What a Lark!: Bloody Barge Pole

During the course of our time here David had ridden off most mornings and a few times had found a nice country pub, so as the sun shone down it was a good day to visit a couple.

The first was a really lovely venue, from his bike it looked a small cottagey place but as we drove into the huge surrounding carpark which was full it became clear that it was a vast restaurant and extremely busy.

One drink.

Then off he took me to Wincle, we pronounced it "Winkle" now this was way way down a deep valley. He had googled it from the boat as he didn't actually go down the deep valley but passed a sign from the top on the main road so we went for a quiet Sunday Lunch.

HERE

Brilliant sunshine and we pulled up outside The Ship to find bunting, balloons, flags and live band in the garden.

It was their Family Fun Day, not quite what we were anticipating for sure but having booked and nowhere else to go we stayed and had the most delicious meal with a Sing-along element.

The drive back was spectacular and we took in a drive past The Cloud, that is to say the zonking great hill you see all the way up and down the Bosley Flight.

The Cloud

Home again on WaL and enjoying the last of the afternoon sunshine I talked to a single handed lady boater moored in front who had had her boat for two years after hankering to have her own boat since childhood, she was completely in love with the lifestyle. I asked her if she'd had any major problems,

"Yes many" she said laughing "One time the water turned brown" she recalled, it turned out that her water tank was all but empty and it was the dregs coming out, but she is still very much enjoying it.

Lisa have you got my hat?

The next morning we set off again, we followed Sharon the lady single hander. We both wanted water, we were really low

it was a really gorgeous day as the last week had been, not what you really expect in the Derbyshire Peak District, it was so warm I had been online shopping for shorts, they were to be delivered to a supermarket further down the way.

We spotted this fairly well known boat, NB Oakfield, from the same boat builder, Fernwood Designs, a company no more, but the previous owners were bloggers too.

I do so love it when the Flag Irises come into bloom, did I post some photos before? Anyway here are more.

One of the wonderful Turnover Bridges, it means that when a horse was pulling a narrowboat pre-engines, the horse didn't have to have its rope detached when the tow path changed sides.

When we arrived at Buglawton where on of the few water points on the Macclesfield canal was. We found a boat already on the tap, he called across to Sharon already there as we pulled up,

"I've got a big tank and its a slow filler",

Reader I refer you to my previous incident with water points, a Boater should only fill up for 30 minutes if others are waiting, regardless of water pressure or tank size.

Sharon waited but we decided or should I say David declared that we're not waiting so on we went as I wanted to visit Little Moreton Hall, quite a way down the canal but it closed at 4pm I think it was. Had we of waited we would have missed it.

We passed on washing up that day, brushed our teeth with water in a egg-cup and I gritted my teeth, I hate playing Water Roulette.

Clever.

It was a lovely cruise down, much longer than it would have taken as the Barge Pole had to be deployed several times to get WaL off the shallow side again. At Buglawton for one where nearby fishermen had a good laugh at me. I then have to carry the heavy pole to the next bridge to get on again, not that easy "Just throw it on" says David...

A cyclist had to stop as I was right over the tow path, turned out he was the same one I'd met previously when doing the same thing. We talked about how he'd like his single daughter to find a good man then he wouldn't have to worry about her, but she worries about him being single. So I was able to make three suggestions where to meet someone (Not biking for one), its a mystery how much information is imparted in short encounters.

I am horrified at these photos below. I have been doing battle with David's poxy iPhone which I used that afternoon when I forgot my camera. I have used it in the past, whizzed pictures over by What's App to me without issue but not now and until I get to a small child to sort out Apple's poxy sharing of images or possibly Blogger has changed their policy it's screen shots. I even tried to edit the screen shots but it got so late and I was "mildly irritated" so I promise not to use his phone again.

Little Moreton Hall, built without foundations, on marshy ground, they built a Gallery without planning permission and a structural engineer's report. All of which means the National Trust has an amazing property on it's hands to preserve.