Another Cricket Match and a Herd of Deer.

Wednesday 31st August, 2016 by Beeston Castle.
A rather overcast start to the day. We missed the sunshine that we have grown accustomed to!

We set off fairly early. Another cricket match was in progress in a garden backing on to the canal - much to our amusement.

Wharton's Lock afforded a beautiful picturesque view of Beeston Castle across the fields.

A close-up on R's camera (a bit hazy as it was right into the sun) shows visitors on the top of the castle on the inner bailey.

We moored up just after the lock.

Having secured MM, M discovered that R had (foolishly) left his windlass at the lock. We walked the few yards back to the lock and ended up helping another boat through. They turned out to be from Australia and had recently bought their narrowboat nb. "Lazy Bee". They had rented boats for a number of years but then decided to buy their own and spend six months in England and six months in Australia. It was clear that they were thrilled with their new boat; they looked so happy.

R had seen some deer from the canal on the way down a few days ago, so we walked along the towpath to see if they were still there. By sheer fortunate timing, they were posing on the crest of the same hill some distance from the canal.

Luckily, R's camera has a 30x zoom and so he was able to get some good shots of the herd.

It seems that they are a captive herd as wild deer would not normally have sat like that on the skyline, nor would they have been in the same place a week later.

This lone doe was watching us closely, even though we were a long way off.

Back at MM, we stayed put and had a quiet afternoon.
Today:7 miles, 1 lock and 4.6 hours.
Trip: 301 miles, 217 locks and 224.8 hours.

Leaving Chester to Travel South.

Tuesday 30th August, 2016 outside the Cheshire Cat at Rowton
Another lovely sunny morning, the weather really has been wonderful recently.

This being our last day in Chester, we decided to have one last walk around the city and, in particular, to visit the Roman amphitheatre and garden, which we had seen from the top of the wall.
This old bus was offering tourist trips around the City, very nostalgic.

The amphitheatre was discovered when foundations for a new road were being dug. Luckily, the Council eventually bowed to local pressure and the new road went round the amphitheatre rather than through it. The amphitheatre is the largest so far discovered in Britain and probably seated about 7,000.

Next to it is a "Roman" garden with an impressive colonnade of pillar bases. They are not in situ, but have been brought together in a very pleasant setting from the various locations within the city where they were found. The "resident army" was not of Roman legionnaires but 21st century municipal gardeners!

Half way down the "Roman" garden, you can clearly see where the City wall has been rebuilt in slightly different stone.

In September 1645, the Parlimentarians were besieging Chester and breached the City wall with canon. Despite this breach, the Royalists in the City managed to hold out for a further four months before being forced to surrender through starvation. A glass diorama, placed opposite the site of the breach, cleverly gives an idea of the action.

At the south west corner of the city walls, you can still see the edge of the quarry, beneath the walls, where the Romans extracted the stone to build the city walls.

The River Dee runs past that corner of the City. In ancient times, the river was navigable to large vessels right up to the City walls. The "port" area is now occupied by Chester Race Course. We decided that we would not try to swap MM for a pedalo on the Dee - too cramped!

After lunch, we rather reluctantly left this charming City. We shared the first lock with nb. "Bajora".

M grizzled that the lock gates were large and very heavy. This one was 3,340Kg, but the next was even worse at 3,500Kg - that's three and a half tons!

We shared the next few locks with a lovely Welsh family and their dog on a hire boat.

Going up the last lock, we passed what must be one of the last cricket matches of the season. Lovely to hear the traditional sound of leather on willow and the occasional cry of "Howzat". So English!

We moored up outside the Cheshire Cat, which desribes itself as "Inn with Tradition". Despite the pub's popularity, it was a very quiet and pleasant mooring.

Today: 3 miles, 5 locks and 5.8 hours (inc. power).
Trip: 294 miles, 216 locks and 220.2 hours.

A Sunny August Bank Holiday in Chester

Sunday 28th and Monday 29th August, 2016 in Chester.
A spectacular sunrise greeted us. We were moored beside a golf course, which (strangely) had clearly been abandonned.

We'd decided to make an early start in order to be back in Chester for the morning service in the Cathedral, which included music by Thomas Tallis performed by a visiting choir. So, we set off at 7:20 and just an hour later we were at the bottom of the three staircase locks at Northgate. R got MM into the bottom lock while M set the top two locks.

M, while operating the locks, fell into conversation with a curious bystander who turned out to be a visitor from Croatia; he spoke little English and was on holiday here visiting friends.
He was eager to help with the locks and to learn how they worked. He helped M with the very stiff paddles after M showed him what to do. When we got to the top of the locks, we invited him on board as we sailed around the corner to our mooring.

His name was Gojko Ivandic and he was very sweet. M tried pronouncing his name - and failed miserably, much to his amusement!
We moored in the same place under the city walls as we had done on the way down and walked into the Cathedral. The service was lovely and pleasingly well attended. The visiting choir from Peterborough Cathedral sang beautifully and the Thomas Tallis was exquisite (if quite short).
The Cathedral is an imposing structure, built of local standstone, with a magnificent wooden ceiling.

Afterwards, we spent some time walking around the city centre. A street entertainer was making giant bubbles, much to the delight of passing children.

During the afternoon, R watched the Belgian Grand Prix.
We had walked the City walls before but decided that we would like to walk them at night. So, we set off at dusk. The Victorian Clock looked lovely in the twilight.

It was very atmospheric walking the two miles round the walls as it grew darker and darker. Finally, we arrived back to find MM below us illuminated by lamplight.

Monday dawned sunny yet again, very untraditional (and welcome) weather for a bank holiday!

Guy thought that he would brush up on his history of James Brindley. (no, the orchid isn't really sprouting out of his cap!!!)

It was pleasing to see how many people were gathered in the little park by the walls enjoying a sunny day by the canal. It was so warm that they all sat in the shade!

We walked alongside the canal down to the very large branch of Waitrose (for a few bits); the towpath there very much resembles a promenade with many folk out walking by the water and enjoying the canalside hostelries.
The former Shot Tower was even more impressive in the sunshine.

In the city centre, a sad comparison between the beautiful old building, now a thriving Boots store...

And the sad modern structure of the, now defunct, BHS store next door.

In the evening, we decided to eat out, a very rare event. On our perambulations, R had seen a Teppanyaki Restaurant next to the canal.

 M had never been to one before and had no idea what to expect. The evening was a great success and the chefs, as ever, provided superb entertainment and brilliant food.

Our "table" was full and eveyone had a hilarious time watching the chef's antics, which included tossing potato scallops for guests to catch in their mouths (with varying success). We spent a long time talking to the family next to us, who had come to Chester for the weekend from Warwickshire.

We walked back to MM having eaten far too much, but feeling very happy.
On Sunday: 3 miles, 3 locks and 1.8 hours.
Trip: 291 miles, 211 locks and 214.4 hours.

Ellesmere Port and the National Waterways Museum.

Saturday 27th August, 2016 to Ellesmere Port.
Not such a bright morning but still pleasant.

A chance conversation yesterday with a family out walking the Roman walls resulted in them joining us on board MM this morning. When we met them yesterday, they were peering over the city walls admiring MM. It turned out that they had never been on a narrowboat but were very keen to try. So, we invited them to join us today to go down the staircase of three locks.
Having reconnoitred the locks earlier, we knew that it would be a baptism of fire (or water) for them and half expected that they would not show up. But they did, promptly at 10:00am as arranged. Paul, his mother Irma and his sons Joe and Oliver. Paul lives locally (unfortunately his wife was working today and couldn't join us) and Irma is visiting for the weekend from Chelmsford.
Joe and Oliver soon palled up with Guy.

 After R had set the three staircase locks ready for us, Paul quickly got the  hang of the top lock gates.

These deep staircase locks always attract a lot of interest from passers by.

The boys with their "Nana", enjoyed the excitement but stayed on board MM.

You can just see MM's bow through the lock gates high above. The three locks drop the canal 32ft.

After negotiating the locks, they opted to stay on board for a short trip down the canal. On the way, we passed a group of C&RT volunteers working on weeding flower beds beside an access path.

Finally, Paul decided that they should start to walk back, so R pulled into the bank. It was too shallow at the edge to get MM right up against the bank, so R got out the gang plank for our visitors. Oliver insisted on walking the plank unaided - he was fearless!

Time for a group photo.

Then they all set off to walk back to Chester. It was a real pleasure to have them on board and to introduce them to the wonderful world of narrowboating. Paul says that he's really keen to try a narrowboat holiday and eventually to get his own boat, possibly one that "needs work" and to do it up himself.

We then continued on to Ellesmere Port and the National Waterways Museum. The Museum is at the junction of the Shropshire Union Canal and the Manchester Ship Canal. We had intended to arrive via the MSC but ran out of time this year - so, we will save it for next year, an adventure to be greatly anticipated. The museum site covers a wide area including many original buildings, wharves and the locks down to the MSC.

The museum turned out to be brilliant, not least for an exhibition celebrating the 300th anniversary of the birth of James Brindley. On display were four of his original notebooks, full of calculations, notes and his expenses such as on Saturday 5th November 1763, "Dined at the Bull 0=0-8p" (clearly a gourmet meal at that price!).

Our time was a little restricted, so we decided to "report in full" when we return next year and hope to spend a day or more exploring the museum. There is just too much to see in one day.
Reluctantly, we turned in the museum basin and headed back towards Chester.

Sadly, there was a lot of detritus in the canal (R was down the weed hatch twice), mostly plastic bottles, bags and tin cans. M, while admiring the flora, was pleased to see Purple Loosestrife and King Cups, but was definitely less pleased to see a not so rare species of floating refrigerator.

We were amused to see a long line of old telegraph poles, some of which had become ivy poles.

Some were only half covered.

There were lots of herons on this section of canal and many of them stood their ground as we passed, particularly this one which was standing a few yards from the M53 bridge and probably didn't consider us a threat given the mind numbing din from above.

We found a quiet mooring for the night about two-thirds of the way back to Chester as we intend to make an early start in the morning to get back for a service in the Cathedral that includes work by Thomas Tallis.
Today: 14 miles, 3 locks and 9.2 hours (inc. power yesterday) and seven herons.
Trip: 288 miles, 208 locks and 212.6 hours.