Quick Resume Part 5 - River Weaver

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!

As far as I go - the tidal lock onto the Manchester Ship Canal.

Looking out to the Manchester Ship Canal, the Mersey and Liverpool in the distance










And finishing with some shots of the local wildlife.

Anyone for goose?

Nosy neighbours

Make room for another one

WEAVER: 38 miles; 8 large locks
TOTAL:  334 miles (39 miles broad, 40 miles river); 158 locks (31 broad); 15 moveable bridges

Quick Resume Part 4

29 & 30 May

Spend a couple of days on the Middlewich branch of the Shropshire Union, which connects the main branch of the Shroppie with the Trent & Mersey.

Could not resist stopping for lunch at, yep, The Olde Barbridge Inn for another helping of their excellent belly of pork.

TODAY: 7 miles; 2 locks
TOTAL:  274 miles (39 miles broad, 7 miles river); 142 locks (21 broad); 15 moveable bridges

31 May

Beautiful morning so I make an early start.

And find a lovely spot for lunch.

The canals are not all pretty scenery!

 

Went on much later than I had intended as there was a great lack of decent moorings - even in Northwich.  It seems the folk around here do not want visitors!  Eventually found a spot just above Northwich.  No internet but a decent TV signal.

 

I was rewarded with a lovely sunset

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TODAY: 14 miles; 6 locks
TOTAL:  288 miles (39 miles broad, 7 miles river); 148 locks (21 broad); 15 moveable bridges

1 June

I make for the Anderton Boat Lift to get onto the River Weaver.  It is an incredible piece of engineering.  It is possible to book (£5 fee) but I just turn up and am fortunate to secure a slot on the next but one passage. It can transport two narrowboats (or 4 cruisers) at a time.

Entrance to the lift

Built by Edwin Clark in 1875 to lift cargo boats the 50 feet from the River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal.

Trip boat going up as I go down

From April to October you can enjoy boat trips through the lift and along the River Weaver Navigation.

Like all great things, the concept is simple: two huge water tanks, each with watertight sealable doors carry boats up and down. The original counter-balanced system was replaced in 1908 by electric operation, but the lift now works hydraulically again.

View from the Weaver

 

No description can adequately convey the sheer scale of this engineering feat. The lift worked until 1983 when serious deterioration of the structure was discovered. Some £7m was raised to fund the restoration, which was completed in 2002.

The completion of the restoration was followed by the opening of an Operations Centre in 2003. This offers interactive displays, educational facilities, a gift shop and a coffee shop.

More information here where there is a video of the lift in operation.

I set off up the Weaver - it is a lovely river, despite the several salt works.  More of that next time.

TODAY: 8 miles; 2 locks
TOTAL:  296 miles (39 miles broad, 12 miles river); 150 locks (23 broad); 15 moveable bridges

Quick Resume Part 3

22 May

Ellesmere is a very nice place and has some strange "sculptures"  I did like one though.

All of the tiles inside depict canal scenes.

I was lucky enough to meet John and give him a cup of coffee and a donation.  I had been reading of his journey on the canalworld forum.  His wife died last year as well and we shed a few tears together.

He is planning to take his makeshift catamaran to the furthest points of the English canal system and is doing fantastically well and raising money for McMillan. You can read his story and exploits here  You can also make a donation to a very worthwhile cause should you feel so inclined.

There is a very large and popular Mere.  I will let the photos do the talking.

The first gosling I have spotted

So, goodbye to Ellesmere and I make my way to Whitchurch.

James gives me a fright.  He went almost comatose for a couple of hours.  Barely responds when I call him and not interested in treats. At 8pm I try ringing the vet and am pleasantly surprised to get an answer - they provide a 24 hour emergency service.  For an £80 call out fee (fair enough) he will meet me at the surgery.  I am not sure if I can get James there - it is over a mile.  Of course as soon as I pick up the lead he perks up and seems completely normal.  I call vet back and he advises a check-up tomorrow, which I was going to do anyway.

TODAY: 12.5 miles; 0 locks;
TOTAL:  244 miles (36 miles broad, 7 miles river); 121 locks (21 broad); 11 lift bridges

23 May

Walk to the vets is a bit traumatic as it is mostly along roads and he goes mental whenever a car passes.  We get there and the vet confirms he has kennel cough and is pretty congested.  Turn last night would have been caused by a temperature spike and his temperature is still high.  Antibiotics and steroids prescribed and it means I will not be able to have his second inoculation (first was done by first rescue centre he was in) done in the 28 day time limit so he will have to have the first again.
Get back to the boat OK and I decide to get the bike out for the first time to cycle to Sainsburys.  Half way there and I find the going difficult - I thought I was getting fitter!  It's not me it is a puncture.  Padlock the bike and walk the rest and back to the bike with arms a bit longer than they were!

The weather is not good and strong winds so I stay another night until Saturday and break the 48 hour limit.

25 May

Cruise to Baddiley locks within easy reach of Nantwich.  Lisa's nephew, Jamie and his family, are driving up from London tomorrow to experience cruising on a narrowboat and I moor within an easy taxi ride of the B&B where they are staying.  It means I do a decent bit of housekeeping to make the boat presentable!

TODAY: 9 miles; 13 locks; 4 moveable bridges
TOTAL:  253 miles (36 miles broad, 7 miles river); 134 locks (21 broad); 15 moveable bridges

26 May

Jamie, Sally, Catherine and William duly arrive and Jamie has his first experience of working locks.  We are intending to have a bbq in the evening and we have a choice between making for Hack Green (where I stopped to see the cold war bunker), which has a very nice picnic/bbq spot, or stopping at the Barbridge Inn for a pint.  Needless to say the pub wins and it is absolutely mobbed.  Luckily a boat moves off the moorings just as I am approaching.  Tight spot to get into and another boater stands ready to take my rope, trhen says "he doesn't need me, he's a professional".  I preen myself even though it was probably due to a large slice of luck.



Jamie and Sally both had a spell on the tiller and did very well.












Fortunately we find a nice spot for our bbq and a very enjoyable evening ensues.  Only problem was James fell in love with Jamie and tried to hump him at every opportunity

TODAY: 10 miles; 6 locks
TOTAL:  263 miles (36 miles broad, 7 miles river); 140 locks (21 broad); 15 moveable bridges

27 & 28 May 

After a short cruise with the family I moored at Nantwich.  Stoked up on supplies and filled up with diesel.

TODAY: 4 miles; 0 locks
TOTAL:  267 miles (36 miles broad, 7 miles river); 140 locks (21 broad); 15 moveable bridges

 

Quick Resume Part 2

 10 May to 21 May

The dentist agrees I can have items delivered to them. Thanks to Pam for the loan of her phone and after an hour on the phone to India, they agree to send a new dongle.  I manage to get enough of a signal on the old dongle to order a new iPhone on Ebay.

They arrive at the weekend.  The new dongle refuses to be recognised by the laptop - "No SIM card inserted".  I also stupidly failed to realise I would need a new card for the new phone.  There is a Three store in Shrewsbury and they confirm they can supply a new SIM card for both the phone and the dongle.  Bus to Shrewsbury and new cards supplied - thank you.

Back to boat and the laptop still refuses to recognise the dongle SIM.  I insert the new card in the phone and discover I need an internet connection to activate the phone.  But the dongle does not work!  Aaaaarghhh!!!

To calm down I take a dawn cruise to Blake Mere where I stopped for lunch at the beginning of May.

 I decide to spend the night there.  It is such a lovely spot:

 Next day, back to Ellesmere and one of the computer shops lets me use their wifi to activate the phone - I am in touch with the world again!

More hours on the phone to India (3 hours on the final occasion) and we end up with "You will have to get to a 3 shop".  No problem Crewe is but a short bus ride away.  When is it open - it isn't - closed for refurbishment.  The next nearest would mean leaving James alone for too long.  At least I have a new phone and the enforced stay has led to me adopting James.

Final evening in Ellesmere 9.15pm

.

Quick Resume

Still no dongle but I have a good connection on my phone so a very quick catch up to get up to date then, hopefully keep up to date.
First, James.  I have been so lucky to get him.  Going to take a lot of training but he learns very fast.  I can let him off the lead when there is nothing about but have to keep a constant eye for people, dogs, bikes - anything that moves and he will be after it.  If nothing is about he will immediately come back when called - at full tilt, which is lovely to see.  I took him for a wlak at 6am the other day.  All very quiet, so I let him off the lead.  I forgot about rabbits!  Crashing into the bushes in hot pursuit but he came back after a while.  So, some photos of James before the catch-up.

And a video of him amusing himself
James at play

7 May

Could not resist a short dawn cruise on the Montgomery

Overnight mooring before the 4 Frankton locks and my return to the Llangollen canal

 

 

 

After my dinner there was a knock on the boat.  It is the owner of the hotel boat moored next to me asking if  I would like the portion of Tiramisu, which one of their (foolish) guests had turned down.  The best I have ever tasted -many thanks.

TODAY: 7 miles; 4 locks; 2 lift bridges (same one twice turning round)
TOTAL:  227.5 miles (36 miles broad, 7 miles river); 117 locks (21 broad); 11 lift bridges

8 May

Passage through the locks starts at day so I go out at 1130 only to see the lock-keeper disappearing back up the flight.  He has told the hotel boat to start through so I say I will follow them.  The advice is to ask him first - when I ask why, the reply is "on here he is God" so I walk up the flight and get his agreement to start up.

As I am entering the flight of 4 locks I see a couple walking back down looking very disgruntled. Chatting to the Locckie he tells me the man approached him to say "I am booked for passage tomorrow but WANT to go through today and get off this f****** awful canal".  Not the way to win friends and his request is denied - had he asked politely there would have been no problem.  The next day gales were forecast so his rudeness may have cost him dear!  As can be seen from the photos above, it is a beautiful canal.

One of my crowns has broken off and I manage to get an appointment with a dentist in Ellesmere so I make for there.

The hotel boat coming past an attractive cottage where an historical narrowboat (cannot remember the name) was built in days gone by.

The 48hr moorings on the Ellesmere arm.  Very handy for shops (and dentist) and a large Tesco a stone's throw away.

TODAY: 4 miles; 4 locks;
TOTAL:  231.5 miles (36 miles broad, 7 miles river); 121 locks (21 broad); 11 lift bridges

 

10 May to 21 May

The dentist hopes the tooth can be saved and a new crown fitted so I am here for about two weeks.  I move out of the arm and up the canal about half a mile to a nicer spot to moor, with a 14 day limit.

Meet up with a lovely couple, Richard and Pam.  Unfortunately one of their cats has gone astray so they are staying longer than planned in the hope he will turn up.  I offer to print some posters for them but discover that, as I connected through a router at home, I need to hard-wire the laptop to the printer to establish the initial connection.  The cable is at home!!!

My troubles go from bad to worse and, after the dongle stopping working, my iPhone takes a dive into the canal!  I now have absolutely no internet connection and a ver poor signal on an old O2 phone - I have to walk up a hill to get any sort of signal.

I take a walk through the woods to calm down and admire the lovely wild flowers:

 

Part 2 to follow.

Apologies for no updates.

Combination of continuing internet problems (still no dongle - latest is iPhone cable failing!), spending time with new dog and much too nice weather to be sitting at a computer.