The Lovely Lisa Narrowboat (but currently called Lucy Lowther): Quick Resume Part 5

1-4 June

My visit to the river Weaver and well worthwhile, although facilities for boaters are pretty sparse.

I stop briefly at Northwich for a visit to the minor injuries unit at the local hospital to have an infected thumb treated. On a Saturday afternoon I expect it to be busy with sports injuries but I am the only one there and walk straight in.

Northwich, adjacent to the new Waitrose which is being built. Apparently the pontoons are being restored which will provide much needed decent moorings.

Railway viaduct heading upstream. There is very little flow on the river although apparently it can be rather different after rain and the lift can be closed to boats.

The locks were built to take commercial craft. All the locks are manned and I have nothing to do other than pass my rope up. In the top right the railway type signal can be seen. Used to control approaching boats in rather busier times.

These are the footholds which were used to climb up the lock in bygone days. Now occupied by mussels imported on foreign boats, they emit a squirt of water when exposed to the air - and apparently they are poisonous so not for tea today!

The two locks going upstream are still hand operated and take two men to operate. Coming back at 2.30pm on a sunny Sunday I am only the second boat through. CaRT are paying 6 full time lock-keepers and without more traffic there must be a great risk that the operational hours will be reduced.

It feels very lonely in this lock on my own.

And this is the cargo that most boats used to transport - rock salt.

The oldest and deepest rock salt mine in the country and still very much operational. Unfortunately the cargo is no longer transported on the canals.

Flat out - at over 6mph!

Formerly a Thames maintenance boat now spending its days on a different river.

Sunset

Near the limit of navigation at Winsford.

There are a few good spots to moor.

Most of the locks are double locks (the second can just be seen here) - one larger and one smaller but in most cases one of them is no longer operational.

The sluices at Dutton locks, where I spend a night going down and return the next night, showing even in quiet times there is still a lot of water going down.

Took the opportunity for a lovely dawn cruise.

The busy M56 - I'll stick with 4mph.

Impressive viaduct

Massive ICI works. I measured a mile and was not at the end of them. If the warning siren sounds, the advice is to check which way the wind is blowing and run as fast as you can in the opposite direction!