Monthly Archive: September 2013

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Tentatrice trip

Wednesday 18th – Sunday 22nd September           “You’re honoured guests…but don’t expect this standard of catering every night!” Such were the words from Cleddau’s Relief First Mate, now herself the proud co-owner of nb Tentatrice.  A three course dinner (plus cheese and port) was a great welcome to a first cruise aboard a brand new boat. The route was to be the southern end of the Stratford Canal, from Wootton Wawen down to Stratford-upon-Avon (and back)....

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Cleddau summer cruise concluded

Gurnett Aqueduct to Higher Poynton: 8.8 miles               Announcement: the Cleddau 2013 Summer Cruise is over – stats-starved readers see below…               There’s been a certain amount of aqueduct hopping during this trip up the Macc. As the canal crosses on Poole Aqueduct above the Trent and Mersey locks near Kidsgrove (Saturday) a squirrel darted about on the parapet. The short Dog Lane Aqueduct at Congleton was quiet on Sunday morning, the usual road traffic underneath more sparse than usual....

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To the summit in sunshine, downpours later…

Dane Aqueduct to Gurnett Aqueduct : 9.2 miles, 12 locks, 2 swing bridges              It was cloudless over the Cloud this morning when Cleddauset off towards Bosley Bottom Lock. Though the sky was paint box blue at Bottom Lock in the shadow of the trees the air felt chill and dew still covered lock gate handles and paddles. Initially the flight was fairly quiet but then at about half way boats which had set off from the top in what...

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Cow country and an aqueduct quest

Ramsdell Hall Railings to Bosley Locks: 9½ miles           There’s a comfortable homecoming feel to being “back on the Macc.”  Perhaps it’s the combination of rural and dramatic settings with visually interesting structures that creates such affection for this canal.           The black and white painstakingly repaired and repainted Ramsdell Hall railings were clearly visible from last night’s dining position. After a farewell to them this morning it was straight through one of the many Macc Canal bridges. Local stone...

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Sensing change…

Festival Marina, Stoke-on-Trent to Ramsdell Hall Railings: 8.9 miles, 1 lock              So Phase 6 of Cleddau’s Summer Cruise is under way. It was 16 weeks ago when in bitterly cold conditions Cleddau left her mooring on the northern end of the Macclesfield Canal, heading then for Chester and Ellesmere Port.  Summer eventually arrived, the coal bucket was buried in a cupboard and the electric fan brought into action. There was the first southbound transit of the Shropshire Union, the enchanting...