A marvellous time at Bosley Locks

 The next morning was sunny for the run up to the locks.  

The flight of 13 locks here are now on Restricted Hours, that is to say that since the reservoir at Whalley Bridge up in Derbyshire  HERE    had its collapse and is well under way to being repaired but it won't be finished this year, the reservoir is not full hence the restriction on both the Flight at Marple and the Bosley are only opened three days a week and only for five hours.

As well approached the locks, the sun was shining, the surrounding countryside was simply beautiful to behold.

Have a look.

Open meadows, but with those poxy Canadian Geese.

Wooded avenues with patches of bluebells

Great time to visit before the leaves are out, more to see.

Blues and yellows, I have a blue and yellow section in my garden at home (These were only dandelions)

First peek at the Peaks.... look someone in a T shirt.

Double bridges.

This isn't the first newly laid hedge we've seen on this canal.  Wonderful work.

See how high we are.

This hill below I can't find a name for but it can be seen from all around.  (I'll ask my son-in-law, he knows all things northern).  Gosh did I tell you the sun shone?

Pushing off for the first lock.

Two views of the new Braidbar narrow boat on it's way to be shown at Crick.  It really did look marvellous.    

I could buy this no problem.

Now we had an unsurpassed brilliant time at these locks.  I guess we arrived at about 10am, nicely in time for all the boats that set off earlier from the top descending, to make our lives super easy.  It meant I didn't have to turn a single lock, the very last lock as I walked along was turned for me by the two volunteer lockkies, who at 12:45 were eager to leave.  So technically one lock was turned.

We met nice people, at one point a boat was coming but was two locks away, David had his breakfast and we just waited for them to arrive so saving two locks worth of water for the next day.

David said to a woman when I had gone ahead, how well it had gone for us and she agreed it was good.  Then in the next breath said she couldn't understand why the flight is restricted "Makes no sense"  

But it's a brilliant way to save water when you meet boats all the time in a shorter period of time.

The volunteer offered us to moor up on the water point at the top of the locks as no one will be here for two days but no we didn't.  I guess we went 500yards around the corner.  Sat in the sun with the opened cratch cover and I got on with the best book I have read in a long time.

David has got fed up with me chortling at the funny bits.  He is going to read it next.

Absolutely Fabulous.

Supper was a large assortment of M&S snacks, with wine then cheeses all sat in the sun. 

 

Absolute beauties plus Lesley and Joe

 The next day was David's turn to shine and display all his wonderful gifts at logistics.

We had plans to meet up with the lovely Joe and Lesley formally of NB Caxton, then NB Yarwood then NB Steadfast and I am delighted to tell Lesley's blogging fans (For those who haven't read her blogs over the years, we certainly did read them and she aided our decision to get WaL) I am delighted to tell her fans that they have another boat, a more doggie friendly boat than Steadfast proved to be with new little doggies and an engine room.

So plans to meet "The Yars" as we refer to them, they are moving their newly aquired boat NB Toulouse up Heartbreak Hill.  David found an aqueduct where we could leave the car near by.  

We didn't think finding the aqueduct would be tricky....

The view from Ramsdell Hall Railings, I think these are historic, plus the moorings, not great moorings but I don't think the owners really want us boaters there to be gazed on.

Ramsdell Hall

From hereabouts you can walk over the fields to Little Moreton Hall  HERE  we did this years and years ago and I would have liked to have gone today but maybe on the way back.

 

Suddenly everyone is cutting grass.  a few dry days then a lot more rain due.

The stone bridges on this canal are simply gorgeous.  Even better in the sun.

The birdsong, the sunshine, the flowers and blossom... sigh.

I couldn't read it but I am presuming its an original mile marker.

So we knew that this aqueduct was between two bridges, I was expecting something a bit more specular but after passing over it and having to reverse approximately 50' the access was a simple wooden gate on the tow path side and no indication on the other side.

We moored up after mamouth cruise of 90 minutes....

This was the view from just down the wooden gate shows you what lovely countryside it is here, just 4.5 miles from Kidsgrove where we exited the Harecastle Tunnel.

We had to leave time for Lesley & Joe to arrive... at the time of taking this photo she was in Morrisons down in Middlewich, not far in our car but they were aiming to be up Heartbreak Hill,  so while we waited we went here.  That is to say we visited Church Lawton Woods.  Now for any boaters amongst you, these are easily accessible from either the Macclesfield Canal and the Trent and Mersey Canal as they are right between the two.  The Bluebell section is clearly managed in a most productive but understated way, they also have left big piles of sticks, twigs and branches for insects.  Other sections were more wild like and less managed.  The sun came through the leaves, the birds, the tree rats oops sorry squirrels made it a most beautiful afternoon.

I urge you to visit.  

Bluebells although a glorious colour are difficult to capture on film.

We have a sizable Beech hedge at home, when we left it was still in bud, we both have a soft spot for the Beech, paper thin and bright bright green when the leaves appear.

I am so sorry and regretful that I didn't take any photos of J&L, but they are well, delighted with their new boat.  Should you be on Facebook you may well find her and her boat diary there.

Supper was fish and chips at The Cheshire Cat at Wheelock,  shall we say about a third of the way up Heartbreak Hill.  We drove home to the aqueduct in almost darkness up the lane which was little wider than a country path and less smooth. 

So then, rain for a change?

Farming news;  

David watched this going on, brought back memories of long days, the weather fighting you every inch of the way and machinery breakdowns.  

Oh the joys of farming.

This chappie is ploughing in the old maize stubble.  Rain was due so he was making hay while the sun almost shined.

But he did say "Lovely soil"

My absolute favourite birds, grey wagtail.  I don't see these at home.

This lovely looking little river cruiser was a delight to see.  I did google it thinking it just might have been one of the Little Ships of Dunkirk HERE  but to look it up is complicated and I don't think so.  But you can give it a whirl.

Anyway it looked fabulous, someone has worked very hard rubbing down and varnishing.

I do love this lamp on The Star Pub in Stone.

Here is David and here are most attractive boxes all the way along.  I did my part in dead heading as we passed.

 

So that's the rest of the news that should have been added yesterday.

Pretty early the next morning, we set off very quietly so as not to disturb the neighbours....  There had been a boat go past in the late evening coming down one lock but that wasn't really the reason for the early start, yep more rain due by lunchtime.

We crept away and passed two boats whom were also on deck gathering ropes ....  Its hard to look sympathetic when this happens, but two days in a row...?

The majority of the Stoke Locks were in our favour and we met some nice people coming down.  But the rain arrived early and we got a good old fashioned soaking.  It was cold too.  We had a 3pm tunnel booking so I thought when we got there two hours early,  time would permit a hot shower but no the chap called us through tagging onto the coattails of two other boats on the 1pm slot.

Why book?

Well since that terrible accident some years ago when a helm died, I wouldn't leave David alone on deck in the Harecastle Tunnel, so I sat with him for the 45 mins.  The air being blown into the far end on the tunnel was fierce and arctic when you are damp.   David made a great turn onto the Macclesfield Canal.  I was so cold my hands had stopped working.... we moored up (Or he did) at the first clear spot which was just over the top of the Trent and Mersey Canal underneath the aqueduct we were moored on.

This is one of the Stone locks, I was slightly perturbed at the corroding metal, immediately after I took this a train went over, I waved at the driver and he waved back. 

It was bucketing now early again.  I had a nice chat with the CART chap who was relaying this "Dead Hedge", if you haven't already guessed, its made up of twigs, sticks, leaves and wood.  He had removed a metal ladder, some tin cans and a couple of plastic carrier bags.  They rot down in situ providing homes shelter and food for our much depleted insect life.

Its working well as the bottom was already rotting down.  CART work together with a local college, teaching practical skills such as these flower raised beds and tidying up the locks. 

You can tell we're in the north as he hadn't even got his coat on.   

The camera went away after this photo.

 

Supper of the rest of the Farm Shop goodies was quickly taken after the hot showers.

Sorry for the delay

 Well Reader you maybe forgiven in thinking that we are still on the cut on the Trent and Mersey canal but yes, we did go home, normal life was resumed and I forgot to finish.

Apologies.

So I meant to have started writing days ago but the Dongle went wrong, my phone was playing up and I couldn't get on the laptop...  Only to find today that there is nothing wrong with the Dongle, the problem is the 4G or lack of it in this part of the world.

So by way of a recap;

We had a short break with grandchildren at Centre Parcs which although full on with activities is really great fun, I'd go without children, (David less so)

This Poppet is suppose to remind our daughter of me... I don't see it.

So from there we came back to WaL and after a quick visit to the Farm Shop at Great Heywood away we went.  At the risk of being boring, we went north. 

The next day we took the bikes and did a joint visit to M&S Foodhall, you'll remember Reader its David's favourite place, we had so much shopping I could barely ride the bike back to WaL.  I let him unpack it.

Pretties.

All along the way we wild flowers coming out.

Campion pink and white.

A duck egg on the path, probably from a bit of nest raiding.

My first Bluebell.

Look sun and everything.

We feasted that first night of goodies from the Farm Shop.  Moving on from Stone, we left early to avoid the incoming rain due by lunch time, we arrived just five minutes before two other boats were preparing to do the flight of is it eight locks here in all, glum faces when we passed them.  

Obviously the rain came early and we got a bit damp doing the locks but all bar two locks were in our favour.

Love it when that happens.

We arrived Barlaston.  David has had a bit of "Solar Anxiety" over the winter and has been ping ponging between adding another panel to the roof and not bothering but it  would take us from 2 x 200watt to 3 x 200watt...  In a moment of enlightenment over the winter he decided on a new freezer instead.  A more efficient one (Don't ask me what or how).  

We collected the new one from Stafford that afternoon.  

Yes its had a big effect and now solar panels are off the menu. 

We shall see how we go.  

At Barlaston we carried the new and old ones to and fro from the car in the rain getting quite curious looks from the patrons sitting outside.  Now you might remember how useless we are at DIY but we managed to winkle the old one out and the new one in with a mad row or damage to WaL.  

Amazing.

Supper in the Plume of Feathers was Katsu Chicken, the third time I've ordered that in recent years, then black forest trio.

Good value and delicious.

To there and back again

 We waited out the rain this morning, pulling the pins at about 10:30am.  I like leisurely mornings, David not quite so keen.  He was up dressed and wiping down the roof of the boat which in places is green.  

A boat did go past before 7am.  I peeped a look out the porthole and I'm sorry to say the helmsman didn't look terribly happy, but that's boating for you.

I forgot to say that down at Weston David had nipped up on the bike to his favourite shop that is to say Marks and Spencers Food hall at Stone.  Because he had done so there wasn't an awful lot of point in going up to Stone.  David was content to sacrifice Joules pub on the town waterfront with the nice beer.  So today a shortened run up the way to Aston Marina, turn in their entrance (I bet they don't like that) and be facing south to get sunshine, should we get any, in the catch in the afternoon.

We think all this out you know Reader...

Now then, as I'm learning to helm I get to ask David annoying questions such as "Why have you done that?"  and "Wouldn't it be better to have done this the other way?" mostly he's patient and explains his thinking but I do truly believe that men are hard wired differently to women. 

 

A case in point this morning, I helpfully suggested in passing that would you go slightly past the turning place, reverse into the entrance and bring the bow round with the help of the wind....

No was the reply.

As we made our way south again a glance behind showed a big black cloud that had appeared out of an almost blue sky 

Oh gawd says I, moor up at will!

Well we did get to an ear marked mooring, got the tonneau cover on, bingo.

Raining hard but luckily not for long.  The cratch warmed up by and by so we got books out, coffee served and some more serious relaxing.

We stayed thus for a few hours and at about 4pm we decided to walk towards the river Trent.  Here there's a footbridge over the river and then a raised walkway over some very wet boggy ground the sign called it a "New pond", the land is owned by a waterboard, maybe Severn Water... they seem to have been encouraging wildlife.  

Well I really wanted to see were the Lapwings in the shallows there as we had seen them before and also today on a field of stubble.  But no nothing, another twitcher was there looking too.  Even though it was chilly we followed our noses and kept walking, we walked to Aston village over the fields and during this walk we saw Swans flying overhead, heard a woodpecker but didn't see it and a pair of Buzzards, Grey Wagtails, Blue Tits, a pair of Buzzards.  But no Lapwings. 

It was a fabulous evening as the photos show how the weather changed.

The river Trent tonight, high but not flooding.

David on the river footbridge and the pond behind.

River Trent.

The path we followed through a field of Oilseed Rape, pigeon's favourite.

Trent and Mersey canal tonight, all peace and calm.

Late Lunch was smoked salmon and horseradish with a cheeky chenin blanc and chocolate. 

 

It's grey , but hey

 

The canals are wearing their winter outfits still.

There was discussion at length of proposed activities but mostly about the weather forecast this morning.  In the event it was decided. 

I refused to walk to the 

Dog and Doublet on the road at night so it was lunchtime or no time.

You see that although it's a minor road but the traffic uses it as others use Brands Hatch.  

Big lorries too.  

So we moved WaL up the canal in the sunshine listening to the birdsong as well as the odd train that thundered past.  

If you can believe it Reader we even needed our sunglasses.

It took about an hour and moored below the lock.  If you plant your solar panels carefully you can with the help of a gap in the hedge secure sunshine and therefore free power much  later into the afternoon.  

The moorings above the lock are attractive and often taken.  

So with lipstick applied and after some tut tutting at David's somewhat dirty,  but smart trainers we took our lives in our hands and walked to the pub.  I went first in the face of the oncoming traffic as I had the brightest coat.  

Glad to report we made there and back alive.

The pub is very lovely super staff, most attentive and great food.  David was excused somewhat dirty trainers as four men on the next table had high vis coats, cor blimey trousers and working boots.... (They were there for the afternoon)

Walking back on the other side of the road I was sad to see a considerable chunk of the canal bridge was been hit with most of the brickwork ending up in the lock cottage garden.  

Glad I wasn't walking there and I hope no one else was.  I'm in favour of capital punishment for the bashing of historic bridges.

It was a late lunch, and an early evening of reading .....

Such luxury.

I'm fully immersed in this

and David this

There's not a lot of stimulating conversation going on....

Lunch was warmed cauliflower salad, then hake in a gorgeous sauce and bakewell tart which wasn't a patch on mine or should I say Mary Berry's but you can't have everything.

Proper boating tomorrow, might even do two hours.....

Quick David, the kids are all busy let's go boating....

 So it came to pass that the family are quiet, the weather is fair to middling but most of all the golf calendar is not pressing.

New edition to the family, our fourth grandchild, Theo, a brother to Luca.  I especially like to cuddle newborns, preferably for hours.

We packed the car thoughtfully, then forgot as usual handy things but we'll bring them up next time.

In point of fact this isn't the first trip to a boat, no indeed we went to stay a weekend on The Boat Sharers own boat.  The fabulously smart, gleaming and beautifully refitted NB Caxton.  We all had tickets to see a pantomime in Oxford, But due to stoppages they could only get Caxton to Stratford-upon-Avon in the time available so we met them there and after the panto which Reader was truly hilarious in the very real sense of the word.  Then we drove back to Stratford which is approximately an hour north on the motorway not on a narrow boat.  It was most odd but very nice to be a guest on a boat instead of a host.

That Sir Ian McKellen and John Bishop it was brilliant.

So our time now.  The Lewis's (aka The Boat Sharers) are this week entertaining their family so can't come and play.  We decided just to potter out of Great Haywood marina and waft off northwards.  Dodge the rain if we can, got a supple of books, wine and wellington boots.

Firstly the boat was serviced that day it in turned bucketed down and  blew a hooley.

"Shall we go out in the morning?" Says I looking at the trees around the marina bending this way and that,

It will be fine says he.

I heard the marina manager say it will only be Share boats out today as it's so windy.

Well off we went with me on the bow holding onto the horn bracket to see if anyone was coming past the marina entrance but no, no one moving but as we approached the first lock just a few hundred metres up the canal the wind had dropped, the sun was peeping around the clouds, it wasn't nearly as cold as it was at home and frankly Reader everything in the garden was rosy.

Cloth in hand ready to wipe off the solar panels. First job in the first lock always.

Coming into Weston Lock.

White violets, David's father always picked his wife the first violets of spring.  It's a tradition I'd like to continue even if I have to pick them myself.... cough cough.

Big sighs of gratitude to be out, almost alone.

We have five nights, the forecast is telling us today that Sunday is going to be a right off with wall to wall rain.

We have tried in the past to visit all the really nice pubs along the route but you just can't fit them in.  This time we fancy The Greyhound at Burston, The Dog and Doublet and the possibility of that new place in Stone is it called Joules?  Anyway David says they do nice beer.

We approach Weston (Weston has another cracker of a pub called the Saracens Head but we've been before so are passing this one.  The moorings at Weston were marked by 

"Git Gaps" that is to say spaces left between boats preventing others from getting in.  We went on in the sure and certain hope that we'd get in just past Weston out on the countryside.  Well would you Adam and Eve it?  Two boats moored where we usually have the place to ourselves.  We do get in easily though, put on the tonneau cover, half a plan to walk back to the pub but we snuggled down, watched the sky cloud over later and really enjoyed the sound of the rain on the roof in bed later.  

Nice bit of hedge trimming here too.

A good night's sleep was had by all.

Supper was Cheesy Leeky Mash with sausages from the farm shop at Great Haywood.