Onto the lower Macc

Thank you, Sally, for your kind words yesterday. There were indeed a lot of locks today, but they went quite quickly thanks to the locking team. We made an average sort of start since the first obstacle was the swing bridge at Fool’s Nook. We try not to work that before nine o’clock to avoid too much traffic disruption. In the event, a boat followed us through thus making it even more efficient.

Once on our way again, I made us mugs of coffee and Sheila got the washing machine going. This was all sorted by the time we reached the top of Bosley. Acacia, the boat that had followed us and then inevitably passed as I waited for the crew to rejoin, was on the water point, so we got our priority back. This was especially welcome as most of the locks were with us as we went down, Sheila lockwheeling ahead and Elanor and Sally closing up behind. It took us 1 hour 40 minutes, about the best we’ve done it.

It was now half eleven. In a bit, Elanor and I had lunch as we went along with Sheila on the helm. She waited for hers until we had moored on Congleton Aqueduct. There was (and still is) plenty of space here. I’d been concerned that it might have filled up with longer term moorers, but it looks as if the liveaboards have not yet settled onto unofficial winter spots despite the much cooler weather. It has at least been mostly fine today, though with a distinct breeze and occasional heavy showers. Braidbars Destiny and One Day were both at Lyme Green last night but haven't shown up here (yet).

Tomorrow, through Harecastle Tunnel and on to Westport Lake.

Location:Congleton Aqueduct

Spending a day in Congleton

We've had a pretty laid back day but reasonably successful. After a very relaxed start, we waited for the rain to stop and then walked down into town again. Sheila had done some Googling for butchers and we found one tucked away round the back of the high street. Sheila was also looking for a hairdresser to get a trim, but most were closed on Mondays. However, she spotted one in the High Street and was able to get an appointment for later in the morning.

Next stop was Morrisons where we finished our restocking shopping, including some white fish and prawns so that I can make a fish curry tonight, one I found on-line from Kerala called mappas. I then headed back to the boat on my own, carrying the perishable stuff whilst Sheila killed a bit of time before her hair appointment.

I put the last bit of morning to good use by cancelling the T-mobile contract we’ve had since 2011. It was good value at the time, using a Huawei modem that takes an external aerial, but these days we usually manage to find either a 3 or a Vodafone signal wherever we are. If we can’t, there’s usually no EE signal either. It means that we’ve been paying £10 per month for a Gb of data we’re not using. I had to ring customer services to cancel it, but it didn't prove too much of a hassle to persuade the nice guy on the other end (in the North East of England from his accent) that he couldn't sell me anything else.

I still have the all-you-can-eat deal from 3, including tethering, so that’s the default option. If I need to, Vodafone costs £6 for an extra Gb, so still cheaper than the T-mobile deal. We have both the 3 and Vodafone SIMs in iPhones with the Personal Hotspot option, meaning you can move the phone around to find the best signal.

Sheila got back just in time for lunch and we’ve had a quiet afternoon. The only other excitement was going on-line to rearrange my Eye Clinic appointment for September as we won’t be back in time for me to keep it.

Tomorrow, we’ll just move on to the Aqueduct as this is a 48 hour mooring.

Location:Congleton

A pleasant but slow run to Congleton

We’d estimated ninety minutes from Hall Green to Congleton Wharf today and expected the wharf to be pretty busy at this time of year, being as it is the most pleasant place to stop to visit the town. So we wanted to time our arrival at around half ten and therefore set off at nine. I ran the Webasto for an hour before that and started the engine 15 minutes before. It was thus possible to get a wash load on the way as soon as we set off.

It being Sheila’s turn to steer, I largely let her get on with it, though I did spend quite a bit of time out on the bow anyway, it being a very pleasant morning. Despite the lack of locks, it’s quite hard work for the steerer. There are a lot of moored boats, both on long term moorings and casually on the towpath and the bridge holes, though reasonably wide, tend to be very shallow – chucking back to clear muck off the prop is needed quite often.

In addition, one of the reasons for coming onto the Macc (apart from the splendid scenery) is to remind you how deep the Trent and Mersey is. All these things come together to make for a slow trip and it was nearly eleven before the wharf was in sight. There was a boat just leaving our preferred end of the visitor moorings, the less shaded end by the access to the road, so it worked out just fine.

Having tied and had a belated mid-morning coffee, Sheila sorted the washing and was able for the first time in ages to put the whirligig up in very calm weather.

After lunch and a bit of a break, we took a walk down into town. It’s a trek but well worth it. Today’s main destination was Morrisons where we started the restocking process. If we get it right between today and tomorrow, this will be the last big burst of shopping we need to do before getting to Poynton, where we’ll organise an Ocado delivery. You need to be a bit restrained in how much heavy stuff you buy as it’s quite a slog back up the hill to the canal.

So we’ll stay put tomorrow, revisit Morrisons and take a look at some other shops, including the butcher’s. On Tuesday, we’ll probably just go on to Congleton Aqueduct, thus reducing the run to the foot of Bosley on Wednesday.

Location:Congleton

A long morning

We set off at a quarter to eight this morning after a bit of a lie-in. We'd had tea in bed, but got going without breakfast. I'd started mine by the time we got to bridge 47, the manual swing bridge, which was in one of its sulkier moods. A passing walker gave me a hand to get it open and Sheila had to tie Sanity Again and come and help to close it. What's really irritating about this bridge, that always used to be left open, is that it was, apparently, the Macclesfield Canal Society who insisted it be reinstated as there is a public footpath over it.

Not that anyone has ever been seen actually crossing it, at least by this crew. If the MCS put more effort into volunteer work parties tidying up the vegetation, I might be less angry with them for having created a major problem for boaters. What those less heavily built or fit than us are supposed to do, I don't know.

Hey ho, we had a good run down Bosley, meeting four boats coming up altogether and finishing in two hours. We'd fitted in a washload as we went, what's more. A good steady chug to Congleton followed – we've got a mooring on the aqueduct embankment again, though it's quite busy here.

The batteries had a good charge, too, the tail current being down to 2.5 amps when we stopped.

As may be imagined, it's been a quiet afternoon. The weather, though nothing very special, has been calm enough to deploy the whirligig, good news when the washing was mostly towels and the like. We'll have an easier day tomorrow, just the plod along to Scholar Green, then through Harecastle on Monday. It's my turn to steer through this time.

Two hours, no locks

It has indeed been a golden day, cool at the start but soon warming up and not a trace of rain, for once. As planned, we set off at around eight with myself steering the familiar run, past the Heritage boatyard, the Little Morton Hall moorings and the golf club. The only downside was the discovery that we didn't have a reserve of instant coffee, so we stopped on the Congleton Wharf moorings for a quick trip to the shop up the hill.

I'd forgotten quite how far up a steep hill it was, but my determination was rewarded with a jar of the missing granules. Back at the boat, I made coffee and we had a peaceful sit out on the bow to drink it. Just as we were getting ready to go, the couple off the boat behind stopped to chat.

The chat turned into a ventilation session for them with tales of their recent trip up the Ashton Canal, which had been characterised by low rubbish-filled pounds, getting stuck in a lock, stroppy fellow boaters and tardy attendance of CRT staff. In fact, by the time CRT turned up, they'd managed to get moving, just about, so the team went away again, not bothering to sort the still unbalanced flight. After about twenty minutes of these tales, our new friends seemingly felt a lot better and went off to do their shopping.

We had a quick run through to the aqueduct mooring just to the north of Congleton and before Buglawton. It's really very pleasant here in calm weather. We've had a walk along the Biddulph Valley Way again and spent the rest of the afternoon in systematic loafing.

Tomorrow, a stop for water in Buglawton, then up Bosley and on to Lyme Green.

Back down Bosley

At two hours, it took us a bit longer to come back down Bosley than we did going up, although all the locks were with us this time. Setting off just before eight, I managed to open the Dales Moss swing bridge with a bit less hassle than before, though it was still very stiff and reluctant. The serious downside of stopping at Lyme Green going south is that, unless you set off very early, you arrive at the Fools Nook swing bridge, the electrically operated one, in the middle of the rush hour.

I held up a total of about ten cars this time, though didn't have any trouble from them. It helped that the bridge swings a good bit quicker than it used to and that Sheila slotted Sanity Again through in quick time.

An Anglo Welsh we crossed with warned us that the pound between locks 2 and 3 had been very low last night when they came up. It being my turn to steer today, Sheila went ahead and found that, although the long pound between 1 and 2 was ok, the next one down was so low that the boat waiting to come up, Minuet, was stuck in 3. Her lockwheeler was running water down through 2. By the time that they had refilled the lower pound to their satisfaction, it was hard keeping Sanity Again afloat above the lock.

It was frankly a bit irritating that the CRT staff who were around did not see it as their job to sort the levels out.

Finally, we managed to cross and get SA into 2. Skye was waiting below 3 and there was now ample water to proceed. Indeed, because all the locks were now with us, every weir was overflowing with the water we were bringing down. We didn't see another boat until we were coming out of 10, when I saw a guy running water through 11. He explained that the sheer bulk of water between 10 and 11 was defeating the side weir and threatening to flood the towpath. His own boat had come out of 12 and was up against the bottom gates of 11, quite unnecessarily, as he wasn't single handing and could easily have waited in 12 until 11 was ready.

As it was, some novice hirers turned 12 and came up, so now we had three boats between the locks. Fortunately, Sheila was well on form and managed to leave 11 and swing round past the other two into 12 without touching either boat or even the wing walls of either lock.

The weather continuing to be chilly with a threat of snow, we had mugs of soup as we progressed to Congleton Aqueduct, arriving at half twelve. It's now blowing and raining on and off, so we're very pleased to be tucked up snugly in the boat with the Squirrel warming us all up. I've checked under the engine boards one more time and dipped the fuel tank, which is half full.

We pass Heritage Boats tomorrow, our last chance to get fuel before the tunnel. We'll probably stop at Hall Green for the night, so that an average start should get us to Harecastle in time for the first southbound convoy.

Through the tunnel to Congleton

As planned, we set off a bit before half seven this morning, arriving at Harecastle south portal at a quarter to eight. There was just one boat already there and at ten past we were allowed into the tunnel. Water levels were a bit down so no anxieties about headroom but a slow passage. It was particularly shallow after we passed the low roof sections; the northern end really could benefit from dredging.

In the end, we were around 45 minutes in the dark, still a load better than a group of American hirers who hadn't emerged after two hours. When the rescue boat went in to see what was wrong, they were discovered to be shooting some video...

I handed over to Sheila after we made the turn onto the Macc and produced coffees all round – the Nespresso machine, like the washing machine, can only be used when the engine is running.

The weather continued to be dull and cold, though little or no rain actually fell. By midday, we were approaching Congleton. Amazingly, there were no boats at all at Congleton Wharf, nor any at the aqueduct when we got here.

Lunch was taken and train times checked out for Elanor's journey back to pick up the car on Saturday. With only the Hall Green stop lock in today's trip, we all felt the need of some exercise, so we explored the Biddulph Valley Way, accessible from the far end of the embankment. This proved almost too enjoyable, as we walked rather further than we meant and are now a bit footsore. Sally, in particular, has curled up in a snoring bundle in front of the Squirrel, raising her head to glare at anyone who makes too much noise.

No lack of exercise tomorrow – it's Bosley.

Aground again

What, I hear you say, again? It's not my fault this time, honest, guv. The fact is that Bosley was in the worst state we've ever seen it for water levels between the locks, at least in the top half, and it wasn't brilliant lower down, where there's usually no problem at all. We got there around half nine after a fairly relaxed start at eight.

A boat was working through the Royal Oak swing bridge as we arrived there, so we had a good run to the top of the flight. Each pound was low as we went down until, finally, as I came out of lock 5, I got about three boat lengths down the pound and ground to a halt. I tried backing off and taking a run at it, in case it was just a short obstruction, but no joy. Sheila then half refilled 5 and then emptied it. I moved forward a bit on the surge and the back surge, but not enough to get clear.

At this point, I gave up and rang CRT. I had to wait a few minutes to be answered but was then able to report the problem and speak to someone in engineering. Meanwhile, Sheila had gone on to 6 and warned the boat preparing to come up that we were stuck. Since they drew even more than us, they weren't very happy. The guy went up and ran some water down from the pounds above, which let me get going again, though at the cost of further reducing those pounds, of course.

Fortunately, the boat immediately behind us was a shallow draughted hire boat and they were still able to get along. As we worked down 6, a guy from CRT turned up and told us that the emergency team was working on the Cheshire Locks, running water down lock 57 there, but would be with us in a while. Most of the pounds further down were a bit better and we didn't stick again.

The boat which had been coming up decided to turn back and worked back down the flight backwards until they could wind in the broad bit between 11 and 12. Another even deeper draughted boat coming up swithered a bit but also decided to wind and return. In both cases they had planned to go to Bugsworth and were discouraged to hear of the low water levels in the upper Macc and the Upper Peak Forest.

We finally emerged from lock 12 at half 12 and boated on, eating lunch on the way. We've now tied on Congleton Wharf and have had a pleasant afternoon doing stuff in the cabin, like paying our Braidbar invoice and doing last Saturday's GK crossword. This last has been much better the past couple of weeks, smaller and easier to do. We suspect that the compilers have been told to stop making it a test of Google skills and set clues people might actually know the answers to.

Drier, and the invasion

It's been a much better day for boating today, with only the very occasional heavy shower. The arrangements for meeting up with Graeme and the boys worked well; we got to the Hightown moorings in Congleton just after ten, and Graeme turned up about twenty minutes later.

We got away at eleven and arrived at the moorings at the bottom of the Bosley flight at about half twelve.

Once we'd all had lunch, Graeme ran back to Congleton (it's around four miles) and drove the car to the top of the flight, parking it in the layby up there. Sheila and I walked the boys up to meet him, and we all ambled back, carrying the bedding.

Since then, we've been restoring ourselves with tea, milk and flapjack.

It's probably going to be a bit of a noisy evening, but well worth it for the pleasure of having them all to stay.

Soggy boating

To know what it was like today, take a hot cup of tea and hold a digestive biscuit suspended in it for 30 seconds. The bit that's now at the bottom of the mug is how it was…

Fortunately, we didn't have far to go; Sheila had drawn the short straw, so kitted up and got going at about half nine; we didn't want to get to Congleton too soon. We stopped at the water point at Bridge 68 and filled the tank to the brim – 300 litres took a bit over half an hour.

Then I retreated inside again whilst Sheila took us through to the Hightown moorings, where Peter and Jan are going to join us sometime soon. Our timing was just right; a boat left the moorings as we approached the tricky bridge combo that guards them. The rain continued to pour down all day, and the fire has been lit for a while.

We've passed the time pleasantly enough, surfing the web, reading, crocheting, looking up the answers to last Saturday's giant GK crossword, which was one of the more impossible ones. The capital of Chad, anybody, or the name of the Milesian woman, famous for her involvement with Pericles, who was blamed by Aristophanes for the Peloponnesian War?

Tomorrow, it's my turn to steer, which means making the awkward entry into Harecastle, with the wind forecast to be quite gusty so you needn't claim that I leave all the tough stuff to Sheila.

/dignose

Up Bosley

We were very glad that we stopped at Hall Green last night, for we had a very good meal at the Bleeding Wolf. It's a Robinsons pub, a brew of which I didn't have particularly good memories from when we used to drink it in Wales, but they must have raised their game quite considerably. There were three hand pulled ales on tap, of which Unicorn was the best bitter and very good it was too.

The pub itself has been decorated in rather olde worlde style, with mock wooden beams with apparent adze marks on them, but it's not too over the top, and made a change from the modern stuff we've been seeing recently.

The menu was quite extensive in a trad english way, and the food we had was well cooked and promptly served.

Today we set off again before seven; it will be quite strange to get back to lazy starts over the weekend. Sheila steered whilst I breakfasted, once we were through the swing bridge, number 89. This was the one which was such a hassle last time through, as the towpath side has dropped and fouls the abutment. It was swung open today, and we suspect that folk have given up trying to use it.

After I'd fed, I relieved Sheila and took us along the pleasant run to Congleton. The weather was gloriously sunny, but a cold wind kept it from being very warm. We stopped briefly at the shopping mooring in Congleton whilst I nipped up to the Post Office in Hightown in search of you know what. Unfortunately, the most left wing periodical they could offer was a Daily Telegraph, so I have had to do without.

On we chugged; the canal is much shallower than the T&M, so no chance of breaking the speed limit. We were the first up Bosley, and the first five locks were with us, giving Sheila an easy time. I took over to do the top six, most of which were full. That's the luck of the draw, I guess, or at least that's how Sheila put it.

The wind rose with us, and by the time we reached the top just before midday was becoming a serious problem. Bunnies Warren is much more wind tender than Sanity Again, being much lighter and shallower drafted, and Sheila found herself rubbing along the side of one of the boats on the long term moorings above the flight.

There was nothing she could do; the bow thruster was useless against the wind pressure. It's always seemed to me to be a damn silly place for moorings anyway; the channel is very narrow, and any queue for the locks soon runs back onto the moored boats.

I got some lunch as we went along, finishing my sandwiches just in time to take over for the Royal Oak swing bridge. Presumably this was the original name of the Fools Nook pub where we intend to eat tonight.

Happily, the forecast is for much less wind tomorrow, so we should have a very pleasant final run into Poynton.

Onto the Macc

It's been a good day, largely, but a long and hard one, and I'm having trouble stringing my worms together. This will therefore be quite a short post, and I'll supply further and better particulars tomorrow.

We made a very early start from Westport Lake, and got to the tunnel end by half seven. There were several boats waiting, but only two in addition to us planning to go through. One of those was disallowed because he didn't have a functioning headlight, and another boat arrived at the last minute, bringing the convoy back up to three.

We were lead boat, and had an uneventful and swift passage through. The exit at the north portal is a real pain in a seventy footer, as the "fire boat" is moored right where the stern needs to swing to get round, and we ended up with the bow on the bank for a bit.

Then we had a straight run through to Congleton, except that we picked up a bladeful coming out of Hall Green Stop. Got that off just before the little swing bridge, 90, but then discovered that that bridge is now a swine to open. It has dropped and jams on the towpath side.

Arrived Congleton Wharf at twenty to one, and were joined by Eileen and Bill at about ten past. They had lunch with us, then Bill did his usual brilliant job of cutting Sheila's hair. Much nattering and joking occurred, and they have not long left to drive back to Nantwich.

We're going to have a lazy evening and an early night; Bosley Locks tomorrow, yippee!

/sweat

Windy Boating

Tying under the Adelphi Mill at Bollington Wharf when it’s really windy isn’t actually the most sensible thing to do, but we got away with it. Actually tying the boat was quite interesting, since it took two of us to hold her, and one to drive the pins in (the owner of the Adelphi has had all the mooring rings cut off because he thought they were trip hazards), and we only had two of us.

No matter, we managed, though it did involve temporarily tying to a mooring sign totem. The boat did a bit of rock and roll from time to time during the evening and night, and lighting the Squirrel wasn’t easy, because of the down draughts, but, hey, we’re still here.

This morning we set off reasonably early. Starting meant pulling out the pins without letting go of the ropes, then jumping aboard and waiting whilst the wind blew us clear of hotel boats Oak and Ash, who had tied, breasted up, right in front. (No comment.)

Then we had a jolly chug through familiar waters, arriving at the top of Bosley at 10.45. The locks were mostly against us, though we had a couple of encounters with boats coming up, and we arrived at the bottom by half twelve. Lunch was indicated, so we did, then came on a bit further to a towpath mooring just short of Congleton. We’d planned to go all the way through to the wharf, but thought that it might be a bit noisy on a Saturday night, not to mention the towering presence of another ex-mill, so a bit of rural peace seemed better.

The wind continues breezy, but not so bad as before; either it’s calming down a bit, or the lower altitude is helping. Quote of the day, from the woman steering one of the boats coming up Bosley, sitting in the open lock below watching Sanity Again blow sideways onto the towpath and stem up: "I'm waiting to get a clear run at it."

Tomorrow, on through the tunnel, probably tying at Westport Lake. Oh and forgot yesterday, we saw this unusual customer at Macclesfield Marina:

At least he can get onto the service pontoon, which is more than any visiting boat could :(