Boatwif

After the October trip to Scotland there was the pear harvest to attend to: The pears added a certain piquancy to a pork-based dish, became rather tasty chutney and provided a base for a vodka and vanilla spirit (yet to be tasted).     Then there was a trip north to check that the boat was afloat (which it was) and dry inside (it was).    On that same trip north there was an informal concert  played by the Cheshire One...

Sea, sheep and space – after a few days on and around the Black Isle those are the abiding impressions. Just where is the Black Isle? It’s in the north east of Scotland, a twenty mile long peninsula, surrounded by sea on three sides –the Cromarty Firth to the north, the Beauly Firth to the south, and the Moray Firth to the east. The sea is ever present: pop off the Black Isle, say to Dingwall (nearest supermarket) and you join the A9...

Congleton Wharf to Higher Poynton: 18⅓ miles, 12 locks, 2 swing bridges Tuesday was a damp and dismal day in Congleton. Down in the town a new sculpture, a 2017 installation,  was spotted.    By late afternoon four other boats had moored behind Cleddau at Congleton Wharf,  all facing towards Bosley – all waiting maybe for an upward passage… Cleddau crept out of Congleton on Wednesday morning. Just before Biddulph Aqueduct comes the first chance of a glimpse of The...

Red Bull Aqueduct to Congleton Wharf: 4 miles, 1 lock ‘Since Cleddau could not have reached Lock 11 before nightfall it’s back to thinking about alternatives again…’ Those were the last words on the previous post, referring to the email update from Canal and River Trust late on Thursday afternoon. So what were the alternatives? Turn round, head off the Macclesfield Canal, travel through the Harecastle Tunnel (photo July 19)    and book into a different marina for the winter...

Anderton to Red Bull Aqueduct: 24¼  miles, 35 locks Back in the day… (What a tiresome phrase that is. Start again, Boatwif) Decades ago, indeed almost half a century ago, the Captain was required to do a great deal of flight planning. There are memories of vast paper maps being rearranged over a table or floor space, of a huge ruler and an array of chinagraph pencils. There was always an emphasis on plotting diversions, not alternative dubious entertainments but alternative airfields...

Weaver Navigation: Marsh Lock – Winsford – Anderton: 25¼ miles, 6 lock passages Cleddau and crew had spent the better part of two days and a night tied up to the pontoon at Weston Marsh Lock. Blinds and curtains drawn it was easy to ignore the bright security night lighting around the chemical works on the opposite bank – and to enjoy the sense of space from being so close to the wide Manchester Ship Canal and the even wider...

Anderton to West Marsh Lock via Northwich: 15 miles,  2 locks So here goes, about to descend 50 feet from the canal to the River Weaver… On arriving at Anderton Boat Lift (it was about 1245 on Sunday) Boatwif dived downstairs in the Visitor Centre to book a passage on the Lift. Short of staff, there was no human voice accessible by phone so a booking in person needed to be made. Confident of the booking procedure Boatwif pressed the...

Rode Heath to Anderton: 19¾ miles,  23 locks It’s 46½ miles (and 48 locks) between the home moorings at Higher Poynton and Anderton, the access point to the River Weaver. With wet weather forecast to dry up by midday on Friday the Cleddau crew, moored at Rode Heath, busied themselves inside the boat during the morning until a clearing in the weather appeared. The Captain fastened the cratch canvas sides back to make access on and off the bow easier and...

Higher Poynton to Rode Heath, 27 miles, 26 locks, 2 swing bridges “What would you like to do for your birthday?” Boatwif was asked. Her answer was emphatic, unswerving. “NOT be on a motorway…” But a south east to north west road journey back to the boat was to be made, it being accomplished the day before the birthday. Would a birthday on the boat deny Boatwif the creature comforts she might have in her bricks and mortar dwelling?  (Definition...

Congleton Wharf to Higher Poynton: 18½ miles, 12 locks, 2 swing bridges From Congleton the Macclesfield Canal weaves its way towards the Bosley lock flight. On the skyline there are two distinctive features, the huge microwave tower to the north east   and the massive hulk of the Cloud, to the south east of the canal. Do all regular canal and towpath users glance to the landing stage by the farm, just to check that the painted cow is still comfortable...