It's inevitable to use that title at some point in an account of climbing the Cheshire Locks, aka Heartbreak Hill. I had thought that last nickname was an invention of the leisure boaters, but I came across it in Tom Foxon's Number One the other day, so it must have been used by the real working boaters.
Setting off at half seven, as seems to be our habit at the moment, we were soon at the foot of the Lawton Treble. Sheila set me a bit of a steering challenge in that the empty locks alternated left and right of the pairs, so I had to swing the boat back and forth.
Again, we had a good road, not just up Lawton but Hall's and Church Locks too and did the whole run in 90 minutes. This meant that we arrived at our finishing spot immediately above the top lock at nine, rather earlier than we'd intended. There were still quite a few boats tied here, but one was just setting off and we've got a good mooring away from the overhanging trees.
There are rings set in the towpath and some Armco to chain to close to the water below the smart stone capping. It's a pity then that the reed beds have grown out from the offside to the extent that there's only room for one boat to get by outside us, necessitating some juggling about and hanging back if boats come from both directions at once.
The weather is definitely picking up. We spent the morning in the cabin reading and knitting, mostly, but this afternoon has been warm enough that we've been sitting out in the well deck.
We plan to get a pump out at Etruria, sorry "Festival Park Marina", but I see from the useful list on the No Problem blog that they only do a fixed declaration for fuel. Dipping the tank to see if we've got enough to get back to Mercia showed that we've got about a third of a tank, probably less than 70 litres of useable fuel altogether. It will be prudent to stop at Stone again to fill up.
Tomorrow, another half seven start, up three locks to the service wharf for water, to dump rubbish and to start a wash load, then up the last three to the tunnel mouth. Once through, we'll go on to Westport Lake as usual. I expect it will be pretty busy on a sunny Sunday in June.
Showing posts with label Kidsgrove. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kidsgrove. Show all posts
Saturday, 23 June 2018
Saturday, 2 June 2018
It is raining in the North West
We had another broken night last night, but that was my fault. Shortly after getting up in the wee small hours, the bilge pump cut in and ran for quite a while, thus making sure we were both wide awake.
No, I don't know what you might be thinking – I had forgotten to turn the stern greaser down when we finished cruising yesterday so the stern gland had dripped enough to close the switch on the pump. Normally, I turn the greaser down as soon as I put the tiller away, but I must have been distracted by the proximity of lunch yesterday.
We got off again eventually and still managed to get going in time for the 7.30 start, Sheila steering whilst I had breakfast. Then I took over, it being my day, and we arrived at the south portal of Harecastle just as the tunnel keeper turned up at quarter to eight.
He knows us well after all these years, so we don't get the extended safety lecture anymore, but he does dish out the leaflet. He still checks our tunnel light and horn, mind. There were boats waiting at the other end who came through first, so we had plenty of time for coffee and stowing the troughs from the roof in the well deck before it was our turn – it's about 45 minutes between convoys.
We had an uneventful run through the tunnel, though I had the usual hassle of trying to get a 70' boat out of the north portal and round the bend. The position of the rescue boat means there's no room to swing the stern before the bow hits the opposite bank.
On we went down the Red Bull locks to the service wharf where we stopped to water and dump rubbish. It's very good water pressure there, so we were soon heading on down the other three locks to the top of Church where we've tied.
It's a lovely mooring here, too, peaceful though the towpath is well used by the locals. The only downside is the heavy bank of reeds on the offside, which reduces the width of the channel considerably. On the other hand, it makes for some good wildlife spotting when sitting out in the well deck.
Tomorrow, a much shorter run to Rode Heath.
No, I don't know what you might be thinking – I had forgotten to turn the stern greaser down when we finished cruising yesterday so the stern gland had dripped enough to close the switch on the pump. Normally, I turn the greaser down as soon as I put the tiller away, but I must have been distracted by the proximity of lunch yesterday.
We got off again eventually and still managed to get going in time for the 7.30 start, Sheila steering whilst I had breakfast. Then I took over, it being my day, and we arrived at the south portal of Harecastle just as the tunnel keeper turned up at quarter to eight.
He knows us well after all these years, so we don't get the extended safety lecture anymore, but he does dish out the leaflet. He still checks our tunnel light and horn, mind. There were boats waiting at the other end who came through first, so we had plenty of time for coffee and stowing the troughs from the roof in the well deck before it was our turn – it's about 45 minutes between convoys.
We had an uneventful run through the tunnel, though I had the usual hassle of trying to get a 70' boat out of the north portal and round the bend. The position of the rescue boat means there's no room to swing the stern before the bow hits the opposite bank.
On we went down the Red Bull locks to the service wharf where we stopped to water and dump rubbish. It's very good water pressure there, so we were soon heading on down the other three locks to the top of Church where we've tied.
It's a lovely mooring here, too, peaceful though the towpath is well used by the locals. The only downside is the heavy bank of reeds on the offside, which reduces the width of the channel considerably. On the other hand, it makes for some good wildlife spotting when sitting out in the well deck.
Tomorrow, a much shorter run to Rode Heath.
Labels:
Kidsgrove
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Over the summit
17th & 18th March
Yesterday was another chilly start to the day, but feeling like hard boaters we decided not to bother with the heating. Standing shivering in front of the sink led to some regrets about this, but it was too late by then.
We'd both had a broken night; I've noticed that these tend to follow the consumption of tinned pies. It may have something to do with the high levels of salt, or perhaps the levels of tryptophan in the Oxo gravy. Either way, I think we'll be keeping such pies just as a backstop in future. In addition, the sound of the M6 kept going all night – it's another example of the onset of Spring that we've taken to sleeping with the Houdini propped open a crack again, thus getting the benefit of the dawn chorus, but also of any traffic noise that's going.
Having set off towards Pierrepoint Locks, we found ourselves passing a boat which, although otherwise anonymous, had a sign up saying Fenders for Sale. We stopped and I negotiated the purchase of a new bow fender, to replace my sad effort. At £70, it seemed a reasonable price for a vee fender. The woman who sold it to me was clearly not long up, though all her curtains were open. This is the first time I've bought a fender from a woman in a dressing gown.
The weather had been very pleasant, but as we approached Kidsgrove, cloud began spilling up over the hill from Stoke on Trent, and most of the day was rather chilly and cloudy; very frustrating when it so clearly could have been really sunny again.
The locks came and went steadily. After Thurlwood we stopped briefly at Rode Heath to get supplies from the little PO and shop there, before chugging on to finish just above Church Locks at coffee time. I lit the fire whilst we had coffee, then after lunch fixed the new fender to the bow.
The rest of the afternoon was given over to composing a post for the Building Sanity Again blog, followed by dinner and an early night.
This abstemiousness paid off with an early start this morning. We were drinking tea in bed before half six, and on our way by half seven. We wanted to get up the remaining six locks to the tunnel in good time, so as to get a reasonably early passage. On a misty morning, we arrived at the North portal by ten past nine.
Some boats were already on their way through from the South, so we had a bit of a wait. By ten to ten we'd been joined by Black Swan and Valkyrie, and led this mini convoy through in about 35 minutes. We had a bit of a problem getting into the tunnel, as the summit pound was eight inches down. Sanity rather ground her way over a reef of silt to get in.
Why on earth BW should let the summit get so low, I don't know. It can't be traffic – the stoppages either side have only just come off – and it certainly can't be lack of water after this winter. Sheila had problems for much of the rest of the pound to the top lock, grinding over sundry hidden objects in most of the bridge holes.
Once out of the tunnel, the weather started to improve. By the time we'd got to the bottom of Stoke Locks, I'd had to shed my puffa jacket. We had lunch on the move between Stoke Bottom and Trentham Lock, and have tied for the afternoon on the Wedgwood moorings.
The new fender has performed splendidly. In the first lock of the day, Sheila gently took Sanity up the lock until the fender was against the top cill, and then revved up in forward. This is a good doge with a new fender; it pushes it hard against the stem to shape it round the bow. When we stopped today, I adjusted up the fastenings, so that it's now snug and firmly in place.
Tomorrow we'll go gently down to Stone, the final eight locks making a total of 40 in four days, which is hard boating by our reckoning. We'll take a couple of days in one of our favourite canal towns, before travelling the familiar route back to Great Haywood and on down to Alrewas for the Spring check ups.
Yesterday was another chilly start to the day, but feeling like hard boaters we decided not to bother with the heating. Standing shivering in front of the sink led to some regrets about this, but it was too late by then.
We'd both had a broken night; I've noticed that these tend to follow the consumption of tinned pies. It may have something to do with the high levels of salt, or perhaps the levels of tryptophan in the Oxo gravy. Either way, I think we'll be keeping such pies just as a backstop in future. In addition, the sound of the M6 kept going all night – it's another example of the onset of Spring that we've taken to sleeping with the Houdini propped open a crack again, thus getting the benefit of the dawn chorus, but also of any traffic noise that's going.
Having set off towards Pierrepoint Locks, we found ourselves passing a boat which, although otherwise anonymous, had a sign up saying Fenders for Sale. We stopped and I negotiated the purchase of a new bow fender, to replace my sad effort. At £70, it seemed a reasonable price for a vee fender. The woman who sold it to me was clearly not long up, though all her curtains were open. This is the first time I've bought a fender from a woman in a dressing gown.
The weather had been very pleasant, but as we approached Kidsgrove, cloud began spilling up over the hill from Stoke on Trent, and most of the day was rather chilly and cloudy; very frustrating when it so clearly could have been really sunny again.
The locks came and went steadily. After Thurlwood we stopped briefly at Rode Heath to get supplies from the little PO and shop there, before chugging on to finish just above Church Locks at coffee time. I lit the fire whilst we had coffee, then after lunch fixed the new fender to the bow.
The rest of the afternoon was given over to composing a post for the Building Sanity Again blog, followed by dinner and an early night.
This abstemiousness paid off with an early start this morning. We were drinking tea in bed before half six, and on our way by half seven. We wanted to get up the remaining six locks to the tunnel in good time, so as to get a reasonably early passage. On a misty morning, we arrived at the North portal by ten past nine.
Some boats were already on their way through from the South, so we had a bit of a wait. By ten to ten we'd been joined by Black Swan and Valkyrie, and led this mini convoy through in about 35 minutes. We had a bit of a problem getting into the tunnel, as the summit pound was eight inches down. Sanity rather ground her way over a reef of silt to get in.
Why on earth BW should let the summit get so low, I don't know. It can't be traffic – the stoppages either side have only just come off – and it certainly can't be lack of water after this winter. Sheila had problems for much of the rest of the pound to the top lock, grinding over sundry hidden objects in most of the bridge holes.
Once out of the tunnel, the weather started to improve. By the time we'd got to the bottom of Stoke Locks, I'd had to shed my puffa jacket. We had lunch on the move between Stoke Bottom and Trentham Lock, and have tied for the afternoon on the Wedgwood moorings.
The new fender has performed splendidly. In the first lock of the day, Sheila gently took Sanity up the lock until the fender was against the top cill, and then revved up in forward. This is a good doge with a new fender; it pushes it hard against the stem to shape it round the bow. When we stopped today, I adjusted up the fastenings, so that it's now snug and firmly in place.
Tomorrow we'll go gently down to Stone, the final eight locks making a total of 40 in four days, which is hard boating by our reckoning. We'll take a couple of days in one of our favourite canal towns, before travelling the familiar route back to Great Haywood and on down to Alrewas for the Spring check ups.
Labels:
Barlaston,
Kidsgrove,
Rode Heath
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Back on the Macc, and it's Autumn, folks
2nd & 3rd September
As predicted here last time, we had a relaxed start yesterday, getting away at 8.30, and then stopping immediately on the water point and running a wash load before setting off up the four Stone and four Meaford locks.
These locks have also been fitted with offside bollards, but they are at least appropriate looking iron mushrooms, painted white and much less of a hazard than the ridiculous wooden things being installed further south.
Less encouraging was the state of the towpath between the locks at the top of Meaford. It's been slowly subsiding into the cut for years there, and had successively been fenced with orange netting, then with wooden rails, and now yet more netting has appeared, as parts of the rails have fallen into the water. It desperately needs the whole pound to be piled again, as the BW guy painting the lock ladders confirmed. (Phrases about deckchairs and the Titanic come irresistibly to mind.)
There's a road alongside, which in turn is beginning to move, so something must be done shortly. Meanwhile, BW have installed an alternate towpath along the offside, including bridging the by-pass weir for the top lock.
The canal continued very busy, with much traffic in both directions, as you would expect on one of the most popular cruising rings at the end of the school holidays.
By 11.30 we were tied beyond Barlaston, on the moorings near the Wedgwood factory. As the weather was beginning to deteriorate, we dropped the cratch cover again and lit the stove.
The afternoon was put to good use by fitting temporary double glazing film to the bedroom and bathroom portholes and the three prisms. We don't have a hair drier on board to finish the job, but it seemed a good idea to get the stuff up whilst the boat was comparatively dry inside. We can always borrow a drier at Braidbar when we get there, hopefully.
Today, by mutual agreement, we set off at 7.30, wanting to take advantage of a sunny morning which was forecast to deteriorate later. Even at its brightest it was very cold, and a bit damp, and, still wearing shorts as we were, we both found the breeze chilly around the knees.
We worked steadily up the Stoke locks, making such good progress that it became clear that we would be at the South portal of Harecastle before lunch. In the event, we got there by 11.30, to find Ivor Batchelor on duty and in fine form.
We shared a good bit of towpath scandal with him, much of it unfit for this outlet, and then found ourselves third in line into the tunnel at around 11.45. This time Ivor chose the boat ahead for his favourite leg pull.
This involves Ivor saying solemnly to the steerer of the boat as it enters the tunnel "Would you just mind sounding your horn for me, sir?"
The steerer of course complies, assuming this to be part of the safety check before being allowed in. Ivor then smiles in satisfaction and says "Thank you very much; that'll scare the boggut!" (Harecastle is reputed to be haunted by a ghost known as the Kitcrew Boggut.)
It was distinctly cold in the tunnel and by the time we emerged we were in no doubt; Autumn is here, and long trousers should be worn.
We tied on the towpath side just before the junction with the Macc, and after lunch I nipped along to Tesco for a few items whilst Sheila made a start on repairing the state of our flower tubs and replacing them on the roof, they having been placed in the well deck during passage of the tunnel.
She'd not got far with this before I was back, and didn't want to hang around in Kidsgrove. Accordingly, and despite the rain getting worse, we've come on to the Little Morton Hall mooring beyond the Heritage yard at Scholar Green.
The weather is now so bad, wind and rain and cold with it, that not only have we dropped the cratch cover and lit the stove, we've put the covers on all the portholes to keep out the miserable sight.
Hopefully we'll get a window of better weather tomorrow to go on through Congleton and either stop at the bottom of Bosley (if it's grotty again) or go up to the top for the night.
As predicted here last time, we had a relaxed start yesterday, getting away at 8.30, and then stopping immediately on the water point and running a wash load before setting off up the four Stone and four Meaford locks.
These locks have also been fitted with offside bollards, but they are at least appropriate looking iron mushrooms, painted white and much less of a hazard than the ridiculous wooden things being installed further south.
Less encouraging was the state of the towpath between the locks at the top of Meaford. It's been slowly subsiding into the cut for years there, and had successively been fenced with orange netting, then with wooden rails, and now yet more netting has appeared, as parts of the rails have fallen into the water. It desperately needs the whole pound to be piled again, as the BW guy painting the lock ladders confirmed. (Phrases about deckchairs and the Titanic come irresistibly to mind.)
There's a road alongside, which in turn is beginning to move, so something must be done shortly. Meanwhile, BW have installed an alternate towpath along the offside, including bridging the by-pass weir for the top lock.
The canal continued very busy, with much traffic in both directions, as you would expect on one of the most popular cruising rings at the end of the school holidays.
By 11.30 we were tied beyond Barlaston, on the moorings near the Wedgwood factory. As the weather was beginning to deteriorate, we dropped the cratch cover again and lit the stove.
The afternoon was put to good use by fitting temporary double glazing film to the bedroom and bathroom portholes and the three prisms. We don't have a hair drier on board to finish the job, but it seemed a good idea to get the stuff up whilst the boat was comparatively dry inside. We can always borrow a drier at Braidbar when we get there, hopefully.
Today, by mutual agreement, we set off at 7.30, wanting to take advantage of a sunny morning which was forecast to deteriorate later. Even at its brightest it was very cold, and a bit damp, and, still wearing shorts as we were, we both found the breeze chilly around the knees.
We worked steadily up the Stoke locks, making such good progress that it became clear that we would be at the South portal of Harecastle before lunch. In the event, we got there by 11.30, to find Ivor Batchelor on duty and in fine form.
We shared a good bit of towpath scandal with him, much of it unfit for this outlet, and then found ourselves third in line into the tunnel at around 11.45. This time Ivor chose the boat ahead for his favourite leg pull.
This involves Ivor saying solemnly to the steerer of the boat as it enters the tunnel "Would you just mind sounding your horn for me, sir?"
The steerer of course complies, assuming this to be part of the safety check before being allowed in. Ivor then smiles in satisfaction and says "Thank you very much; that'll scare the boggut!" (Harecastle is reputed to be haunted by a ghost known as the Kitcrew Boggut.)
It was distinctly cold in the tunnel and by the time we emerged we were in no doubt; Autumn is here, and long trousers should be worn.
We tied on the towpath side just before the junction with the Macc, and after lunch I nipped along to Tesco for a few items whilst Sheila made a start on repairing the state of our flower tubs and replacing them on the roof, they having been placed in the well deck during passage of the tunnel.
She'd not got far with this before I was back, and didn't want to hang around in Kidsgrove. Accordingly, and despite the rain getting worse, we've come on to the Little Morton Hall mooring beyond the Heritage yard at Scholar Green.
The weather is now so bad, wind and rain and cold with it, that not only have we dropped the cratch cover and lit the stove, we've put the covers on all the portholes to keep out the miserable sight.
Hopefully we'll get a window of better weather tomorrow to go on through Congleton and either stop at the bottom of Bosley (if it's grotty again) or go up to the top for the night.
Labels:
Barlaston,
Kidsgrove,
Little Morton Hall
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)