A mixed bag of weather

At 6.00 it was raining. By 7.00 it had stopped raining but the water dripped onto the boat from the trees.

converted warehouse

“It looks as if we will have a mixed bag of weather today,” the Captain remarked as the barometer had fallen.

He cast off then dived into the shower leaving me to steer. It was only 20 minutes to the Big lock which is the only double lock this end of the Trent and Mersey Canal.

floral delight

As we passed the moored boats a skipper cast off in great haste obviously hooping to share the lock with us. Why didn’t he say hello? The Captain drained the lock and opened the gate for me.

I steered through with the other boat closing fast on my stern. Mischievously the Captain closed the gate behind me. Well we can’t read minds can we.

He soon relented and opened the other gate then struggled to close it while the crew woman stood clasping her windlass on the rear deck.

still waters

“I thought you’d help close the gate,” I commented as the Captain tugged the heavy thing shut inch by inch.

“I couldn’t get off the boat,” she replied.

 white water lilies instead of the usual yellow

“You were moored up back there – you only had to step off,” I replied. “My husband’s back is hurting and he could have done with some help.”

The captain later told me she’d been chatting on her phone when her skipper cast off with a bowl of breakfast on her knee. Obviously they had been keen for someone else to prepare the lock for them. The hasty skipper had expected me to move sideways in the lock but unlike their posh boat we don't have a bow thruster so I would have had to push against the slimy lock wall to move to the other side of the lock. Naturally we don’t mind helping those who can’t but it gets annoying when those that can don’t.

following past moored boats

We moored for the Captain to shop in Middlewich for our final meal needs. Lottie and her walker followed after 20 minutes to meet the Captain and help carry the bulging bags back to the boat. Lottie was more interested in what was in the bags than in helping.

After hot drinks we set off to the narrow locks in sunshine. Everybody we met had a different take on the expected weather and predicted thunderstorms, rain or scorching heat. We ended up with the latter though the thunder clouds rolled past us and drenched people around Manchester.

The first lock was set for us though the Captain had to wait for a hire boater descending as the lock above was in his favour. They left the lock gates open above as nobody was following them.

By the time we had worked through the second lock a boat had arrived above the third with two others close behind. It was chaos as they had nowhere to queue because a local hire boat firm occupied most of the space. Instead of changing over every two locks I worked the flight to try to protect the Captain’s back.

blind bend after the bridge

Needless to say our rise was swift as the lock beyond had a boat emerging as we approached. It’s so much quicker when the gates are left open for you. By the time we left the top lock black clouds were boiling and we could see rain dropping heavily from the clouds behind us. Fortunately we cruised beyond the storm into clearer skies.

The Captain boycotted the first inferior moorings alongside a bustling road and we tackled four more locks before peace was restored.

Although it was way beyond his normal feeding time the Captain cruised into Wheelock and filled with water before mooring for lunch at 2.00. I don’t think the Captain’s ever delayed lunch that long before- normally he’s looking to moor before 12.00.

Cheshire fields

With bad weather possible tomorrow the Captain decided to push on at 3.45 even though it was a scorching afternoon. I worked two locks to each one the Captain tackled and grew very hot. As sunlight makes me itchy I became uncomfortable especially when my sandals rubbed on the large horse fly bite on my toe. As we were following an invisible boat each lock had to be prepared and the paddles seemed stiffer with each lock. Even when there were pairs of locks side by side both locks were against us.

hot locking

The lock gates grew heavier with the heat. We stopped on a longer pound before the next two locks thankful to get into the shade. This is a pleasant mooring though it can’t compete with yesterday’s idyll. There is the sound of a distant road but otherwise all is peaceful. We are opposite a golf range where an old boy is wandering up and down the tow path looking for lost balls. From his glum face he hasn’t find any.

From the sound of the noisy A-road it’s just as well we stopped here or we would have been deafened by it two locks closer.

Inshore beach



heron fish watching

heron in flight

We woke to a cloudless sky and the barometer pointing to fair. The view over the Weaver valley was beautiful and birdsong filled the air. After a relaxed breakfast we cast off without the fridge flashing to ask for more power.

idyllic cruising

We paused to buy bread and milk in a farm shop only to find it was closed. In that minute (Blue Dragonfly who we have passed and been over taken by since Monday) overtook us again. Realising time was tight to enter Saltersford tunnel between the half hour and ten to the hour we tried to keep them in sight. Blue Dragonfly slowed down for moored boats and corners so we kept up fine.



Peaceful flash

We rounded the final bend with two minutes in hand. Blue Dragonfly’s nose was in the tunnel – then it slowly backed up.

“I thought I saw a boat in the tunnel,” he said. Lottie played with his terrier as we waited but no boat came out until 10 past 10.

By the time we entered Saltersford tunnel there was another boat moored behind us. Inside the tunnel I was convinced there were more boats following it but the tunnel was so bent it was hard to tell.

The canal snaked across a winding hole then entered Barnton tunnel. Once again Blue Dragonfly entered the tunnel and backed out. We floated around for five minutes with the boat behind drifting round the corner, then a boat popped out.

Old salt working base

Blue Dragonfly entered the tunnel like a ferret down a rabbit hole before any other boat could enter from the southern portal. The journey through the tunnel lasted only a few minutes unlike Blissworth and Harecastle tunnels. When we stopped at the other side of Barnton tunnel at the handy mooring rings we counted the boats as they passed us. One two three. The last two boats must have timed their approach to the tunnel perfectly – unlike us.

Factory complex

Armed with bread and milk we had lunch before we cruised on. We passed the Anderton Lift gleaming in the sunlight but there were lots of empty moorings nearby –unlike the last time we passed when it was full up.

The Lion Salt Works were still being restored but maybe they will be open for visitors next year

Today the flashes were quiet - perhaps the local wild life was sleeping hidden in the reed beds.

 

Factory pipe bridges

We passed a vast factory complex of a paint producer that stretched for miles. somehow it was more attractive in the sunlightThe afternoon grew hotter and hotter. I sat in the shade of the front door until the boat turned towards the sun. Whilst steering I tried to keep my legs in the shade from the door as I felt I was cooking, even though I had slathered the sun screen on.

Cloud reflections

As we reached the idyllic Bramble Cuttings (a tiny patch of green shaded by trees on the off side away from walkers and cyclists) the Captain decided to moor behind the other boat.

“We’ll move on and moor below the Big lock later,” he said swiftly tying up to the mooring rings on discovering our boat just fitted the shorter gap. What a relief not to bang pins in on such a scorching afternoon.

This way

We settled at the nearest picnic bench in the dappled shade while Lottie sniffed around haphazardly. The guy from the other boat fished from his stern enjoying the peace. Several boaters passed and remarked on our idyllic spot but could not moor as the brambles closed in beyond our boat.

Shade wonderful shade

Attached to the tree by our bench was a sign. Instead of the more usual KEEP OUT or PRIVATE this sign read TO THE BEACH. I though how strange then relaxed until Lottie investigated the path it pointed to. We followed her and found it led to a tiny sandy beach which led into the canal. Lottie waded out until she only had her head above water enjoying the cool water. It must be so hot wearing a fur coat in summer.



Lottie found the beach

The Captain was so relaxed with his pre-dinner beer he decided to stay the night.

“It’s a beautiful spot. Who cares if it’s a bit early,” he murmured rubbing his aching back. “The early stop will prove whether one leisure battery will cope with another full night without power.”

Soggy ground

Birds on the cables

The fridge was still working properly when Lottie rudely woke us to go out so the single battery ran the fridge (and the water pump) overnight. It’s just as well we don’t have TV on board as that drains batteries quickly. We had a leisurely breakfast without problems so one battery powered us for 12 hours without running the engine to recharge it.

canal side dwellings

We cruised to Agden bridge to take on water as water points are scarce then moved on. The sky clouded over and it started to rain at mid day. As the rain grew heavy the Captain moored up but by the time the pins had been hammered in and he had sat down to eat the rain stopped. Our lunch time was extended by more heavy showers but the Captain set off hopefully when they stopped.
 

bridges old and new

Lottie dislikes tunnels so normally gets a treat to chew, but I fed the dog during the underground voyage. The stop lock had water flowing over both gates but worked without problems and the Captain found a mooring. He bashed in the pins but thought the ground was too soft for them to hold.
 

Flowers brighten a grey day

“Surely everyone’s moored up for the night,” I remarked. As the Captain arranged the fenders two boats passed one . The pins pulled out like knives through soggy butter even though the boats slowed down for us. The Captain threw the ropes onto the boat and moved on in search of secure mooring. We joined several boats in a pleasant spot and the pins hammered in well.

Lottie checking what's ahead

No boats passed after we moored up at 18.20.



swan and cygnets making themselves at home

The underground canals at the Delph

a canal mine portal

The flashing fridge light couldn’t spoil a lovely morning even though the Captain would have to replace the leisure batteries. At least they have lasted four years as they were last changed on our way to the river Lee. The Captain ran the engine for a while to charge them before we set off.

Add caption

We moored at Worsley visitor moorings 45 minutes later eager to explore the Delph where the underwater coal mine met the Bridgewater canal. If it wasn’t for the coal the canal would not have been built. There were workmen clearing the scrub around the basin as we went in to take a closer look but we kept out of their way.

Barges once came out of this portal

There were several mine entrances though one had no water in it. The bright rusty water was flowing out of another portal. It was more interesting than I had thought. What a dreadful job those miners had. The coal canals stretched for 46 miles in a branching pattern. Surprisingly the underground canals ran on four different levels. How did they manage such a feat of engineering with mainly picks and shovels? Sadly men died working in the mine – there were no unions or health and safety in those days.

houses above the Delph

As we left the basin we noticed the heavy padlock on the open gate.

“We’re not meant to be in here are we?” the Captain asked a man holding a strimmer.

“Not really,” the man replied, then went on to tell us how the Delph was going to have walks put through it so people could look at the basin. Normally that isn’t possible at the moment as the access path is slippery! I guess we were lucky to get to see it before it is all restored.

clean paws

Lottie however cut the conversation short as she wanted to explore the path through Worsley Woods. That also was interesting with pretty streams and steep wooded paths. All Lottie wanted to do was cool off in the water – but most of the streams had soft muddy approaches as if the levels had dropped.



lake above the mine workings



Dirty paws on a happy hound

Curiously there was a lake above the mine portals. Surely that wouldn’t have been there when they were mining as the men would have been afraid of water trapping them below ground.

view from Barton Lane underbridge

Back at the boat Lottie had a rare shampoo to get rid of the sticky mud but she soon dried off in the sun. We had a pleasant cruise back over the Barton swing bridge and back through Manchester.



View from the Barton swing aqueduct

The canal has long straight sections and I had just started one of these when a narrow boat closed up swiftly. He drove past me as if my boat were moored up. The speed on the canal is 4mph but we cruise at about 3mph. This guy had a huge bow wave and disappeared as quickly as he caught up. Surely he was doing 6 to 7 mph. When we turned onto the next long straight he had vanished. It takes all sorts and livened up a boring stretch.

is it a steam train?

The next entertainment came from observing the workforce improving the towpath. They had mini diggers and dumper trucks and rolling machines spread over several miles of canal. Most of them were working industriously at their own patch of path. Two cyclists speeded towards the closed path then dismounted and slung their bikes casually over the fence into the local park. Perhaps they have been using that diversion since the path closed.



barges supplying materials for the towpath construction

We moored in a quiet spot three miles from Lymm. It was just as well that we didn’t cruise at great speed for when the Captain went down the engine hole to turn the stern gland his batteries were very hot. One was fizzing angrily like a shaken coke bottle about to explode. He tried to call a local chandlers about buying new batteries but got cut off as he had a poor phone signal.



Church in Ashton upon Mersey



Frustrated he disconnected the fizzing battery to make it safer and to stop it discharging the second leisure battery. The fizzing soon stopped although it took a long time to cool down.

“We’ll see how much charge we have left in the morning,” he announced gloomily.



towering ship shaped flats

Goodbye Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Wigan Pier

Our fridge started flashing at 8.05. last time this happened was four years ago when the leisure batteries suddenly died a few days later. The Captain ran the engine while we had breakfast and the light stopped flashing almost immediately.

Urban towpath

After breakfast we cruised into Crooke and was surprised by all the spaces, but a skipper preparing to move off told us the village had been packed full – and they were all heading in our direction. His boat pulled out and followed us to the first lock where two boats were ascending. They scarpered into the distance leaving us lock wives to close up. Perhaps they didn’t feel strong enough to help us.




Flash (lake) left from old mine workings

It was much easier and quicker locking with another boat but they were stopping after three locks if they could moor in the secure gated site in Wigan. Talk about lucky – it was full (there was only room for two long boats) but one skipper indicated he was about to move off.

We ascended the next lock on our own but the Wigan flight keeper came by and helped the Captain. The following lock was after the junction but the boats ahead were still locking down as we arrived. I’m not surprised – they were very leaky.
 

Crane holding stop planks

By the time they had left another boat came up behind us. Their skipper and lock slave of Blue Dragonfly were amazingly lively considering they had spent several hours locking down the lower half of the 21 flight. They informed us that the locks were heavy and in poor condition but that they were going to be worked on next year.

“We will try them after the improvements,” the Captain decided.




old chimney

Blue Dragonfly led the way out of the final lock on the Leeds and Liverpool canal. Within minutes they were out of sight.

“We are averaging 3 lock miles per hour,” the Captain said. “Yet we seem to be the slowest boat on the canal.”

Naturally we were alone for Plank lane swing bridge which contrary to its name lifts! I operated it with more confidence but the queue still stretched round the corner in each direction. What power a small key has!

 We were struck by the sign posts on the tow path which gave times for cyclists instead of the usual distances. We moored up in Leigh to go shopping for food behind a broad beam. The other side of it was Blue Dragonfly. From its deserted appearance the crew had also gone into town.



Budlia and water lilies



After shopping it drizzled for a while delaying our departure but at 4.20 the Captain set off to find a quieter mooring more to Lottie’s liking. I walked her out of town until I saw several drunks slumped on a canal bench ahead. Although they were unlikely to accost me I chickened out and rejoined the boat. They called out to us merrily waving their beer bottles so perhaps I had been wise after all.



leaving Leigh

cycle signs

The water grew clear as we headed towards Astley Pit museum whose mine buildings added interest to the skyline. Soon we could see fish darting along the bottom. Along the far side the water lilies made a fabulous display. Strangely in one place there was a single large white water lily surrounded by hundreds of yellow ones.



We moored up outside Worsley in exactly the same spot as we had on the way out but this time another boat was moored further along the straight.

 



Astley Pit

Fishing rods and lock companions

The return journey is never so exciting but things still happen to entertain and we try to stop at places of interest we missed on the way out.

Although it rained in the night we were blessed with a dry though overcast morning although the Captain observed the red light flashing on the fridge gloomily. Two boats passed as the Captain cast off so we followed them – straight through the first swing bridge.

I ran up to the lady on the boat ahead and offered to work the next one as the Captain wanted to stop at the next town to buy milk and bread.

Lottie disliked the warning siren as the gates rose and fell but the bridge was easy to move with the push of a button. A car drew up as the bridge swung round so I indicated there were three boats passing through. The lady said a car had shot under a gate with her almost crashed into the gate at the far end and ended up swinging round on the bridge. Crazy driver! My driver gave a wave as the gates rose in stark contrast to the story.

At Burscroft Bridge the Captain looked for mooring but it was all permit holders only. One of the boats we were following has pulled up at the services mooring and the Captain squeezed in behind it. Thank goodness we are only 40 feet long. The sign said mooring limited to 1 hour.

The Captain declared, “well we need water,” and disappeared off shopping leaving me and Lottie with the boat. I dumped the rubbish and watched bemused as the crew of the other boat took turns to use the toilet.

“We’re using this loo as

ours needs a pump out,” one lady said. I didn’t like to mention that I thought the nearest pump out was over a day’s cruise away.

The captain returned as they cast off, thrust bread and milk into my hands and filled the water tank.

“I found Tesco’s but when I reached the till the girl said they couldn’t take money before 10.00! she said they were open so customers could browse. When I told her I wanted milk now and didn’t want to browse for nearly half an hour she directed me to Spar.”

“That’s what you call helpful staff,” I agreed.

As soon as we left town long rods stretched across the water, each angler waiting until the last second to withdraw his rod.

“Is it a competition?” I asked the friendliest face. He nodded so I wished him good luck. From the grim expressions on most faces it was a serious business. As we ran the gauntlet of extended poles one angler raised his rod so its end wobbled above our heads. I ducked fearing the hook would catch me. Another angler didn’t look and didn’t move his rod. The Captain (who was creeping the boat forward on tick-over hit reverse and still the angler ignored our boat. As our boat slid backwards the rod withdrew but the angler never glanced once in our direction.

still waters

It was a relief to leave the last rod behind and moor in Parbold for lunch. For once the Captain had an extended lunch time. Until today the canal had been quiet  but now boat after boat cruised past, disturbing the marvellous reflections. After 6 boats all going our way the Captain was amazed and decided to wait to let the lock queue die down. However within a few minutes another 2 boats slid past.

“More boats have gone by in half an hour than we’ve seen since we’ve been on this canal,” he muttered.

The Captain cast off and followed slowly, knowing there would be a long queue at deep lock. There were 4 boats waiting when the lock came into sight but at least they were all narrow boats so they could go up in pairs.

After a 30 minute wait the Captain emptied the lock and opened the gate for me to enter. As I moved off another boat appeared and followed me into the lock. The Captain opened the second gate for it but it hit the gate and bounced into our boat then clanged back into the lock wall. The crew member waited until the Captain had closed both gates before climbing the ladder to help.

They got away first as the crew member jumped on board as his boat left the lock while I had to pick up Lottie and the Captain. They operated the swing bridge which put us back in the lead. Did they think the Captain would do all the work at the next lock for them?

canal-side flowers

At Dean lock I got off then we saw a boat was in the lock. A single hander was waiting for a boat to pair with. The boat behind speeded forward as our boat entered the lock then realised just in time it was occupied.

After a short cruise the Captain spotted a length of piling (no banging in of pins required) and moored just outside Crooke which must have been full of boats avoiding the flight of locks into Wigan.

rest time

I walked Lottie back to a narrow wood and found it had several pleasant paths winding through it. Lottie turned it into a racetrack and chased around like Lewis Hamilton trying to get pole position. When she pulled up next to me panting she spotted the shallow river Douglas through the greenery. She charged in, cooled down, then did several more circuits of her track like a pure greyhound before trotting out of the wood back to the boat. Once fed she collapsed and slept the evening away, only waking to check out her bowl in case we had left her some dinner. After a day on the lead our lurcher lurched herself flat out until she felt ready to stop. I’m glad she likes this mooring.