Cruising again

The giant Armitage Shanks factory

After a later than expected departure (due to Lottie our lurcher oversleeping) we had a good drive up to the marina with no holdups. I took Lottie round the marina so the Captain could transfer our baggage to the boat using a trolley without Lottie attacking its wheels. The marina was a tranquil haven after the motorway journey. A visiting heron took off clumsily as Lottie approached and flapped out of the marina. Geese lay around on the island soaking up the sun. Beyond the bridge moorhen chicks tottered on their stilts cheeping to their mother when they saw the oversized hound.

The roofless Armitage tunnel

We left the marina at 16.20. as soon as we entered the canal Lottie demanded a walk along the towpath. Satisfied by a mile’s walk she jumped back on the boat at a handy bridge hole and demanded her dinner. Although the weather was warm we only met one boat on the way out. Where was everybody? The first time we cruised this stretch we met a boat on every corner.
We moored up in solitude and enjoyed the silence.

Idyllic mooring

The dawn chorus (headed by an enthusiastic Blackbird) woke me at 4.15. Lottie must have been woken too as she asked for her quilt to be spread over her. After the disturbed night we were slow to set off after breakfast. As we walked the towpath Lottie thought our boat was coming and waited for it to come through the bridge hole. Thankfully she realised the approaching boat was not ours before she leapt aboard. When our boat glided round the corner Lottie barked as if annoyed that her boat had not arrived first.

beautiful tree art

Sadly six boats were waiting to pass through Colwich Lock when we reached it even though we had slowed to tick-over when a passing boat warned us. The Captain had to drop me off in the rough so I could hold the boat on the bank. The boat ahead of us went aground as it reached the locking bollards. and its Skipper had trouble moving forwards. We managed to avoid the shallow area but the boat behind (with a 2ft9 draught) also ran aground.
“Why don’t they dredge here?” the good lady of the boat complained. By the time we cleared the lock over an hour later temperatures were soaring – though the people in the lock queue remained good humoured.

Shrugborough House

I thought the queue would be shorted at the next lock but I was wrong - seven boats stood in line ahead of us at Great Haywood Lock. Knowing we had an hour’s wait I took Lottie for a walk over the narrow stone footbridge in Shrugborough Park and let her immerse herself in the river. Lottie doesn’t swim but when she gets hot she wades out until the water reaches her chin. After a refreshing dip she had a walk through the woods. When we returned the queue had hardly moved.

Shrugborough footbridge

As it was lunch time I made lunch and we took it in turn to eat. Lottie didn’t seem to understand we were queuing for the lock and barked to tell us it was time to cruise. We had spent all morning and travelled only 4 miles.
After the lock we stopped to visit the super farm shop and the Captain rested after his demanding morning with a cup of tea.

Cooling down

Thankfully all afternoon we arrived at each lock as the boat ahead was entering it so there was not much waiting around. Lottie appreciated the cruising and lay on the back deck in the sun. As we neared Stone black clouds built up
threatening to soak us. At our final lock one of the crew from the boat ahead opened the paddles to drain the lock for me. By the time I arrived the lock was nearly empty. Now that’s what I call a friendly boater.