Saturday, 11 June 2016

Moving to Middlewich for the Folk & Boat Festival (Saturday 11/6/2016)

Aqueduct Marina to Midlewich

Engine hours reading 195.2 start (08:55) 200.3 end. Miles:7 Locks:5

Awake around 07:00 as usual. Bright but overcast start. Breakfast, cleaned shower tray and had a wash.

Set off 08:55. Cloud thickened gradually and there were a few spots of rain.

About 10:10 heavy rain started. Since boots still sodden from yesterday and did not want another drenching, moored up at first stretch of piling between bridges 21 & 22.

Navigation note: There are some very nice 48 hour moorings between bridges 12 & 13. Rings and a lovely view.

Trouble-free cruise to Stanthorne lock. Short queue for the lock but manned by masses of SUMBA volunteers so little effort required.

Trickled through to Middlewich. Moorings seem unrestricted up to Bridge 28 then 48 hours.

Wardle Lock also manned and being painted by SUMBA ready for next weekend. They reckon that the moorings above Kings Lock are actually 48 hours despite there being no signage... No good for leaving boat for next weekend...

Went up through Kings Lock, winded and moored opposite the convenience store. Bacon and mushroom roll for lunch accomplished without setting off the smoke alarm! 

Then walked back up the Wardle Arm to check situation above Bridge 28. Seems like a nice quiet location to returned to boat and came back down Kings Lock and up Wardle Lock (still manned by SUMBA).

Did a very neat reverse park into a spot about 1 boat up from Bridge 28.

After mooring, walked back to Kings Lock for a pint. Accidentally bought cider... Got some FAB Festival programmes which look very nice. I got usual acknowledgement at the back which, this year, actually mentions the website. 

Then wandered along to the Narrowboat for another pint (Wadworth Optimism) which turned into several when it started raining heavily again.

Eventually stopped enough to walk back to boat via Kings Lock Chippy! Quiet evening reading.          

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