Voyages of Gabriel: Middlewich to Kidsgrove

Thu 29^th June Middlewich to Wheelock

An early start took us down through Wardle Lock onto the Trent and Mersey. We turned right here, and started our climb towards Stoke-on-Trent by going up through King’s Lock. The canal ran alongside a busy road which had queuing traffic trying to get through Middlewich. We passed a large salt works and three more locks before leaving the main road.

In one of the locks there was a duck with a family of ducklings. James had to encourage them to leave before Hazel brought the boat in. Just before the next lock there was a terrapin sitting on the bank.

The boatyard at Elton Moss has gone, relocated to Kings Lock Chandlery, so no opportunity for gas for us. We passed through a rural area at Paddy’s Wood, where James had an experience in 1997 on our delivery voyage. Someone was shooting pigeons, and the shot returned from the sky, landing all around and on James on the towpath.

We moored at Wheelock on some rings, just before Bridge 154.

We went for a fairly basic, but good value meal at the Cheshire Cheese pub.

Our mooring in Middlewich

Wardle Lock

Middlewich Junction

Kings Lock

A huge pile of salt

Bags of salt

Family of ducks in the lock

Terrapin catching some sun

Trent and Mersey mile post

Cheshire Cheese pub

6 locks, 6 miles. Dep 0815, arr 1140

Fri 30^th June Wheelock to Chell’s Aqueduct

The forecast was for rain from about 11am onwards, so we set off early to beat it, and to avoid following another boat.

We moved up to the facilities, where we filled the water tank, emptied two cassettes, and disposed of rubbish. We found a set of keys in the water point, and they included what looked like a car key. Someone is going to have to make an unnecessary journey back from Middlewich by bus. We left them there.

As we moved off from the water point, it started to rain, so we tied on rings at the visitor’s moorings further up, and put the hood up. We should have checked Rain Alarm before we left. The big band of rain that had been forecast for 11am had evidently arrived earlier.

We restarted our journey when the rain stopped, and were straight into the paired locks. Most of the locks had partly filled due to leakage. We met some boats coming down, and discovered that they had come off the Macclesfield Canal, and had been in a 30-boat lock queue at Boseley Locks, which is due to close on 10^th July. A lift bridge on the Upper Peak Forest is also damaged, and it may be several weeks before it is repaired. Our friends Chris and Terry Rigden are trapped on the wrong side of the bridge, waiting to be let out. We decided that we would not do the Macclesfield this time, after all.

At Hassall Green, the noisy M6 thunders through the otherwise pleasant countryside, so we never moor here. We were hoping to get some gas from the Canal Centre, but it seems that it no longer exists. The building appears to be a private house now.

We moved through the single Pierpont Locks, and moored on piling just before a winding hole before Bridge 144, thankfully out of earshot of the M6. The boat moored in front of us appeared to be steam powered.

Moored in Wheelock

Keys left behind by someone

Moored temporarily on rings due to rain

The start of the paired locks

Deep locks

Shallow pound with mudbanks showing

Malkins Bank historic boat specialist

Some locks are now weirs

Coming away from the M6

The slot in the footbridge is for horse ropes. The newer health and safety railings make using this impossible.

12 locks, 3 miles. Dep 0655, arr 0700 facilities. Dep 0720, arr 0730 VM. Dep 0845, arr 1145 Br 144.

Sat 1^st July Chell’s Aqueduct to Church Lawton

We set off before anyone appeared on the steam boat, but a boat was moored in front of that, and the guy was getting ready, and he followed us.

At the first lock there was a choice of locks, but after that there was only one lock available at each pair. It is sad to see the locks falling into disuse. At one of the locks we found a lady selling jams, pickles and cakes for NHS charities, so we bought some ginger parkin and some pickle. She has raised over £25,000.00 in ten years.

We moored at Church Lawton on rings, with a plan to visit the church here in the morning.

James washed the hood, as it was sticky from trees last night. There was a strong wind.

Moored behind the steam boat near Chell's Aqueduct

Thurlwood Lock unusually has a gate paddle

Orchids growing by the canal

Crossing over with another boat

Mow Cop, where Methodism began

Decaying locks

Only one lock working

Moored at Church Lawton

Sunset at Church Lawton

8 locks, 2 miles.

Sun 2^nd July Church Lawton to Kidsgrove.

We needed showers this morning, so we started the Webasto, and heard an alarming clonking noise. We are unsure what caused it, and it stopped after a while. James topped up the header tank, checked the mountings, and while he was down there, tightened the alternator belts.

We took a footpath through a field to go to the ancient parish church which is on a small hill. The welcome was good, and the service was fairly traditional. The music was led by a lady on a piano and a guy on a flute, mostly hymns. The service was led by a retired minister called John, who was charmingly spontaneous despite following an order of service. He welcomed us from the front. His sermon was excellent, with no visible notes. He was helping out during an inter-regnum.

Over coffee we discussed Canal Ministries, and we gave him a leaflet. We noticed that some keen members had made some effort to produce some woollen items for the coronation.

We set off after a brief snack, and rose through three locks before calling at the facilities to do the usual things. A boat with a crew of six was following us, but wisdom was in short supply, as three people came up to set the next lock, and two remained on board with the helmsman, so no-one was left to close the gate after them. Then when the lock was open and empty for them, they were on the path holding onto the boat with a rope, not moving.

We moored after a further two locks in Kidsgrove as planned. The water is noticeably red around here due to iron deposits. We went immediately to the nearby Tesco to collect Hazel’s prescription before they closed at 4pm. We did some shopping as well, and called in at the new Lidl on the way back for their bread, which we like.

Hazel was tired of walking and standing, and James was tired of locks, getting a sore back. Just one more lock going up tomorrow.

Later, after a hot sunny evening, we had a sudden downpour. Ah, the joys of an English summer! Up went the hood again