Leaky Gates and Dinner with William

Thursday 5th June, 2014 at Marple.
More rain overnight and we awoke to a very cold morning (only 10deg).
We went for a walk along the path of the old tramway, which used to bring limestone down from a series of quarries about six miles to the east.  Just above the Basin, the tramway splits, with one line going to the top of the kilns (over the bridge) and the other down to the basin proper.

Horses were used to pull the empty wagons back up to the quarries, we wondered if this might be one of their descendants?

The slight gradient meant that loaded waggons could "freewheel" down the tramway to the Basin, usually in a "gang" of up to 20 two-ton wagons.

A "ganger" rode on the side of the second waggon, he had no platform, he just stood on the stub axle sticking out from the wheel! If the gang started going too fast, he would "sprag" a wheel, this meant hooking a chain on to a spoke of one of the wheels to stop it turning and so slow the gang down (lovely visions of the 'elf turning in his grave!).

We set off after filling up with water. We were wearing umpteen layers of clothing as well as fleeces and hats. Well, this is June in England after all!
We cruised the mile down to the terminus at Whaley Bridge, just so that we could say that MM had been there, then we set off for Marple. This time M did all four swing/lift bridges on her own; there was almost no-one around and the canal was very quiet.
At Marple Junction we moored in exactly the same place as we did on the way up. There was just room for a beautiful 60 footer right beside our friends on "It's Amore".

A "few bits" was a perfect excuse for R to disappear into Costa while M went to the Co-op!
Before dinner, we decided to combine a nice walk with useful reconnaissance of the full length of the sixteen lock Marple flight. It was indeed a good walk and very rural once past the top four locks.
Lock thirteen is unusual in that a road goes over the top and there are two tunnels, a wide one for the horses:

And a second very narrow and steep one for the boat crew.

It was extremely good reconnaissance because now we are much better prepared for next year when we need to go down these locks to reach the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. The locks are very deep at over 13ft and the flow from the paddles is ferocious.
However, it was a lovely quiet walk of about a mile in each direction and 214 ft down and up. We greatly admired the stonework in each lock, built by true craftsmen - even if the gates tended to leak a lot! Unusually, some locks were empty, whereas others were full or only half full. There appeared to be no pattern to it and we could only put it down to horribly leaking gates.

We had another visitor this evening. Jenni's eldest son, William, lives at Hadfield only 20 minutes' drive away and we had invited him to come for dinner on board. It was wonderful to see him walking down the towpath towards us and M was so pleased that she dashed up the back steps and ended up hitting her head on the sliding hatch!
As William left, the moon was bright above and reflected as a perfect mirror-image in the still waters of the canal.
Today: 7 miles, 0 Locks and 5.1 hours (plus 2.8 hours for power yesterday)
Trip: 56 miles, 28 locks and 34.5 hours.

A "Weather Stone" and Dinner with Adrian.

Wednesday 4th June, 2104 still at Bugsworth Basin.
We awoke to gentle rain from a brightish sky. We had planned to stay here for the day and do some exploratory walks in the area. However, the rain was set in for the day so instead we decided to go to Buxton on the train.
We walked the one mile down the towpath to Whaley Bridge where there is a railway station. On the way we passed a cottage with a "weather stone" hanging outside.

The stone was wet - so it must have been raining!
Whaley Bridge and Bugsworth Basin are the twin termini of the Peak Forest Canal. Whereas Bugsworth Basin is huge with multiple lime kilns etc., Whaley Bridge is just a turning point and a transhipment shed, where limestone was transferred from trucks to canal barges.

 The town is thriving and has a typical Peak District look about it. The station had some charming features including a beautiful stained glass panel over the entrance.

The station was even still "manned" with a proper ticket office, where we bought our Senior returns to Buxton for the princely sum of £4.25 each.
The journey was a delight, glorious countryside as the train wound round dales and hills so typical of Derbyshire. The train called at Chapel-en-le-Frith and Dove Holes, two towns that we have often driven through on our way from Huddersfield to Buxton.
We arrived in Buxton shortly before midday and immediately headed to our favourite tea rooms, "Number Six", directly facing the renowned Opera House. We got to know the town fairly well in 2009 when we spent a week here for the annual Gilbert & Sullivan Festival.
Feeling restored by a light lunch, after our long (25 minute!) train journey, we walked through the theatre's beautiful conservatory of tropical plants.

On the far side of the conservatory is a restaurant, where we used to eat most nights before the theatre, and a very nice gift shop, where we acquired a couple of local OS Maps. Despite the rain, we took a walk through the beautiful Pavilion Gardens, which are a delight. We were fascinated by a new feature: a tree stump skillfully carved into animal shapes.

Walking back to MM from Whaley Bridge Station, we found what must be the narrowest footpath ever!

 

Back at the Basin we called in at the little shop by the canal entrance to acquire some information leaflets. The shop is run by volunteers from the "Inland Waterways Protection Society", the restoration group responsible for restoring the Basin. The couple on duty had been involved in the restoration from the beginning in 1968 and were fascinating to talk to. They observed, wryly, that the restoration could not have taken place today as it was almost all done by volunteers and nowadays, Health & Safety would not allow it.
The rain eased off by 5pm when Adrian arrived to join us for dinner. He's been on a course at Penistone for two weeks to qualify to use a new non-destructive test system. Penistone is the only place in the world where this qualification is available and two of the three people on the course with Adrian were from Brisbane, Australia!
After a cup of tea, we all walked round the Basin, pointing out the features of this gem of an industrial heritage site.

We had dinner in the Navigation Inn just a hundred yards from where MM is moored. The Inn's history goes back to the original development of the basin about 1800. Until recently, it was owned by Pat Phoenix of "Coronation Street" fame.
Adrian sampled a pint of "Tiller Girl" ale before dinner! He set off back to his hotel after dinner and said afterwards that the drive back through classic Dales country had been a delight.
Today: No travel.

We finally arrive at Bugsworth Basin with MM

Tuesday 3rd June, 2014 at Bugsworth Basin.
The day started grey and cool, but thankfully dry after last night's heavy rain. The friends that we had made last night at the foot of the Bosley lock flight passed us on their boat "It's Amore" (he's Italian!).
We cruised through beautiful countryside to Marple Junction where the Macclesfield Canal comes to an end and joins up with the older Peak Forest Canal. This is the end of the Macclesfield with the Peak Forest Canal on the other side of the bridge.

We moored just before the junction and went to reconnoitre.  We will be turning right on to the Peak Forest Canal and head towards Bugsworth Basin, but if we had turned left, we would have encountered the steepest lock flight in the country, 16 locks that drop the canal 214 ft. Each lock averages over 13ft in depth and "wow!" they really do look deep! Next year we are planning to go down that flight on our way up north - so it was useful reconnaisance. Marple is very much a "canal" town as you can see from the unusual street lamps with a very narrowboating theme.

We walked down past the first four locks to the centre of Marple where M was delighted to find a large Co-op, where she bought a "few bits" and R was even happier to find a Costa!

Back on MM, after struggling back up the hill two bags bursting with the "few bits", we set off down the Peak Forest Canal.

Simultaneously we both said "Wow!" (again) at the breathtaking scenery as the canal followed the 518 ft contour past deep valleys, high hills and verdant pastures as far as the eye could see. Absolutely beautiful!

Two swing bridges and two lift bridges followed, but luckily we had two companion boats with us. On one were our friends Lorraine and Frederico on nb "It's Amore" and the other was nb "Cornelian". We were all heading for Bugsworth so we took it in turns to operate the bridges.
On the way we found yet another house that we wouldn't mind owning! A secluded canalside property with a beautiful garden and room to moor MM - a lovely dream!

As we approached Newtown, a rather sickly sweet aroma pervading the air heralded our approach to a large converted mill that is Swizzles-Matlows confectionery works. The Pearson's Canal Guide describes it as the "purveyor of sherberty smells and origin of all the sticky substances you find abandoned in your children's pockets". A most fitting description!  Two beaming ladies in white overalls and turbans waved cheerily to us from one of the factory's windows as we passed.

We arrived at Bugsworth Basin in the late afternoon and moored up in the Upper Basin at the very end of the canal.

The site has a fascinating history and is a remarkable example of how our heritage can be saved and restored, given the will.
Bugsworth Basin was a massive transhipment site, the first part of which was completed in 1796. A six mile tramway connected it with the limestone quarries deep in the Dales to the east. Canal boats brought in coal from the Manchester area. 19 limestone kilns turned some of the limestone into quicklime and the canal boats carried the limestone and the quicklime back towards Manchester.

The restoration started in 1968, when the whole site was completely silted up and a mass of trees, brambles and weeds. Now it is a beautifully restored and attractive basin; such a startling contrast from the hell on earth that it must have been in its heyday with all the lime kilns belching black smoke.
It was quite emotional for us to arrive here with MM at last. Five years ago we came here by car from Buxton and watched a couple moor up their narrowboat, get out their chairs on the grassy bank and enjoy a gin & tonic. We wistfully thought then of the day we might do that on our own boat. At that time MM was but a dream - but this evening we sat next to her in the spot where we had dreamed five years ago and drank a gin & tonic toast to MM. How blessed we are!
Today: 11 miles, 0 locks and 5.4 hours.
Trip: 49 miles, 28 locks and 26.6 hours.

A Flight of Twelve Locks in the Depth of the Countryside.

Monday 2nd June, 2014 at Fourlane-Ends.
M drew back the curtains and, to her consternation, the sun appeared to be rising in the west.  Had the world turned upside down overnight?  However, she soon realised that it was just due to the looping twists of the Macclesfield canal - so all was well!
After breakfast, we girded our loins for the Bosley twelve lock flight immediately ahead. Between the first and second lock you can see the disused railway bridge in the background; we had walked over it last night. It once part of the Churnet railway line, which runs alongside the Caldon Canal, and must have been a most scenic railway journey.  Yet another casualty of the Beeching axe......

Sitting in the third lock, R had the opportunity to re-set the bow fender, which had been pushed to one side. He sat on the lock gate and managed not to fall in - nor to drop any of his tools into the lock!

It is a very pretty and very rural flight and for the first eight locks, all of which were against us, we were completely on our own in the middle of quiet countryside with not another soul to be seen or heard. M, as ever, was auditing the plantlife, including one of her favourites - a trefoil, commonly known as "Eggs and Bacon" because of its orange and yellow colouring.

The paddles were all very stiff, but M (aka "Hercules") did a great job.  However, she was very relieved when, at the ninth lock, someone came the other way (hooray!) and there were C&RT volunteers who set each of the last four locks in our favour (double hooray!). M asked them to look out for the Canadians, who would no doubt be coming up the lock flight later in the day.
Lunch was on Gurnett Aqueduct, a lovely spot in the sunshine.

We had read in the guide books about a cottage in the village just below the aqueduct where James Brindley had served his seven-year apprenticeship (1733-1740) before going on to become one of the most famous canal engineers ever.

At Macclesfield, we passed by the Hovis Mill, a most impressive building. Bread is no longer made there, but Hovis still uses it as a print works for all its packaging.

Further on, we saw a very rare sight on the canals - not a good place to go swimming.  Very odd, some of the "ornaments" one sees in canalside gardens!

We passed through Bollington, renowned for its magnificent former textile mills. Both cotton and silk were spun and woven in this area. The huge Bollington Silk Mill is now occupied by offices and small business units.

Later in the afternoon it started to rain heavily and we moored near Grimshaws Bridge, having done 12 miles and 12 locks today.
Today: 12 miles, 12 locks and 7.3 hours.
Trip: 38 miles, 28 locks and 21.2 hours.

Of Marmalade and a Long, Dark Tunnel.

Sunday 1st June, 2014 below Bosley Locks.
June already? How did that happen?
We both slept well and awoke to a lovely sunny day.

We set off after breakfast to do the three locks up to the Etruria Industrial Musem. The top lock was particularly busy with gongoozlers (sightseers), the sunshine, plus a canal festival, had brought them out in droves. M was ably assisted by "Rob-the-Lock", a young man whose hobby is going around the local area and helping boaters through the locks. He remembered meeting us last September, when he helped us up through the staircase locks just round the corner at the start of the Caldon Canal.
There was a line of trading boats above the top lock and we spotted the "Wild Side" lady on the first boat.

 

She makes and sells jams and marmalades with fruit gathered from the hedgerows along the waterways. We had already enjoyed the "fruits" of her labours at Crick last year, where she had a stall - so we could not resist buying some more (all delicious and made with a touch of alcohol!).

There were other trading boats in a line, one of which was a home brew boat that cheekily invited passers-by to "Get your kit off...."

A little further, on we passed the Round House, the sole surviving building of Josiah Wedgwood's original works in Etruria. Due to mining subsidence, the factory was moved 75 years ago from its original location to its present site (next to where we had lunch yesterday); the original site is now a retail park.
Soon, we arrived at the Harecastle Tunnel and we were fortunate indeed as there was a line of boats about to go in and we were able to tag on to the back of the line. As the tunnel is one-way and it takes about 45 minutes to go through, there can sometimes be a wait of up to 2 hours.

When we went through last autumn, M had walked over the top, but this time she went through with R on MM. There were a few drips from the roof but it was mainly dry. The tunnel is a mile and three-quarters long and as we came out at the other end it was just possible to see the light at the other end, but only just, as the tiniest pinprick in the distance.

Soon after the tunnel comes Hardings Wood Junction where the Macclesfield Canal branches off the Trent and Mersey. To our delight, we saw Kingsground's award-winning boat "Simplicity" at the junction - note the colour of the canal water - it is tainted with local iron ore and resembles liquid milk chocolate!

The junction is fascinating as, in order to turn right, you have to turn left!  Then you run parallel to the T&M before turning right across an aqueduct over the top of the T&M, which drops down below through a flight of locks. The side-by-side pair of locks on the T&M can be seen below the aqueduct in the photo.

There is a "stop-lock" shortly after which was installed to prevent the Macclesfield Canal from "stealing" water from the T&M (the canal companies guarded their water jealously!) . It only has a drop of a foot - but originally there were two stop locks, one immediately after the other, each just six inches deep and next to each lock was a toll house. One lock and toll house belonged to the T&M and the other to the Macclesfield!
A hire boat immediately behind us appeared to be having some problems so M went to see if she could help. She discovered that they were a Canadian couple, Rick and Elma, and this was their first lock ever! They had come all the way from Winnipeg expressly to experience the English canals! M was immediately concerned for them, remembering the flight of 12 Bosley Locks not far ahead and suggested that they follow us up; but they were planning to moor up shortly and walk to Mow Cop, a local beauty spot.
The scenery was very pretty; hayfields full of buttercups on both sides and views of distant hills, one as high as 1,126 ft is called the "Cloud" and we think that we might try to walk up it on our way back.
We were lucky enough to find the last mooring space below the Bosley flight of locks and the "Cloud" is in the background.

We did something that we have rarely been able to do - we got out the "Director's" chairs, put them on the grassy bank and enjoyed a gin and tonic in the evening sunshine. Bliss!
Before dinner, we walked up past the first lock to reconnoitre the lie of the land and to look at the disused railway line that crosses the canal.

We also walked down through the fields to look at the aqueduct that carries the canal over the river Dane.

Difficult to think that there is a canal way up there!
Today: 16 miles, 4 locks and 7.1 hours.
Trip: 26 miles, 16 locks and 13.9 hours.

Off at Last!

Saturday 31st May, 2014 at Stoke-on-Trent.
Well, finally we are off, just like the policemen in "Pirates of Penzance" - we go, we "really, really go!" Actually we "went" a few days ago - but we have had such fun that we have only just got around to writing up our diary!
After the "Big Breakfast" in the marina bistro, and collecting from Nick (the butcher in the marina farm shop) the packs of meat that he had prepared and frozen for us, we set off at last. We knew that it would be a happy/sad moment to leave the marina but took comfort from the fact that we will be back in two weeks.
The morning was bright as we turned out of the marina. It was like the first ever day of our travels back in 2011. MM was sparkling on the inside and pristine on the outside with her gleaming brass and fresh paintwork. The fridge, freezer, cupboards and wine cellar were all stocked up and the sun was shining. Who could ask for more?
As we pulled out of our berth A22, Captain Guy was on hand to supervise.

Which way did we turn - north or south? Did we toss a coin or just wait to see which way the wind took us? Actually, neither. Because we have to go home for a week in June to see David and Justina (yippee!!), we decided that there would not be enough time to cruise the Leeds and Liverpool over the Pennines without rushing. When we do that trip, we want to be able to take our time and savour every minute. So instead, we decided to use these two weeks to go up to the Peak Forest Canal in Derbyshire, via the Macclesfield Canal, and back, then we can put MM back into Aston Marina while we go home for a week and afterwards we will head south west to Stratford-upon-Avon, Gloucester and Sharpness. Now we've made that decision, we are really looking forward to it.

Just a few hundred yards from the marina loomed the first lock. After a seven month gap, M had been fretting about doing locks again - would she remember what to do? But, of course, it was fine. Just like riding a bike, it all comes back to you and soon we were through the first lock and on our way.

It was a lovely day and, being a Saturday, there were many people out on the towpath and everyone waved cheerily. The countryside is always beautiful at this time of year and there were many broods of young ducklings and cygnets in the canal, including one pair of swans with ten little ones.

We remembered well the locks in Stone, having done them last autumn. One was very hard work and M, struggling with the stiff paddles, called out hopefully to a group of passing youths - "I could do with a strong man!" Sure enough, one came running to help. He was a local lad, yet to M's surprise, he said that he'd never worked a lock before. He appeared to enjoy this new experience!
We stopped for lunch opposite the Wedgwood factory beside a field of buttercups. We had moored in the same spot last year when we had visited the factory.

Usually, any herons on the bank fly away before we get to them, but this one seemed quite unconcerned at our passing and just sat and watched as we cruised by.

The city of Stoke-on-Trent became increasingly familiar as we approached; we spent a lot of time here last year. To our surprise, and M's delight, we spotted an "Eddie" passing over one of the bridges; we were able to identify it and count it as our first ever "spot" from MM!
We moored in the same spot where we stayed last autumn when Erika, Dan and Lucas came to visit, with two beautifully restored bottle kilns on one side and the local cemetary on the other. A quiet and peaceful mooring yet just a short distance from the city centre.

We had a lovely day and were both very happy to be back on board. At the second lock of the day, we acquired the first scrape on the new paintwork - inevitable! M said that at least now we could relax and stop fretting about it!
Today: 10 miles, 12 Locks and 6.8 hours