Wrenbury -> Whitchurch Arm 14/7/2020

Engine start 544.2 07:45
Engine stop 549.5 13:00

Decided to either wait till after 09:00 to go through Wrenbury Lift Bridge to avoid holding up rush hour traffic or make an early start - which we did with only a coffee for breakfast.

Cloudy day with occasional showers. AJS turn to drive - first since last summer? Trouble-free cruise, soon catching up to a single hander (Lindy Lou) with a hire boat closing up on us. Their crew very keen and excited on their first day so played tag team with all three all the way up to Grindley Brook.

Passed Fran from Floating Our Boat YouTube channel walking the dogs on the approach to Grindley Brook. Had an enjoyable short chat with her. She came across exactly as she does on the vlogs - lovely. She said to give Rich a toot as we went past Constanze but we didn't as it all looked very quiet...

Paused at top of Grindley Brook locks for loo and rubbish then pushed on for Whitchurch arriving at the Arm around 13:00. Very ready for lunch!

Sole excitement was a very overgrown section just beyond Povey's Lock (Land of Canaan) where an oncoming boat and a moored boat were completely obscured by vegetation until the last moment. Our little boat so manoeuvrable that no problem ensued. Had we been longer, possibly another story…

ADS noticed that the DIY shop he was targeting for a replacement tap for the galley was not open the next day so we headed straight into town. Unfortunately the DIY store had virtually no taps available but recommended the Travis Perkins store on the other side of town. AJS headed back to the boat while ADS headed off on a tap hunt - successfully as it turned out. Got back to boat quite footsore as the diversion to Travis Perkins added quite a few steps to the journey!

Dinner of lamb pasta and Eccles cakes (which AJS had got in town) for pudding. Followed up with a Poirot DVD. Quiet day in prospect for tomorrow - apart from the galley plumbing!

Llangollen Canal Bridge 2 -> Wrenbury 13/7/20

Engine start 540.7 10:45
Engine stop 544.2 14:15

3.5 hours / 5 miles / 5 locks

Greyer start. Rain overnght. Wind picking up but still mild. Scattered showers.

Ready to start but found batteries not charging. Stopped engine again while ADS tried tightening the alternator belt. Moved quite a bit. Restarted engine and all OK - fridge can be switched back on!

Bridge 5 offside vegetation starting to obscure sight line through bridge.

We were followed up the hill by a single hander so we helped each other out at locks. He overtook us at Wrenbury Church lift Bridge just before we moored for the night.

AJS went to Spar for groceries. ADS to chandlery to look for varnish. No luck with that but did find some surface restorer to try on our very tired looking paintwork. Took a while to get served as the assistant was giving a very detailed briefing to some new hirers. Good to hear them getting some comprehensive information.

ADS tried out the surface restorer on the port side and it seems to work well. Must make sure to find moorings on the starboard side later!

Nantwich -> Llangollen Canal nr Bridge 2 12/7/2020

Engine start 538.7 12:15
Engine stop 540.7 14:13

2 hours / 3 miles / 4 locks


First trip out since Covid-19 pandemic started (or even earlier due to moving into new flat).

Arrived at Nantwich Basin around 11:00. First long drive for AJS since start of lockdown. Got everything on board, had lunch then set off about 12:15.

Hot sunshine. Quite a few boats but no queue at Hurleston flight. We obviously hit the lunchtime lull.

Boat in front of us could not get into Lock 2 so we were waved through and they had to reverse back down the first lock.

Filled up with water at the services then moved along to the good mooring between Bridges 2 & 3 which has a nice view of a farmhouse.

Went for a walk around Hurleston reservoir in the evening.

Middlewich -> Nantwich Basin 18/7/2019

Engine hours start: 523.7 end: 530.4 = 6.7 hours

Miles:11.5 Locks:3  Lock miles: 14.5

Off at 09:30. Generally fine, though now always convinced it would remain so. Queues for locks the main feature of the day.

Paused for lunch and water pump window shopping at Aqueduct Marina. A wide variety of skippers encountered , included the Novice Snail for the couple of miles. Everyone starts somewhere, I guess. 

The following day, we used the launderette at the Basin - very impressed - in order to have some clean clothes for a family gathering in Gloucester at the weekend.

On the way to Gloucester, stopped at Midland Chandlers at Penkridge to get a new water pump and accumulator tank. Managed to accidently pick up two accumulator tanks (but only paid for one). The following week Andrew stopped off to return the surplus one and the chap was so impressed that he gave us a 10% discount voucher!

Wheelock -> Middlewich 17/7/2019

Engine hours start: 519.2 end: 523.7 = 4.5 hours

Miles:6 Locks:6  Lock miles: 12


Light overcast, could easily burn off and scorch - or not. Wheelock services an absolute anthill of activity as we left. Alison's bee-sting still a little swollen, found some witch hazel cream which should help. Hot rather than painful, a little itchy as it heals.

An enjoyable day's cruising with little traffic the other way but plenty all going the same way which made for queues at locks - so Andrew did the equivalent of at least 10 locks helping  and being helped by overlapping crews. Barbara of Take Too was particularly helpful. Lock landings inadequate all the way so lots of fannying around mid-stream while waiting.

 

At the Kings Lock turn there was a Black Prince boat with no idea of how to turn into the Wardle canal so Alison grabbed their nose rope and got them round with a judicious push and pull. Andrew then tutored them through the lock and stayed back to work Barbara and Bob up the lock while Alison pottered along - stopped just beyond bridge 28 on the edge of town. Andrew then walked back for some water pump market research - came back with cake!

Rain then set in so settled down for some good ol' home cooking, beer and DVD.

Rode Heath -> Wheelock 16/7/2019

Engine hours start: 514.8 end: 519.2 = 4.6 hours

Miles:4 Locks:14  Lock miles: 18

Rain overnight swiftly cleared to give a lovely warm day. Alison's turn to do locks. A boat pulled out as Alison walking down to the first lock and another closed up as we were queuing - then we closed up on a single-handler and before long we were in a convoy.

Approach Hassall's Green Alison dropped the long throw windlass in the lock - the following boat went by in the other lock while we went magnet-fishing. Success!

Then a couple of locks further on, a bee managed to get stuck in Alison's sandal and sting the side of her big toe. Soaked the place with vinegar and Andrew got the sting out with a multi-tool so very little damage done. However Andrew very kindly said we should swap so he worked the last three locks into Wheelock where we found a lovely shaded mooring, handy for the service block and pub. The boat ahead were brilliant too, lifting a paddle as they left each lock so they were all but set as we arrived - fab.

Filled our bottles and Andrew got some more from the shop. Then did some hand washing to set us straight in underwear. Nearly Nicoise salad for lunch. Andrew revelled in hot shower - praise be to the services - and we had dinner and a lovely chat with Bob and Barabara  nb Take Too at the Cheshire Cheese - new owners, good menu, good value.

Macclesfield -> Rode Heath 15/5/2019

Engine hours start: 507.4 end: 514.8 = 7.5 hours

Miles:12 Locks:13  Lock miles: 25

A glorious evening at last yesterday and we woke to solid blue sky!

 

Final failure of water pump yesterday so early start and cracking on to Red Bull for a shower and shopping. 7 litres of bottled water on board so basics OK. 

Passed Congleton at 09:00: only place to moor is a 2 day stretch between bridges 75 and 76. Also very handy for railway station if further travel required. Possibly not overnight though - better by aqueduct / bridge 73.

Paused for shopping and lunch at Red Bull aqueduct where the Macclesfield crosses the Trent and Mersey. First, a short walk to Tesco then lunch : then Alison walked down to Red Bull services for a proper shower while Andrew single-handed down to the locks. In the event Alison was in time to close the gates of the first lock.

It being beautifully warm, Andrew then suggested doing the locks onwards (the next 11 as it turned out...).  Rewarded by a top mooring directly opposite the Broughton Arms.