29th May 2013 - Remained at Anderton

Heavy rain in the night.  After breakfast we cycled into Northwich to buy our train tickets for tomorrow. The ticket mistress was very helpful and looked at all possible combinations of route to get us the cheapest tickets.  She went a bit pale and quiet at one point.  Annie leaned over to have a squint at her computer.  Apparently an opened ended monthly return was over £600!  We went pale and quiet too....  In the end we sorted out something more affordable and came away with our tickets, and phone numbers for a taxi company - we weren't going to walk all this distance again in the morning, it had taken 1/2 hour to cycle.

Tickets procured we had a wander around Northwich which is not unpleasant.  We made our way down to the river with a mind to cycle to our moorings of a few days ago at Vale Royal to find Pete and Wendy on Nb Forget-me-not.  However we didnt have to go that far, as they had moved from Vale Royal and were now moored up in the town.  Annie knocked hard on the door, which took them by surprise as no-one had ever done that before on the boat!  Sat and chatted over a cup of tea provided by Wendy for 45 minutes, when we had to set off back due to a steadily darkening sky.

In the afternoon I walked over to the marina to check where they want us to moor.  All seems to be in order!

Pub as seen from the boat.  Do we brave the rain to go all that way for an evening refreshment?

28th May 2013 - Daresbury back to Anderton

Despite humming and haa-ing over several possible alternatives we decided to stick to plan B and return to Anderton as we knew the boat would be safe there.  The light rain developed into really heavy rain. Once it was heavy enough we set off!  Found the 'winding hole' and winded the boat (turned around).  Annie cycled a bit further to get milk and bread and was quickly back.  Then followed a very wet and windy trip back to Anderton.  Arrived around 4.30 and moored up at the private mooring to the Stanley Arms pub.  Lit a fire, dried out and warmed up, then had a meal at the pub.

Inside the Preston Brook tunnel on our way back

27th May 2013 - Little Leigh to Daresbury

The blue skies we awoke to had gone by breakfast.  A rather moist day was forecast.  Lots of boats were moving in order to beat the rain.  We decided to continue to Stretford Marina, despite the warning from the C&RT man at the Anderton Lift.

We hadn't gone far before we came upon the site of the "Dutton Collapse".  This was a collapse and wash-out of the canal bank that occurred in September 2012 that closed the canal and did huge amounts of damage.  Contractors working for C&RT managed to carry out repairs and get the canal open only at the beginning of this month.  We decided to stop and peruse the work to see how effectively our licence money is being spent.  Walking along the towpath and looking out into the fields we could see the huge scale of the original wash out.  The repair work has been completed to a high standard and should not cause any problems in the future.  Cant say the same for the other mile or so of this elevated embankment though......

Sometime during the half hour we were in the tunnel it started raining - hard!  We developed an urgent need to moor up and visit the Chandlers at Preston Brook where we bought several items - a decent reading light, and a rudder bearing which I will have to fit on our return. The tiller arm is vibrating enough to give us repetitive strain syndrome. In conversation the chap asked wither we were bound?  "Stretford Marina to leave the boat for 2 weeks".....  There followed the same sharp intake of breath and head shaking as had come from the C&RT chap at Anderton.  I wouldn't do that - its half term and the kids will be lining up along the towpath to throw stones at any moored boats.  We changed our minds then and there and retired to the boat to plan our next move.

In the end we contacted Anderton Marina and booked the boat in with them, which means turning the boat round and travelling back the way we have just come and getting the train back from Northwich.  We moored up for the night, still raining heavily near the winding hole at Daresbury.

No caption necessary!

The repaired embankment. You can also see where the water washed out over the fields.  Note uprooted tree.

The reinstated towpath.  Mooring rings have thoughtfully been installed.

26th May 2013 - Hall O Th Hey Farm mooring to Little Leigh

We have to be back in Fleet for Cub Camp next weekend so have arranged to park the boat at Stretford Marina in Manchester.  We have to start moving today to get there in time.

Set off in beautiful weather still - a really hot day. Got through Dutton locks fine, but went intially into the 'small' (huge) lock at Saltersford only to be told by the lock keeper that we were in the wrong one and must move into the 'large' (humungous) lock.  As we exited, two boaters waiting at the top looked crestfallen as the lock keeper closed the lock behind us - it was his lunchtime!

Arriving at Anderton, we couldn't reach the Lift Office by phone, so Annie had to walk up the bank to book us in.  Our 4.15 slot turned into 4.45 but it didn't matter when you are on canal time. On the way up, we mentioned our plans to one of the operatives - who strongly advised us against using Stretford Marina as boats there are prone to damage from stone throwing youngsters.  We need to re-plan!

We nevertheless headed towards Manchester. Annie helmed us through the Saltersford and Barnton Tunnels.  We marvel at what the 18th century Engineers were capable of with their wonderful canal structures.  Not so these two tunnels!  They were clearly intended to be straight, but in fact closely followed the outline of a dogs hind leg.  The Surveyor that set them out must have been sampling the local pop.  After these two tunnels came the much longer Preston Brook Tunnel.  Again this was slightly kinked, so much so that you could nor see from one end to the other.  To overcome boats entering from both ends at the same time and meeting in the middle, northbound boats could only enter on the hour until 10 minutes past the hour, and southbound boats at half-past for 10 minutes.

We moored for the night at a lovely spot overlooking the River Weaver below.  As we had taken the bikes off to go through a couple of tunnels, we decided to use them on a ride to the Leigh Arms where we tried the Robinsons Unicorn.

Many old boats are left to die along the Weaver - this example at Dutton Lock

You see many imaginatively named boats along the cut - this is my favourite so far this trip

Saltersford Tunnel

Where did you pack the fly spray?

Annie navigating us through - didn't touch the side once!

Our spot for the night

25th May 2013 - Hall O Th Hey Farm to Weston Point and return

We awoke to wall to wall sunshine.  After a leisurely breakfast we set off for Weston Point, Runcorn which is the most northerly point on the Weaver navigation, where it junctions with the Manchester Ship Canal.  We were initially moving beautiful countryside but by late morning Stanlow Oil Refinery began to appear on our starboard side.  The scale of the refinery was jaw dropping and really interesting.  I know it was a bank holiday weekend, but whilst we saw hundreds of miles of pipes and containers, not once did we see a human being!

We eventually turned a corner to find Marsh Lock in front of us.  This lets traffic on and off the Manchester Ship Canal and these days is unmanned and rarely used.  However it was open, with C&RT staff buzzing around.  We popped over and had a word with them to be told they were expecting a boat through (but they hadnt been told in which direction!) and we were welcome to stop and watch.  We moored up, got the camera out, and were royally rewarded by the Historic Weaver Flat "Severn" locking through making its way to Manchester.

We remained at Marsh Lock for lunch and set off once more the short distance to Weston Point.  The navigation finishes at a low bridge denying boats access to the old dock area.  Access to the docks is prohibited.... but this was a bank holiday with not a soul in sight.... so we moored up and went a walk.

The old 'port' area is dominated by a forlorn and bizarrely out of place boarded up church. Christ Church was built in 1841 by the waterway owners and was declared redundant in 1995.  It is now part of the Eddie Stobart owned port area - but Eddie cant do anything with it as its grade II listed.

The old dock facilities were fascinating - and mouldering - but new warehouses are also on the site.  All with doors open and full of stored items and not a soul around.  One warehouse was full with pallet upon pallet of bird feed.  We laughed that if we had had a lorry we could have carried off the world's largest Pigeon Pellet heist in history!

After a very interesting wander, we made our way back to our overnight moorings at Hall O Th Hey Farm, now sadly joined by three other narrowboats.

Initially beautiful countryside.....

gives way to oil refinery.....

and hundreds of miles of pipes....but all interesting!

Weaver flat 'Severn' arriving at Marsh Lock

Only one gate at either end of the lock now works.... worrying for the future.

'Severn' locking through into the Ship Canal

The forlorn Christ Church, Weston Point

Weston Point - Mooring strictly prohibited!

Topping up with water on the way back.

No clouds, no wind

24th May 2013 - Anderton to Hall O Th Hey Farm, Kingsley

In the morning we decided on a McDonalds breakfast.  This involved taking the boat into Northwich and mooring at a set of convenient (if rather elevated) bollards right behind McDonalds. After breakfast we re-moored at Anderton and went to book our trip 50 ft up to the Trent & Mersey.  Sadly there was a problem and the lift was temporarily non-operational.  Mark and Abi had to get away, so we said a fond farewell and good wishes for the rest of the bank holiday weekend.  5 minutes after they departed we received the call that the lift was again operating.... But we decided that as we were enjoying the Weaver so much we would stay down and explore in the opposite direction towards Runcorn.

We set off after lunch and were quickly at Saltersford Lock.  Boaters are instructed to 'radio' on ahead to advise the lock keeper of their approach.  Alternatively they may telephone.  On Thursday, neither Hunts Lock or Vale Royal responded to our hail on VHF working channel 74.  Though the Vale Royal Keeper did say he had heard us - its just that neither he nor his mate have had the training to use the radio!!  It was nice then when Saltersford Keeper responded and acknowledged our ETA.  Radio use is a marine requirement and I don't doubt that they will disappear from the Weaver now that it is no longer used by shipping, just inland leisure craft.

We moored up at an absolutely gorgeous deserted spot which I cannot even identify the nearest place from on the map!  We went a lovely walk after tea and the footpath took us through the farmyard of the wonderfully named Hall O Th Hey Farm, so that is the place I have given as our mooring.

With M & A

Really must get a tripod....

Mark, exactly 1.5 seconds before his sunglasses hit the R.Weaver for ever.

Redundant crane formerly used to load shipping

The huge lock at Saltersford

Hall O Th Hey Farm Mooring

Looking the other way

Viaduct over the Weaver Valley

23rd May 2013 - Winsford back to Anderton

Today my son Mark and his girlfriend Abi are joining us for a little while.  The weather has taken something of a turn for the worst, with heavy rain overnight and a morning temperature of 5 degrees C.  We said goodbye to Peter and Wendy on Forget-me-not - eventually, after being invited onto their boat for a look around and receive instruction on Peter's sour bread, then onto ours to show them around and explain our battery monitoring gauge.

We eventually departed, locked through Vale Royal and Hunts Lock, mooring up again at the picnic area below the Anderton Lift.  Annie and I then went a walk to try and find somewhere for Mark and Abi to park their car overnight.  Luckily we bumped into Richard, from C&RT from the lift on his way home.  He advised us to use the 'spare' car park at the adjacent Stanley Arms pub.  We went to check it out (of course).  Richard later walked in and we bought him a pint - in return for some fascinating boating yarns and the tale of his growing up in Parkgate on the Wirral.

Mark and Abi duly arrived around 7pm. I met them and walked them down to our mooring and a pleasant evening of chatting and catching up.

A cooler day....

I'm sure I saw a fish down here somewhere

The lift. 

22nd May 2013 - Northwich to Winsford

Today we went down onto the River Weaver.  The purpose of this exercise is so that I can visit my old friend John Michel who is unfortunately incarcerated in an old folks nursing home.  And he is 2 years younger than me!  Anyway without this necessity to get to Winsford, we would never have gone.  What a fantastic day!

Set off at 9.30 the short distance to the Anderton Boat lift.  This was constructed in 1875 to lower boats 50ft from the Trent and Mersey Canal down the the River Weaver and remains a very impressive engineering construction.  Boats are lowered in a huge caisson, which is counter balanced by boats being lifted from the Weaver in a second caisson alongside - all by hydraulic ram.

On the way there we came across another boat 'Nb Stardust' unmoored and right across the canal.  Some dog walkers were knocking on the side of the boat in case anyone was inside, but it was empty.  We put the boat in, and Annie ran up and, helped by the dog walkers managed to re-secure it.  I hope they would do the same for us....

We arrived just behind Nb Odyssey and both wives went into see about booking to go down, whilst both men minded the boats in the 'waiting to go down' lay by.  Apparently this is a mortal sin and you dont join the queue until 30 minutes before your due slot to go down.  However we were the only 2 boats going down all day..... Yes we could go down - after the boys had had their cup of tea.

After a brief safety briefing Odyssey moved into the lift followed by Ceilidh.  Richard, our Canal and River Trust 'Minder' talked us through each operation of the lift and slowly we were lowered to the river below.  5 minutes later Annie was helming us out onto the River Weaver - passed a trip boatful of frantically waving schoolchildren on a day out.  The guidebooks do the River Weaver a complete dis-service highlighting its industrial nature.  We found the journey to Winsford an absolute delight.  We had to go through two huge locks - capable of handling 1000 tonne coasters.  Northwich itself was great.

Arriving at Winsford, the furthest point boats can travel on the river is the Red Lion moorings.  Another boat 'Nb Forget-me-not' was already on the mooring but advised they were moving off.  We put a line ashore waiting for them but they appeared in some difficulty.  Odyssey, wishing to get back through the locks couldnt wait and hooted a goodbye, reversing out.  We moored on the bit of wharf available to us to find 'Forget-me-not' couldnt extract one of its mooring pins.  Incredibly it seemed to have gone in into rubble and refused to come out.  It took two of us nearly an hour to extract it, followed by a cup of tea to celebrate.  Once Forget-me-not' had departed we moored properly and I walked into town to be at the home for 6pm, when 'feeding time' should have been completed.  I found John in an excellent frame of mind and had a lovely visit with him for an hour or so.  His sons are buying him an iPad and the home are getting WiFi so he is looking forward to re-connecting with the world.

Walked back to the boat and we returned to moorings just above Vale Royal locks - lovely and quiet.

Annie pulling in 'Stardust' aided by dog walkers

View of the Anderton lift from top

Ceilidh & Odyssey inside lift

Other caisson came up as we went down

At the bottom

Richard our Minder - dont put my photo on facebook!

Odyssey following is out onto the Weaver

Hunts Lock

Our next boat?  I'm looking for a project

A beautiful sunset on a perfect day

21st May 2013 - Church Minshull to Northwich

Our overnight mooring was even more pretty in the morning.  It was so far out in the sticks that I could count the roof tops of only two houses in a full 360 degree view.  How often can you do that in the middle of England?

As we approached Middlewich there was more and more habitation.  We were soon off the Shropshire Union and onto the Wardle Canal.  Er... the shortest canal in the country only 154ft long constructed because the Shropshire Union and Trent and Mersey Canal companies did not trust one another to control their junction.

Stopped in Middlewich to top up with water and Annie to top up with our shopping.  Met a couple at Middlewich 'Big Lock' with a shiny new very expensive paint job on their boat.  They were trying to keep their boat in the middle of the lock so it didnt touch the sides and get scratched.  Hah! Dont they know narrowboating is a contact sport?

Northwich is a salt mining area and large areas of old settlement resulting from mining subsidence have created 'flashes' - large man made lakes.  The guide book says its best to stay out of them as they are shallow and filled with sunken boats....

Got within striking distance of the Anderton Boat lift before mooring up at bridge 192 to the north of Northwich.

Wardle Canal

Junction with the Trent & Mersey Canal

Square accommodation bridges on this section of canal rather than the nice round ones.

A Flash.  Wide.....

Fluffy cygnet

The flashes are the graveyard of many sunken boats.... basically dont venture into them.

Dantes Inferno.  Quite interesting actually!

20th May 2013 - Beeston to Church Minshull

Started quite late.  Met a couple who shared Bunbury Staircase with us who were having difficulty with their electrics - could only offer sympathy.  Turned left at Barbridge junction onto the Middlewich branch - back to single locks again - yipee!

Needed to email a document to Mark for Cubs tonight but couldn't get a good enough internet signal - despite Annie holding phone over her head and standing on one leg! Tested instead.

Marsh Marigolds

Sheep