Marple Locks

We knew it was going to be "one of those days" when we got to the junction of the Peak Forest Canal.

The first lock pound was totally empty.  This photo was taken about 20 mins after I'd started letting water through the lock.

3 C&RT volunteers then came sauntering up the lock flight, saying that every pound had been empty but they had now started refilling them.  We made them a brew while we waited for the water level to raise and I asked them how long they'd been working as volunteers here on Marple Flight.  They'd started last week, were doing 4 days a week and had had no training what-so-ever!  They'd arrived last Monday expecting to be trained but had only been shown how to lift a paddle, before being taken to the office and made to sign an induction form.  They told us the "trainer" had briefly wizzed through a form, ticking boxes as he went to say that they'd been shown different things, when in actual fact they'd been told and taught absolutely nothing.

Once the pound had refilled we set off. We went first and David followed in Wye Knot.  One of the volunteers was going to help him, but first we had to show him what to do!

One good thing was the paddles and gears had all recently been greased.

They'd even greased round the beam collar, so the locks were the easiest I've ever found them. They're still absolute pigs but not as bad as before.

When we'd done 4 locks 2 of the volunteers were called further down the flight as the pounds were draining empty again.  They couldn't work out what the problem was, but I think it had something to do with this.  They hadn't been dropping the paddles properly, the white markers are supposed to meet. We found 2 locks had been left like this, with the paddles up about 6 ins and draining the water so I sent the youngest volunteer on to check all the other locks.  He came back a bit sheepish looking and said they were all down now.

Add this to the badly leaking top gates and you can appreciate how quickly they would drain.

The volunteers admitted they didn't really have any idea what they were doing but were eager to learn.  They said they'd signed on for 4 days a week for 6 weeks and they'd been told that if they performed well there may be a chance of a job at the end. The youngest one tried lifting a paddle on one of the bottom gates at the same time as me.  He wasn't strong enough and really struggled and I didn't see him again after that.

Every lock we came to was empty so needed filling before we could go in which made it slow going.  The volunteer who was helping David would wind the paddles and open the gate for him to go into the lock then walk down to start filling the lock we'd just come out of, if I hadn't already started it filling first. He didn't help me close any gates though and just sat and watched me struggle at every lock. I don't think it was laziness, more that he didn't know any better and by then I'd decided it was just easier to do it myself.

By the time we'd got half way down the flight the heavens had opened and as none of the volunteers had any waterproofs with them, he was soaked. I had a spare new woolly hat in the boat so I gave him that to wear. Not only are C&RT letting them out untrained, they don't have the right clothes for the job either!

Just below Lock 7 the land around the by-wash has fallen in. It's well fenced off but, as far as we can tell, isn't on the list of repair work being carried out when the locks are closed in November. Incidentally, C&RT issued a notice last week stating that there are no stoppages on the Cheshire Ring following the canal breach at Preston Brook. Have they forgotten that Marple Locks form part of the Cheshire Ring and stoppage works ARE still going ahead?

Despite all it's problems, Marple locks are still one of the prettiest flights in the country, especially at this time of year.

We finally made it down all 16 locks and moored just past the aqueduct, ready to continue tomorrow, once we've all recovered that is.

Meat Free Monday

Here's a nice easy no-cook recipe for you this week.

Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad - serves 2
1 small tin pears in juice
Chicory or Little Gem lettuce (chicory is best but not always available)
Blue Cheese (I used Stilton)
Walnut halves
small tomatoes, quartered or halved depending on size
3 dessert spoons extra virgin olive oil
1 dessert spoon cider or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon runny honey

Arrange the chicory or lettuce on a plate.
Drain the pairs and cut into bite sized pieces and then sprinkle over the lettuce.
Cut the tomatoes and arrange around the plate.
Toast the walnuts by gently heating in a dry frying pan for a few minutes on both sides. Keep a close watch on them as they quickly burn.

Sprinkle over the salad.
Break up the blue cheese into small chunks and add to the salad.
Make the dressing by mixing the Dijon, honey, olive oil and vinegar together in a small jug and pour over the salad making sure you get plenty on the lettuce. You won't need salt in the dressing as the cheese is salty enough.

Enjoy!

Marple

Sunday was another lovely sunny day.  Roger had recorded the Korean Grand Prix so I made the most of the sunshine and drove the boat to Marple while he stayed inside and watched it en-route. With scenery as good as this I know I got the better option.

Little has changed along the Macc. since we left 18 months ago.  The same continuous moorers are still here, although they may have moved about a bit.  The bridge holes still need the bushes cutting back and the towpaths are still extremely muddy.

We only just managed to get a mooring at Marple, even though we'd arrived early afternoon.  The visitor moorings are full of "lurkers" with the remaining 2 spaces by the pub being taken by a live-aboard who arrived just before us and very selfishly moored right in the middle.

Tomorrow, Monday, we're heading down Marple Locks. We'll be helping David again as he's following us all the way to Manchester on his way back to Preston Brook.

Spiders

Do you have spiders in your cratch?

When we first moved onto the boat we were plagued by spiders in the cratch. Big fat hairy ones that lurked in the corners and tiny little ones that spun webs like candy floss across the air vents and kept coming back no matter how often I cleaned them away.  Since discovering a spray called No More Spiders, we hardly ever see a spider any more.

Whenever I clean the inside of the cratch, which isn't that often I'm ashamed to say, I spray this stuff in the corners and under the gunwales. As Autumn's arrived the number of spiders outside the boat has increased so I've re-sprayed inside to keep them at bay. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind spiders, I just HATE the webs they weave, there's more to life than cleaning, so I've come up with a new idea to keep them out of the cratch.

This is a small space fly killer that's readily available and which we hang in the cratch throughout the summer to help keep the flies out of the boat.  It works very well, but now that the flies have gone I thought I'd re-use the out-of-date cartridge to deter the spiders.

Using a knife I prised the two halves apart and removed the insect repellant pad, which I replaced with a piece cut from a cotton wool make-up remover pad. I then soaked this with No More Spiders and clipped the two halves back together again.

This is now hanging back in the cratch, hopefully keeping the little web-weavers away.

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.

Harecastle Tunnel

When we arrived at the South portal of Harecastle Tunnel this morning we had a short wait while 2 boats came through the other way.

It soon passed while I cleaned the windows and Chico taught Roger to play ball.

I started off on the back of the boat as we went into the tunnel, although I wasn't sure how long I'd be staying there and had dug the hoover out from under the bed just in case I bottled out and had to go inside.

Looking back, this is the fan control room. Once you're inside the tunnel they close the doors behind you and switch on the fans to suck all the exhaust fumes out.

It would have been good if they'd switched the fans on before we went into the tunnel as the first couple of hundred yards were really foggy and quite spooky.

Inside the tunnel the roof level varies quite considerably but you can tell where the low sections are because of fluorescent painted markers.

Some sections are very low and you need to duck right down

but others are quite high

About 500 yards before the North portal is this painted skeleton. Someone obviously had a good sense of humour!

I managed to stay on the back of the boat all the way through the tunnel. It was a lot less claustrophobic than I'd expected as we have a magnetic based work lamp that plugs into the 12V socket in the engine room and which illuminates the tunnel where you stand, rather than just relying on the tunnel light on the bow.

This was the North portal, the light at the end of the tunnel. It had taken us 35 minutes to get through and I really enjoyed it.

Maybe next time I'll drive!

Stoke on Trent - The Potteries

Another lovely day saw us carry on through Stoke on Trent, passing the huge recycling plant / incinerator on our way.

The area around Stoke on Trent is known as The Potteries for obvious reasons. It's been the centre of the British pottery industry since the 1800's and one of the dominating features of the region are the 46 remaining bottle kilns which have been preserved as listed builings and can be found at various places along the canal system.  If you'd like to know more about The Potteries and bottle kilns you can read about it  HERE

 This pair of bottle kilns stand between 2 blocks of flats beside the canal at Hanley.

At Etruria C&RT have posted advisory notices on the locks.

You see plenty of boaters dropping the paddles instead of winding them down and I'm all in favour of trying to re-educate these people, but this particular paddle gear is physically incapable of being dropped. You HAVE to wind it down.  It's just typical of the old BW and new C&RT that the sign is posted in the wrong position. It would have been far more appropriate to post it on the lock below.

We moored for the night at Westport Lake.

It's the last mooring before Harecastle Tunnel which we'll be going through on Wednesday morning.  I'm not sure yet if I'll travel through the tunnel on the back of the boat with Roger, or make an excuse of doing the washing up and hoovering and hide inside. I'll let you know how I get on.