We are doing our bit to cut down the towpath vegetation. British Waterways have a 'Veg Pledge' but are not keeping up with the rapid growth. So it seems that the only way to get off the boat and tie up without getting stung is to cut it back ourselves.
When we arrived at Hartshill we met Margery on 'Watermouse' who paints roses on canal ware.
We have had a water container called a Buckby Can for many years and it needed repainting. Some months earlier we had rubbed it down and applied several coats of paint. It is now the same colour as our boat. Margery spent several days covering it with roses and daises. Even the name of our boat is now painted on it. All the daisies have a little red mark on them where the fairies have kissed them.
As we approached, a queue of boats formed to go up. There are 11 locks spread over 1 ½ miles. At the time no boats were coming down so every lock had to be emptied to go up. At about the half way point boats were coming down thus not wasting water. However one boat had stopped for lunch much to the annoyance to those coming up because the lock gate had been left open for them! Ideally a boat goes down with a lock full of water in to the next lock. The delay caused a queue of boats to form. There is really no advantage because each lock can only take one boat up or down. It's a bit like getting 'grid locked' in traffic on the roads. Thankfully there was enough water coming down to keep all the boats afloat in that short pound! We eventually got to the top in 4 hours and luckily it was a nice sunny day. When locking up or down you get to know many people.
Ann went fishing and landed a wood pigeon. It was a young bird seen floating on the water with it's head on it's back. Dried it out in the sunshine on a nest of dry grass. Seemed to recover enough to crawl into the shade of the hedge for a while. Later getting up onto a fence where it stayed all night. It was still there in the morning rain preening itself and looking lively. Then after our breakfast it took off and flew away. We had been quite concerned then relieved when it went.
From Rugeley we passed Armitage through 2 miles of narrow canal with Ann walking up front with Molly looking out for approaching boats. There are passing places but caution is required due to many blind bends. Several boats managed to pass. Stopped at the end of the top lock landing before the junction for the night. Some boats were still coming up after 9pm that evening and the lock landing became full of moored boats.
Set off after breakfast and went down as boats had started coming up. Only 3 locks to the junction but many boats were queueing to come up. The junction by the Swan pub is always cluttered with boats waiting to go up the locks or just moored. Squeezed through and turned right on to the Coventry canal. After 5 miles going south we found a spot just north of Whittington to moor for a quiet weekend.
Later in the afternoon NB 'Maria Jessie' went by. Ann recognised it as one of the 'blog'er boats and chatted to them as they passed. They are on their way to the boat gathering at Preston Brook near the Manchester Ship canal. The work boats 'Nuneaton' and 'Brighton' passed by after getting stuck on a mud bank. I wonder how many more times they get stuck due to the lack of depth. These old boats were designed with a draught of 4 foot 3 inches when fully loaded.
We are being woken up in the early hours by moving boats. We stopped at Penkridge for lunch and several boats rushed past. Set off and joined the queue at the first of two locks. Much help provided by young energetic students from the boat behind. We had done our daily quota of 10 lock miles that day so tried to moor opposite the prefab houses but grounded on a mud bank. A local resident suggested moving back as it is always shallow there. 'So why don't BW dredge it' I wonder. There is only ½ mile to the next lock so the water level rose and fell many times that evening causing the boat to lean over.
Next day we got to Baswich, near Stafford and stopped again for lunch under the shade of a tree. It was another hot day. Then on later to Tixel wide and were very lucky to find a space. Unfortunately a tree prevented Sky reception.
We are in need of water so set off to fill up at the junction with the Trent & Mersey canal. Left early thinking of the many boats heading north to the Boat Festival but found the water point free. Ann went off to get the post while I got on with filling the tank. The two locks in and beyond Great Haywood were very busy with a queue of 4 boats going down. Counted 12 coming up at the next lock. The last in that queue would be waiting at least 2 hours to get through! We continued to the aqueduct over the river Trent just before Rugeley.
We are moving south east down the almost strait and flat Shroppie. Only one lock at Wheaton Aston and 25 miles since the last back at Tyrley. There seems to be more boats gathering at Wheaton Aston. The local garage sells cheap diesel for boats and it takes an age to get past them all slowly as we do.
The boats are on both sides of the relatively wide canal and the owners on the 'private' side are busy constructing landing stages with their boats tied to the trees. Some of the boats are unkempt, covered in leaves and green with algae. Many with no name or licence displayed.
We turned left to go north on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. Soon passing through the 'narrows'. The canal here is a narrow channel cut into the rock base. Several passing places enabled at least 3 boats to pass as we went through.
The locks south of town take the canal up a deep cutting through rocks. It would have been hard work chipping away all that rock with hammer and chisel back in 1846. The cutting is now covered with huge trees which are clinging to the rocky edge. The canal continues for two miles through a narrow tree covered cutting till it reaches Cheswardine. We continued to Shebdon Embankment where we met John & Jean on Omega. Next day we got to Gnosall in light drizzle. Had intended to go further but it remained damp most of the day.
We approached from the north and stopped on the 5 day moorings before Lords Bridge. Don't quite understand why BW invite boaters to moor at 'Visitor Moorings' only to find they are not deep enough! Next day we walked into town to 'enjoy' the market day. Fruit and veg in abundance. Ann got a new bag.
Back at the boat we set about placing an order to Tesco on the net. The first thing you need is a local post code so we used Ted's Boat Yard which we happened to have. Then go to Street Map to find a suitable road for the delivery. Pity you then cannot find a more suitable post code. Our instructions for the driver enabled him to find us from Stoke on Trent without resorting to a phone call.
Our friends John & Sue invited us to their house for a cup of tea and a chat. They told us that 'Ted's Boat Yard is to close. Shame cos their diesel was only 38.5p! Apparently they cannot afford the rent since it has been increased. A café and canal ware shop has already left. There are plans for a new housing estate and a 'Boat Share' operation is moving in.
At the top of the Adderley Locks and past bridge 66 we entered Brownhills Wood. It was so thick the suns rays found their way past the branches producing an eerie feel. It felt cooler in the shade. A lonely fisherman sat there on the tow path. Ann and Molly passed by the man who spoke but she did not hear the words. Somebody was cutting the grass using a noisy machine. He was dressed in protective mask and goggles so all you could see was his glowing eyes. Which one was the ghost which is known to haunt these woods? As I passed the fisherman I asked if he had ever seen the ghost. I heard his reply as the grass cutter had passed on. "It's too noisy for ghosts" he said.
Here the Middlewich branch ends at a 'T' junction with the Shropshire Union. Approaching slowly with Ann at the bow checking for boats. There are two at the water point on the left and two more passing them. One is trying to overtake and the other is wanting to turn into the branch where we are coming from. "Where are you going?" he asked gruffly. We had to come out of the narrow junction before they could go in. Ann pointed left and we slowly and carefully moved across their bow and Ann jumped off on the right bank. There is just enough room now to pass in silence. "It's the August rush hour"! So on to the Shroppie going slowly past moored boats with large gaps between them. We found a place to stop further on.
Here the Midlewich branch ends at a 'T' junction with the Shropshire Union. Approaching slowly with Ann at the bow checking for boats. There are two at the water point on the left and two more passing them. One is trying to overtake and the other is wanting to turn into the branch where we are coming from. "Where are you going?" he asked gruffly. We had to come out of the narrow junction before they could go in. Ann pointed left and we slowly and carefully moved across their bow and Ann jumped off on the right bank. There is just enough room now to pass in silence. "It's the August rush hour"! So on to the Shroppie going slowly past moored boats with large gaps between them. We found a place to stop further on.
There are people who invest their money in boats. New narrow boats are being produced at a high rate. The only problem is that the supply of moorings is not keeping up with the demand. BW and public enterprise are creating many new marinas but finding suitable places 'off the cut' and getting planning permission takes time. Some boaters are able to travel around the canal system and don't need a mooring.
There are also people looking for cheap second hand boats to live on. They cannot afford to buy a house these days. BW and private land owners provide moorings 'on the cut'. Some boats taking up space on the canal don’t display a licence. BW are not really doing enough to control this growing situation.
Back on the Macclesfield canal we stopped at High Lane. Shops and a surgery are here so we booked in as 'Temporary Patients' and got checked over. We are ok with the treatment we are getting so on we go feeling good. So on then to Gurnett for the night. Then after getting filled up with water went down the 12 locks at Bosley. It is getting busy now with at least 10 boats coming up so most locks were ready for us with a boat coming out. Grand views across the valley as we leave the foothills of the Pennines.
After a night at the lower level we continued to the end of the Macclesfield and stopped in the rusty red water of the Trent and Mersey. Now a long stretch with loads of locks between Stoke on Trent and Middlewich with 32 locks in 12 miles. There are several small places to pick up supplies on the way down. Still busy with boaters coming up and helping at the locks. These are single locks which come in pairs. But often one of the pair has been left derelict. Some of the lock gates have been repainted but others have been put out of use. It seems that BW are not spending our money effectively.
So after a few days enjoying the scene in Derbyshire we left. Further on a man ran round a bent waving frantically. "Stop here, there's a tree down". Sure enough just round the bend was a queue of 4 boats. Two lovely huge willows had fallen across the canal and the branches were blocking the tow path as well. A 'Black Prince' hire boat was first in line and had called BW. They had also rang the hire company to say they may be back late. They only had 2 days to get back to Stoke on Trent, a full 48 lock miles away. We enjoy travelling at about 10 lock miles a day. So they are pushing it. The canals are better seen at the slower pace. The men from BW had cleared enough to pass by late afternoon and all the boats moved off very quickly. We stayed the night.
