Tuesday 31 May 2016

Tuesday 31 May 2016

Woke up this morning and realised that we had managed to moor on a ledge and due to the water levels changing the boat was leaning heavily to the left!  Eventually managed to get off the mooring and through the remaining four locks of the flight we started yesterday.

Lovely and sunny but pretty windy today – although I understand in London they have rain so mustn’t grumble!


We stopped at Bridge 85 in Hack Green to visit the Secret Nuclear Bunker, then carried on through two more locks to Nantwich – another lovely town.  Apparently prosperous since Roman times because of its salt springs.  Nantwich was the country's main salt-mining centre until the 19th C.

The canal is high up here and you can see for miles between the gaps in the trees!

We need to get off this ledge!

Can you see the boat leaning!

It's not a secret anymore with a sign like that!

And inside....

Christmas dinner the year Steve was born.

Nuclear Missile Head.

Bunker communications.

Remembering our visit to Hack Green Secret Bunker!

The female dormitory. 

And outside - amazing they managed to keep it a secret!

Back on lock duty!

Nantwich - The town was devastated by fire in 1583 but rebuilt in fine Tudor style.

Some very small cottages either side of this Tudor style cottage.

Buildings of all shapes and sizes and styles.

The Cheshire Cat Inn - a place of historical interest.

Heading back from town - looking up at the aqueduct - we are moored up there to the left so will go over it in the morning when we leave.

Monday 31 May 2016

A quick dash into town to stock up with some supplies.  Back on board and we decided to reverse back to the water point so we could do some washing on the way - we had 20 locks ahead of us today.  

Of course it is a sunny bank holiday Monday so the world and his uncle are on the canal!  We got through the Adderley flight of five locks without too much delay but then we hit the first of the flight of 15 and had to queue through every lock.  When we got through the 11th lock a boat had just left a mooring so we decided to grab the space. 

We are now in Cheshire in a place called Audlem and guess what - they have their annual festival going on - there are three pubs in the village each of which are hosting several bands, along the canal there are boats selling arts and crafts and boat accessories such as clocks and barometers and hand woven fenders (in fact we bought some fenders off this guy at Salters Lode lock on the Middle Level Navigation six years ago! - he said he remembered us.... et he says that to all the boaters!).  Glad they had great weather for their festival -  it looks like all the residents of Audlem, as well as a few others, were here enjoying the weekend.

It would have been rude not to have gone and had a look, buy some bits and enjoy the music. 


Leaving Market Drayton.

Swan on a Zimmer!

...!

Chugging through Brownhills Wood which is alleged by the superstitious to shelter a vociferous ghost - glad we are not stopping here for the night!

Bank holiday Monday and there are lots of little people wearing life jackets about!

A very handy stall selling all sorts of handmade and farm reared produce. 

Our purchases - the lamb chops were delicious - Steve says the pork pie was excellent and I've yet to taste the homemade butter!

and through the first five locks of the day.

I wonder if our butter came from her milk!

Changing roles - Steve is doing the locks today!

Audlem.

Enjoying the music!

Such a great village.

Nice - Austin Healey!

Friday 27 - Sunday 29 May 2016

On Friday we chugged on for 14 miles and through the Tyrley flight of five locks until we reached Market Drayton which unfortunately isn't as lovely as the last few places we have stopped at - typical as this is where we have decided to stay until Monday as mum and dad are coming to pick Lou up on Sunday.  

We had a good mooch and shop in town on Saturday and cooked for mum and dad on Sunday as we didn't want to go out for another grotty pub meal - the place I had thought about going to had actually been repossessed on 11 May and was rated 33 out of 47 restaurants in Market Drayton on Tripadvisor!

Of course whilst we stood still the weather was glorious!!


Goodbye The Boat Inn - Would definitely like to come back here one day.

Happy Fisherman - catch of the day!

Passing along Grub Street Cutting and under High Bridge with a masonry strut, carrying a short telegraph pole, built across its tall arch.  

All the bridges along Grub Street Cutting are high - can you see how narrow the canal is here.

And of course it wouldn't be the same if we hadn't met a boat coming the other way!

Tyrley Wharf at the top of the Tyrley Flight of five locks.   

Thankfully the navigational notes warned us that there is an underwater obstruction on the towpath side between locks 4 and 5 so you mustn't leave lock 4 until the top gate of lock 5 is open.  The bywash at the bottom of lock 4 is also very fierce - we saw it push one boat against the rocks and trees - glad that wasn't us!

'Ow do (that's what they say up here!) Mr and Mrs Trunk.

Arriving in Market Drayton.

All weekend we watched this male swan chasing this female duck.

Every time she got in the water he chased her out and every time she got out...

He chased her back in.  The mum and cygnets are way up the canal - you would have thought he could have given her a break - why she didn't find a new stretch of canal is amazing - she must be exhausted.

Monday 30 May 2016

Thursday 26 May 2016

This is what happens when I don't keep up with the blog - I can't remember what the days were like weather wise!!! I don't think it rained but it was definitely cooler than Wednesday and we didn't have as much sunshine.

We took a walk into Brewood (Brood) and glad we did as it was a great little village.  We then chugged on only 8 miles to Gnosall Heath on Thursday - another lovely village.  In the evening we had a drink in The Boat Inn - a great little pub with a very informative landlord - well worth stopping at.

Off for a walk around Brewood.

One nice terrace.

The Swan Hotel 

Another nice terrace.

and we're off again.

Cute!

Approaching the aqueduct

and over the Roman Road (A5)

Ahh that boat's got a Steve on board too!

Glad Slimming World is working for him - wish it was for me!

I didn't expect to see a red double decker in the middle of the country!

Nice place for a Jetty.

Through Cowley Tunnel

Arriving at Gnosall Heath.