Over the Border

Friday 15th.. Torrential rain thru’ the night meant that a poor nights sleep was subsidised by sleeping in until around 10.30am.

As luck would have it though our 3 hour sailing today was in dry and sometimes sunny conditions. One thing that’s striking already about the Llangollen Canal, apart from the beautiful scenery, is the constant flow. There is a significant west-to-east current, thanks to the canals other role as a water conduit from the welsh mountains to the people of Crewe.
Our sailing today took us 7 miles and 5 locks but with Dee’s beady eye we spotted Kingfisher and a Tawny Owl which was roosting for the day low in an oak tree.
We eventually moored just short of Marbury Lock in sunshine but within the hour we were battered once again by torrential rain & thunderstorms.
Saturday 16th.. Leaving Marbury the canal again enters peaceful and remote countryside. Continuing thru’ 5 more isolated locks we eventually arrived at Grindley Brook Locks, 3 locks followed by 3 staircase locks. Saturday is definitely the day to pass thru’. Most of the large hire fleets are on turn-around day so we saw very few but bare in mind your location as there’s a mass exodus at around 4pm from the boat-yards!
Grindley locks are manned and 3 boats at a time enter at once. We were fortunately the third and navigated thru’ quickly but in pouring rain. At the top end there are 3 water points, elsan, bins and ample mooring during this quiet time. We took the opportunity to stop for a while & have lunch at the café & shop which overlooks the lock.
Moving on after lunch we eventually moored 2 hours later at Tilstock Park Lift-Bridge 2 miles from the Welsh border.
Sunday 17th.. With such a pleasant and secluded mooring we took a breather today & completed the house chores. This area is very remote and in fact we only saw 6 people all day apart from other boats.
Monday 18th.. Today we completed 8 miles in remote countryside with no locks and 1 swing bridge passing into Wales at around midday. The weather has taken a decidedly chilly note with persistent heavy showers and also of note is the increase in hire boats we are now encountering.
Arriving at Ellsmere we took the ½ mile walk into the small town to stock up on provisions and got totally soaked thru'. We’ve also nearly caught up with John & Joan aboard NBTagine Queen, (also from our Marina), who are on their return journey from Llangollen, they were originally 2 weeks ahead of us. Tomorrow the plan is for us both to book passage onto the Montgomery Canal but more on that in my next post!
(Sorry about the image but I’m unable to upload a decent photo for this post due to poor signal quality!)

Quidditch on Llangollen

Tuesday 12th.. We began early today at 9am and after filling with diesel and water we departed Norbury Junction.

During our transit of the Shropshire Union Canal one big factor is the price of Diesel, cheap at current standards. (Norbury 44.9P, Wheaton Aston 41.5P, Market Drayton 44.5P) so if your following in our footsteps well worth a mental note as we’ve heard that the Llangollen is well over 60P!
Arriving at Tyrley Lock 1 in a group of 5 locks we were met by a 6 boat queue! Probably due to our early departure today as we don’t normally come across many queue’s,11am being our average departure time when the hoard of early risers have moved on.
Completing Tyrley locks we arrived at Market Drayton at around 3pm. If you moor in the section just before Lord’s Bridge (64) you can hammer Morrison’s for supplies and get a taxi back with all your many bags via the path at Windsor Drive for only £3, a real boaters secret.
Wednesday 13th.. After wishing Winnie well, ( A lovely old lady we’d met who lives in one of the houses that back onto the canal), we set off for Audlem. Just after leaving I spotted my 1st Kingfisher of the trip sitting on one of the moored boats, normally we’ve seen several by this time. We had a fantastic pass thru’ the 5 Adderley locks, completing them in only 20mins, and progressed on to the Audlem flight of 15 locks. These locks lower the canal by over 90ft to the diarylands of Cheshire. We completed 13 of the 15 in just short of 2 hours and moored prior to the final 2 locks in Audlem. Having completed 18 locks we didn’t much feel like preparing lunch so we treated ourselves to lunch at the Shroppie Fly. The Fly is a converted warehouse that serves ale from a bar shaped like a narrowboat. Although the food was expensive it was well presented and there was a lot of it. There’s also a useful book exchange there too. When we left the Shroppie the 1st significant rain of our trip had begun to fall.
Thursday 14th.. After a rainy night & morning we left Audlem and completed the 2 final locks of the flight. Continuing on in the rain we passed thru’ Nantwich eventually reaching the Llangollen turn around 2.30pm. Despite this being the busiest canal on the system we passed thru’ the 4 locks of Hurleston Junction with impunity and had arrived on the Llangollen Canal for our 1st visit.
(Pictured above... Dee prepares the 1st lock of the Llangollen Canal in damp & murky conditions)

BBQ Time!

Friday 8th… We left Tixall Wide at our normal start time of 11am and after completing Tixall Lock a short time later we passed the entrance to Shugborough railway tunnel at the foot of some thick woods of Cannock Chase.
At Milford our navigation crossed the river Sow which is an early structure by James Brindley and continues on 5 locks later to Penkridge where we took on water and some food supplies. Passing quite close to the busy M6 motorway we finally moored for the day 4 locks later just short of Brick Kiln Lock,12 miles and 10 locks today!
Saturday 9th… Completing Brick Kiln Lock we progressed thru Gailey and on past the 2 lock Hatherton Branch. Shortly after Bridge 74 the canal widens where Brindley amazingly incorporated part of a medieval moat into the canal system. The rest of our route today took us under the M54 motorway and the final stretch of this section of the Staffs & Worcester takes us past the outskirts of Wolverhampton. Around 2pm we arrived at Autherley Junction & the stop lock for the Shropshire Union Canal and made the turn north.
Passing back under the M54 we continued north heading away from Wolverhampton, passing Brewood and eventually arriving at our mooring for today at Wheaton Aston. Tonight we had our 1st BBQ (pictured Above) of the season in glorious evening sunshine, today has been the hottest so far!
Sunday 10th… We set off from Wheaton Aston after cycling in to the village for a few supplies and passed thru’ the Cowley Tunnel and on thru’ Gnosall around lunchtime. Navigating past some beautiful countryside and a couple of large fishing matches, (1MPH), before reaching our destination of Norbury Junction around 2pm. In the evening we had a nice walk & spotted Warren & Lynne’s boat, One Chance, which is moored here. Warren & Lynne used to work at our home base Wigram’s Turn but are now happily running a caravan park in Cornwall.
Monday 11th.. Staying for the day we breakfasted at the Cosy Tea Café and spent a few £’S at the Norbury chandlery. The rest of the day was spent just chilling out in what I have to say is a very quiet Norbury Junction! Tomorrow we head for Market Drayton and then on hopefully entering the Llangollen Canal around the end of the week.

Tixall Wide

Tuesday 5th… Departing our lovely view of the Lavender fields we set off at around 11.45am.
Just before departing I was greeted at the hatch by a familiar face from NB-Winifred who was walking his 2 Jack Russell’s along the towpath. We’d first met Ken & Mary on the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal at Sharpness in 2005 and have bumped into them each year since. Experienced boaters they’ve been living aboard narrowboat’s for over 30 years!
After chatting for a while we finally set off around midday and arrived at Fradley Junction an hour later, turning North-West onto the Trent & Mersey Canal. Progressing thru’ Handacre & Rugeley we finally moored at Taft Bridge (No.69) about 3 miles short of Great Haywood Junction.
Wednesday 6th… Having cleared some debris from our weed-hatch and checked the rudder we set off around 11am for Gt. Hayward Junction, completing a couple of locks en route and turning West onto the Staffs & Worcester Canal a short time later. A mile on we moored for the day at Tixall Wide.
Tixall is an amazing & delightful stretch of water more resembling a lake than a canal, and navigable to the edges. The wide is renown for it’s Kingfisher population. The evening was spent with a TV dinner & champagne while watching England beat Estonia. The Champs was to celebrate Quidditch’s 3rd birthday.
Thursday 7th… Today we had a day off and a lovely mooring so we completed some chores. The rule of thumb aboard Quidditch while sailing is that Dee does the innie & I do the outie! So while Dee completed the housework I gave the engine & shower pump a full service.
Around lunchtime we discovered that another boat we knew, NBChardonnay, was moored slightly ahead of use. We’d bumped into Mel & Trish several times last year while navigating the same stretch of the Shropshire Union. We took time out to catch up on the news with Mel who unfortunately looked a little rough having crashed his bike into the water the day before when the towpath crumbled from underneath him! A likely story Mel!!!
Unfortunately we didn’t get to see Trish who was down in London.
In the afternoon we cycled into Gt. Haywood for provisions and had a nice lunch in a café that overlooks Haywood lock. The evening was spent looking for the elusive Kingfishers! We saw none but did watch a Buzzard hunting prey.
(Pictured above is out 1st lock queue of the season @ Colwick Lock T&M Canal)

Lavender Hill

Continuing on from Bridge 26 on the Oxford Canal, our Friday night mooring, we progressed steadily North during Saturday.

We arrived at Hawkesbury Junction mid afternoon and made an uneventful pass through the stop-lock and turn onto the Coventry Canal in lovely sunshine. Last week being the school half-term week the canals were naturally busy but one thing that has struck us over the past few days is the increase in the amount of cruisers using the system! I have to say also that a good few were un-licensed. Another thing that is striking is the lack of grass cutting at mooring points that is evident along the whole stretch of our journey so far. The exception being Atherstone which has a working boat gathering next weekend. Is this the shape of things to come with the so called funding cutbacks? I seriously hope not!
On the Saturday evening we moored overnight at Bridge 34 of the Coventry having traversed slowly through Bedworth and Nuneaton, passing Marston Junction where the Ashby Canal meets the Coventry. We hope to complete the Ashby Canal later in the summer.
We had originally planned to stay at Bridge 34 just short of Atherstone locks until Monday but it was such a lovely day on Sunday we decided to progress. It turned out to be a good decision as we had a very easy passage. Surprising really as these locks are renowned for being slow fillers and when we passed through in 2005 we had a nightmare 5 hour transition.
We completed 9 of the 11 locks in no time and decided to moor just short of the final 2 locks in a lovely mooring with freshly cut grass around 2pm. Out came the chairs and sun brolly for the 1st time this summer and the rest of the day was just a delight.
Setting off at around midday today we completed the final 2 locks and took on water at Bradley Green. Passing through Polesworth we moved sedately through Tamworth where the canal runs through suburban housing, turning in a wide sweep south-west past Tamworth centre towards Fazeley Junction, through the only 2 locks on this stretch at Glascote. At Fazeley Junction the Coventry Canal meets the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal and then continues north-west to Fradley junction where we turn onto the Trent & Mersey Canal, hopefully on Tuesday.
Tonight, Monday 4th June, we’re moored at Tamhorn House Bridge opposite a beautiful lavender field, which is pictured above.
(Saturday 2nd June - Monday 4th June - 31 miles - 14 locks)

Long Day

Having been moored near Barby on the Oxford Canal since Tuesday awaiting Dee's dad's arrival we finally set off yesterday (Friday 1st June) at around 11.30am.

We were delighted to see her Dad, Jane, Miranda and Lucky the Labrador who are currently touring the UK in a motorhome from Spain. We had an excellent dinner in The Rose Inn at Willoughby on Thursday evening which it turns out is now owned by an old friend of mine, Andy.
Bidding them farewell on the Friday morning we took the decision to put in a long day to make up some lost ground, the sun was finally shinning too after yesterday's frequent thunderstorms.
After completing the 3 locks at Hillmorton (our 1st this year) and taking on water we stopped at Rugby for around an hour to buy a new TV and a few food supplies.
Continuing on at around 4.30pm we finally moored for the night at Bridge 26 on the Oxford Canal, an idyllic and quiet mooring we knew from previous visits. Although it was great to see Dee's dad and family I finally feel as though we're back doing what we like best. We had wall to wall sunshine today and tomorrow promises to be more of the same.
(Tuesday 29th May - Friday 1st June - 19 miles - 3 locks)

'Current Onboard Weather Station'

Temp @ 10.00Hrs : 23c - Current Weather : Clear
Wind : Calm - Pressure : 1011mb Steady
Sunrise 4:49am Sunset 9:18pm

First This Year

With the visit of Pete and Michelle from Reading, Quidditch got her first sailing of 2007.

In fact astonishingly this was the first time we had ventured beyond the marina since ending our Summer 06 tour in September. What greeted us was a shock to say the least! The traffic on this stretch of the canal system seems to have increased 5 fold. We knew that the newly increased size of Calcut Marina (200 extra berths) would have an impact but where have the rest come from? Who knows what it's going to be like when Vetnor Marina eventually launch their extra 200 berths?
While having breakfast at bridge 103 on the Sunday morning it was like being on the canal version of the M25 motorway. This section of the system already known as 'Tick-Over Alley' has certainly earned it's name. For us I'm afraid it's taken away the tranquillity of mooring at bridge 103 our favourite local spot, gone are the days when one or two boats would drift by enroute to Braunston.
Nevertheless, Pete and Michelle thoroughly enjoyed their short stay and insight into the boaty way of life. Pete goes away with the unfortunate accolade of The Quidditch All-Time-Top-Snorer!!
Dee and I now look forward to the end of May when our Summer 07 tour begins, late this year due to our 3 week Scottish camping and twitching trip.

Tour 06 Ends

Our final trip of Tour 06 was to take Quidditch to Welford for hull blacking. We’d booked our dry dock from Monday September 25th.


Located at the very bottom of the Welford Arm (Leicester section of the Grand Union) we estimated that the journey would take 2 days sailing. Setting off from Wigram’s on Friday 22nd we moored overnight just 40 minutes down at bridge 103, one of our favourite short trips. This would give us a head start come Saturday. This would also be a new stretch for us, as we’d not as yet ventured the other side of the Grand Union past Braunston locks.
Setting off around 9.30am Saturday we arrived at the 6 Braunston double locks and locked thru’ with NBAnnie from Braunston Marina, completing the top lock at around midday. NBAnnie was well off for crew so Dee had a reasonably easy transition.
Next came another first as we completed the 2042 yard Braunston Tunnel. This was the first time we’d completed a two-way tunnel and after passing several boats within, including a working boat being towed, we emerged into a wooded cut 20 minutes later.
At Norton Junction we turned north on the Leicester section heading towards Crick. From here the canal meanders through light woods and rolling fields before the motorway (M1) and railway takes over, the canal literally passes the back door of Watford Gap services!
Arriving at Watford Locks we were presented with a small queue of 5 boats and a 90-minute delay. After negotiating the locks, which includes a staircase of 4 single locks (this the reason for delays), we continued on navigating the Crick tunnel at around 4.30pm. 1528 yards long, the tunnel was opened in 1814. All tunnels built in this area suffered great problems in construction. Quicksand’s caused the route of the tunnel to be changed and greatly affected work. Stephenson found similar difficulties when building the nearby Kilsby tunnel for the London to Birmingham Railway.
We moored for the day overlooking Crack’s Hill, a curious looking tree topped mound!
Sunday we had a leisurely journey and after turning onto the Welford Arm at Welford Junction we arrived at our dry dock at around 4pm, passing thru’ the one 3ft lock at Welford, the only lock of the day.
Leaving our dry dock Wednesday 27th our work complete the journey back was excellent with no delays at Watford Locks and making good time we moored at Ball’s Bridge (N0.3) for the night. Thursday 28th we set off around 11am arriving back at Wigram’s at about 4pm our journey complete. The one event of note on our way back occurred just as we emerged from the Braunston tunnel when 2 hire boats collided head-on within! Fortunately no serious damage but we were sure glad we passed the oncoming boat outside of the tunnel!!

Claydon and Back!

Once again we're back in port for the weekend having returned to drop off an old friend of ours who's visiting from Dubai.

Don't let the picture put you off!!!

What a contrast! From Villa to narrowboat! Still, we'll be enjoying Dave's hospitality when we visit him for the whole of October.
Our trip up to Claydon was uneventful with the odd exception.
As we approached lock 11 of the Napton flight I was surprised to see the gates, left open by the exiting boat who'd clearly spotted us, closing as we approached. Despite sounding my horn several times to alert the nice lady to our impending arrival, alas it was to no avail, once again we'd had the lock turned on us! A waste of water and bloody annoying. When I asked the question 5 minutes later 'WHY' it was the old chestnut 'I didn’t see you'. Well that's interesting I said I certainly saw you. I was then told as they departed the lock that I was a very rude man! Personally I can't think of anything ruder on the waterways than turning a lock against an approaching boat. Unfortunately there seems to be less and less consideration as more boats appear on our canal system. I'm still unsure whether to name and shame.
Anyway Dave was amused and all in all I think he had a real good time. Although he did complain on departing this morning about aching muscles he never knew he had.
Claydon from Napton is actually a good trip to complete over 5 days. Plenty of locks, good views at bridge 130, the Bygones museum and even a medieval village to investigate at Wormleighton. It gives your guest a good idea of what life is like aboard a narrowboat. Lots of physical work at the locks, the great outdoors and plenty of food and wine. A stop at the Wharf, Fenny Compton for lunch is also a nice treat.
The weather was excellent apart from yesterday morning when we had torrential rain. Having said that I was at the tiller for the duration while Dee and Dave enjoyed the comforts of the cratch cover! Mind you they worked hard later as we completed the return trip thru' Napton flight. A 13-boat queue from the top lock resulted in a 4 hour stint before reaching the bottom lock in bright sunshine and almost cloudless skies.
Despite being the middle of September there's still very little sign of the tree's starting to loose foliage. This years yields of fruit are astonishing. Blackberries, Sloe and Elderberry are in abundance with some bushes keeling over from the sheer weight. Dee's baked here 3rd blackberry and apple pie this month, not that I'm complaining. Lots of Swallows are still visible but we haven't seen a Swift now in over a week.
We're heading off again on Tuesday 19th in continuation of our Autumn Tour.

Monthly Log ( August)

Well unlike the fantastic weather in July, August has seen spring, summer and autumn all rolled into one.


There’s not been one evening this month where we’ve been able to sit out and enjoy the late summer sunshine, let alone BBQ!
During August we’ve continued our journey south down the Trent and Mersey Canal, once again completing the Harecastle Tunnel and navigated the beautiful Caldon Canal (See earlier post ‘Caldon Canal’). One note of advice to anyone planning to visit the Caldon is to fill up on fuel. Stupidly I decided to forgo a top up as we passed thru’ Stoke-on-Trent only to discover that the Caldon has nowhere to re-fuel. Well there is one unofficial place but we only discovered that on the way back down! Situated in-between bridges 28/29 you’l find an extremely well stocked farm shop and very helpful owners who will happily sell you diesel from jerry cans at 52p a litre, we bought 60, a lifesaver. The home made steak and stilton pie was also very delicious.
After exploring the Caldon we returned to the mainline Trent and Mersey Canal progressing south and mooring at Stone for shopping and lunch on the 21st. Continuing south down the Trent Valley we reached Great Hayward Junction where the Trent and Mersey meets the Staffs and Worcester Canal on the 22nd and moving on passed thru’ unattractive Rugeley, mooring a couple of miles north of Fradley Junction. On the 24th we took the turn onto the Coventry Canal at Fradley and moored for a walkabout and lunch, moving on later in the day.
Over the final week of August we’ve completed the Atherstone flight of 11 locks which only took a couple of hours this year. Last year we took over 4 hours to complete the same stretch due to a water shortage in the filler pools! On the 29th and in torrential rain we made the turn onto the North Oxford Canal, the home straight for Wigram’s Turn, our home marina! From here we’ll be moored on Monday September 4th our main Summer 06 tour complete. Were has the time gone?
Over the month we’ve reached 2 milestones, firstly, ‘Quidditch’ reached her 1000th cruising hour and secondly, on the 26th we reached our 100th day out on tour.
This month we’ve lost my favourite hat, Dee’s favourite umbrella and a portable table. Don’t ask how we managed to loose a table! Today the 30th we were hit for the first time this year by a passing boat, while moored and nothing else around! Always baffling and made worse by the reaction of the other idiot!
The wildlife has been as interesting as ever with large numbers of Buzzards and we’ve even spotted several Quail feeding in open view! Swallows, Swifts and Martins are becoming fewer as the days move on obviously an early migration back to Africa. Who can blame them!
Peacock and Meadow Brown butterflies have also been numerous this month. Finally for the first time this year we managed to spot a Barn Owl, in 2005 we saw many but very absent this year. The trees and bushes are yielding vast amounts of fruit with large numbers of blackberries to be picked and pies to be made. And the autumn looms ever nearer.
(Pictured Above... Dee at Consall Station on the Churwell Valley Steam Railway. The Caldon Canal is literally just below the platform to the left.)

'Quidditch' Milestone

After breakfast (Friday 18th) we set off to cover the remaining section of the Caldon Canal and then back onto the Trent and Mersey main line.

It turned out to be a very long day.
Having navigated the un-savoury part of the canal we got held up for at least 90 minutes at Etruria staircase lock in a group of 4 boats. These locks are extremely slow on filling and the top lock has to be re-filled before another boat can proceed. The Etruria lock is the only one of it’s kind in Staffordshire, thank goodness!
Turning South back onto the mainline Trent and Mersey ‘Quidditch’ reached somewhat of a milestone recording her 1000th hour of cruising. We decided to progress thru’ the built up area of Stoke-On-Trent in the late afternoon. At around 6pm we finally moored for the day just North of Trentham after an 8hour stint.
Our plan now is to gradually make our way back down to our home base at Wigram’s where we need to moor for a week to attend some family events. Then we’ll be setting off again for another 3 weeks out. Where has the Summer gone? We can’t believe that last night we had to put the central heating on as the temperature plummeted! August weather has so far been a disappointment.
Over the weekend we laid up at the visitor moorings just after bridge 104, a stones throw from the Wedgwood Factory.
On Monday we continued down the short distance towards Stone and gave up around 1pm having been forced to queue at every lock. This time of year is one of the busiest with holiday boats and particularly on this stretch with boats completing the Four Counties Ring. After mooring we cycled into Stone for provisions and lunch. On our return we met one of the holiday boats who'd been behind us earlier at a lock still in a queue only 2 locks on, we'd been gone 90 minutes!
Tuesday afternoon we took a steady pace down the Trent Valley mooring just prior to Great Haywood Junction where the Staffs and Worcester Canal connects.
Wednesday started off not too bad despite the forecast of rain but deteriorated quite rapidly as the day wore on. We moored eventually at around 4.30pm in torrential rain and thunder around a mile from Fradley Junction. Tonight (Thursday 24th) we’re moored just north of Tamworth having taken the turn onto the Coventry Canal at Fradley, stopping briefly for lunch. Amazingly there's not a cloud in the sky!

Caldon Canal

Since our last post on August 10th we progressed south down the Trent and Mersey Canal and last Friday August 11th we completed the 2926 yard Harecastle Tunnel.

After mooring at the southern end overnight we continued South picking up our next turn onto the Caldon Canal at Stoke on August 12th.
Today, Thursday August 17th we’re moored just short of bridge 28 on our return journey back towards the Trent and Mersey main line.
The Caldon Canal – or, more correctly, the Caldon Branch of the Trent and Mersey – was designed as an outlet on to the canal system for the Caldon limestone quarries near Frogall. It was opened as a single branch to Frogall in 1779, tramways being constructed to bring the vast quantities of limestone down from Caldon low quarries a couple of miles to the east. Eighteen years later the Caldon’s owners, the Trent and Mersey Canal Company decided to build a secondary branch from the Caldon Canal to Leek. When you approach Hazlehurst the canal divides. One stretch heads towards Leek the other to Frogall. When you first turn onto the canal at Eturia your first thoughts are ‘my god we’re are we heading’ the area is very built up and should I say very ‘uninviting’ in parts but once bridge 19 is reached the canal breaks out and becomes more rural. Trust us it’s well worth it! We chose to complete the Leek stretch first crossing the main line over a large aqueduct and the scenery was breathtaking. After completing the 130yd Leek tunnel only a small stretch of this section remains so we turned back thru’ the tunnel and moored overnight at a beautiful and idyllic spot within a lagoon.
Returning to Hazlehurst we turned to complete the Frogall stretch, this time navigating under the aqueduct which 2 days ago took us up to Leek. The main line to Frogall is superb and mostly enclosed by steep and thickly wooded hills, totally unspoilt! We passed Cheddleton where the Churnet Valley Steam Railway (pictured...) begins it’s journey down to Frogall, the canal actually runs within yards of Consall station. Here we moored for 2 nights next to the lime kilns and explored the area spending the whole of Wednesday riding the train. This morning prior to torrential rain and thunder we set off on the final length turning at Flint Mill Lock and mooring back at Consall. We then completed the final stretch of canal by cycle. Frogall tunnel is only 4ft 4 inches high and cannot be taken by Quidditch.
Well that’s our week on the Caldon. The canal itself is a difficult one to navigate, low bridges, very shallow and narrow in places and takes good skills when passing other boats. The scenery at the top end of both stretches is breathtaking, the best so far. Totally unspoilt and you definitely get a sense of being completely cut off from the rest of world. 10 out of 10. Tomorrow, Friday 18th we continue heading back towards the T and M main line.

River Weaver

Thursday August 10th.. After spending an interesting week on the River Weaver we are currently moored on the Trent and Mersey Canal at Elworth, just west of Sandbach.


During our week on the river we completed the full navigable stretch from Winsford Flash on the south end to Runcorn and the industrial section to the northwest. Winsford Flash is a large expanse of water in an attractive setting among wooded slopes which was created by subsidence following salt extraction in the vicinity. The rivers navigable length is only 19 miles and has 5 manned locks. It rises in Peckforton Hills and proceeds via Wrenbury, Audlem, Nantwich, Church Minsall and Winsford to Northwich and Frodsham and is just over 50 miles in total. Originally a shallow and tidal stream, it was long used for carrying salt away from the Cheshire salt area.
The mineral was carried down by men and horses to meet the incoming tide. The sailing barges would load at high water , then depart with the ebbing tide. In 1721 three gentlemen of Cheshire obtained an act of parliament to make and maintain the river as a navigation from Frodsham to Winsford and is still navigable today. Maintenance appears to be an issue for us! The locks are badly out of date and the huge Vale Lock is till operated manually. Moorings on the river are few and far between and from Dutton Lock on the northern end be careful of the shallow banks and rock when approaching anything that looks moorable. However, the scenery on this stretch is beautiful, no houses or roads are seen for long periods.
The industrial top end of the river to Western Point won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but we found it fascinating. After passing the giant ICI complex you reach Weston Marsh where there is a lock down (pictured Above...) onto the Manchester Ship Canal, well worth exploring. Beyond, the navigation runs right along side the Ship Canal from which its separated by a tall bank. Eventually, after passing the entrance lock up onto the now abandoned Runcorn and Western Canal you arrive at a low 5feet swing bridge and unless your pre-booked and certified to enter the Ship Canal this is where your journey ends.
On Sunday we moored unexpectedly overnight at Dutton Lock which failed just as we were about to enter, the repairs took most of the afternoon. On the Monday we booked passage on the Anderton Boat Lift for 4pm and cruised up to Northwich first for shopping and lunch. By 5pm Sunday we were back ont the canal system.

Monthly Log ( July)

Well there’s one main headline for July and of course it’s been the weather. July was extraordinary.

However, writing our log this morning (August 2nd) in strong winds and rain situated on the River Weaver it seems long gone.

Over early July we entered the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal at Stourport moving off the River Severn and made our way North. 26 miles, 33 locks and 5 days later we moved thru’ the stop lock at Autherley Junction and onto the Shropshire Union Canal. The Staffs and Worcester Canal didn’t disappoint us once again and remains one of our favourites. On route we visited Stourport, Kidderminster and the rock houses at Kinver.
On entering the Shropshire Union we continued North over the coming weeks stopping at Wheaton Aston, Norbury Junction, Market Drayton and Audlem. The highlight was our visit to Hack Green Nuclear Bunker, once completely hidden and secret but opened to the public a few years go. Well worth a visit - If you can find it!!!!
Prior to the middle of the month our plans changed. We decided to forgo our planned visit to the Llangollen Canal for the 2nd year in succession. The recent breech on the canal and the time of year – (Lots of holiday boats) – had put us off. This canal is probably best completed out of season.
We turned East onto the Middlewich Branch of the Shroppie and moored at Cholmondeston on July 13th. Here we would stay for 7 days. While Dee visited a friend in Reading for a while over from Barbados I took the opportunity to hire a car and visit my old mum in Liverpool who wasn’t too well. A week later we turned about and set off for Chester and Ellsmere Port. This turned out to be a good and bad decision! (Read our recent post ‘The Badlands’). After returning from ‘The Badlands’ we moved back onto the Middlewich Branch eventually turning North onto the Trent and Mersey and on towards the River Weaver.
So July has been an excellent month with one exception and our tans are progressing nicely too. The wildlife has been good with the exception of Barn Owls. Plenty last year but none this! We’ve increased our knowledge of wild flowers, butterflies and birds and look forward to the coming month. The adventure continues....
Pictured... Dee at the Anderton Boat Lift.

Anderton Boat Lift

After leaving Billinge Green Flash on Sunday July 30th – (Sunday! What were we thinking!) – we continued on towards the Anderton Boat Lift on an extremely busy stretch of the Trent and Mersey Canal.

Having gave way to 3 oncoming boats moving thru’ bridge 181 just after leaving we were stunned when a holiday boat decided to overtake us throwing the whole procedure into chaos! I won’t repeat my reaction to the person on the helm, sufficed to say that he got the message! We eventually moored at bridge 196, Marbury Country Park, on a very frustrating day. Later in the afternoon we cycled the mile up to the Anderton Boat Lift for a sortie of what was required for tomorrow.
Monday morning 31st July and in rain and wind we made our way to the boat lift (pictured). This is an amazing and enormous piece of machinery built in 1875 by Leader Williams (later engineer on the Manchester Ship Canal) which connects the Trent and Mersey Canal to the River Weaver 50feet below. Having booked passage for 1pm ‘Quidditch’ was lowered the 50feet onto the Weaver Navigation. The whole amazing procedure took around 30 minutes. Turning West after leaving the lift we moored for the day. It was an incredible experience we’d recommend to any boater.
Tuesday August 1st and we moved off up the Weaver to Northwich. After stopping for a stroll and some shopping we left Northwich and completed Hunt’s Lock at around 1.30pm. Vale Royal lock for a 3.15pm passage was our next destination, this lock has timed entry and exit to conserve water. As I write this post we’ve just moored, the only boat in the vicinity, at 4pm after locking thru’. The lock keeper told us that we’ve been the only boat thru’ today and the last, ours was the last passage of the day. From here and just up a nearby hill is the remains of the old Vale Royal Abbey (believed to have been founded by Edward I and later dissolved by Henry VIII, who else!) Well worth a visit.