August Bank holliday

Monday 25 August, zero.

Weather not good in the morning so didn't move. Rain stopped after lunch so walked the mile into Sandbach, another of those places where the locals say there is nothing there. A delightful market town with a long history.

7th Century Saxon Crosses

The Black Bear pub with thatched roof

Note the thatched bear

PS. have added photos to last post.

A Week on

Sunday 17 August. 2 ¼ miles.

Walked back to Walton Hall to look at the Cycle Museum. A grand old gentleman showed us around his collection. Spent about an hour with him as he had been to NZ and best place was Napier. He happened to be there over an Art Deco weekend. Checked out the local pub for a Sunday Roast, didn't stay as it was just a smorgasbord. Lunch on the boat then moved off. After fighting strong crosswind for a while, moored up with the help of two other boaters in the shelter of some trees. Walked into Daresbury and went to the Lewis Carroll centre. Interesting little spot. Having missed out on Sunday roast we went to the “Ring of Bells” for a lovely al-a-carte meal.

A poster at Cycle Museum

A bit bigger than Napier Tower and no aircraft to be seen.
At a scientific centre on the way to Daresbury.

The Lewis Carroll window in Daresbury church

The Ring of Bells

Monday 18 August. 8 ½ miles.

Stopped at Preston Brook chandler just to see what they had, my sort of shop. Bought some LED bulbs and lights to reduce our power consumption. Backed the boat up the canal a bit and turned down towards Runcorn. Stopped and looked around Norton Priory. Mainly ruins but the under-croft survives from the 17^th century. Continued to the end of the canal at Runcorn and walked down to two large bridges that cross the Mersey and Mersey Ship Canal then back to the boat through town. Getting late by this time and not going to stop here. Moored up at the Priory gardens for the night.

Two bridges at Runcorn

The end of the line at Runcorn

Tuesday 19^th August. 5 miles, 1 tunnel, 1 lock.

Heading south again and after the tunnel strike the first lock for some time. Just a teaser with a rise of two inches. The lock takes us from the Bridgewater canal onto the Trent and Mersey canal. Spent the night above the Dutton Lock where we spent 2 nights on the Weaver river in 2010.

Looking over Dutton Lock

Moored here where this breach closed the canal for over a year, I think.

Wednesday 20^th August. 4 miles, 2 tunnels.

Walked into Acton Swing bridge where we had had a delightful experience at a farm shop in 2010. All changed now and very commercial. Later on we passed the Anderton lift which puts us back into old territory. Lift closed for the night.

Thursday 21^st August. 5 ¼ miles.

Had some work done on the heater as it needs to be working now with temperatures dropping.(9 degrees overnight). As we head south it is interesting remembering places we have been before. Last time we called into Marston to look at a Salt museum which was pretty derelict. This time they are spending millions on it but won't be open till next year. Who knows we may get to see it in operation. Later on we passed an boat, seeing our flag “where you from” “Napier” “so are we”. We moored up together for the night. Their house is about ½ mile from ours.

Kiwi flags together

Friday 22 August. 4 miles, 1 lock.

A short day into Middlewich through the last double lock of this trip. Bit of shopping & organised a pumpout for 0900 in the morning before all the hire boats return and get sent out again. Bank holiday weekend.

Saturday 23^rd August, 5 ½ miles, 8 locks.

Up and away. If we hadn't been committed we probably would have stayed put as the rain was heavy. Pump out complete and we are number 3 for the lock. The private boats are trying to beat the hire boat rush. In a bit of a rush I slip down the stairs onto my back. Bit of a worry for a while but kept working all day. Went through the 4 locks to get clear of the congested area then moored up to wait a change in the weather. After lunch the sun comes out so off we go . A couple of OAP's talked to Diana at one lock then when we arrive at the next they are there and have opened the gates so we can go straight in. They live near the Macclesfield canal so hope to catch up with them when passing. Picked some blackberries then moored up to rest my back.

Sunday 24^th August. 1 mile.

Sun shining first thing so boat has warned up after our Sunday sleep in. pleased to find my back was pretty much right again. Around lunch time we moved on to where I had expected to be last night. Moored at the first spot available then off for a Sunday Roast at the local pub. Becoming a bit of an enjoyable habit. After a quick look around Wheelock and a visit to the Farm shop we moved the boat around the corner to a better mooring as we may be here for a couple of days looking at the forecast. The view out the front of the boat is the first of the 26 locks to get us to the Macclesfield canal. Last time we did 20 in the day

 

A church in Weelock

Manchester Ship Canal

Friday 15 August, 1 1/4 miles

Walked into Thelwell and down to the Penny Ferry to cross the Manchester Ship Canal, the price is now 11p. The ferry is to give continuing rights to cross over this part of the canal that was previously a public path. On the other side we set off to a bird sanctuary. The first place we checked out the gate was locked so walked on and meet a bloke with high powered binoculars and large camera lens. Yes there is a bird sanctuary but you must be a member to have a key and if I let you in I will loose my key. We reversed our tracks and continued down the side of the canal to the Latchford Locks. Crossed over and walked back to the boat for lunch and then cruised around the corner to Grappenhall for a bit of food shopping.

The Ferry Man

A Ship sized bollard

Bridges 

Latchford lock

Saturday 16 August 2 1/4 miles.

Stopped at Stockton heath boat yard for water & diesel. It was suggested we should go into town so after lunch we did. As the Manchester ship canal is not far away we crossed over on a swing bridge then did a few shops, back to the boat. Moved on and had to stop at "Houghs Bridge". Walked a little further down the towpath to Walton Hall Gardens. An estate now owned by the local Council. Lovely gardens and a large hall that is being renovated as a function centre.

Lots of bridges

Bridges 

Houghs Bridge

Walton Hall

Maintenance

Thursday 14 August, 2 miles

Generally mucking around on the boat, a bit of tidying and a bit of washing the outside between rain showers that rinsed it off.

Diana in to Lymm to book a haircut then back for lunch. The haircut was at 1400. When she came back the rain looked like it had cleared for the day so we set off on a long trip to Thelwell. Moored up by ourselves in one of those nice spots.

In your own backyard

Today

We have meet some lovely people on our travels.
There are some I don't want to meet.

This has to be boaters rubbish.

If we want to stop people throwing their rubbish in our canals we had better stop throwing ours on their towpath

To Lymm

Tuesday 12 August. zero

We walked through Dunham Town to "Dunham Massey Hall". A National Trust 18th-C house in a setting of manicured lawns and gardens, lake and woods where the deer have freedom to roam. During WW1 the house had been used as a hospital and was presented as it was in 1918. Quite moving to read the stories and medical notes of the patients. Stamford Hospital, as it was called was in the downstairs rooms while upstairs was how the family used it during this time including one room full of the furniture that had been down stairs.

A private garden in Dunham Town

Dunham Massey Hall

downstairs ward

Operating theatre

Stanford Military Hospital flag

Wednesday 13 August, 4 miles

Set off, and soon looked across the canal to Dunham Massey Hall as we passed. Around the corner and stopped to look at the village of  Little Bollington. Quaint with a mill that had been converted. Around a few more corners and moor up in Lymm. A quick reconnaissance shows us another interesting and slightly different village which will keep Diana's camera busy.

Durham Hall from canal

Tasteful conversion of  an old corn mill.

A walkway into Lymm

4 days in Manchester

Friday 8 August. zero

Spent the day with Dave & Angie. First stop the Museum of Science & Industry MOSI. Did the Air and Space Hall, The two most interesting to me were the prototype Lightning and the Avro 707 (I think that is what it is called), It was used to develop the delta wing. From there across to the Textile Gallery. Interesting but not a patch on Queen Street Mill in Burnley.
Caught a Tram to Salford docks to visit the Lowry Gallery to see the exhibition of his stick men. Worth the trip. While there we bought tickets to War Horse. Then a quick look in the Imperial War Museum, North. A big emphasis on WW1. Back to the boat then to the local pub for dinner.

AVRO 707

The Lowry 

Imperial War Museum

Saturday 9 August, zero

Dave & Angie decided to move on as the weather forecast after today was not the best for boating. We spent the day walking and exploring Manchester. A visit to the Craft & Design Market. Nice to go to a market where quality and innovation is on display. Some very talented artists there. Lunch from a market stall then wondered through the city back to the boat for an early tea. Caught the Tram back to Salford to see War Horse. Watching the live performance was different. I reserve my opinion on whether a front row seat in a movie theatre with close up shots or watching live from the God's is the best. Thoroughly enjoyed it.


Sunday 10 August, zero

Wet Day so hunkered down for the morning then went back to the MOSI and this time concentrated on the Power hall with working engines and locomotives. Did a bit of a supermarket shop on the way back. In the evening we went to Coronation Street "The Tour". Coro street production moved to a new center last Christmas so we got to look around the dressing rooms, Wardrobe, Makeup, and then on to the sound stage where Gail's house, Jack and Vera's house and the inside of the Rovers Return were still there. Other memorabilia we also on display. Outside the street is a lot smaller than one imagines from what the TV shows. We now know what we will see in NZ in 2 years time

Pulling a pint at the Rovers return

some of the scenes we know so well

Monday 11 August, 9 miles.

The morning weather had improved from the last couple of days so we walked into the Peoples Museum. Different again as it focused on Unionism and the Labour Party. Very understandable how these were the important things to the working class. After lunch we set off in sunshine. By the time we went around the first corner the predicted showers for the day had started. Not the nicest of days to be travelling but I survived in my (Barry's) Dryasabone. Just before we stopped for the night the last shower of the day passed.

Back to Manchester

Wednesday 6 August. 7 miles.

A leisurely start for both boats. First up a swing bridge with a major road to close. Diana was thankful we were the second boat and just had to wait for the bridge to open. We stopped for water and in the 30 minutes we were there the bridge was swung twice more holding up a significant number of vehicles. Stopped in Leigh for food shopping and then continued on to the Bridgewater Marina for the night as we needed a pump out in the morning. Strange thing was we were moored where when we stepped off the boats we were in a beer garden. Nice food, including pudding.


Thursday 7 August.  8 miles

Dave and Angie left before us as Angie hadn't been to Worsley and wanted to stop there. After our pumpout we followed on and arrived in Worsley as Angie was returning to the boat. Crossed over the Manchester Ship Canal and pulled in at the Trafford Centre, a huge shopping complex. No intention of shopping but we went in to see all the figurines. The girls had a ride on the carousel. Continued on and decided to go back into Manchester as it was less than an hour out of our way and last time we passed through we were rushing to make our date on the Ribble

Following "Lady Esther" over the Barton swing bridge across the Manchester ship Canal.

Trafford Centre from the canal entrance

The entrance to Trafford Centre

Some of the many figurines

Qualified Lockie

Tuesday 5 August, 5 1/2 mile, 23 locks

Away at 0700 and into the first of the 21 Wigan flight. Dave had organised Les a local, to help us. The idea was that we tie the two boats together and leave only one helmsman to take the boats through the locks. I elected to do some lock work as I don't normally get the chance. Diana and Angie open the locks while Les and I close them. The  system worked extremely well and just over 4 hours later, including a coffee break in the middle we are down. We turn on to the Leigh branch of the Leeds to Liverpool canal and travel to Dover Lock Moorings which are considered to be the nearest one wants to be to Wigan arriving before 1400. A bit of lunch, tidied up the boat, a rest then off for pre dinner drinks at the Dover lock Inn. Dinner was a bit later than intended after an enjoyable time with Dave & Angie.
Must say I enjoyed being above the locks rather than my usual position in the locks.

Dave drives both boats in

Watching the cill takes concentration.

Molly Rose veaves a lock with no assistance from me