Back to MM at Aqueduct Marina.

 Sunday 31st July 2022 near Cholmondeston.

With some trepidation, we started off from home for the journey back to MM in Aqueduct Marina. Our concern stemmed from the fact that the railways had been on strike yesterday and we were unsure of what knock-on effects from the strike we might find.

In the event, the journey proved to be trouble free. We caught a much earlier train than planned and found seats in the "Unreserved" carriage.  We made such good time that we arrived back at Aqueduct a couple of hours sooner than we expected! First order of the day was lunch in the Marina Café - of course!

After saying a fond farewell and thank you to Aqueduct (the staff have been so welcoming and helpful), we set off just two miles and one lock along the canal to a lovely open mooring that we had seen on our way back from Chester last week.

A hopeful visitor was rewarded only with a few bits of bread as we still have no proper swan/duck food.

The mooring proved to be everything we had hoped and has taken its place amongst our most favourite places to moor. It's so peaceful and unspoilt.

The evening light on the fields opposite made a beautiful picture.

And the sunset proved to be spectacular. The three day old crescent moon was following the sun to rest.

Today: 2 miles, 1 locks and 1.2 hours.

Trip:  318 miles, 194 locks and 170.9 hours.

The Magic of Dawn.

 Wednesday 27th July 2022 near Aqueduct Marina.

A truly magic early morning with mist rising off the water as the sun rose over the canal. You can just make out the boat ahead of us on the left.

This doesn't happen often but the light effects are so beautiful that even R got up at dawn to watch.

Not far to go today and only one narrow lock to go through. This is a busy 10 mile link waterway and there was another boat in front of us so we had to queue for a few minutes.

But there were two C&RT volunteers on duty, so we were very soon in the lock and on our way down. A rare treat for M to be able to stay on the boat and watch someone else doing the work!

Just beyond the lock is Venetian Marina; it has a very useful and well stocked shop, so we stopped for some milk and a couple of very welcome ice creams.

We moored up at the same pretty picnic site that we used ten days ago and had a quiet afternoon.

Tomorrow morning, we will go another one mile and one lock and put MM into Aqueduct Marina, where she is booked to stay for three nights while we go home - always assuming that there are trains running tomorrow after today's strike. So, watch this space....

Today: 1 mile, 1 lock and 0.5 hours. 

Trip: 315 miles, 192 locks and 169.2 hours.

Beeston Castle and a Staircase "Shuffle".

 Tuesday 26th July 2022 near Barbridge.

A lovely calm morning - perfect for a walk up to Beeston Castle perched on a rocky crag some 500ft above the surrounding countryside.

There is a narrow lane that winds its way up from the canal bridge to the Castle entrance. On the way, we passed the former Bates Mill, now a fabulous private residence. Its mill pond made lovely reflections.

The entrance to the Castle, which is run by English Heritage, is Victorian but built in the style of the original gatehouses in the curtain wall.

This aerial photograph is actually taken from a postcard but it gives an idea of how the castle stands out on top of the rock. It certainly is a spectacular setting.

It is a steep climb up to the castle through mixed woodland. This tenacious oak had found ways to root around the underlying rock.

A deep ditch had been cut through the rock surrounding the main castle to form a dry moat. This is the view to the north from the modern concrete bridge that gives access to the main castle across the moat.

The views from the top are panoramic. This is looking to the east and it is just possible to pick out a train and the canal. On a clear day, you can see 30 miles in all directions across the Cheshire Plain and we were very pleased to see that the land all around is entirely given over to farming, mostly dairy.

The well in the castle is reputed to be one of the deepest in the country at over 350ft.

Sadly, it appears that the castle was never properly finished or used as a residence. Although the fortifications were completed, there is no sign of domestic buildings or ruins. However, it was still fought over in the Civil War and, as a Royalist stronghold, it was eventually ordered by the Parliamentarians to be "slighted" or demolished to the point that it was indefensible.

Archaeology has shown that there were no significant stone structures in the Outer Keep, but it appears that the Castle was built on top of a Bronze Age hill fort that continued to be used through the Iron Age. Finds indicate that iron working was performed on the site.

In addition, the foundations of several round houses dating from this period have been found. In an old Victorian quarry on the site, a reconstruction of one of the largest round houses has been built based upon the foundations and knowledge of contemporary round house construction elsewhere.

It is still a "work in progress", which was much interruptued by Covid, but it is always fascinating to see how much can be learnt from actually trying to make something in the old ways. The original people who built these houses had learnt over hundreds of years what worked and what didn't, so trying to make the same thing helps to define the techniques that they would have used in practice.

The lovely walk back to MM through the fields followed the "Sandstone Trail".

The railway line to Chester runs alongside the canal and we were fascinated to see this old signal box that is still there, although now sadly unused.

Beeston Iron Lock is unusual in that it has iron sides. This was an attempt to overcome the unstable sandy ground in which it was built. Unfortunately the attempt is only partly successful as the iron sides have warped to the point that you can now only get one boat through this wide lock at a time.

Many of the locks on this stretch of canal have these round lengthsman's huts. This one was quite upright but most of them have an alarming tilt, leaning away from the canal as their foundations seem to have left something to be desired!

Bunbury is a double staircase lock next to an Anglo Welsh hire base. There was one boat coming down and two, including MM, going up. The Anglo Welsh manager organised a "shuffle" so that the three boats changed around between the top and bottom locks. Not a technique that we have used before! The rather bemused chap on the boat beside MM had flown all the way from Hawaii to rent the boat and it was his first ever experience of a lock - quite a baptism of fire!

Finally, we turned back on to the Middlewich Arm and found a very quiet mooring for the night.

Today: 6 miles, 6 locks and 4.5 hours.

Trip: 314 miles, 191 locks and 168.7 hours

Tattenhall Marina and The BBMF Lancaster!

 Monday 25th July 2022 at Beeston.

The day started looking stormy and unsettled but we set off fairly early in order to get to Tattenhall Marina for a pump-out, which was becoming a tad critical! The marina is only three miles away but for more than half that distance the side of the canal is lined with moored boats The line goes on and on into the distance. Like all good boaters (are "good" boaters in the minority these days?), we slowed right down so it takes an age to get past all the boats. Clearly the land owner is now farming narrowboats! Who can blame him?  Sadly, there's no money to be made in farming these days....

Finally, we arrived at Tattenhall anticipating a delightful second breakfast, only to find that the café doesn't open on a Monday or Tuesday. Rats! But the staff were extremely welcoming and helpful; the kind lady from the cafe even gave us some milk, as they had none left for sale.

Still, we were able to do a pump-out and top up with diesel during which time, the wind started to get stronger and it began to pour with rain - again.

The rain was short lived, although the wind stayed strong so, after having some lunch to compensate for the second breakfast we never got, we set off again. Tattenhall really is a most attractive marina, in a lovely open setting with far-reaching views and lush reed beds.

Suddenly from behind, a heart-stopping familiar sound reached our ears and the silhouette of a much loved aircraft announced the proximity of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster, which flew right over us. Sadly, it was not using its transponder, so we could not track its course on Flight Radar. Wonder where it was going? We'll never know....

M is doing a 16/8 diet to try to reduce what is politely called "middle age spread" - or, in the no-nonsense terminology of her gym, her "belly fat"!! (note from R: M really doesn't need to lose weight - she is fine just as she is). Technically, M is not allowed milk in her morning tea, so she was delighted to find that we had some green tea on board. We will see if that is a suitable substitute (note from M - it WASN'T!!)

We moored up close to Beeston Castle, but the weather deteriorated with rain and a very nasty wind that lasted all afternoon, so we decided to wait until tomorrow (when the forecast is much better) to walk up to the castle.

In the meantime, we just relaxed with R reading his new book by Pete Waterman.

Today: 6 miles, 6 locks and 4.5 hours.

Trip: 314 miles, 191 locks and 168.7 hours.

Leaving Chester and then Rain!

 Sunday 24th July 2022 at Waverton.

The morning started with a beautiful blue sky behind King Charles' Tower, under which we have moored for the last four days. The first time we've seen a blue sky since we've been here!

This painting from 1779 shows the tower with a lot less vegetation - and perhaps with a touch of poetic licence to make it appear taller than it really is! And very different houses from today's.

This made us smile; the notice warns boaters not to leave their horses unattended on the towpath under penalty of ten shillings.

The only winding (turning) point was behind us, so R had to back MM round the corner and under this road bridge in order to turn around. Passers-by watched from the bridge with great interest!

As we passed, we bade a fond farewell to the Siam Teppan-Yaki Restaurant and vowed to return.

There are five wide locks that take the canal up out of Chester. Unfortunately, we had to do them on our own as there were no other boats around. As we left the top one of the five, it started to rain. At least we managed to do the locks in the dry!

The rain got steadily harder, so R ended up steering under the umbrella, which at least kept him dry.

Luckily, there were no more locks for a while, so R started looking for somewhere to moor. The trick is to find somewhere that you can stop and moor up without getting too wet. While you are cruising under the umbrella it is easy to stay dry but once you stop and try to moor up, the likelihood is that you are going to get very wet.

But we were in luck; R found a space that we had seen on the way up which had rings and short grass, so he was able to moor up very quickly and stay fairly dry.

This photograph, taken later in the evening, could almost be a Constable painting as the late sun caught the tree tops in between showers.

We ended up having a relaxing afternoon listening to the rain on the roof and reading.

Today: 4 miles, 5 locks and 6.2 hours (including four days power).

Trip: 303 miles, 185 locks and 161.9 hours.

A Visit from Sam, Amy and George.

 Saturday 23rd July 2022 in Chester.

Today we had a visit from M's nephew Sam, with Amy, his wife, and ten month old George.

They now live locally, having moved up here from Reigate. It was great to see them and to meet George for the first time. After a guided tour of MM, we sat down for lunch in relays so that there was always one of us keeping an eye on George who was very mobile and curious about his new surroundings.

George is the youngest child we have had on MM! Naturally, we don't have any toys suitable for such a young lad on board. So, several wooden and plastic kitchen implements were co-opted and proved to be very popular; he particularly enjoyed banging the coasters together!

George behaved impeccably and was very smiley. It was so nice to see the three of them and have a catch-up over lunch.

It was soon time for George's afternoon nap so the three of them set off home.  This is our last full day in Chester. so we wandered back into the city to pick up something from M&S which we had ordered online, only to discover that it had been delayed and would not now arrive until next week - when we shall be long gone.

Instead, we wandered around looking at the lovely old buildings, like this one dated 1395!

Although not everything is what it seems to be. This splendid example looked really old but is actually dated 1888. The Victorians were very good at "faux"!

Chester is famous for "The Rows" where two shops are built one on top of the other as can be seen in the photographs above and below. Wandering along the upper level is always most enjoyable.

The shop "To Let" on the right is Ye Olde Boot Pub, now sadly closed.

"The Rows" extend along most of Eastgate Street and all down Bridge Street.

 Finally, we returned to MM via the Roman Wall past the Eastgate Clock.

MM's last day off as we leave Chester tomorrow morning.

Model Railways and Teppan-Yaki!

 Friday 22nd July, 2022 still in Chester.

What's this??? We awoke to the sound of RAIN on the roof! Surely not?  But it was, and it stayed falling almost all day. 

Grabbing the umbrellas, we walked along the Roman Wall into the city. Behind the cathedral is a row of houses used by the Cathedral staff. And there was an umbrella; something we've not seen in a while!

Just inside the walls is the Cathedral itself, which is very large and imposing, in fact far bigger than it appears from the canal. There has been a church on this site for well over a thousand years.

M was puzzled. Why was R so keen to visit the Cathedral all of a sudden?  She had completely forgotten that Pete Waterman's huge "Making Tracks 2" OO Gauge railway model was on display inside! No wonder R was so keen to go in!

The layout represents almost a scale mile of the West Coast Main Line. It is 64ft long and some idea of the scale can be seen by comparison with the West Window in the background and the people looking on. M, in conversation with a lady member of the clergy, discovered that the Cathedral is delighted to host this exhibition each year, as it brings thousands of folk in!

Because of the length of the layout, it is possible to run long trains to scale. The longest freight train is 22ft long!

Pete Waterman, the well known music producer, was there and M very kindly bought a copy of his book for R and Pete Waterman was kind enough to sign it.

That, and some more shopping, took up most of the rainy day. But in the evening we had a much anticipated treat to go to the "Siam" restaurant for a Teppan-Yaki dinner.

The evening did not disappoint with the chef performing and cooking our food in front of us. He started off cutting and cooking "Siam Potatoes". Teppan-Yaki involves much theatrical tossing of implements and ingredients high in the air and general highly skilled tomfoolery! This causes much laughter, especially among any children present!

Then he started juggling eggs without breaking any. One can be seen here in mid air.

 

At the next door table, a large party was celebrating a young boy's birthday. Everyone sang "Happy Birthday" and right at the end their chef ignited some spirit. Perhaps he overdid it a bit but it certainly took everyone by surprise. Lots of "oohs" and "aahs" and more laughter.

Our own chef continued cooking our prawns, chicken, steak, vegetables and rice. He was always smiling and the food was absolutely delicious.

After eating our fill and collecting a doggie bag to take the leftovers home, we walked happily back to MM through the rain.

A great day despite the weather. This really is a lovely city to visit, rain or shine.

MM took another day off.