Barlaston

Autumn is really coming into it's own now. The trees are starting to change colour and drop their leaves and there are fungi popping up all over the place. I forage fruits from the hedgerows but I won't touch the mushrooms as I have quite a serious allergy.

This was the view of Westport Lake from our mooring this morning. As you can see it's been another glorious sunny day.

Before we left we took Chico for a walk round the lake. This was the view from the other side.

Part of the bank had collapsed but instead of using that horrid orange plastic netting to keep people away from the edge they'd used this lovely woven willow screen.

This is the "eco-friendly" visitor centre and cafe. It was built with straw bale walls and is covered with solar panels.

The paths around the lake are very well maintained and consequently very well used. We saw a couple of these twin seat bikes being used by disabled people and their carers. They were having a great time and the lady on the right of the picture just couldn't stop laughing. We could hear her coming from quite a distance; she certainly didn't need a bell!

It was about 11.00 by the time we finally set off. I like the Stafford area. It's very built up with all the pottery factories but the intricate brickwork of the kilns always amazes me.

We did a quick detour at Etruria to top up the water tank and dump the rubbish and buy some plums from a moored boat. They were 20p a bag and were the tastiest, juiciest plums we've ever had.

The second lock is leaking quite badly as you can see from these "pissers". I do hope C&RT are planning to do some maintenance soon before it gets much worse.

This is Etruria Flint & Bone Mill which is right in front of you as you come out of the second lock. It used to be part of the Etruria museum but I'm not sure if it's still open. We didn't really have time to stop and find out.

Cockshutts Lock takes you right under the railway bridge. While we were going down 2 trains wizzed past. The standard of graffiti has dropped since we were last here. It's just a mess now.

I wasn't sure whether to pull over for a bit of recreation here. Fishing, shooting or line dancing?  Just too much choice!

We're now moored just outside Barlaston. It's nice and quiet despite being fairly close to the railway line and since I took the photo a few more boats have arrived and moored up behind us.

We walked into the village as Roger wanted to visit the Big Boy's Toys shop. They had some lovely models and remote control toys but he managed to resist buying anything. I was so pleased I took him to the Plume of Feathers for a pint. They had 3 real ales on but the food didn't sound very exciting. It was all burgers & curries.

A day for bumping into friends

This is one of the reasons we love mooring at Tixall Wide so much. It's such a beautiful place, especially early in the morning and especially in the Autumn when the trees are changing colour.

We would have liked to stay longer, but had to press on again.  After getting a pump-out at the Anglo-Welsh hire base, we queued for almost an hour to get water. The delay couldn't have happened at a better time as it meant we bumped into friends on 2 boats who we'd have otherwise missed. We've arranged to travel with one of the boats in a couple of weeks, down off the Macclesfield Canal and into Manchester. Later this afternoon, we bumped into another old friend. We used to moor next to Helga & Klaus on n.b.Sebeq at Macclesfield Marina. Sadly Klaus died and this is the first time Helga's taken the boat out for a decent cruise in 2 years.  We're going to meet up again when she get's back on the Macc after doing the 4 Counties Ring.

The canal's been very busy today, mostly the SAS (Saturday And Sunday) brigade coming out of Great Haywood marina for the weekend and we've had to queue at locks for the first time in months. Luckily there were as many boats coming down as going up so plenty of people to chat to.  One lady had just come from Stone and told me a funny story.  They'd been coming down Star Lock when a guy off a private boat came to help her with the lock gates, so that his boat could come in when her's had gone out.  When the lock was empty, he asked her if she could manage to get the boat out with just one gate open or did she need both?  What?  She told me she thought he was having a laugh, but he was deadly serious. She said she just looked at him in disbelief and asked did he really think you could get a 6ft 10in wide narrowboat through a 3 ft 6in  gap?  For those among you who aren't boaters, you can only get out of a double width lock through one gate, not a single width one.

It's been another beautiful cruising day, mostly warm and sunny, although a bit chilly out of the sun.

I like returning to canals that we haven't been on for a long time; you see things that are still in the same place and condition as before, like this Gypsy caravan

and also things that have changed and been improved. These retirement bungalows have all been fitted with solar panels since last time we passed.

Their gardens are just as lovely as before and I particularly liked these sunflowers.

In previous years we've stopped here at Salt by Bridge 82. If you turn left on the bridge and walk about half a mile into Salt village you come to the Holly Bush Inn which has a really good restaurant and serves amazing Greek Kleftiko Lamb.

We're now moored in the middle of nowhere, somewhere below Aston Lock.  We decided not to carry on to Stone today as we'd heard about the Beer & Food Festival and a couple of boaters had said that the moorings in town were full.  I know it's not like us to pass up a beer festival but, when we were in Birmingham, we did so much socialising and eating and drinking out that we're just happy chilling out for a while.

On to Middlewich

We set off at 8.00 again this morning. It was very misty and there was frost on the roof but it was a beautiful morning and the mist had burnt off by 10.00 leaving clear blue skies and full sunshine.

7.30 this morning

mist hanging over the River Weaver valley

waiting for the tunnel passage

the colours are spectacular at the moment

We had a clear run through to Saltersford tunnel where we had a 10 minute wait. This has a timed passage as the tunnel is quite twisty and you can’t see through, but just as we were coming out of the other end a Claymore hire boat was trying to come into the tunnel. He claimed not to have seen the signs and even though we told him he needed to wait for another 10 minutes he ignored us and carried on. I just hope he met someone in the tunnel who made him reverse back out!

The Big Lock was even harder to work than ever. The Bottom gates were too stiff for me so Roger had to get off and help. I sincerely hope they manage to make them easier while BW has the lock closed for maintenance but I won’t be holding my breath. This lock has always been a swine, for as long as I can remember.

moored in Middlewich

Yesterday I took advantage of the long day’s cruising to use the slow cooker. I made an Oxtail Ragout, which is always better the second day, and that’s what we’re having for dinner tonight. This much ragout will probably do us for 3 meals so whatever is left will be bagged and put into the freezer for another day when I don’t feel like cooking.


Oxtail Ragout Recipe
1 large meaty oxtail cut into segments
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 tins chopped tomatoes
½ glass red wine
1 beef stock cube
Large pinch Herbes de Provence

Fry onions, celery, carrots, garlic and red pepper in a little olive oil in a frying pan until just soft and starting to get a bit of colour and then transfer into the slow cooker.

Brown the oxtail all over in the frying pan and then sit on top of the veg in the slow cooker.

Pour the wine into the frying pan and bring to the boil. Scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan and reduce the wine by half before pouring into the slow cooker.

Tip the tomatoes into the slow cooker, along with the stock cube and herbs and cook for about 2 hours on Full power then reduce to Low for another 6 - 7 hours.

Skim off any fat from the top of the ragout and leave overnight if possible for the flavour to develop.

I prefer to strip the meat from the bones and add it back into the sauce, which I then serve with tagliatelle or mashed potatoes.

On the move again

We'd been delayed in Worsley because we heard about the 2 4 1 offer at the opticians at Tesco and they also have another offer where you can double up your clubcard points and use them in the opticians. We managed to get eye tests late yesterday afternoon and chose 2 pairs of glasses each. After doubling up some of our clubcard vouchers we only had to pay an additional £6 - now that's what I call a bargain! They'll be ready in a week but will hold them for us until we can get back to collect them.

This morning we set off early at 8.00 and have just moored up at Dutton at 5.15. It's been a lovely sunny day but was too dark when we'd finished mooring to take my usual photo. It's been a long time since we've cruised for a full 9 hours but we have to be through the Big Lock at Middlewich by tomorrow evening as BW are shutting it on Monday morning for the winter maintenance. By putting in another 8 or 9 hour day tomorrow we should be well clear and can slow down a bit again.

Dutton

Over the years we’ve visited the Stanley Arms many times, both by boat and car. The food was always excellent quality, basic English pub food. Unfortunately the pub appears to have recently changed hands and this is no longer the case. They’ve changed the menu for more ‘exotic’ meals and although the portions are still huge, the quality has deteriorated drastically. I doubt we’ll be back.

It’s been another lovely sunny day and the canal has been quite busy. We joined a convoy of 5 boats to go through Barnton Tunnel. The boat behind us had 2 car headlights built into it’s front bulkhead and they were so bright I wouldn’t have wanted to meet him coming towards me in a 2 way tunnel. You would have been dazzled beyond belief!

the boat was 200 yards behind us!

At Saltersford Tunnel the convoy was joined by one of the hire boats we’d had problems with at Middlewich. They still haven’t learnt how to steer in a straight line and went through the tunnel on tick-over forcing all of us travelling behind to do the same.

Saltersford Tunnel 

We’re now moored just before Dutton Stop Lock

and have been for a lovely walk through Longacre Wood.

It’s really beautiful with the sun shining through the trees.

I picked a couple of apples to go with the handful of blackberries I found yesterday. I don’t know about where you are, but so far this year the blackberries seem to be quite scarce. This time last year I was making jam but so far I haven’t found anywhere near enough. I think maybe we didn’t have enough rain earlier in the summer, as the ones I have found have been very small and sour and there are a lot of dead flowers that haven’t gone on to develop into berries. Maybe I’ll have more luck up on the Bridgewater Canal as they seem to have had more rain.

Anderton

This morning was lovely and sunny again. The Trent and Mersey Canal has decidedly mixed scenery. One minute we were passing through beautiful farmland with wide flashes (small shallow lakes formed following mining subsidence)

and the next we were going through the centre of the Brunner Mond alkali plant. The air is so corrosive here that all the pipes and other metal works are rusting away.

You can see from the state of the bolts on this relatively new fence how bad it is.

After stopping for lunch at Marston and then rubbish and water at the service point, we moored just past Anderton Boat Lift, outside the Stanley Arms pub. It had started raining by then but it didn't last long.

It’s a good deep mooring with no banging against the shelf when boats go past and there are wild hops growing in the bushes beside the boat.

As we’re using their moorings, we thought it only polite to book a table for dinner  tonight. Also, we’ve since found out it’s quiz night so we’ll probably stay and have a few pints as well. It’s a hard life, but someone’s got to do it!

Hold up in Middlewich

I  haven’t posted for a couple of days, simply because I’ve been too busy having a good time!

We moored below Audlum locks on Saturday with our old customer & friend Dave Farndale and then on Sunday we met another friend, John Wood,  who now moors in Overwater Marina and the 4 of us went to the Lord Combermere pub in Audlum for Sunday lunch. The roast beef lunch was excellent; good tender beef and fresh veggies and good value at £9.95.

On Monday morning Dave cruised with us into Overwater Marina to meet John for a coffee and a tour of the marina. We’re still on the look-out for a winter mooring and were very impressed by the set-up at Overwater. It’s not the cheapest we’ve looked at by any means, but it seems a very friendly place and there’s plenty of room between the boats so it won’t be claustrophobic which was our main complaint last winter.

Last night we moored both boats at Sykes Hallow picnic area. There were 3 other boats already moored there and we all had our own picnic tables and BBQ stand provided by SUCS (Shropshire Union Canal Society). It’s a lovely place to spend an evening and after such a hot day the BBQ was a great way to chill out. 

Dave provided so much food that we needed 2 disposable BBQ’s plus our own BBQ as well.

This morning we went our separate ways. Dave headed back towards Tattenhall Marina and we stopped off in Middlewich for a quick trip to Tesco and Dave's Angling Centre for some maggots

We tried to carry on down the locks through Middlewich but had to stop at the first one (Lock 73) as a guy from BW was attempting to refill the lock pounds, which had been drained by a hire boat leaving all the paddles open at every lock! The BW guy asked if I’d help as he regulated the flow of water to fill the pound between  locks 73 & 72. As the water level started to come back up I got chatting to the family on the hire boat. This wasn’t their first lock but they were adamant that the only tuition they'd had from the hire company was on a model lock and admitted they hadn’t got a clue what they were doing. I gave them my “idiot’s guide” to how locks work and the woman suddenly twigged what they’d been doing wrong and what they should have been doing. It’s quite scary how these hire companies can let absolute novices take a boat out and when the boat following them came up it was also from the same hire company. They didn’t have a clue either! 

refilling pound from the lock just out of view to the right of the
picture, the 'waterfall' in the centre would normally be submerged

the pound half full again

We finally got down the Big Lock which is a wide lock and ridiculously difficult to operate. Only 1 top paddle works so filling it is mind numbingly slow and the gates are so out of balance they are almost impossible to move on your own. 2 young girls were hanging round the lock and came over to talk to me. They were only about 8 years old and were playing out before their tea. They were really nice and polite and asked intelligent questions. The best bit though was that they were eager to help open the gates which was a really big help to me.

We’re now moored just before bridge 179. We’ve moored here before and it’s a good quiet spot with both good satellite and internet reception. 

Shardlow

The weather certainly changed today. As we got up this morning, the wind was blowing the tiny conkers off the tree we'd moored under last night with such a force that it sounded like someone was throwing stones at us. 

It's been the Spanish Grand Prix today and we couldn't get any TV reception where we were moored opposite the marina so we had to move. We tried to turn the boat round in front of the Clock Warehouse pub but the wind was just too strong and it was impossible without hitting the moored boats, so we went back up the lock and moored in the same spot as Friday night. Later on we watched another boat trying to turn round there. He obviously didn't care about the moored boats as he rammed 3 of them whilst turning his boat round. 

The satellite picked up the signal with no problem but the wind was so strong that the picture kept flickering because of the movement of the boat. We've never had that problem before, but if I say that we had to have 4 mooring pins and ropes out to stop the boat banging about (we normally have 2) maybe that will give you some idea of the wind strength! The waves coming down the canal were huge and some even had 'white horses'.

Even though the wind was so strong, the sun shone and it was too nice to stay indoors after the race finished, so we set off with both dogs for a nice long, slow (because of Charlie) walk. This van was parked beside the lock but Scooby Doo was nowhere in sight (it says Mystery Machine in case you can't read the sign)

Just beside the first bridge is the old salt warehouse. This is where the salt was stored when it was unloaded from barges bringing it from the Cheshire salt mines in Middlewich, Nantwich and Wheelock.

Charlie did really well and managed to walk down past the automatic stop lock. When the river goes into flood the red lights flash and the gates close.

The wind continued into the evening getting stronger & stronger and blew one of the planters off the roof. Luckily it blew onto the towpath rather than into the canal but we decided that all the pots had to come down before we lost any. They're now residing in the cratch and shower.