Audlem to Nantwich

Mon 13^th July  Audlem to Coole Pilate

We waited for light rain to stop before we set off, firstly to the facilities by the Shroppie Fly, three boat lengths away. To confuse everyone here, the elsan sign is on the door to the rubbish, and the rubbish sign is on the door to the elsan. We were caught out last time, but we are wiser now.

Water tap by the Shroppie Fly

When we had finished, we took our turn in the line of boats going down. We only had three locks to do, and they are fairly quick. There were boats waiting to come up, so to save time, other boaters locked us down the last one. We’ve been locked down quite a lot this year! 😊

Audlem bottom lock 

We passed the entrance to Overwater Marina, and continued as far as Coole Pilate, a long length of moorings with rings, picnic tables and barbecue stands. 

Coole Pilate 

It brightened up a little, and James went for a short stroll, finding a very new brood of ducklings. 

Mother duck 

Young duckling 

Thistle 

Two historic boats went past quite late. Normally we would have guessed that they were heading for a boat festival, but there aren’t aby this year. 

Evening cruise 

Water art

3 locks, 2 miles. Dep 1125, arr 1230

Tue 14^th July  Coole Pilate

We had decided to stay put for a day to catch up with things. There were lots of boats going north. About six passed in the space of 15 minutes. We heard later that they had a two hour wait at Hack Green Locks, where one of the top paddles was out of action.

James had a good phone signal, so he contacted Three once more. Thankfully, this time he managed to speak to someone who could make decisions. The bill was reduced to a compromise amount, and James paid the new amount online. There was still no apology. James sent an email to the debt collectors to advise them that it had been sorted out.

We wrote an update for the Canal Ministries website, and set the timer on the camera for a posed photo to go with it.

Posing for a Canal Ministries photo

No boating today

Wed 15th July  Coole Pilate to Nantwich

After the experience of seeing many boats yesterday, we left the mooring early to get to Hack Green Locks before there was a queue. One boat had already gone past, and they went through quickly as the lock had been full when they arrived. A boat came up after them, and the lock took a long time to fill with only one paddle working. We went down next, just as a CRT team arrived. They closed the lock after us, as they were there, not to fix the paddle, but to refurbish the walk board on one of the lock gates. We had timed it well. There were two boats waiting below the locks.

Leaving Coole Pilate

Hack Green Locks 

Hack Green Bottom Lock 

Dead tree and stormy skies 

Nantwich Aqueduct

We moored just after the aqueduct at Nantwich and took a bus into town wearing facemasks. We visited Morrisons and Aldi and took a taxi back.

A boring bit about Three

My sister had finally received a letter from Three!! It was unbelievably just a fob off letter to delay them having to reply properly. It wasn’t even addressed to a person: just “Hello”. It was sent to the correct address which they say I needed to give them. I had asked for a reply by email as I live on a boat. The only thing I hadn’t given them was my online password, which, of course, we are told never to write down.  Despite a detailed two-page letter originally, on 4^th June, and a one page follow up two weeks later, they said “Please mention the details of your concern”. Customer service?  No apology, no service, and no longer a customer.

The letter from Three (with two different addresses)

Then we had an email from the debt collectors asking for evidence that we had settled the account. I hadn’t recorded the phone call yesterday, so I couldn’t help them. They asked us to phone Three to ask for evidence that we could send them. We suggested firmly that they do that themselves. As far as we are concerned, the matter is closed, and we don’t want to hear any more about it. It has been nearly three months of talking to a brick wall.

Moored in Nantwich

2 locks, 4 miles.  Dep 0840, arr 1020

Next: The delights of the Middlewich branch