I always envy – a long stretch of bank and gardens full of shrubbery, with about four benches to sit and watch the passing traffic.

We met a few boats going the other way at the locks, just enough to help keep things going, including three old folk who were doing the Four Counties in a tiny boat less than 20 feet long. However once we got down into Middlewich, and the three locks in the centre, it became very busy, because Andersen Boats, just below those locks, were setting off a number of hirers on their first experience. This wasn’t too bad for us – we crossed a boat in each pound, and there was plenty of help at each lock – but there was quite a queue of boats at the bottom, waiting to go up.

Loulie doing Big Lock

We stopped at the water pint in the centre, below Andersen’s, and did some shopping, then carried on down Big Lock and out into the wilderness north of Middlewich. The Dane where we crossed the aqueduct was pretty swollen, but it was clear from the mud that it had been much higher flooding the fields – much of the rain which we experienced in the past week will have flowed into the Dane up in the hills. It started to pour with rain, and we tested an umbrella that Shirley had bought me as a present – with a very fetching design of Yorkshire Terriers in purple.

We didn’t go much further – Bramble cuttings had four boats, and our regular mooring just beyond it was occupied, so we went a little further and stopped at a remote spot. We moored up and fed the dogs, then we realised that there was a red ant nest right at the spot where we stepped off the stern. Ruby was stung on the foot, and they were swarming on Bridget’s leg. We moved a few yards, but there was another nest, so we went a couple of boatlengths and found an ant-free spot. However that left our bows sticking out too far for my liking, so I hauled us back a bit and we finally found a mooring which suited us all. The torrential rain returned, and the towpath is flooded, but we are safe and dry on board.

  

Map at 3-8-19

TODAY: 6:00 HOURS. 8.5 MILES. 9 LOCKS.

VOYAGE: 80:40 HOURS. 95.8 MILES. 91 LOCKS. 8 BRIDGES

Nearly There

The dogs did better last night, and didn’t disturb us until 7:45 so we had a reasonably good night’s sleep. We didn’t have far to go today, so we made a leisurely start, and didn’t get under way until about 11am. Our biggest concern is a pump-out, because we couldn’t get one at Anderton on Sunday, or yesterday in Middlewich, and our tank is nearly full. However after last time we have brought a back-up, in the shape of the portaloo which used to live in the small horsebox, and that means that we don’t have to panic.

Mooring near Church Minshull

Posie keeping watch on the poop

We’re in a very rural part of Cheshire, and after we set off we passed through open fields, before crossing the Weaver on a large aqueduct. This took us to the first lock of the day, at Minshull. We were lucky here, as a boat was just coming out of the lock as we arrived, so we were able to sail straight in. I had to scale the ladder in the brickwork of the lock to get up to the top and work the gates, but other than that it all went well, and another boat appeared as we came out so we left the top gate open for them. The second (and final) lock of the day was not far away, at Cholmondeston, and while the gates weren’t open the lock was empty, i.e. set in our favour, and I only needed to open the gates to let Loulie sail in.

The crew in Cholmondeston lock

After that Loulie got out with the dogs to give them a walk, while I went on ahead. This only works to a limited extent, because I am not much faster than the walkers, and the Labradors, Minnie especially, kept spotting me and running ahead to try to catch up. When the landing party rejoined the ship we decided to moor for lunch, instead of eating on the go, because we didn’t have very much further to travel.

After lunch we came to the junction with the main line of the Shropshire Union at Barbridge, and turned left (south). In season this is a very busy bit of canal because just a mile and a half from Barbridge you come to Hurleston Junction where the Langollen takes off to the west. With Chester and Ellesmere Port to the north, Audlem and the Shroppie to the south and Middlewich and the whole North West canal system back through Barbridge, this is a real crossroads for the network. Today, though, it was quiet, just a few boats moving. It was a lovely afternoon in fact, bright and clear, though it’s going to be a cold night in consequence, so it was a good winter’s day to be out on the boat.

Winter sunshine in the saloon

Mooring outside Nantwich 01-01-19

We moored a short way past the end of the Langollen, and since we are back on the Shroppie there’s a ledge keeping us about a foot off the bank (see August 3^rd for the possible consequences of this). It was only about 3pm but there was no point pressing on any further – we are nearing Nantwich so we don’t have far to go tomorrow, and if we moored any closer we would find ourselves close to the houses. As it is we are still out in open country, surrounded by fields with not a house or another boat in sight.

Labrador Tiller Pin

For Christmas Loulie gave me this tiller pin in the shape of a Labrador. I had always wanted one, but we had never seen anything close, and in fact she had to get this made, starting with a bookend. The smith at Bartington Forge put in the pin for her, using our existing (boring) pin as a model. It's brilliant, and I call it Lucky.

Supper was made with a Kung Po sauce and the last of Tiberius the turkey, so we’ve had a good week’s eating out of him. We have of course eaten and drunk far too much on the voyage, but at least we are combining our boating gluttony with Christmas gluttony. Back to abstemiousness after Twelfth night. But before that we have to drop Eileen off at Nantwich tomorrow morning.

Today: 3.5 hours. 6.6 miles. 2 locks.

Voyage: 14 hours. 25.0 miles. 9 locks.

Home stretch

Today was the final race for the line, after eight days and more than 100 miles. In fact it wasn’t really a race, more of a stroll, as this was the easiest day of the journey, with only one lock (and that one having a drop of about 4 inches). We were back in familiar waters too – we have sailed these stretches on most of the hire boat holidays we have taken in the past.

Morning on the Flashes

Safe from the puppy

After leaving the flashes we pottered through the countryside, past a couple of new marinas which has been built in the last couple of years. One of the nicest odours on the canal came next as we reached Roberts Bakery, and then Rudheath and the Old Broken Cross pub, a landmark on the network.

Lostock Works

Just beyond that we sailed right through the Lostock Soda Ash plant, now owned by Tata Chemicals, but part of ICI when I started work in Northwich. Wincham Wharf has a lot of boatbuilding facilities, but under a bridge and you are suddenly winding through the countryside. The Lion Salt Works at Marston is being restored, with a Real Ale festival under way as we passed, and then you pass through Marbury Country Park. Anderton is next, and as we approached a boat unexpectedly popped out of the boat lift, which is clearly back in operation.

Although there are no locks, the top end of the Trent and Mersey is dominated by tunnels. First is Barnton, where you have to creep up to the tunnel mouth until you can see if anyone is coming through. If they are – as was the case for us today – you hurriedly pull yourself over to the side out of the way until the boat pops out, then you go back and have another look.

Passing through this tunnel, which is about 500m long, you emerge into a strange pool before the next tunnel, with trees on one side, and grassy slopes leading up the houses in Barnton on the other. It feels very isolated, with just a few boats moored there, and the waiting points for the tunnels.

Saltersford tunnel is a little shorter, but you cannot see right through so it is controlled on a time basis. Northbound you can only enter between the hour and twenty past. Southbound it is half past to ten to the hour. This means there is a minimum ten minute buffer, which is enough for a boat to clear the tunnel comfortably.

After we had done the tunnel Loulie got off with the dogs for a walk, then we carried on to Dutton and the Preston Brook tunnel. The stop lock is nearly redundant – this year the water levels in the two canals are so close that you can open the gates without operating the sluices. This tunnel is much the longest of the three at nearly 1200m, and it also uses a timed operating system, though this time the window is only ten minutes after the hour or half hour, so there is a twenty minute buffer. Despite its length it is quite possible to see all the way through the tunnel.

Preston Brook Tunnel

Rather than turning up the Runcorn branch to the marina straight away we went up the main line, winded (turned) at Moore then came back to Keckwick Lane, where I dropped off Loulie and the dogs. This is only half a mile from our house, so Loulie could take the car to the marina ready to meet me there and take the luggage home.

Loulie steering

I entered the marina gingerly, and found our pier with Loulie’s help. I had to turn round then manoeuvre carefully in past other moored craft – and then we decided we were on the wrong side of the pier for our nominated berth, so I had to back her out and go in again on the other side. All of this was further hampered by a stiff breeze – Eileen is rather high-sided and the wind affects her significantly – and in the end I was quite happy with my first attempt at marina parking.

Home at last

We packed everything into the car, and it was off home for fish and chips. It has been a great week – although it was forced upon us by the Middlewich breach, I am really glad we had this first shake-down cruise. We have learned a lot about the boat and how to get the best out of her, and we have been getting better at it all week. We have some ideas about changes we will get done over the winter, but we will be spending a lot of time on board before then.

Today: 8.5 hours. 15.9 miles. 1 lock.

Voyage: 68 hours. 116.8 miles. 97 locks.

Boats, Trains and Automobiles

A slightly later start today, we got to sleep in until 7:10 before the dogs woke us. We made a very leisurely breakfast, and it was about half past nine when we got under way. As I mentioned yesterday, our overnight stop was just south of Junction 12 on the M6, and after a full day today we have moored very close to J13. You wouldn’t need to be speeding to cover that ground in ten minutes on the motorway, but the canal is a much more dignified way to travel.

We flirted with the M6 all day, in fact, running alongside it or going underneath, and the West Coast main line railway is also close here. These three modes of transport often find themselves close together – at Preston Brook, where we will base the boat permanently, the three overlap with the railway running under the canal while the motorway goes overhead. This isn’t really surprising as they all are, or were, the most important means of transport of their day, and they all transformed the country. It’s easy to forget as you potter along through open fields that the canals were not built as leisure facilities, they were a key part of the Industrial Revolution.

Brick Kiln Lock

This was more apparent within a mile of our start today, as we sailed through a modern chemical factory, with notices warning against mooring or even stopping. Soon we came to Gailey, with its odd circular canal shop, once a toll office, and our first lock of the day. We had thought that things would be quieter today, it being Monday, but in fact there were quite a lot of boats around, with many hirers starting their week aboard. We had to queue at several of the locks, which were spread out in an irritating fashion. With a solid flight like Audlem you just get on with it and get it done. But the locks today were about 10-20 minutes apart, so no time to do much, like walk the dogs or even brew a cuppa, before the next one comes along. But it was a nice sunny day, and the locks seemed to work easily, in the morning at least. One lock, at Rodbaston, is right next to the motorway, and apparently when the new road was built in the sixties the lockkeeper could not stand the noise and moved out of his cottage, which was subsequently demolished.

Rodbaston Lock with the M6 close by

We moored for lunch in Penkridge, and walked the dogs, then ate our food while still tied up. On previous days we have eaten on the move, but this wouldn’t have worked today, with the incessant locks, though it did mean we lost quite a bit of time.

We had done five locks to that point, and we did five more after lunch, but these seemed to become harder and harder to work, with the paddles very stiff and difficult to crank. Loulie was really struggling until in the end she swallowed her pride and used the ratchet windlass handle which I had bought before we set off. I was mocked mercilessly, but it turned out to be just the thing for really stiff lock machinery.

Slow boat under a fast motorway

We crossed under the M6 and then travelled south parallel to it, past Acton Trussell, which has some lovely houses and gardens running down to the canal. Just afterwards we found a long empty stretch of canal with open fields all around, perfectly safe for the dogs, so we decided to stop, although we are still about five miles short of our notional target for the day. The decision was confirmed when we found the mooring was very good, with deep water right to the edge and metal shuttering (“Armco”) on the vertical bank. We have odd little hooks, like giant paperclips, which slot behind this shuttering and provide a solid anchor for the mooring ropes. This is much simpler than driving mooring pins into the ground, which can be tricky if the earth is too soft or if it is too stony, or has a concrete foundation.

A Mooring Hook

We took the dogs for a walk, and had some shenanigans when we discovered that the boat down the canal from us has two cats. The Labradors were all fascinated, barking madly and wanting to get close, but also (wisely) not wanting to get too close. Oddly Ruby took no interest, watching the goings-on with an air of faint disdain. We dined on bacon and eggs from the Yates Greer stall in Warrington Market, the best I know anywhere. We’ll try to get away a little earlier tomorrow, and see if we can catch up on our schedule – we’d like to be past Stone before Tuesday is out.

Monday Night - Ivy House Farm

Today: 7 hours. 8 miles. 10 locks.

Voyage: 30 hours. 53.0 miles. 39 locks.