C&RT Reducing Rubbish Faciities.

 Sunday 15th and Monday 16th September 2024 at Middlewich.

We have only limited time to get back to MM's winter mooring at Aston Marina, so we really need to keep moving. However, today the forecast was dire and, for once, unfortunately, reality matched the forecast! Looking at the weather radar, there was a line of heavy rain storms running straight over us. We are the little blue dot in the middle! Apparently the rest of the country south of us was enjoying a beautiful sunny day!

Despite the weather, we decided we should at least get through the Dutton Tunnel at Preston Brook. While we were in the tunnel was the only time that we were not getting soaked!

A very traditional old narrowboat followed us into the tunnel; you can see his headlight in the photo. When we came out the other end of the tunnel, there was no sign of the following boat and we were concerned that they might have had a problem. Just as R was about to walk back to the tunnel they finally appeared but it had taken them more than half an hour to do what normally takes 20 minutes. Anyway, it seems that they were fine. We didn't see them again after that and assumed they had put in to a small boatyard dealing with old boats just after the tunnel exit.

Not long after, we moored up at the site of the Dutton Breach and spent the rest of the day with the heating turned up trying to dry out everything, including ourselves. Waterproof jackets dripdrying in the shower tray!

On Monday morning, having put on our still damp boating shoes, we made an early start to get to the Saltisford Tunnel by 9:30. The forecast was for sun but there was quite thick mist, which did not clear until well after midday.

Near the entrance to the tunnel, there is a tree stump that has been carved into a series of animals, namely a fox, a duck and a kingfisher. Beautifully done! They had all been very nicely painted too.

M decided to walk over the tunnel as she had not walked over this one before. She said that it was a bit of a steep slog to the summit but a very pleasant walk, with views down to the River Weaver on one side.

At Anderton, we stopped for water and to dump our rubbish. Would you believe it - as we arrived we found the C&RT man in the process of completely demolishing the rubbish facility! It appears that the local authority has placed restrictions on the local tip so local residents have been using the C&RT facility to dump all their waste. The C&RT man was not at all positive about the C&RT or its reaction to the problem! This is where the rubbish facility had been only fifteen minutes before ....

Further on, we passed the huge TATA salt works, which are undergoing a major expansion.

The new section included a number of these cooling towers with massive fans to blow cooling air through huge radiators.

At "Big Lock", we teamed up with a Canal Club boat. This is the first proper lock since Poolstock in Wigan over 40 miles away and it is the last wide lock on our way back to Aston.

We moored up next to the childrens' playground and walked into Morrisons for a few more bits.

Two Days: 20 miles, 2 locks and 7.8 hours.

Trip: 266 miles, 101 locks and 132.7 hours.