Another blog posted on a Monday (rather than Sunday), this time our excuse is Nic’s birthday weekend.
On Monday (last week), we cruised towards Whitchurch, mooring a couple of bridges outside the town.
Tuesday morning, we cruised down the Whitchurch branch of the Llangollen canal to get close(ish) to an Aldi. The branch is only about 200 yrds long! The Whitchurch branch was busy and we were lucky to get a mooring. After shopping we headed out of the Llangollen canal, 2 lift bridges and 10 locks! we moored in Nantwich back on the Shropshire Union canal.
On Wednesday morning, Nic visited the local laundrette, “what fun!” then we had an easy cruise down to Audlem including the first couple of locks in the flight of 15 locks. as it was Nic’s birthday week we started celebrating with dinner at The Lord Combermere pub in Audlem, enjoying a really nice meal and a couple of drinks! On the walk back to the Boat we found a tenner!
Thursday, we have to complete the rest of the flight of locks, but were rewarded with a stall at the top lock selling all manner of cakes and pies, the Chocolate Brownie was fab. We then had to do another flight of 5 locks.
On Friday we made it to Market Drayton, a nice little town with old half-timbered buildings. After a walk round there was time to sit in the sun, and listen to Wimbledon, until the weather broke in the evening.
On Saturday, following a recommendation we cruised in the rain, with another 5 locks to the Wharf inn at Goldstone for lunch, including the Ice cream Sundae (see photos below) the lunch was worth cruising in the rain!
Sunday had a lazy day did not cruise anywhere, managed a lovely walk to Cheswardine, before the heavens opened with an amazing storm, we were so glad that we were not cruising!
Spent a very rainy Monday wandering around London, Trafalgar Square, Soho, Covent Garden, South Bank, St Paul’s Cathedral, Fleet Street and the Strand, then Euston Station for a train back north to Chirk and the Boat.
On Tuesday we went back over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct after having to waiting only for a couple of kayakers to paddle over, however when we got to the other side it was carnage, there were about a dozen boats attempting to form an orderly queue and failing miserably, together with ½ dozen moored boats and 3 boats getting water from two taps. What fun!
We joined the queue for water adding to the carnage!
After collecting new glasses at the weekend, Nic was again able to see in tunnels, so skippered the two tunnels near Chirk.
We then met friends (you know who you are!) for lunch at The Poachers pub in Chirk, another good catch up. Then a quick shop for fresh fruit and veg at the Sainbury’s – in the Dobbies garden centre, who knew?!
On Wednesday, we had booked passage through the Frankton locks (4) on to the Montgomery Canal, as only 12 boats a day are allowed it is a quiet canal, which is navigable for only 7 miles, narrow and ‘overgrown’ in places, we moored up about halfway down it.
Thursday, we walked to West Felton (Picture below). Then, after Rog dragged ½ a tree out of the canal, which was threatening to block the navigation, we cruised to the end, turned around and moored up in Maesbury Marsh, and ended the day with a pint (or 2?) at the Navigation Inn.
On Friday we cycled to Pant, partly along the un-navigable canal but then even the towpath was closed, so we ended up on the roads. Had a lazy afternoon listening to a rain storm and in the evening we even lit the fire !! in June !!
Saturday we cruised back up the Mongomary canal for our booked passage back up the locks on Sunday morning, and spent the evening sitting in the Sun.
On Sunday after using the services, and washing the outside of the boat, it was up the Frankton locks, back on to the Llangollen canal, cruising east along the canal we have already done (in the other direction) then moored near Whitchurch.
This Week
Total
Locks
18
200
Miles Cruised (approx.)
40
378
Spent a very rainy Monday wandering around London, Trafalgar Square, Soho, Covent Garden, South Bank, St Paul’s Cathedral, Fleet Street and the Strand, then Euston Station for a train back north to Chirk and the Boat.
On Tuesday we went back over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct after having to waiting only for a couple of kayakers to paddle over, however when we got to the other side it was carnage, there were about a dozen boats attempting to form an orderly queue and failing miserably, together with ½ dozen moored boats and 3 boats getting water from two taps. What fun!
We joined the queue for water adding to the carnage!
After collecting new glasses at the weekend, Nic was again able to see in tunnels, so skippered the two tunnels near Chirk.
We then met friends (you know who you are!) for lunch at The Poachers pub in Chirk, another good catch up. Then a quick shop for fresh fruit and veg at the Sainbury’s – in the Dobbies garden centre, who knew?!
On Wednesday, we had booked passage through the Frankton locks (4) on to the Montgomery Canal, as only 12 boats a day are allowed it is a quiet canal, which is navigable for only 7 miles, narrow and ‘overgrown’ in places, we moored up about halfway down it.
Thursday, we walked to West Felton (Picture below). Then, after Rog dragged ½ a tree out of the canal, which was threatening to block the navigation, we cruised to the end, turned around and moored up in Maesbury Marsh, and ended the day with a pint (or 2?) at the Navigation Inn.
On Friday we cycled to Pant, partly along the un-navigable canal but then even the towpath was closed, so we ended up on the roads. Had a lazy afternoon listening to a rain storm and in the evening we even lit the fire !! in June !!
Saturday we cruised back up the Mongomary canal for our booked passage back up the locks on Sunday morning, and spent the evening sitting in the Sun.
On Sunday after using the services, and washing the outside of the boat, it was up the Frankton locks, back on to the Llangollen canal, cruising east along the canal we have already done (in the other direction) then moored near Whitchurch.
The boat has not moved this week, it is still in Trevor basin, hopefully…. We are currently in Kent and publishing this short entry from my phone rather than my laptop.
An easy day on Monday, then on Tuesday, we were invited to dinner by Nic’s Aunt near Chester, and never refusing an invite, we went, the journey involved a 3 mile bike ride, a train and then a bus, we then stayed overnight.
Wednesday we returned to the Boat. On Thursday we attended a funeral near Leyland, so more trains, a bus replacement, then returned to Pocklington with Mum & Dad.
Having started to consider our options from October, we have had the offer from family to use their motor home. So given previous experiences with the van, on Friday we sold the van to webuyanyvan.com ! Having first emptied its contents into Roger’s parents newly cleared out Garage! Then headed to Kent to visit Nic’s brother and family, who we have not seen in person since last February.
So all in all, a busy week and back to the boat for a lie down tomorrow!
On Monday we visited the pretty village of Wrenbury. On Tuesday we visited the picturesque town of Whitchurch, where we had to deal with 4 lift bridges, which take a hell of a lot of winding with a windlass to open and then close again. We moored in the middle of nowhere on Tuesday night, it was so remote, and the tow path was overgrown and so far below the level of the canal, that Nic didn’t even set foot of the boat (Roger did the mooring up!)
On Wednesday, after another lift bridge, (thankfully we followed another boat through so we didn’t have to do the winding), we moored next to Blakemere (nr Ellesmere), so across the towpath, there were a couple of trees and fishing spot (we do not fish, but a good set up for the chairs) then a fabulous view onto Blakemere. That fabulous view included lots of wildlife on the mere including a Heron, Great Crested Grebe, a couple of Kingfishers, a Buzzard, Turns and many more. It was a wonderful mooring spot, one of our best … and we have to go back past it on the way out of the Llangollen Canal, so will probably stay there again, if we can get it..!
Thursday, we passed the end of the Montgomery Canal, with a passing thought that we would go and do it, however you have to book passage via the locks for between 9 and 12 noon and they only allow 12 boats a day down, so we couldn’t do it.. but after talking to a few fellow boats about it, we’ll be booking it on our way back. (follow the blog to find out more … !)
On Friday we cruised all the way to Trevor over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, a World Heritage Site (photos below) a stunning piece of architecture, designed by Thomas Telford, we were also really lucky with finding a lovely mooring spot in the Trevor basin, a small tree lined canal arm. We are just past a boat yard, in a dead end – a chap who had just spend a week on a hire boat came to talk to us and said “if I’d have known this was here, I would have just reversed the boat into here and not cruised anywhere”.
On Saturday, given the restricted draft (depth) of the rest of the Llangollen Canal, up to Llangollen, and the fact we were actually on sure of the draft of Life in Slow Motion we decided to not take the boat to Llangollen but cycle the towpath (National Cycle Route 85). We are thankful that we did, as the canal is really narrow and windy, hats off to the first time boaters who hire from Trevor boat yard and cruise straight to Llangollen.
On returning to the boat, Nic gave assistance to a fellow boater, who it transpires has had a mild stroke. Mainly just checking on him every few minutes, until his family arrived to take him to hospital.
Today, Sunday we have walked along the River Dee, to the Ty Mawr country Park then back along the canal. on this walk we needed to go alongside a road for part of it, we were wondering how busy it would be on this glorious weekend, however it turned out that the road was closed to motor traffic, as part of the roadside had slipped into the valley and was awaiting repairs, so in actual fact it was a very peaceful road!
Our regular readers will have noticed that we usually publish our blog on Sundays, however yesterday (Sunday) following a long day, helping novice boat crews through the Hurleston 4 Locks, then getting ourselves through the same plus a 5 more locks followed by a beer we completely forgot to write the blog, so here goes…
Last Monday we cruised 8 miles with 5 locks into the centre Chester, a nice mooring near a large weeping willow tree.
Tuesday, we met Nic’s Auntie for lunch at The Old Harkers Arms pub, really good chocolate brownies.
Wednesday we cruised up to Ellesmere Port, the end of the Shropshire Union canal and the National Waterways Museum, which we visited on Thursday morning, before being taken out of lunch by Friends in return of a cruise down to the nearest Winding Hole and back to their car, and after the third turn of the day (turning is not so easy in a 57 foot tin box!!) we headed back in the direction of Chester, mooring up near Chester Zoo.
On Friday we made it back to Chester (a couple of miles) Roger visited the local DIY stores to buy some wheels, which could hopefully be used as fenders against the Shroppie Lip (see last week’s blog). Nic walked Chester City Walls. We then cruised on, via the Chester Staircase of 3 Locks, unfortunately when we got there it must have been the CRT volunteers lunch break, as they were nowhere to be seen, as Roger was driving Nic had to deal with the three locks. We ended Friday at the Cheshire Cat pub in Chrisleton for dinner, spending some “Dinning Out” vouchers we received for Christmas. A nice meal, Roger overdosed on Carbs, Lasagne with garlic bread and fries!
Saturday, we had a long day (for us) cruising back to the bottom of the Hurleston Locks the start of the Llangollen canal, we covered 14 miles including 6 locks, thankfully we had another boat with us through the double locks which made it easier. The new wheel fenders were moderately successful on the Shroppie Lip.
Sunday we were 4th in the queue for the locks, but there was a problem, as the pounds between a couple of the locks had emptied overnight, so the CRT volunteer was dealing with this before anyone could start their assent of the 4 locks. as changeover day for some of the holiday hire boats is Saturday, there were a lot of novice crews attempting their very first locks, as there was only one CRT volunteer on, Roger helped one of the novice crews up all four locks before starting again with “Life in slow motion”, so it took some time to get to the top, then we could see a boat in each of the other 3 locks and at least 4 more boats waiting to start (we couldn’t see the end of the queue). 5 miles and 9 locks for the day and moored up near Wrenbury.
On Monday, we returned to the boat in Middlewich, which thankfully was exactly where we left it and it started first time. As we had left the Van in Pock, Nic’s parents drove us back to Middlewich, and were our first overnight visitors and stayed on board until Friday.
After a quick shopping trip to Lidl to boost supplies, on Monday afternoon we moved the boat in the rain onto the Shropshire Union Canal. Not far just to get the boat away from the noisy Middlewich main Road. Our intention had been to go up to Chester, but there were ongoing works on the branch up to Chester after a breach in the canal banks and the work was not due to be completed for a few more days.
Instead, on Tuesday, we took the Shropshire Union south, (left at Barbridge Junction!), and headed for Nantwich. We moored close to the Nantwich Aqueduct, and those in Instagram will have already seen a photo of the grooves in the iron work, left by the ropes of the horse drawn barges in times past.
Wednesday saw us motor to Audlem for a lovely pub lunch at The Lord Combermere, before turning round to head back the base of the Llangollen Canal for our first mooring experience on the Shoppie Lip! This is a lip of concrete below the water surface which prevents the boat being tight up against the bank, and so our usual fenders are not substantial enough enough to prevent the hull of the boat banging against the lip when other boats pass, or when we move around the boat. Those in the know seem to have all manner of tyres to use as fenders to prevent the banging, if we are spending much time on the Shroppie, we will be getting ourselves some tyres!
As the weather had been relatively kind we had been making good time, so on the Thursday we decided on a trip up the Llangollen canal as far as the turning circle between Bridge 10 and 11. It was lovely to have an extra driver (Dad) and catering staff on board (Mum), notably lots of lovely homemade shortbread and scones.
Thursday we had a second night on the Shroppie Lip, before heading on Friday morning to Calveley for the rendezvous with Nic’s Aunt to take parents back to their car, and the inevitable Services stop.
Saturday was a domestic day, sweeping out the boat etc, then a lovely evening meal at Nic’s Auntie’s house complete with chauffeur service by Mum.
Sunday (today) has been glorious, so suncream on and a leisurely motor along towards Chester now that the Canal has reopened.
On Monday morning we dealt with the services again at Anderton, including washing the Boat, as after been moored under trees for a couple of days, it definitely needed a wash. We cruised back to Middlewich, mostly in the rain but was still an enjoyable cruise, (Nic wasn’t so sure!). We did pass a group of Ukulele players in a canalside pub marquee giving a rendition of the Proclaimers 500 miles, that raised a smile.
Mooring up in Middlewich to meet good friends inside the Big Lock pub for lunch on Tuesday. It was lovely to have visitors on the boat for the first time, we had a glass of fizz to celebrate!
The plan was then to drive to Pocklington (“Pock” our home town) on Thursday to see family, however, whilst enjoying a morning cup of tea on Wednesday, Nic spotted that Thursday’s weather forecast was horrible. As we had to do some shopping, unload the boat, do services and move the boat again before being able to drive back to Pock, we decided to change the plans and do all that on Wednesday and drive back to Pock that day.
Roger also got a text from the GP to book his second Covid Jab early, perfect timing, as would be back in Pock.
On the drive back to Pock the van behaved itself, so hopefully all fixed.
After so long, it has been wonderful to see all our families, in person instead of on a video screen.
Those of you who follow on Instagram will have noticed we have not managed to post everyday this week. Also we have not brought the correct cables with us to be able to upload the photos to the blog. We will add them next week.
We have spent this week between Middlewich and Anderton, cruising 7.5 miles on Monday to get to Anderton, On Tuesday walked through Marbury Park before a Storm that evening. We have never heard thunder like it, probably being in a tin box on water increased our perception of it?
On Wednesday we turned around back towards Middlewich, but didn’t get far, only a couple of miles to Marston, and then more walks around Neumann’s Flash & Ashton’s Flash (a Flash is a big pond, which appears to be something to do with the old salt works there). Lots of good paths and bird hides, although one was significantly plagued by midges!
Also walked in to Northwich, really good footpaths, well maintained and signposted. In Northwich we saw the Local Fire Brigade trying to rescue something (??) from a roof top using a large crane – it didn’t look successful. Northwich is a mix of old timber buildings and new shops, looks like a lot of money has been spent recently upgrading the town. We ate our sandwiches in an area which had been beautifully hard landscaped, but had yet to have any plants added!
On Saturday we turned around again to head back to Anderton, to use the facilities, as they are better/easier than the ones in Middlewich. Rewarded with our first glimpse of a kingfisher as we motored alongside Marbury Country Park again.
On Sunday we had another long walk along the Trent & Mersey Canal (past Anderton) down on to the Weaver Navigation (which connects with the Anderton Boat Lift), a lovely walk and we saw a couple of great crested grebes.
Have spent the week dodging the weather, have not got too wet, but the waterproofs are always close at hand.
We understand that not everybody who reads this blog has access to Instagram, so we’ll include all of this week’s Instagram phots at the bottom of this blog. (we try to do a photo each day, some days are easier than other)
This Week
Total
Locks
0
109
Miles Cruised (approx.)
13
200
Bramble Cutting on the Trent & MerseyMarbury Country ParkNeumann’s Flashes, Nr MarstonTree !Heron in flightThe Anderton Boat Lift between the Trent & Mersey Canal and the Weaver Navigation
For our first few weeks of cruising, after lockdown was lifted, we have enjoyed good boating weather, by good we mean no rain during the day, and not a lot of wind, as trying to manoeuvre a 57ft boat in a strong cross wind is challenging, especially in to small locks where you only have a couple of inches at each side to “play with”.
However, this week’s weather has not been so accommodating we have had lots of rain and wind, so much, that for a couple of days we have not moved, and on other days not moved far.
We continued up the Trent & Mersey canal to Middlewich, meeting famous names en route. The boat that appears in Peaky Blinders … no we hadn’t seen it either! Then at a lock in Middlewich, Dave Myers of Hairy Biker, this week Hairy Boater, fame!
Our van has been ready for a couple of weeks, so thought it best to go and collect it. So, after much planning (which is the best train station to be near?) and re-planning, (at 8pm on Friday evening, oh Saturday’s train ticket is half the price of Monday’s) on Saturday Rog got a Bus to Winsford, a train to Coventry via Wolverhampton, then walked to the Garage.
We left the Coventry basin on 2 April, five weeks ago, this time, Rog drove from Coventry back to Middlewich in less than 2hrs in atrocious weather! Switching from 3mph on the canal to 70mph on the Motorway as a little shock to the system, but also a reminder we are living up to the boat’s name and doing “life in slow motion”.
The van appears to be all fixed, and is now parked in Middlewich Boats carpark for the next 10 days, before we go back to Pocklington for a visit after the 17 May when Covid restrictions are relaxed a little further.
We forgot to put the Locks & Miles in last weeks blog, so below is a catch up!
Today we have also done our first single wide lock for two boats, aptly named the “big lock” in Middlewich, but we were on our own in the lock, this time.
We use various maps and guides to help us navigate the canals:
Inland Waterways of Great Britain – a useful Christmas present, gives a good overview of the canal network, a bit of history, which canals join with each other, overall distances, number of locks, it’s a handy book but has no day to day detail on water points etc.
Nicholson’s Guides (thanks Alan & Liz) – about 20 years old as on 200 year old canals what can change, right ? well so far a few bridge numbers, no problem, but we have been caught out once with a sanitary/water point – which was on the map but no longer there, the Canal & River Trust office had moved from the Fradley Junction and taken their services with them. No great problem we motored on to the next one.
Open Canal App is a good app for the canal- up to date water points, navigation updates (i.e. avoid the lump of concrete near bridge X). This app has also been great for walks from the canals, showing all the local footpaths.
Canal & River Trust website for updates on closures of canals, so far plans that have changed are that we can’t visit the Macclesfield canal as it is currently closed until at least end of June.
Google Maps for finding shops/supermarkets, walking around towns/cities
J.M Pearson & Sons Ltd – Canal Companion 4 Counties and Trent & Mersey Canal – this has by far been the most entertaining guide for example it describes the Caldon Canal “Running through the upper valley of the Trent, a narrow lacklustre stream …… the Caldon Canal struggles to extricate itself from the urbanisation of The Potteries” and “Beyond Cheddleton the enchantment deepens as the Caldon engenders an almost Amazonian sense of solitude …” the Caldon Canal is pleasantly rural, with plenty of narrow twisty bits for a challenging drive, the Amazon it is not.
We did both arms of the Caldon to Leek and Froghall – “Life in Slow Motion” is too tall to go through the Froghall tunnel, so we walked the last 200 metres, to Hetty’s Tearoom to buy Cake!
Another really quite canal, not many boat and lots of wildlife, including an evening watching bats flying around the boat at Park Lane.
Then back down to Stoke on Trent to re-join the Trent & Mersey Canal, and on to the Harecastle tunnel, 2926 yards long, got through mostly in one piece, however we did leave a little bit of paint in the tunnel!
First visit to the trip to a Lidl in Kidsgrove and beer at 33 pence per stubbie (1p cheaper than Aldi), and purely in the interest of research had to buy some, they are also pretty good.
This morning (Sunday) we realised that the water level was dropping in our section of the canal. As Rog left his granola to go and investigate, he spoke to a woman who reported that a lock pound further along had been completely empty, so she was filling and emptying locks from our part of the canal to remedy this. It was not long before a man from the Canal and River Trust was on hand to make sure that all was well. There is never a dull moment.
The weather forecast is rubbish for the next few days, well it is a Bank Holiday! So we have now moored up below the Red Bull Lock flight (named after the pub, not the energy drink!). Hot showers and other boater facilities here which is another attraction.
Travurple 