UK Canals - Journey reports

Grand Union Canal:Wolverton

Sadly today’s forecast was not good with rain predicted pretty well all day.  My guests needed to be at Wolverton to catch a train back to Rugby to pick up their car.  This should not be difficult but we left a little earlier than usual.  After our brilliant run with another boat yesterday down the Buckby Flight, today with the rain and the large flows of water down the Stoke Bruerne flight making gates more difficult to open, we were a little ragged.  Nevertheless the team were magnificent showing much humour and fortitude in spite of the unpleasant conditions.   Then it was a straightforward cruise on with hot coffee served at intervals, chocolate biscuits and visits to the stove  to warm up.  There was a brief visit to Baxter Boat services for some coal.  One can’t afford to run out in these conditions.  Wolverton was reached in good time and a quick lunch followed with some warm Cornish pasties thanks to Juliet’s foresight.

Day 2

Blue sky seen this morning.  Actually a lovely day, even feeling warm at times and the early buds of spring tentatively showing. We aimed to set off at 9:00 and whilst getting ready saw signs of a boat locking down behind.   The boat was Frances Alberta and the single handed skipper was please to have someone to share the locks with.   The resulting share worked extremely well, us going into the lock first on the offside, then allowing our new companion to leave first to set the next lock while we crossed and departed from the same gate and closed up after.   Juliet took the sensible option of walking ahead to assist.   There was a lot of water going down the flight, so most locks were full or nearly so to the extent that opening bottom gates required assistance from time to time because of the GU type lock bywashes bubbling up copious quantities of water at the back of the lock.  Nearing the bottom we were aware of an upcoming boater so waited, but it turned out that the water pressure was such that as another single hander he was unable to open the bottom gates to come up and decided to wait for us to come down and lose some water.   After that, our boating liaison came to an end and we carried on alone in much warmer conditions than yesterday.   Finally Blisworth Tunnel appeared and we had that to ourselves.  Moored up, our first though was a welcome drink and meal at the famous Boat Inn.  We retired to the boat for a whisky and closed up for the night.

Grand Union Canal - Buckby top Lock (or just under)

My guests arrived very promptly, so we were off to a good start.  Left the moorings at 10:25 and the wind, which is always a problem at Barby when extricating the pontoons was kind to us.   Made good progress to Braunston turn.  Approaching the locks it was pleasing to see two boats exiting, so it was theoretically an easy start, however the crew were yet green and were slowly introduced to the workings.  Very quickly, by trial and error and instruction they became an excellent team by the top which was reached in good time (14:00).   Lunch followed and then the tunnel and Norton Junction.   Sadly, there were no moorings between the the bridge and the lock, so we waited for an upcoming before going down.  The moorings below are actually much nicer.  Then the promised visit to the pub.  Unfortunately the New Inn takes no orders for food after 4pm on Sundays but is still open for drinks fortunately.  Returning to the boat a scratch meal of chicken jalfrzi and rice was sorted and everyone was happy.

Spring Hosting Trip GU

Final preparations today for first trip of the New Era.   Solo boating.   Thus far there has always been Pat.  We were such a team and had so much fun always looking for ways to work the boat with least effort and maximum speed (measured in lock miles/hour).   Now I know I can work single handed (mostly) but will I enjoy it overall.   So for this trip I have invited some friends to join me, just for a few days at a time and separated by gaps of single handing with challenges of various kinds.  For instance, I know the canal well and how long it takes us to do certain lengths.   Will I keep up?

First section is Barby to Wolverton in three days - first I have to pick up the crew!   It’s very windy over the coming few days ….

 

Back to Barby

We left early.  Turned out to be a good move.  The HS2 engineers were busy banging sheet piling into the back of the towpath I guess at a position where the bridge abutments will be located.  They stopped work while we passed.  I guess because it is a noisy job and my ears need protecting.  (I'm deaf anyway and my hearing aids have a noice cancelling funtion which is brilliant on the back of the boat because the engine and propeller noise is largely cancelled out).  We reached the top of Marston Doles at 7:50.  Nobody about, so down the first lock, having checked the water level in the pound below first.  The second lock was full, but just as I was about to get the boat in, a swan swam in.   I think they (swans) must be very savvy knowing that I will have to get the bread out to entice them out.   That worked.   Napton top lock was swarming with a hire boat family as I approached, all appearing to be having a really fun time, so much so that a young teenager offered to work the lock for me in spite of my protestations that it wasn't necessary.  OK!  Gift horse and all that!  The next two locks were opposite directions at exactly the right time and after that I was on a roll, so as to speak culminating in a really chatty volunteer lock keeper at the bottom lock who had the gate open for me as I arrived.  I exited the bottom at 9:50.   The GU section allows for faster speed up until the piled section where moored boats abound, and coming up behind a really slow boat getting tangled up with opposite direction stuff and moored boats tends to make me fall asleep, so we moored up at bridge 100 for "lunch".  The Oxford was busy with moored boats in all the usual places, probably having lunch as well.   There are some tricky bridges once past the Dunchurch Pools Marina with poor visibilty on the other side requiring a slow approach.  At one of these with a following sharp right hand bend, we were were just through the bridge when a boat appeared in front obviously cutting the corner and needing an emergency stop on my part.  Shortly after that we were back in the marina.  It had been a really warm day and fluid replacement for the single hander has to be prepared in advance.  I had a large jug of pink squash on the back which looked just like red diesel.  It ceratainly kept the boat moving.

Oxford Canal:Back to Br 123

Pat, the one who is not very well, thought it sensible that we should turn round now and return to Barby and home.   Unfortunately the first opportunity to wind is at the bottom of the Claydon Flight, so it means going down the 6 locks, then turning round and coming back up.  I went to check the state of the flight and found that the Canal and River Trust guy responsible for the water had all the paddles up at the top lock and was letting water down.  So in spite of this, our “early departure” was still 07:45.  Not bad at all, and with the chaps help for the first 3 locks I had soon reached the bottom only to find that there were 4 boats there waiting to come up. “All best laid plans etc”.   It was about 11:10 by the time I made it back and wild thoughts of doing Napton Locks today evaporated, because I have to set aside time for cooking food.  So we first made for Fenny Compton for lunch (and a pint) then continued on back to Bridge 123 where we knew we could moor.  It was now 15:45 hrs.   The aim tomorrow is to get back to Barby

Oxford Canal:Claydon Top Lock

We were having breakfast this morning and notice the canal current clipping by in the direction of Marston Doles at around 45 to 60 feet per minute.  Just wondering if there is still a problem with that top pound?   Anyway, we set off on our windy way and soon came to the massive work-site that is all to do with HS2.   The huge spoil heaps on the southern side resulting from the cutting will no doubt be used to build the embankment on the north side of the canal.  It looks like foundations for the canal bridge are being dug now.   To the north, the track line disappears to the horizon with lines of heavy trucks travelling to and fro.   No wonder it is costing billions.   Before all this, there was an attempt to get parliamentary support for reviving the Great Central Railway as a freight only route built to European standards, which the great Central originally was.   Many of the bridges still remain and there is even an orphaned decaying signal post still visible from the northern Oxford Canal just past Willoughby wharf.   Putting all this behind us we continued on, stopping at Fenny Compton for pump out.   The visitor moorings there were quite empty.  Further on, at the southern exit of the narrows that must have originally been Fenny Compton tunnel it was evident that the canal is very shallow and progress slow.   Having used our “allotted time” we stopped at the moorings just before Claydon Top Bridge.   A lovely afternoon for a stroll to the lock where there are a couple of benches.

Oxford Canal:Bridge 123

I reckoned about 40 minutes to the bottom of the Napton flight.  It turned out to be 50 minutes.  So we were there just before 9:00 am.  I wasn’t expecting a lock keeper to be there and there wasn’t one.  The lock was half full which suggested that I was the first up this morning.  All went as planned so on to the next.   This was empty, so less work!   Generally, on these single locks going up I try to swing one of the gates closed behind me, from the boat.  Usually it works with a little prop wash into the angle to help.  Then chuck a rope up and get up onto the bollard side. The ladder is always that side I find.   Close the remaining mitre gate and tie the boat back to avoid a run for the top gate when opening the top paddles.   (if at the helm I would have nudged the boat up to the top gate and held it there on tickover to avoid this, so no rope needed.)   The next lock was prepared for me by an opposite direction boater and then following on there always seemed to be some opposite direction fortune.   I would now, being at the top of the flight, have wanted to moor-up for lunch, however there are no convenient moorings there and for some distance further on it seems.  The first attempt further on failed because it was on a curve and shallow.  Finally I found a straight bit just past Bridge 123 with enough water at one end.  Normally we reckon to cruise 6 hours before looking for a mooring and have lunch on the fly, but with no active first mate mooring for lunch becomes the norm.   Then we are loathe to move.   Might need to break this custom if we are to get to Banbury with time to linger there and get back home again.   I am not accustomed to organising the catering, so things don’t seem to go as they should.  So I forgot to bring the eggs and also our usual dinner dessert standby, yoghurts.   However we have a food storage cupboard full of “stuff”, mostly in tins, and Pat has a baking cupboard with everything you could possibly need.   So it is possible to find something.   We used a tin of soup about 12 years old, a tin of peaches, a bit younger and some custard.  All this with a ready main meal thrown in.   Worked well.  (We used the Fray Bentos tinned meat pie on the last trip, so need to get another to put in store).

Ten days to Banbury

Pat, my wife and first mate has not been well these last few months.  The canal boat is Pat’s sanctuary but trips to the hospital rather keep us tethered to base, so when a window pops up we grab it.   There’s only so much you can do in a short period.  Our last trip was a visit to the Ashby.  A cruise short of the full length.  I wanted to do the London Ring again, but for a press on at all costs hire boater (as we once were) this is doable in two weeks.  I would rather take six and enjoy it.   So we will content ourselves to Banbury and back.   That should give us time to linger and enough locks for the time being.  After setting up the slow cooker with tonight’s meal we left Barby Moorings just around 8 a.m.   From the start there was opposite direction traffic seemingly in clutches.  I guess its the usual logic: the fastest at the back.  At Braunston Turn we turned right and pressed on aiming for just short of Wigrams Turn.   That turned out to take in all 4-1/2 hours.   This section is part of the Grand Union Canal and is blessed by loads of metal piling.   This attracts transiting moored boats, not long term stuff, and we have in the past fallen for its charms as we have today.   Sheet metal piling allows us to use our ready made mooring lines.  For the stern we have just an exact length of rope to give us a 45 degree fix with an eye for the offside stern dolly and the other end spiced into a robust piling clip.  This is pulled tight by the bow mooring which is a little bit more complicated as it includes a pully arrangement the pulling end going on the T stud in the normal way.

Back to Barby Moorings

There had been two boats moored behind us overnight.  Their crew of 'Littel Pea' had been very helpful when we arrived there getting us squeezed in.  This was a hire boat returning to Clifton, so needed to leave early.  We followed shortly after.   There was some room at the 'Tesco' moorings this time, when we don't need it of course, but traversing is always difficult.  The offside vegetation is troublesome again, limiting the width on these tight corners for when opposite direction traffic appears on the left hand bends there is often little room to get the stern over to make the left turn with moored boats to the right.  Little Pea was moored up at Clifton.  No sign of the occupants.  They must have made good time.   Hillmorton Lock 2 was under short term maintenance when we arrived.  Servicable shortly after. There was help from opposite direction boaters, so were were soon at the topp and on our way to Barby.

Oxford Canal:Newbold

Off to a good start this morning.  Pat was able to work the lock while I dropped off a rubbish bag while the boat was rising in the lock.  As the morning wore on opposite direction boats increased in frequency until we met a single stream of 7 boats in line astern and thereafter several stragglers.  With so many boats coming the other way one becomes aware of pinch points where the opposite direction can appear round a blind spot often involving a bridge hole or just a rake of moored boats on a corner which severely limit manoeuverability.   The boaters guide warns against mooring in this position, yet so often these are official designated moorings.   Ansty is a good example.  At Newbold we were pleased to find a mooring slot in pretty well exactly where we had moored on the outward journey.   It was fish & chips again.

Coventry Canal:Hawkesbury Junction

Wednesday June 15th

Leaving Stoke Golding there was an ASDA van parked up in the lay-by.  I asked the driver if he would deliver to boats here.  Of course he replied.  All I need is a bridge number, on a road obviously.  Useful!

Untied the boat, pushed the front out, put it in gear.  No movement.  Tried harder.  Still no movement.  Got off and pushed the back out.  Still nothing.  Got off and pushed again and then gave it some wellie and slowly we moved the first few inches of our daily journey.   The trip as far as the end of the Ashby went without incident.  Just the usual opposite directions in bridge holes.  I was nicely lined up with the narrows at the end of the canal or so I thought.   I reckon it was the vegetation obscuring the edges that did it.  What else could it be.   Managed the turn with a bit of reverse at the appropriate moment whereby you end up hidden from the bridge and anything that might be there.  The boater lined up for the bridge in the opposite direction was very understanding for my sudden appearance.   Then just for the last mile we found ourselves behind a boat which it seemed was doing its entire cruise on tickover.   This has happened to me before when I was behind such a boat on the Leicester arm pretty well all the way from Crick to Husbands Bosworth.   It taught me that you still arrive where you wanted to end up in the end.   Lovely evening to get chairs out.

Ashby Canal:Stoke Golding

A short day in prospect.    It was only about 1 mile to our intended mooring for the night.  However, the boat will have to be turned for the return journey, and for that we have to continue on to Sutton Wharf, another 2 miles.   The nicest moorings for Stoke Golding, in my opinion, are a little further on from the main road bridge by the hire base, past the off-line marina.  Just past bridge 27 there is a sharp left turn and on the offside there are some C&RT 48 hour moorings with a picnic spot.  There is easy road access from there to the village and the nearest pub, the White Swan.  (Only open at 6pm most days).  Continuing on from there past the church, and sandwiched between the George & Dragon and an excellent Indian Restaurant is a small general store.    I was given a list of provisions to purchase, and with the help of the storekeeper, came through for almost all.

Ashby Canal:Bridge 23 - Farm Shop

Monday June 13th

Not so warm today, especially for Pat as she feels cold.   Actually had to light the fire.   It does certainly make the boat feel lovely and cosy.   Turning onto the Ashby as a “hole in one” can be done, but is certainly a challenge.  Just as I was about to initiate a carefully planned turn with the boat in the right spot, an opposite direction appeared on the Coventry that put paid to my plans, so actually had to use reverse and bow thruster!   Once on the Ashby, progress through the cutting was slow as expected, but thereafter good.   WE stopped at Hinckley water point moorings for an early lunch, then carried on as far as the farm shop.  We have never been there at the right time to have a look before.  The wares were mostly meaty stuff of all description, with a few cakes and the needed milk.  WE decided to stay for the night on the mooring as we are within sight almost of our intending turning point for return.   It was a good opportunity for a few little boat jobs.

Coventry Canal:Hawkesbury Junction

Sunday June 12th

We set off this morning at 08:00hrs aiming for Hawkesbury Junction.  On turning to line up with Newbold Tunnel a boat was seen approaching from the other direction which turned out to be three boats.  The first reached the tunnel mouth just as we were exiting.   More boats were seen before the Brinklow Marina turning.   What looked like a second hand Viking hire boat came out of the marina a few hundred yards ahead of us and did an Austin Powers manoeuvre to turn ahead.   This boat kept its distance ahead until Stretton stop where the little swing bridge needed opening.  They left it for us to close, no problem.   It seemed though that once past the moored boats on tickover, they forgot to speed up again because progress was very slow not made any better by opposite direction stuff in difficult places.   However, they pulled in at Ansty, so progress improved and by then we had a tail.   We did the stop lock and turned on to the Coventry Canal for the night.  Fitted a new kitchen blind.

Oxford Canal:Newbold

Saturday June 11th

Nuggler is on the move again!   Still suffering from the personal damage of lockdowns, the need for the BSS exam and its result of needing a new stove collar, things are slow to get going.   Couple all this with the fact that Pat, first mate, is not well at present, only short excursions have been possible.  This is the first attempt at something a little longer - just 10 days.   Unusual for us.   So we are trying to get onto the Ashby.  Just the three locks at Hillmorton because I am now effectively single handing and need to break myself in gradually.  No problems so far, except that I still half expect Pat to act, like jumping off at the right moment with a bow rope,  when, of course she isn’t.   The weather has been good to us, but mooring possibilities not.  I was aiming for Rugby because our stores are low and Tesco there is, I suppose, as good as it gets.   The problem at Rugby is that the moorings are on an S bend and it is impossible to judge the possibilities until alternatives are way behind you.  So no moorings at Rugby.  Newbold was the next possibility.  There is a Coop store (and a really good fish shop) just down the road from the Barley Mow pub.   Meals at the pub from 5pm to 8 pm, no need to book for small groups.  Unfortunately this is another popular spot with moorings limited by a longish length of permanent moorings.  However, our space was waiting for us right near the bridge.  Great relief.   We opted for the fish shop which was doing a roaring trade.  (Well it is a Saturday)

To Newbold via Stretton Stop

Sunday March 27th 2022

Cold and overcast until lunchtime.  All the moored boats at Rose Narrowboats made winding a little tricky but all done without crashing.   There was plenty of room at Newbold when we arrived but this soon filled up.  Getting a firm mooring on the large unguarded piling here is difficult.   We need to get some larger sausage fenders.   Passing boats inevitably cause banging against the side.   A spring line might help, but there’s not so much traffic as to be a problem

Rugby

Saturday March 26th 2022

Another slow day to Rugby but with unbroken sunshine, maybe the last for a while.   Hillmorton Locks were almost deserted, just one opposite and one overtaking us.  Rugby moorings were almost totally clear.   A visit to Tesco followed.

Mini Cruise to Stretton Stop & Back

Friday March 25th 2022

We got to the marina just after 8:00 am.  Before we could go anywhere there were “jobs” to do, principally to de-winterise the boat.   There had been a short maintenance visit two weeks previously when the water tank was flushed and filled but a few spot checks also regarding the anticipated BSS examination at the beginning of next month.  It had been discovered then that the rear flue cover plate on the squirrel stove had fallen off due to a broken fixing stud.   First job then was to fit a replacement so that we could get some heat in the boat.   Then the wind generator, which had been stored over winter in the cabin, was replaced on the roof.   Finally then we were able to leave with the aim of mooring above Hillmorton Locks for the night.  That took an hour.   The massive new housing development on the offside continues to grow.   

Return to Barby Moorings

At Ansty it was quite misty when we set off, but after leaving the protection of the trees and hedges and emerging alongside open fields the mist thickened to the extent that vision was limited to around one hundred yards.    Knowing the canal meant that obstacles were expected and going slowly had little risk, the worst being moored boats or something coming the other way.  However, once past the Brinklow road bridge the mist thinned and progress improved.  We did meet an opposite direction boat, very unusual at this time of the morning but its tunnel light was well visible and probably unnecessary at that point.  The straight down to Stratton Stop was a little better although the tiny swing bridge at Rose Narrowboats was not visible at all from a distance.  Then once past Easenhall Bridge the mist started to clear and we were joined by other boats.   Rugby moorings were pretty full as were the moorings leading up to Hillmorton Locks.   Hillmorton locks were congested but we were lucky in not having to queue at the bottom, total confusion in the middle for a poor newbie on a hire boat, first stuck on the side on a bend, then caught in the backwash of an emptying lock.   We just drifted into an just exited lock, then at the top fortunate to arrive at just the right time to see a flotilla of 4 boats all arrive opposite direction at the top.   I think the volunteers do a grand job coping with it all.  These are, I believe, the busiest locks on the whole system.  Not far then to our moorings and the sad job of loading the car and putting the boat to bed.  We’ll leave that all for tomorrow.

Ansty

Ansty is our computer advised target overnight stop for today, so we have recovered time lost yesterday due to the rain “stopping play”.   An extra hour today, therefore, some of it spent waiting in a queue to get through Hawkesbury stop lock.    Our early start paid dividends in that we had no interruptions on our ascent of Atherstone’s 11 locks and we’re the only mark on the top lock-keepers score board for the day at the time of our arrival.   Pat has returned to normal lock operation in that she has been working next lock ahead to ensure uninterrupted passage of the boat from one lock to the next.   However, from Atherstone onwards we met lots of opposite direction traffic and were following in a small convoy for some of the time, all possibly due to a marked improvement in the weather.   Hawkesbury junction as expected was “busy”.  The Coventry Canal is joined by the Oxford Canal here in a 180 degree turn through a bridge and ending in a stop lock (a lock historically designed with a rise of just a few inches to prevent water from one company leaking into another).   The 180 turn is tricky and some boats need to make forward and reverse mores to accommodate it, thus adding to the congestion at busy times.   Success for a “turn in one” is best achieved by going very slowly.   I still have not worked out in my head what was actually happening, but we found ourselves behind a boat waiting to go through in turn waiting for an opposite boat or two.  Pat was at the lock probably acting as a traffic controller.   Not long to Ansty with limited moorings on the corve Rugby side of the village only.

Atherstone Bottom Lock

Bit of light rain first thing which settled down to a grey uniform overcast dismal day.   We did make good progress though.  Fazeley in about an hour.   Glascote Locks were quiet and the first of the two empty.   The next was full, but by the time the boat exited the lower one Pat had already opened the gates.  Then a boat appeared ahead so we didn’t even have to close the top gates and were on our way again.   NO traffic until near Poleswoth when suddenly there were opposite direction boats everywhere.   That didn’t last long.  The rain set in, heavy wetting kind.   We stuck it as far as the bottom of the Atherstone Flight, but by then were cold more than anything.  I must have reptilian blood because when cold I start to shut down and don’t want to do stuff anymore.  In this circumstance Pat and I both agreed that, after a full health and safety assessment, that it would be foolish to continue, so we stopped.   The schedule for today was for us to be 6 locks up.  A popular mooring stop possibly because of the nearby pub and which we were hoping to explore.   No problem.  We will just have to put in some extra time tomorrow.     The rain continued heavily until around 4pm. We had the fire going.  Although the temperature is not that low, a fire dries out all our kit quickly and cheers us up.

Hopwas

We had a good run down to Fradley.  We arrived at Woodend Lock just as a boat was exiting and with two lock-keepers as well doing a water resources survey.   The lower two locks were starting to get busy.  We had a short wait - one down one up, but by the time we entered the lock there were three waiting behind.  Once on the Coventry Canal things slowed down.  It was suddenly busy and with many curves, difficult bridges and off side vegetation great care is needed.  At Hademoor the canal feels very shallow.   In the Tamhorn areas reed beds have encroached in some places restricting the cut to narrowboat width.   Is this a sort of traffic calming measure?   I am worried that offside vegetation encroachment has reached such a stage that Canal & River Trust will have more on their hands in dealing with this than they can afford.   Increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere really do promote plant growth and perhaps the growth of trees and bushes is an example.   One small sapling today is tomorrow’s tree.

Our early start early stopping routine does pay off.  Plenary of mooring at Hopwas.   Tomorrow we encounter the Atherstone Flight of 11 locks.  Before that two locks at Glascote- a well known bottleneck.

Aston

No drama today.   Drizzle to start with and then a warm partly sunny day.  First we had Stoke Locks to deal with. No other traffic.  These are what I see as a mixed bag of locks.  The first and the last are deeper than the rest.  The middle lock leads to a low bridge exit, the penultimate to a very low railway bridge for which I need to remove the weather vane from the wind generator lying on the roof to be safe.  Water levels can vary and the clearance is very small.   Anyway, no problems there.  The last deep lock, just rather slow.   Nest after a few miles comes Trentham Lock.  A single isolated lock can almost always guarantee lock queues as below are some top mooring sites.  Most close are the moorings for the nearby pottery factory and then a little further, Barlaston with its popular Plume of Feathers pub and a handy store.    Moving on we came to Milford Locks - two and two with a gap in between.   We found the top lock empty with bottom gates open immediately before a road bridge.   Walking down and looking over it was evident that a boat swap was going on between there at the lock below, so a wait for all that to resolve.  We were the centre piece of another boat swap at the second of the two locks further on.   There is an attractive length after this with good mooring throughout, but with boats spaced out, not fast going.   Then Stone Locks.  Nicely balanced one up one down here.   There were good mooring opportunities in Stone as we passed through just after midday, but they will soon disappear for sure.  Wanting to clear the area we continued on to Aston Lock, has a good swap here and finally moored just past the large marina and the Carr Lane road bridge on the first piling moorings since Liverpool.

Etruria

The morning was going well.  Pat’s back has been troubling her recently so we are running with a modified single handed boater routine.  I do everything except take the helm at locks.  We had not seen any boats moving up until Lawton, so it was just a matter of choosing the most likely empty of a pair, then me getting off leaving Pat to take the boat in.  This saves a lot of lock ladder work.  This then involves me stepping off the boat at the lower lock landing.   This is when it all happened in very quick succession.  The landing must have had some slime on it because my foot slipped with the other foot airborne I suppose and that foot then fell into the gat between the boat and the landing causing a total loss of balance and the inevitable plunge into the canal.  I had a hand on the bank and the boat so it wasn’t a complete dunk thankfully saving my hearing aids.  The boat was hardly moving and Pat quickly shut down the engine.  Let’s say that took 15 seconds.  I realised then it was nigh on impossible to get out quickly, but as that thought settled in and almost as quick as I had fallen in, a well built young man appeared and helped me out of the water, enough to get a leg out and roll only the side.  Another 15 seconds.  Unbelievable.   Here’s the lesson!    If I had been truly single handed and with no-one around I would have had a bit of a problem, as they say!   We just carried on as usual for this and the next lock and then I had a shower and change of clothes for the rest of the climb.   One or two abrasions made themselves apparent  15 minutes later which were initially heated with alcohol sanitiser.  Pat alter insisted on a dressing.

Reaching the top we approached the Harecastle Tunnel  landing.  No boats were waiting and I saw the tunnel keeper get on the phone to his opposite number at the other end, so was pleased that we could go straight through and not have to worry about any boats in front.   Our aim was to moor for the night at Westport Lake.   Considering we had hardly seen another boat all day the reason became clear.  They were all moored up here with no spaces left. No alternative to go on and find an alternative.   There are some neat moorings with rings just after Bridge 119 before the Black Prince Hire Base.   So we headed there.

Hassall Green

We expect to leave our overnight moorings early and alone, but three boats passed us before 7:00 am.   So we are not the only ones.   First came Big Lock which can take two narrowboats.  Two must have already gone up ahead.  The third was finishing taking on water and joined us to go up.   We were expecting a bit of a queue at the next lock, the first of three deep narrow locks, but they were deserted and empty so a quick ascent was ours.  Kings Lock next, just after the junction with the Middlewich arm of the Shropshire Union Canal was full and a boat was about to descend giving us open gates eventually.   However, I did pop-up to have a look.  The hire boaters were just returning from a trip to Bugsworth Basin on the Peak Forest Canal and singing its praises for heritage interest and attractiveness.   Their intent to work this into a “ring” had been thwarted by a tree down on the Ashton Canal apparently.    Soon we were on our way again, all locks in our favour.   We had intended to stop at Wheelock for water, but the landing was occupied so we carried on with the intention of getting the first few of the Cheshire Locks out of the way before a threatened turn for the worse in the weather.   Again all bar one of the locks were in our favour and better, some left with gates open for us by opposite direction boats.   We were lucky.   It isn’t always like this.  One can picture a scene where following another uphill group all the locks need to be emptied, or they have been turned around by enthusiastic crews setting up a passage for their boats well in advance without regard for the needs of boats coming the other way.     The Cheshire Locks are paired for the most part, which does help.

We stopped above Lock 59 just in time to a valid a soaking and watched a very slow procession fo traffic on the M6 motorway.  Emergency bridge repairs apparently.

Crofton Aqueduct

Did a weed hatch job last night and retrieved a heavy plastic bag and some strong waterweed stems wrapped around needing the diving knife to free them.   So all was well once we started the cruise this morning and we should not have a lot of further trouble.   The Trent and Mersey Canal on which we are now on is much narrower and shallower than the Bridgewater we have just left.  Reeds are proliferating and narrowing the channel in places in one instance where there is a line of moored boats reducing it to single line working and on a bend too, so that there is no sign of an opposite direction until too late.   The views however are stunning, when the hedgerow permits you to see them, over the Weaver Valley from 50 feet above as the canal winds along the hillside.   We arrived at Saltisford Tunnel (N) with only 5 minutes to go for the timed entrance needed. (20 minutes from the half hour).  The tunnel is quite bent at the end, and as the book says, the other end is not visible from the North.  I realise now why I had so much trouble getting control of the boat when entering from the south.  The sudden change from full daylight to darkness, even with the headlight, takes a few seconds for the eyes to adapt nad then you find the tunnel isn’t leading where you thought it was.  

Barton Tunnel is still a bit wiggly and there is no time restriction.  The only problem is that one cannot see if it is clear until already in it due to the 90 degree turn necessary at the entrance.

We found the rubbish drop at Anderson’s Service (thank you Sue) and had a pretty uneventful run down to Middlewich.   Expecting most moorings to be taken (it was lunchtime) we stopped short and tied up just after the Croxted Aqueduct.   At least we are in the shade after another sultry hot day, however it was much further from the supermarket stop which I had hoped for and after a mile walk almost found that the moorings are plentiful and pleasant above the Big Lock.

Return to Preston Brook

Misty this morning but it soon cleared.  Needing a few odd items of groceries, we stopped at Stockton Heath.  Plenty of moorings both before and after the main bridge by Throne Marine.   There is a Sainsbury local just a short walk down the hill.  Then on to Preston Brook, starting to think about the timed entrance allowed for the single track tunnel.   Looking at the map and with a bit of guesswork we could make the cutoff.   Entrance from the north is allowed from the half hour to 40 minutes past the hour (just 10 minutes window), so missing the time means almost an hour wait.  As we got nearer I was sure that we would just miss, but pressed on and made it with just 1 minute to spare.   It took us 15 minutes to get through.   At the end there was a collection of boats, some going on north, some newly arrived and a couple already waiting for their slot on the hour.   Once through, we moored just after the first (tricky) bend where there were rings - an unaccustomed luxury.  Once again we are getting desperate for rubbish disposal.   Seemingly there is nothing between Leigh and Wheelock, but it might be worth a try at the council tip just before getting to Middlewich.

Barn Owl Pub

We have stopped opposite the pub on a pretty wide part of towpath, but as the pub is between bridges there is no easy access for us.   No locks today, just steady cruising, first to leave C&RT waters at Leigh (with a quick visit tot the nearby Aldi) and then onto the Bridgwater Canal (Leigh Branch).  We passed no opposite direction boats until the Barton Aqueduct which had been swung, so closed to us.   Luckily it started to swing back almost as soon as we arrived.  Very interesting to see how it all worked to seal the water it contains from the canal and of course the Manchester ship Canal below when it opens.  There are gates which swing rather than barriers which lift or drop.  Soon we were on our way again.   No sign of any shipping below, so probably just a routine test.  At Waters Meeting and past the huge Kelllogs factory we turned right for Preston Brook starting with the long straight sections through Sale and Altrincham.    Lots of walkers out there - children being taken to school and runners of all sizes.   Once out of the urban area we continued to the boatyards after Agate Bridge for a diesel top up.  Weather is warming up and looking quite hot for tomorrow.

PLANK LANE

 

Plank Lane lifting bridge was our target today.   Just a little further than the computer plan suggested, but if we were to stop short, then we would faul foul of the restricted hours on a weekday morning tomorrow.  It is a very busy road and the bridge is narrow for the road user, so controlled by traffic lights to make things worse in a way for the motorist.  We have right of way.  So we have passed through and are moored up opposite a new housing development and marina and adjacent to a large country park.    First, though, our journey.  8 locks today, 5 up and two down.   The first, a deep lock formed of the amalgamation of two.   It was full and had to be emptied first.  Then once in, all a bit of a muddle.  The ideal ground paddle to use was u/s and gate paddles not ideal, so lots of running around the lock bridge at the bottom trying to get a safe fill without the sluice wash throwing the boat around.   Then next after, a swing bridge (manual).   Then another lock, again with a defective top ground paddle and yet another lock this time a little strange in that there was no rush of water opening the ground paddle so that I assumed it was not working.  Yet the lock was filling.    By then we had reached Wigan and there was a boat waiting below the two Wigan Locks which we joined up with for the rest.   From now no more locks (apart from a stop lock) until Middlewich), which will be pretty well 3 days motoring.   It’s fascinating to think: all this distance and all on the same level.

There have been lots of walkers out today, being a sunny weekend.  Behind our mooring there is a large wooded country park cross crossed with narrow paths inviting exploration.   I found it handy for collecting some kindling for the stove, thus guaranteeing fine weather for the next few days.