Back on the Macc.

We came up Bosley Locks yesterday morning in heavy drizzle, as usual. If I had a pound for every time it's rained when we've done this lock flight I'd be rich!

It's been 18 months since we left the Macc. and there's been a noticeable deterioration in the state of the locks and the towpath. This large hole has appeared but instead of being filled in it's been fenced off.

This lock landing has collapsed and fenced off, which makes it difficult for single-handers to get on or off their boat and the towpaths are a disgrace. The mud was ankle deep and there are pot-holes and deep ruts all over the place.

But on the plus side (?) BW, in collaboration with the Lottery Fund, have installed 2 education boards beside the locks.

Despite us being first up the flight and passing 4 boats coming down,  a third of the locks were over half full and had to be emptied before we could go in.  This was entirely due to leaking gates as you can see here.

We've been travelling with David Cummins who bought one of our boats several years ago and who's since become a good friend.   He's single-handing so followed us up the flight and despite having to empty locks for us, then re-set them for him coming up behind us, we managed a fairly fast ascent.  1 hour 50 mins. after we set off, this was David coming into the top lock.

This is Hovis Mill in Macclesfield.  We moored here at Macclesfield Canal Centre for 5 years and as Thursday night is "Lad's Night Out" we moored on the visitor moorings and went out.

Bosley in the rain

While Roger was taking the car back this morning I watched a mother duck and her 17 ducklings. She was teaching them to catch flies and they were jumping in and out of the canal onto the overspill opposite the boat.

We set off after lunch, went through Fool's Nook road bridge and passed several patches of wild garlic in full bloom. The smell was wonderful!

Fool's Nook road bridge

fully automated, closing to traffic

open to boats

wild garlic 

If you want recipes for wild garlic you can find some here

There are quite a few Mandarin ducks on the Macclesfield canal and one of them had mated with a female mallard and produced a fine brood. The males seem to be better fathers than ordinary mallards and he was shepherding the ducklings as well as the female.

 We did the washing on the way and filled up with water at the service station at the top of Bosley Locks.

As I'm still not allowed to do any heavy lifting or strenuous exercise, Roger worked the locks and I drove but I found it quite boring and would much rather do the work.

We got into lock no. 2 and the heavens opened. It rained all the way down but as we haven't had any rain for over a month we can't complain.  The nest which we saw in lock 6 on 26th April now has 3 chicks in it. The parents were carrying large insects to them, but keeping a careful eye out as we passed through the lock. Unfortunately I couldn't get a clear photograph but the chicks seemed healthy and hungry.

Back to Gurnett

It seems that boaters moored with us at Bosley last night couldn't sleep as most boats had gone by the time we got up at 8.30. It was busy going up the locks and with everyone going the same way almost every lock had to be emptied before we could go in it which meant twice the work. At one of the locks a grey wagtail had made its nest tucked into the bottom gate. There aren't any eggs yet and with the gate being opened and closed so many times each day I think the nest may be abandoned soon. We'll have a look when we go back down next week.

Because there were so many boats going towards Macclesfield we were a bit concerned that we wouldn't get a mooring at Gurnett, so instead of stopping for lunch after the locks we ate en-route. The moorings were fairly busy (the usual continuous moorers are still here, one has been here for almost 3 years) but we got a spot, moored up and walked to the marina to collect the car. We had a short diversion to get some spare parts and dog food and when we got back to the boat at 5.00 the moorings were absolutely chock-a-block with boats having to carry on past to try and find moorings somewhere else which isn't easy in Macclesfield.

Down Bosley Locks

Yet another fantastic day! We set off around 11 after Roger had been to get his hair cut and had a good trip down Bosley Locks. Most of the locks were set against us as everyone seemed to be going the same way today but in full sunshine nothing was a problem.
When we moored up on the aqueduct at the bottom of the locks I retired to the roof, sunbathing with Charlie, while Roger tried drowning a few maggots for the first time this year, but the fish weren't biting. The woods beside lock 12 are full of bluebells again this year and it's a really beautiful walk.

When he came back from the pub last night Roger brought me an Easter egg. It was a goose egg but I'd have preferred a chocolate egg. He had it scrambled with smoked salmon for lunch today but said it wasn't anything special.

goose egg on left hen's egg on right