Clear skies and sunshine this morning with clear views of the Wrekin, the Clee and Breidden hills, but the clouds soon came rolling in. It did stay dry and has been a very pleasant day. We stopped for lunch at Norbury Junction before carrying on through Grub Street Cutting, mooring for the night at Gnosall Heath.
Bridge one of three bridges on Grub Street cutting
Bridge two
Bridge three
A former flour mill at Gnossall Heath
Set off for Adderley locks, a flight of 5. Stopping off at the top lock no 1 to visit Adderley Wharf farm shop, we were so impressed on our first visit that we could not go by without calling in again to re stock with excellent produce, sausages, bacon, chicken and pork steaks and as always a warm welcome by Simon and Alison. After a long natter we carried on through Betton Wood to Market Drayton, where we stopped for lunch and had a walk into the town as it was market day. Then on through to Tyrley locks, another flight of 5 located in a sandstone cutting, mooring for the night at Goldstone Wharf.
Lock no 4
Can be found at lock no 1
Market Drayton, the half timbered houses mostly date from the aftermath of a fire which swept through the place in 1651
Leaving Market Drayton, passing Betton Mill
Approaching lock no 5, Tyrley locks
Peaceful surroundings on Tyrley locks
Tyrley Wharf, 1837
Bridge no 58, Woodseaves Cutting
Woodseaves Cutting
Moorings for the night at Goldstone Wharf
Another nice day to spend cruising, even though we had the Audlum flight of 15 locks ahead of us. We waved goodbye to Seventh Heaven as we set off. The flight was very busy from the start, which made it easier as all the locks were in our favour. It also meant we had a four boat queue at the water point, so we decided to moor and go to do some shopping first. Mooring for the night just below Adderley locks.
We bought fresh eggs at lock 15
Finally moored at the services beside the Shroppie Fly
Lock 12, the by-washes are really strong, making it harder work going up
Looking up Audlem flight
More local produce available, fresh scones, clotted cream and jam were purchased here
Moorings for the night at Adderley
We had an early start this morning as the sun was already shining and the forecast was not so good for later in the afternoon. Two locks to do before we got to Barbridge Junction, turning back onto the Shroppie. Another two locks at Hack Green before mooring for lunch, then a short cruise to moor for the night at Coole Pilate Leisure Area. It has been a lovely cruising day, blue skies, sunshine and miles of wonderful countryside. As we were relaxing a man walking his dog mentioned that there was our sister boat moored just a few boats higher, we took a stroll to find Seventh Heaven, (Beacon Boat number 7) still looking good. It was nice to meet up with Pete and Pam again, needless to say we had a long chat and a few drinks.
Approaching Barbridge Junction
Canal side artwork at Nantwich
Looking down at the Chester Road from Nantwich aqueduct
Looking for some lunch
Moored for lunch above Hack Green locks
This looked very much like a mole swimming by
Moorings for the night at Coole Pilates Lesisure Area
Just a short cruise today, the weather has been sunny all day for a change. Found a nice mooring just after Church Minshull with a good tv signal, so Ian could watch the F1 and Moto Gp and I could relax in the sunshine with a glass of wine.
Top flash, on the River Weaver
Church Minshull, the mill on the right supplied the electricity to the village up to 1960
Moorings for the night
Woke up to sunshine this morning, so we set off to finish the last ten locks of heartbreak hill. Unfortunately we have no photos to show as I had a clumsy accident with the camera. As I was in the lock, Ian passed it over to me, for the first time in months, which to that point was okay. Then for some unknown reason it decided to fly out of my hands and fall into the water. I felt really bad as it was a Christmas present.
We moored for lunch at Wheelock and decided to hop on a bus to Sandbach to replace our camera. It was a pity we couldn’t take any pictures as it was a lovely town, with ancient Saxon crosses in the centre. New camera on charge we carried on towards Middlewich.
The hire boats were coming by thick and fast from Middlewich. On a fairly straight stretch, we had the trees on our side, but plenty of room. For some reason, instead of keeping straight, one of the boats lost steering and panicked. As they were still going at a fair speed they ricocheted us into the undergrowth. As we found out on later inspection, the flairs on Middlewich boats are quite high and unforgiving, resulting in a very nasty gash on our gloss work, just below the cratch cover.
The other very noticeable thing as we approached Middlewich. We expected to get the gravy smell coming from the Bisto factory, but as we got closer the huge salt works were still there, but the Bisto factory had been demolished.
After Kings lock, we turned left onto the Middlewich Branch. We got through Stanthorne lock and moored just in time before the rain came.
We planned to have an early start to miss the rain, but as we woke up to the sound of rain we didn’t bother rushing. Just as we pulled our pins everyone else must have had the same idea as there were two boats waiting at the lock and suddenly another four boats appeared behind. It was no hardship, this is a lovely flight and we didn’t have to queue as most of the locks are duplicated, having got through ten locks today we decided to moor opposite the Romping Donkey which we fondly remembered on our previous visits, sadly it now is up for sale and looking very unloved.
Thurlwood locks
The Donkey Romps no more
At last, it feels good to be on the move again. It felt like an age moored at Heritage Boats. Service completed okay, they did try to sort out our discharging problem, but to no definite conclusions. We moored for lunch near Poole aqueduct, just missing a heavy shower. It wasn’t long before we were on Heartbreak Hill, a flight of 26 locks. Luckily they are fairly spread out covering seven miles, so we moored after the sixth lock saving the rest for another day. We just managed to moor again before another downpour. The only consolation was it was sunny in between.
Approaching the stop lock at Hall Green
The stop lock is all of one foot deep
Looking down at the duplicated locks of Heartbreak Hill on the Trent and Mersey from Poole lock aqueduct on the Macclesfield Canal
Came out of the junction of the Macclesfield. Entering lock 41, the first lock of Heartbreak Hill, going down.
The first thing you notice is the change of water colour, it is bright orange from iron stone leeching in Harecastle Tunnel.
Moored for the night at Church Lawton
Only a short way to Heritage Boats, where we are waiting for our engine service. This area holds lots of memories for us as we first hired with Heritage over 20 years ago, catching the boating bug and having many more great holidays on their boats. As we had time to explore we had a walk over the fields to Little Moreton Hall, with glimpses of Jodrell Bank in the distance. Calling in for lunch at the Rising Sun on the way back.
Little Moreton Hall, a 15th century timber framed moated manor house
Koi carp in the moat
Lovely moorings outside Heritage Boats
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