Monday 11th August
Ellesmere to Whixall Moss
We went to Tesco for some vital supplies, and walked round
to Blackwater Meadow Marina to check out their chandlery. All we came away with
were the two free magazines: Towpath Talk and the Tillergraph. James found a bank vole under a metal notice
board lying in the hedge.
We were getting low on fuel so we used one of our two 5
litre fuel cans, as the marina was very expensive (£1.04 per litre) and they
were not serving fuel on Mondays. The
next place is Whixall Marina, but they are closed on Sundays and Mondays, so we
couldn’t check the price. It surely has to be cheaper than £1.04. On a rough calculation we can go for two
hours on a litre.
We put down our pram hood, and swept away some of the bits
of fir tree that covered the boat after the winds. As we left we realised that the boat in front of us (the guy with
the cat on a lead from last night) was Tupelo, who had been moored with
us at the end of June at Middleton Lakes, on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.
We headed to the sanitary station to empty the cassettes and
throw away the rubbish. Thankfully our water tank was mostly full, as there was
a queue for the water taps. We reversed
out with precision, letting the strong winds take the bows round to point
downstream, and we set off through Ellesmere tunnel and past Blake Mere, giving a farewell wave to Bill as we went
past his amazing home overlooking Cole Mere.
It is three weeks since we saw him on the way up.
Sign at Blake Mere.
Are we allowed to talk quietly?
It wasn’t long before we were at our destination for the
day: Whixall Moss. We moored exactly
where Amy Em had been moored three weeks ago. They are now in Droitwich.
We had planned to go for a walk in the afternoon, but the wind was
really strong, and the threat of rain loomed, so we stayed on board. This apparently was the remains of Hurricane
Bertha.
There were several boats going past and they were evidently
in a hurry, because after two had steamed on without slowing down, our mooring
pins at the stern came out, and the boat swung out in the canal. It was just as well we weren’t out on a walk
as planned, as we were able to tie up again.
The pram hood went up as the rain came down again.
Hugo caught a mouse. He doesn’t seem to mind the rain.
Moored by Whixall
Moss
0 locks, 7 miles, 2 mice (1 Hugo 1 James) 2hr40
Tuesday 12th August
Whixall Moss to Tilstock Park Lift Bridge 42
We got up early while it was less windy and before any rain
started. We went for a walk on Whixall
Moss. This is a raised peat bog and we
are told this is left over from the ice age.
The information boards tell us that there are curlew, peregrines, short
eared owls, adders and raft spiders here, but we didn’t see any. However, we
had a very pleasant walk, seeing buzzards and a cormorant.
Whixall Moss
Cotton Sedge
Heather
Old peat Cuttings
On our return, and after breakfast, we cast off and went
down the Prees Branch. This was our first ever visit here, as we decided to
leave it last time as we had gear box problems (in 2000).
Turning into the
Prees Branch
There are two lift bridges in the short arm, and the first
one was straightforward. James got off the boat and raised the bridge with a
windlass, Hazel steered the boat under the bridge, and James dropped the bridge
back down again.
At the second bridge, a young lad had raised the bridge for
a boat coming the other way. James
suggested that they come through first, with the boy getting on the boat as
they went through, and James crossing across our boat to put the bridge down
again. For some reason the man at the helm of the other boat pulled
into the side and beckoned Hazel on, so James went across Gabriel and the young
lad leapt onto their boat as it went past – no hands – very worrying. James
then put the bridge down.
At the end of the Prees branch is Whixall Marina, and we
obtained some diesel at 96p from a machine. It will keep us going until we get
back to cheaper diesel areas.
Whixall marina
Then of course we had the two lift bridges again, the second
of which we could leave up, as two boats were coming the other way. Round the corner onto the main line of the
canal once more, there was one more lift bridge, a very low one that actually
rests in the water (Morris Bridge).
We only went another two miles, and moored on rings just
before Tilstock Park Lift Bridge.
0 locks, 5 miles, 5 lift bridges, 2hr00
Wednesday 13th August
Tilstock Park to Whitchurch
As we were preparing to leave, a hire boat came past, and we
agreed that they would put the bridge up and we would put it down. We followed them through the bridge and
James took the windlass and put the bridge down as agreed. We were hoping we could do the same for the
other two lift bridges, but we never saw them again. They were travelling quite quickly, probably not slowing down for
moored boats.
We operated the two Hassels lift bridges on our own and
entered the Whitchurch Arm.
Turning into the
Whitchurch Arm
This has a winding hole, so we turned, and reversed in to a
mooring space behind Heron, which belongs to Ron and Mary Heritage, keen
IWA people who are always at the Banbury Canal Day. Sadly we didn’t see them on
this occasion.
Moored in the
Whitchurch Arm
We received a text from Roger and Mirjana about a folk
session in Whitchurch this evening, and also to let us know that they had a
pallet for us to put on the boat roof. We told them where we were, and
suggested we take them for a meal before the folk session.
We went to find the bus into town mentioned in the First
Mate Guide. We found the bus stop, but
the timetable said no service Mon-Fri or Sun. It was Saturdays only. We walked instead along a pleasant path past
the remains of the canal and a stream.
We pottered round the shops looking for a small vase to take
a few wild flowers. No success. When we
arrived at Tesco we saw a 205 bus, so we asked the driver for information. He
said it runs every half hour, and the timetables were printed wrong!!! We took the bus back when we had our
shopping from Tesco.
Soon after we arrived back we met a guy carrying a guitar
and a didgeridoo. We told him about the
session in the Old Town Hall Vaults that evening and he said he might come
along, but he avoided pubs generally as he was an alcoholic. We said we would
be off alcohol as well. James is
finding it aggravates his cough at the moment.
Roger and Mirjana arrived with the pallet, which we put on
top of the boat. We will need to modify it a little to cope with the curve of
the roof.
As were getting our guitars out on the towpath, the guy from
earlier (Alan) came past again, and said we may see him later.
We then went in their camper van (jokingly known as the
truck), and had a good meal at the Black Bear, before going the Old Town Hall
Vaults for the session. It was great fun, with several melodeons / concertinas,
a monologue man, and some singers. We
sang Well well well, Long Way Down, Here come the Navvies, Waterloo Road, and
Streets of London (a request). Alan turned up with a steel guitar and did some
blues including bottle neck style. Very good.
We think he enjoyed himself.
Back to the boat in the truck. Lots of slugs and snails all over the path plus a frog.
0 locks, 3 miles, 3 lift bridges, 1hr20
Thursday 15th August
Whitchurch to Grindley Brook
Roger and Mirjana had told us that Peter and Lin were back
on their boat, so we sent them a text asking where they were. “Whitchurch” they replied, “By the lift
bridge”. We said we were just leaving
and would stop by their boat.
On the way we passed Alan’s boat Ruth Marie, and we
had another chat with him. He has only had the boat for three weeks. He has
split up from his wife. He comes from
Mirfield, a place we know well. We gave
him our details, plus a “How do locks work?” leaflet, and he gave us three
copies of his CD.
Alan
As we left the arm, we had to turn left and use the winding
hole, in order to turn right, as the turn was too tight. We operated the lift bridge, and moored
behind Gospel Belle for a chat.
We gave them two of the CDs, one for them and one for Roger and Mirjana,
as they were going to be seeing them.
Lin with Gospel Belle
We moored just before the Grindley Brook locks and put up
the hood as it started to rain. We went for breakfast at the café. It was after 1200 by this time, but they
still served us.
Grindley Brook Lock
House
Then we had water, loos and rubbish to deal with, before
going down the staircase of three and the three single locks. We stopped just round the corner at 3pm. We
hadn’t gone very far. Hugo caught two
mice.
It wasn’t a wonderful place to moor, because every time a
boat emptied the lock, the boat surged and banged the side.
6 locks, 1 ½ miles, 1 lift bridge, 2 mice, 3hr30
Friday 16th August
Grindley Brook to Wrenbury
As we were putting down our pram hood, preparing to leave, Gospel
Belle arrived and moored two boats back. They had done the Grindley Brook
locks early and were having a pause before moving on. Like us, they are heading for Nantwich for Saturday night, with church
there on Sunday morning.
Shroppie Fly Boat
Saturn moored near Grindley Brook
At Quoisley Lock the man was there again selling locally
grown produce. We bought some huge onions, a cabbage and some carrots. He is a helpful chap, and has a windlass,
and he set the lock for us as we approached.
When we arrived at Wrenbury, Hazel was prepared to get off
and operate the electric lift bridge,
but a boat came the other way and kept it open for us. We moved on through the second (manual) lift
bridge 19 and moored between there and bridge 18.
Lift Bridge at
Wrenbury
We were surprised to find a TV and internet signal there,
because last time, between the two lift bridges, we had no signals at all.
4 locks, 6 miles, 2 lift bridges, 2hr40
Saturday 17th August
Wrenbury to Nantwich
Hugo was not in his usual place on the dinette this morning,
but we weren’t too worried as it was easy to get to the other side of the hedge
to flush him out if necessary.
While we were having breakfast, a line of 6 boats came
through the lift bridge and passed
us. We could imagine the lock queue at
the first of the three Baddiley Locks just over a mile further on.
We had shopping to do, so we took the path from the next
bridge, and returned via the lift bridge path.
Hugo was back on board, so we prepared to leave. As we left,
two boats came through the lift bridge behind us, and it transpired that the
second one was Gospel Belle.
When we arrived at Baddiley Locks we were the second in a
queue of four. At most of the locks
there were boats coming up so we didn’t have to fill them.
Moles in rows at
Baddiley Locks
After the two Swanley Locks we passed Swanley Marina, and as
we were nearing bridge 5, a man waved us down. He was BCF, from Miss
Heliotrope. We pulled in and moored up.
Peter and Muriel came on board for tea, and brought some wonderful
custard creams they had made yesterday. We had met last year at Hawne
Basin. This year they had come onto the
Llangollen Canal in February, and were travelling slowly. They said they only move when they need
water, about once a week.
We spent an hour with them, during which time, Gospel
Belle went past, and we said “See you at Nantwich”
Peter and Muriel (Miss
Heliotrope)
When we arrived at Hurleston Locks there was a queue of six
boats. We were able to dispose of
rubbish and empty cassettes while we waited. Gospel Belle was two in
front.
When we finally set off down the locks it only took 30
minutes, despite getting stuck in a low pound.
We had to let some more water down, and James had to haul the boat with
a rope from the bank.
Although our plan is to go left towards Middlewich, we
turned right and travelled the two miles to Nantwich for church in the
morning.
Horse sculpture at
Nantwich
The first set of visitor moorings were all full. After the
aqueduct, on the grassy embankment, there is a line of moorings marked “Permit
Holders Only” and there were a couple of spaces. We saw Barolo moored up, and asked them if they thought it
would be OK to moor here, and they said they treated this like visitor
moorings. We pulled in, and saw that Gospel
Belle was three boats further along.
We had seen Barolo earlier this year between Napton and
Braunston.
Hugo wasn’t too keen on the exposed nature of the
surroundings – just a grassy slope, with one small sapling nearby. He went out after dark, but we don’t think
he went very far.
9 locks, 8 miles, 5hr10
Sunday 18th August
Nantwich
A boat went past before 0600. Although he went fairly
quietly, he still woke up all the boaters.
Another went past at about 0700, without appearing to make any attempt
to slow down, so everyone was wide awake by this time.
Peter and Lin called for us at about 0930, and we all went
down the steps from the embankment and walked into Nantwich. We found Market
Street Church and were some of the first there. In the end there were about thirty people. The worship was led by the minister with a
guitar, apart from one song projected from youtube. The preacher was a retired URC minister who spoke about the woman
at the well. We had a very good
welcome.
Market
Street Church
We all walked to Morrissons for a few items, and then went
to the ancient timbered building which is the Crown Hotel for a very pleasant
lunch.
Crown Hotel
Back on the boat we had a relaxing afternoon. zzzzzzzz
No boating today
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.