A two week Cruise Diary August 2010 Cheshire Ring (anti Clockwise) and Trent
and Mersey from Mercia Marina
This was our fifth 2 week cruise on a narrowboat and third
on a Shakespeare Classic boat. The youngest member of crew this year was
17 and the benefits of previous experience are beginning to show. Comments in red, purple green or other lurid colours have
been added by crew. We stayed a whole day in Manchester and a half day at the
Anderton Lift, other than that we more or less had to keep going with exception
of necessary stops. We could have done with another week to generally look
around.
23/8/10
Major panic as I realized I had not confirmed the Narrowboat booking!
However this was quickly sorted by phone
and email.
30/7/10
Left for weekend in Brummy prior to
holiday, we were going to leave Friday night, but it became obvious that this
was not to happen as our overwhelming ambition for Friday night was to go to
sleep ….. we always aim high!
31/7/09
Left Southampton about 9am and with rear
passengers pedaling hard the Hijet MPV made it to Birmingham about 1pm, first stop the Rag
Market. Bought a small “Triple Smoked Ham”,
whose smell was to haunt us for the next two weeks, and lots of cheese.
2/8/10
Arrived at the marina about 2:45 having
shopped at Willington Co-op and waited for broken railway barrier to do what it
had no intention of doing, requiring us to do a U turn and get lost until Joanna
Lumley on the Sat Nav came to our aid. Boat was ready so we unpacked
and proceeded to make ourselves at home. After the usual introduction and
safety talk we left about 16:15 with the occasional spit of rain in the air,
which was going to be a feature of the holiday. We had hoped to make Arleswas on the
first night but this was not going to happen so we stopped at Branston for the
night, with Cauliflower Cheese for supper (cheese sauce enhanced by smoked ham
). We had a brisk walk around Branston that turned into
getting lost and walking around a closed water park. Branston did not
seem to offer too much ( shop was shut by then ) so we descended on the Pub,
which seemed quite decent, but did not offer food on Monday nights.
First impression of
the barge for the new starter seemed to shock him at first but then got used to
the size and the motion of the somewhat weirdly luxurious barge
3/8/10
Arose bright and early and left mooring
about 8am after a porridge breakfast. Somehow porridge has always been
associated with boating holidays in my family … the joke being that it tasted
the same coming back up as it did going down in event of sea sickness.It was good to see that the crew had
remembered some skills from previous years and the bridges were safe from
further damage … at least from Prospero, for that week. Even some quite elegant
entries into locks!
We reached Rugely about 5pm stopping at
bridge 66. Went onto the bridge and Morrison’s was conveniently only a couple of
100 yards away, where we stocked up and all the things we had forgotten to buy
earlier ( like soups for lunch), plus some cheap bread to feed the ducks … cheap
and universal entertainment for anyone from 0 to 100yrs.
If you head down between Wilko and
Morrison’s you find the Town
Center, which has some
good charity shops, if you have forgotten jumpers or waterproofs.
We got back to boat about 6pm and continued for another hour and a half
before mooring between bridges 77 and 78, I think we used stakes in absence
of official moorings. Bread and Cheese supper as the bread was
fresh and nobody was offering to cook.Weather was mainly dry with the general
threat that it was going to rain the moment you took liberties such as leaving
your waterproofs behind.
4/8/10
Another enthusiastic start leaving the moorings at about 8am after tea and
porridge. Some quite heavy showers brought out the waterproofs in
earnest, for the first time. Had to clear out the weed box twice, once for a
piece of stray rope and then for a log that jammed in the prop, but
thankfully both easily cleared. One of the paddles at the top of
lock 33, just below bridge 98 had broken, meaning a heavy leak and slow
going through the lock. Katy and Rob made first attempt at using
the oven, cooking a sponge cake, which was fine though a little “rare” in the
center, so we ended up with and oval ring cake
… the ducks gratefully receiving the center. We then decided that what it
really needed was custard, so stopped at Barlaston for custard and garlic bread,
before continuing on to moor near Hem Heath Colliery ( bridge 108 )
just before Stoke, where we arrived about 8pm.at just south just before Stoke nr site
of Hem Heath Colliery, near bridge 108.Again a few short heavy
showers, but nothing too drastic. Pasta for supper, followed by sponge
ring cake and custard. Fridge started playing up ( red light by
temperature control kept coming on). Phoned Marina who told us to turn off the
fridge on control panel behind boat’s rear door and turn it on again. This reset
fridge and got it working again. For those not familiar with these
cookers you need to turn on the gas, push the knob down and hold it down while
also holding down the red ignition button. Once the gas is lit you then need to
hold the gas knob down for a further 30 seconds or so before releasing it.
5/8/10
Later start leaving moorings about 9am, certain members of the
crew now enhancing the porridge with Chocolate. We reached
Harecastle Tunnel about 12:30. This was our first tunnel of the holiday and
about two miles long, single way traffic and no towpath through it. In event
of breakdown they give you two hours to find your own way out and then come
looking for you. It is one of the few tunnels that is manned and controlled
by BW staff, who send boats through in batches. It probably took about 40
minutes to get through the tunnel, which was actually wider than some in
most places, though has quite a low and narrow section ( where repairs have
taken place? ) and bends to the right from the direction in which we were
going. I think it originally had a towpath that was removed to allow repairs
and restoration. Came out of the tunnel to glorious daylight and
bright orange water, where iron had seeped from the local rock. A
little further down the canal we turned left into the Macclesfield Canal
mooring for the night at the top of Brosley locks about 8pm, where BW
facilities include a shower and a washing machine, also a water point where
we refilled the tank. There was enough intermittent rain
during the day to keep everything damp, but still quite a pleasant day.
6/8/10
Left moorings about 9am and continued
North along Macclesfield
Canal. The
Macclesfield Canal
is remarkably picturesque, winding its way through miles of countryside,
picturesque stone bridges and little more than cows and sheep for company,
and the odd Country House showing here and there, with hills in the distance
until you get to Macclesfield where you pass through town and industrial
landscape again, together with a few old mills. Passed through
Marple Locks and Hyde tunnel. From Marple onwards we were now on the
Peak
Forest
canal We moored at Romiley and had supper at a pub, can’t
remember which bridge we moored at, but we moored before it turned left and
there was an Indian restaurant on one side of the road and the pub on the
other. Pub had a bit of character and seemed quite busy, food was OK. We ate
in the saloon, but later found quite a nice and unused restaurant in upper
rooms, served by the same kitchen. Again the day was dominated my
intermittent rain, though not sufficient to spoil the day and the clouds gave an
interesting lighting on the distant hills.
7/8/10
Latish start left about 10am.Joined the
Ashton Canal
at Ashton –under –Lymme. Passed through Clayton locks quite
happily without any problems bar the inconvenience of anti-vandalism devices on
lock gates, gave some kids a lift down locks, who were nice enough
– taught them how to use a lock and how they worked
- and were helped through the locks by a
local resident equipped with his own winding handle, who disappeared before I
could thank him and give him a few quid to buy him a drink. Arrived Piccadilly Basin about 7pm and
had Fish and Chips from an Indian Chippy
a couple of hundred yards from the Basin
( turn right up Dulcie Street and left towards Piccadilly Station, the Chippy
is on the left , with a more traditional one nearer station).
There is a BW mooring available from
Dulcie Street ( via gate with BW key ) leads down metal stairway next to glass
fronted offices to a wooden decking quay. BW lock had been removed and replaced
by a local security firm (protest was made ), we still used the wooden quay, but
had to move the boat in the morning to get access to Dulcie Street as gate was
still locked, but it gave us a quiet night, in the middle of Manchester.
All items were also removed from the roof – just in case.
8/8/10
Stayed for day Manchester joined by Jenny & Rob about 6pm.
This being another “Rob” the difference being the
intonation of voice, a fair amount of hair and the particular female
attached. Actually had a dry day and Manchester was really very impressive, with
some lovely architecture both old and new. Impressive Victorian buildings
dominate the place and we could have happily spent a few more days
exploring. A very impressive range of shops and, after a lot of walking,
asking for directions and getting very confused, a Odeon cinema.
Rumour had it that in spite of
intermittent rain the Leeds and Liverpool canal was closed and we were one of
the last down the Ashton into Piccadilly before BW staff were advising people
not to go that way, the Rochdale was also
closed for a while.
9/8/10
Left Manchester about 9am left Jenny, Katy , Rob and Rob to explore
Manchester for a few hours and meet us about 7 locks down by which time it
was pouring with rain and a jacket was caught around the prop, so it was
back into the weed-box for 15
minutes to clear the offending item, after the boat had
been bow-hauled through a lock or two.
"
Gay-Town"
looked interesting as we passed
beneath it, but heavy rain did not inspire exploration. By this time we were
getting low on water, but could not find the water point 9 locks down near the
YHA,
so continued our journey and eventually found one a few hundred yards after
joining the Bridgewater Canal at "
Waters meeting"
, on the North Bank ( right side
coming out of Manchester),
at this time it was painted red rather than the usual
black, so not as obvious as it might be. Moored at Lymm about 7pm
Took a walk around the very picturesque village.
Found a closed,
old fashioned sweet shop. Along with two pubs.
10/8/10
Shopped in Lymm, particularly of
interest were the traditional butchers shop, a large Deli selling fresh bread
and a very good assortment of cheese and a traditional sweetshop.
Stocked up on sweets :)
.
A traditional set of village stocks is also available for offending crew
members!
Shopped for general items at the large
(it was Spar) Co-op and left moorings about
10:30.Continued down the
Bridgewater
canal to join the Trent and Mersey again at
Preston Brook, passing through Preston brook,
Saltersford and Barton tunnels before arriving at Anderton where we moored for
the night, arriving about 1800.Had a meal at the Stanley Arms, which
was on the opposite bank. Nice pub garden ( had weather been better ) and quite
decent food.
11/8/10
We left late, about 1pm after viewing lift and showers all round,
making the most of the BW facilities a few hundred yards past the Anderton
Lift, which included a water point. The lift itself is an amazing
bit of Victorian engineering and worth making a stop for and the visitors
center is also worth seeing … and has decent loos. Purchased “
Chuck a Duck”, which provided several hours of inane amusement. Especially
when aiming for someone’s drink instead of the box. Stopped for the evening near bridge 161.
12/8/10
Left moorings about 10am.Sky cloudy and raining in
heavy showers for times from 5-20 mins, towards the later afternoon rain was
heavier. Katy and rob cooked a
toad-in-the-hole and bangers and mash for the other rob (he was being fussy)
We moored a few hundred yards north of
the Harecastle tunnel, about 5pm, having missed the last passage through, for
that day.
13/8/10
Left about 9:30 Went through tunnel Stopped at
Burleigh Pottery factory shop, where we decided even the seconds were too
pricey for us and then stopped at the Doulton shop where, we could afford at
least some of the seconds and bought a few things. Moored near Stone.
14/1/10
Left moorings about 9am and started
encountering Shakespeare Classic Line Boats as we headed back to the marina.
Arrived at Rugely about 1500, which gave us a couple of hours to explore the
town before heading on, it is not a bad place for shopping and seems to do
particularly well with charity shops, a sister also recommends Rosie’s café ,
which we did not have a chance to try, moored for night near bridge 60.Has a good market
and a wide selection of cheap shops. Along with interesting one’s like a shop
full of rifles and various items of that genre. Crew generally getting tired as shows in photos.
15/11/10
Left moorings about 9am on the final leg
back to the marina. Fradley Junction and locks were as busy as usual, especially
as it was a sunny Sunday lunchtime and there were some delays at both the
junction and the following locks ( up until now we had had very few delays ).
Had hoped to get to Arleswas for about midday, though eventually got there about
1:30, where we had lunch at the Crown, which was a little basic, but reasonable
and to be found by turning first right east of the bridge. A better
establishment is to be found by turning right later down the same road into William IV street,
where you will find the William IV pub. Left Arleswas about 3pm to make
Willington about 8pm where we moored.
16/11/10
Moved boat to mooring outside the marina
about 8:30 and waited to be taken in. This was our 5th two week holiday on the
canals and the first without breaking any glasses or china, losing a winding
handle or other catastrophe … perhaps we are getting better!
