Wheelock to Dunham. We hit the Bridgewater.

After the weekend sojourn in Wheelock, whilst Ali visited family for her nephew Graham's 30th, we were ready for the off on Monday. The weather was not! It was cold, windy and wet. So we visited Sandbach once again, then settled in waiting for the storms to abate.

Sandbach

Tuesday, we were getting stir crazy, but the weather remained foul. It was forecast to improve in the afternoon, so after lunch we pulled the pins. After watering up, within what seemed like minutes, the clouds opened with a deluge of hailstone. As you can imagine, it was not warm.

We persevered, as we were only making for Middlewich.

For the miles before we reached the first lock, we saw ner a boat moving.  The weather was truly awful.

Upon arrival at the first lock, Crows nest, we found it against us, but with nobody in sight, Ali filled it and we began the descent.  At this point a boat hove into view and an agitated lady disembarked.  She was not apparently a happy bunny.  When she approached Ali, she told her that we had 'wasted' a lock which was in her favour!  Ali tried to explain that their boat was not in view, that we were already descending upon their approach, but all to no avail.  Transpires a single hander was ahead of us, and all the locks thus far had been in their favour and thus, so should this one have been!!!

So to the lady, please accept our apologies, perhaps Black Prince will compensate you for your distress......

Anyway, we dropped down the remaining locks, moored near the park and warmed up.  Then popped into town for a drink and a meal.

Wednesday saw some improvement weather wise, no rain, but warm and still breezy.  After big lock was descended, we had miles lock free ahead, so could afford to chug along.  We had read an article in Waterways World about the Lion Salt Works, stating hat it opened that day after much renovation.  The article stated it had a shop, cafe and outside play area for me!  So we rolled up at lunch time, looking forward to a slice of cake.  When we walked into the reception, it did feel a little, not ready, but staff were on, so we approached them, they explained that the official opening was not until early June! but a staff member would be very happy to give us an escorted tour, gratis.  This we did, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Well worth stopping when it is fully open.

After that, we continued on to Anderton and called it a day.

Today (Thursday) dawned much brighter than of late and promised to remain good.  It was to be our 'tunnel day' with three to tackle in quick succession.  The canal here is above the Weaver valley and offers some beautiful views.  Barnton tunnel was soon behind us, but we arrived at Saltersford a little early for the passage, which north bound is on the hour.  Soon there were three boats and we patiently waited having a chat.  As the hour approached, a boat appeared, sailed past us and into the tunnel!  How rude, we would not mind but he was so slow, he knew my feelings on his action, so between the exit and Preston Brook tunnel, he went like a bat out of hell, we poodles on admiring the scenery and as we approached the stop lock prior to the south portal, who should we spy waiting for the again on the hour north passage?  Correct ....

Even leaving it for five minutes after he set off, half way through, we caught up with him and spent the rest of the passage on tickover.

By Preston Brook, it really had warmed up, well I thought so but Ali did not agree that warm was an apt description!  The improvement spurred us onto past Moore and make for Lymm.  This proved to be a mistake, as upon arrival, all the moorings were reserved from 18:00 for a boat festival, from Brookfield bridge to Lloyd bridge nearly a mile!

So we carried on and are now moored at Dunham.

Good to be back on deep wide waters of the Bridgewater once again.  Local custom appears to travel everywhere with your pram hood up, come rain or shine.  Tomorrow's forecast if correct, may see us following suit, or staying put and walking around the grounds and gardens of Dunham Massey Hall.

Fabulous reflections tonight 

Stunning display by two buzzards today

Distance 37 miles, 10 locks.  3 tunnels Barnton Tunnel (572 yards) Saltersford Tunnel (424 yards) Preston Brook Tunnel (1239 yards)

Huddlesford to Wheelock.

We think early summer has arrived!  Depends on which day you choose!  Whilst we have experienced little in the way of precipitation, our greatest problem has been wind. Not mine, or Ali's I hasten to add...

Since posting last, we seem to have eaten up the miles. Leaving the Coventry and onto the Trent & Mersey. This remains very familiar territory for us, but none the worse for that. It is fair to say that this has been a very pleasant journey. Britain at its best, with the trees and flowers blossoming, birds nesting and tending their young. This is true even in the urban areas we have passed through.

(this swan was protecting his mate and nest and attacked our button and the back

 of the boat for about 1/4 mile)

Stone is ever delightful and we are fast altering our opinion of Stoke. The past industrial decay is now largely gone. That which has not been redeveloped is tidy and the whole conurbation free of litter and similar detritus. It appears the locals are loving the green corridor that is the canal, and looking after it. Well done.

May blossom really out now

On Monday it dawned dry and bright, but windy. We had a somewhat challenging journey through Fradley junction. Mainly the wind, but not helped by a volunteer locky, who was causing a back up of boats below middle lock, where there is but one landing, by not allowing boats to enter the next pound, which was empty! That said, we were lucky to ascend quite quickly, after hovering for a while...

From Fradley, we made a pleasant journey through Handsacre and Rugeley, until a day boat from Great Heywood bore down on us. The crew were all middle aged gents, well inebriated, one of whom appeared to have already been in for a dip!  Luckily, we bade them farewell as they turned into Anglo Welsh and we then meandered to our mooring for the day just South of Sandon.

The next day we ascended through Stone and to the outskirts of Stoke.  Another pleasant day following the Trent valley. We moored at Barlaston, just shy of the Wedgwood factory. Again a somewhat windy day.

 On Wednesday, our final ascent to the summit began. It was a glorious day. We made good time up the locks, past the turn for the Caldon canal, then through the town until the south portal of Harecastle tunnel came into view. After a short wait for two boats passing through south, during which we watered up, we were the last of three boats going north.

I quite like Harecastle. This trip was steady, but not too slow and we enjoyed the spookiness, including the skeleton stencilled into a niche, only visible as you pass. Once again the keepers were very helpful, so thank you.

Exiting the tunnel it is all downhill. Well it was for one boater attempting to turn onto the Macclesfield at Kidsgrove. Boy did he thwack his somewhat bespoke and expensive looking boat into the bank while attempting to pass under the bridge, the boat vibrated in almost pain, and we think he then jammed his rudder at tother end!  After this, we locked down, mooring at the rather pleasant rural Church Lawton.

For several days now, we have followed the weather forecast predicting a veritable monsoon for today ( Thursday).  But, the forecasters seemed to have altered the fine line between us getting soaked and staying dry, and it seemed that if we had an earlyish start, we may well stay dry at least until the afternoon.

Well we did stay dry, it did not rain on us at all, not a spot... But the bloody wind made up for it and it was cold. After 18 locks and early in the afternoon, we calls a halt and moored up at Wheelock, knackered.

(what a difference a day makes!)

Since our last post, we have covered the following.
Miles 48
Locks 47
Tunnels 2919 yds.

Winding north.

Wind (as in clock) or wind (as in weather) is an oft used boating term, meaning to turn the boat.

Well this week we have been subject to both of the definitions. We are now truly heading north and it has been blooming Windy!

Last Tuesday morning we awoke to a cloudy sky, with high winds forecast. With Braunston tunnel and the locks down in prospect, we had an early (ish) start. At Norton junction we turned onto the main line and soon the tunnel portal hove into view. This is two way, so you can pass boats coming in the opposite direction. Thought we had it cracked, no boats in sight, until the last few hundred yards when three came in! Safely out and to the locks. By the time we had the lock set, another boat joined us, so an easy passage down was made.

Greetings to Matty, who we saw twice! (and Kathy once!)

We managed to moor prior to the marina, tucked behind a hedge, that did shield us from the ever increasing wind. That night we met Jane and Paul at the Admiral Nelson and had a good meal (to celebrate the birthday someone was trying to forget). The walk back to the boat negated our need to shower though, we got soaked!

Wednesday was grim. Not so much the rain, but the wind. Discretion being the better part of valour, we sat tight.  Had a walk to the village and Bottom lock chandlers, did a few jobs on the boat and Ali made use of the launderette at the marina.





Thursday saw something of an improvement, whilst still not balmy, the wind had dropped. Topped up at the services and we were off. Not many boats on the move as yet, but arriving at Hillmorton locks saw us having to wait a short while as only one of the pair of locks in this flight of three, was operating.

This is uber familiar territory, but none the less pleasant for that. At Rugby we had a shop stop and walked to Tesco, then resumed  our trek. At Ansty, we called it a day and moored for the night. I think someone has removed all the visitor mooring signs, coz we saw none.



On Friday we made the turn onto the Coventry at Hawkesbury junction, also known as Sutton stop. The lock here has a minimal drop, at one time controlling the water owned by different company's. I almost made the turn in one, but a boat arrived at the narrow stymied my completion. The moorings here were very quiet, one wonders if a little more enforcement is the cause?







From here we made a somewhat short hop to Springwood haven. Nuneaton is quite pleasant and we chugged through admiring the many pleasant gardens and the numerous allotments which seem to garland the canal. We actually passed the marina and chandlers, moored up and put the kettle on. Then the gas ran out! We do have a spare, but dragged the empty on a trolley to the chandlers, then exchanged it. Exercise is good for you, allegedly!

















 The moorings here are very pleasant. Wooded slopes extend up from the canal and we are sure we heard the plaintive cry of a Goshawk as we watched the lambs gamboling in the field opposite. As dusk descended, this was replaced by the burble of a diesel engine, as one pray decided that rules do not apply to him! Ran his engine until 2130!!!

Then he switched off and another started. And one wonders why live a boards get a bad name amongst other boaters. All engines should be off at 20:00 by the way.  Anyway, rant over...

On Saturday we tackled the Atherstone flight. No problems and fairly quiet, if a tad windy, again!

Sad to see Glascote basin now empty, after the death of Steve Hudson, such a shame. Top bloke, sadly missing from the canal landscape.

Somewhat battered by the wind, just for a change, we made our way past Fazely junction and moored up a few hundred yards past the services, as it was somewhat busy. We walked to the out of town shops and whilst Ali went to Sainsbury's, M&S and the like, I made do with B&Q.  Got what we needed and settled in.

This morning, after a quick reverse back to the services, we passed through Hopwas and then Whittington, where we saw Dave &Angie from N.B Lady Esther enjoying their stop and looking forward to lunch with friends. We carried on to Huddlesford, where we had booked a table for lunch at The Plough.

Turned out to be a good choice. Really good food and ambience.

So now back on the boat. The sun is out, but just for a change, the wind is up! Chilling...

Spring has now truly sprung and full summer beckons, we hope!

Tis a hard life. But someone has to do it!

Since the last post, we have covered the following.

Miles. 56
Locks. 23
Tunnels 2292 yds
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