6th July '12

Hallelulah! Hotspot returned and am back on the computer - first the notes from a couple of days ago.

4^th July ‘12

Back to notes on the computer – more or less certain that there’s a fault with my Iphone. Anyone any suggestions?

We had a bit of a lie-in today – unintentional but Paddy didn’t need to go out and neither of us woke up so there you are.

Too late for John to go out for a run but even so it was almost 11.30 when we set off.

The best thing about that was that we arrived at the Fools Nook at lunchtime – I wonder if subconsciously we lay in late to ensure this? Anyway it had started to rain quite heavily so we allowed ourselves an hour or so before heading off again.

Not long after setting out (the weather had dried but was very sticky – not at all nice) we found a boat straddling the canal and the owner having  problems with getting it under control. We pulled in after a while seeing that the bloke was obviously having difficulties but just as John started up the tow path, the boat became manageable again so back on my hero jumped and as we went past it turned out that the poor bloke works nights, so was asleep on the boat when he heard something go by quickly and before he knew it his pins had come out and he was adrift – he’d only had it a few days! We thought we knew who the culprit was as she went tearing past us as we were getting ready to pull away. We found the boat later, mooring up with lady driver nowhere to be seen and a bloke on the bow. Being unable to keep my nose out of anything I (very nicely) pointed out that they had set a boat adrift. His response was that they saw him adrift and went past him very slowly. Didn’t seem worth pointing out that it might have been nice to have helped it if that was the case!

Funny story! We were cruising past a large field spreading uphill away from the canal and the upper part was covered in seagulls. “A long way from the sea” saith John. “Probably never seen a wave” was my witty and immediate reply. John’s response was to wave at the gulls. As one bird they all took off and flew down the field towards us (remember the Birds by Hitchcock?  very reminiscent) as they reached us they divided into two groups and swerved around and flew back to where they’d come from! Spooky or what? John by the way, is yelling “Don’t poo on my boat!” which seemed a very sensible thing to do to several hundred angry seagulls about to peck ones eyes out.

We have also been plagued for the last few days by horseflys. I have taken to having a fly swatter up on deck – I don’t kill many but I give some of them headaches! Dread getting bitten by one as I react badly.

We came down the Bosley Locks today – all 12 of them and joy of joys they were all in our favour apart from one that appeared to have emptied itself as there was no reason for it to have been empty apart from that. It was amazing – we did them in under 2 hours!

We are now at Congleton, where we stayed for the last few weeks before the boat was completed. We have been down and had a beer and they recognised us and were interested in how we found life afloat. Nice to be remembered. We are on a horrible mooring – very much on a tilt as the canal is so shallow at the edges. We plan to get best way towards the end of the Macclesfield tomorrow with Kidsgrove in our sights for the following day.

Slightly out of order now but here we are still at the Lake as the forecast lived up to it's warnings and it's been nothing but torrential downpours all day. Hope to move on tomorrow. But now for some pictures hopefully.

Taken on the 24th June - crossing the Mersey! (no ferries involved)

Passing Manchester United ground (best thing to do with it!)

One of Johns photos of Salford Quays, taken on the Sunday when I stayed on the boat with a bad back.

Also Salford Quays - disgusting isn't it?

Us moored at Castlefields Basin - it's the middle of Manchester but doesn't it look nice - and it was!

Old and new bridges as we leave Castlefields - lock is on the right - you can see Georgina going into it.

Both of us in the first of the infamous Rochdale '9'. It was only when we got to the top that they told me that 2 bodies had been fished out of here a couple of weeks earlier! Brilliant. This is the lock that had been blocked up with a tyre earlier in the day, and we'd had to wait for it to be cleared. That's the Hilton on the left of centre - you can see it for miles around.

Heres a job we didn't fancy! Window cleaning at that height - ugh!

Sign under one of the bridges between locks - shows the area we were in. We couldn't wait to get out of there!

In the interests of fairness here's Manchester City from the canal!

Here's the Marple viaduct and we are on the Marple aquaduct - I may have put this on before but it's worth it if I have! This is before we get to the locks so you get an idea of how high we are going.

Approaching the first of the Marple Locks - it was a lovely day and the setting was beautiful.

part way up the flight

Paddy supervising proceedings at one of the locks!

Centre point of the locks and there was a right-hand turn into a very tricky tunnel but thankfully I got it right as I was being closely observed by some men on the bridge who looked as if they'd never seen a woman steering a boat before!

This was the view down from the top lock - we had risen 210 feet in less than a mile through 12 locks and luckily it didn't rain! Here we turned left onto the Higher Peak Forest Canal and passed the bridge on the right that is the junction to the Macclesfield - we went under that later on our travels!

Amazing views over Cheshire - we are so high up here it's wonderful.

One of the lift bridges we had to negotiate - it would have been easier if we could have got closer into the sides but the canal is notoriously shallow at the edges - great for mooring????

Entering Bugsworth Basin - I would recommend a visit her to anyone. It's a really lovely place and very inspirational.

Nellie visited us for lunch at Bugsworth - here she is looking beautiful! She's nearly 3 months now.

Strange plant growing in just one place near New Mills - John thinks it's Giant Burdock - any thoughts anyone?

The start of the Macclesfield Canal! We are now on the homeward journey.

Old cotton mill at Bollington that has been turned into offices etc - nice to see them being used - so many are falling apart.

Best example of a snake bridge -they are designed so that the horse can change sides of the canal without having to undo the harness - devious! There are several on the Macclesfield but this one just south of the town is the best one.

The seagulls have landed! if you don't know what I'm talking about then you haven't read all the previous blog that I have carefully written and I'm not going through it again - so there!

top of the Bosley locks - we are on our way to Congleton to say hello to the people at the Church House Inn, where we stayed last year in the van for the last few weeks of the boat being built.

on our way down the locks - I just love photos through bridges - you wouldn't believe how many I take!

AT the final small stop lock on the Macclesfield - then we are officially on the Trent and Mersey but still have about a mile to go until we get on the main course of it. This lock is only 12inches deep but even that was in our favour! Great day.

Crossing the aquaduct that will bring us around to the Trent and Mersey - we are crossing it here and you can see the water coloured from the oxide in the water coming out of the tunnel.

There we are - up to date. I shall hope that I can continue to keep this regular from now on. Hoping for better weather tomorrow to tackle Stoke. Fingers crossed!