Mossley to Uppermill: 7 locks, 2.61 miles For the canal enthusiasts here are several other Huddersfield Narrow curiosities to start with… At the top end of the locks behind the paddle gear you are likely to trip over “a pepper pot”.  These objects function as a pressure valve – if the water rushing into the locks is under huge pressure surplus water can be thrust upwards through the holes. As yet neither crew member has had an unexpected dousing although...

Sunday 10th June, 2012 “What’s missing?” said the Captain just after dawn this morning. “What can’t you hear?” True, the Webasto was busy hissing as it heated the water and the birds were busy singing… but there was a total absence of the sound of rain lashing on windowpanes and metal roof.  Could the rain stay away…? To prepare for boating without laying out thermals and gaiters, or waterproof tops and bottoms – what joy!  Cleddau’s crew had, perhaps wrongly,...

Saturday 9th June 2012 At 1424 on Saturday afternoon Cleddau cruised into previously unknown territory, a Welsh named boat heading (maybe) for bandit country and then for England’s backbone, the Pennines… Driving up the M1 to Macclesfield on Friday a thought had occurred: forgot to pack the sun hats and sunscreen – it has to be said that amid the constant downpours and dank conditions such items have not (yet) been needed! After unloading (too many T-shirts and not enough...

19th to 21st May 2012 Boaty bits and fairy tales, or when the diesel got polished and how Tattercoats found her prince A long weekend in Cheshire beckoned – chance to tackle some jobs on Cleddau – and an opportunity to join the Cheshire One on a visit to the Spellbound Forest. First to the boaty bits. If only there had been a tick list then the Captain could have smugly marked off as DONE:   (1) replacing a hinge...

Falklands Friend had dropped by for lunch and a long afternoon’s catch up before heading south on her last weekend. A 20 hour flight via Ascension Island will get her back to work – and to midwinter. As she left she pushed two packages towards us, one a Brunel booklet for Cleddau’s on-board library, the other a collection of walks cards for Cambridgeshire and East Midlands. So it was that in perfect walking weather on Saturday Boatwif and the Captain...

Cleddau is moored far from home but on Saturday Boatwif and the Captain were craving boats and a breezy walk. Why not Foxton Locks then, was the thought.  Years before becoming boat owners there had been an expedition into rural Leicestershire in pursuit of a country walk – and the spectacle of dinky locks, side ponds and an odd little museum had proved a magical surprise. Time and again we have returned – to walk, to gongoozle and twice to...

Saturday 14th April: 3.94 miles Your local waterway an outdoor gym was the promotional message displayed on the side of a British Waterways van at Red Bull the other day. On Saturday morning the gossiping geese on the field woke the Cleddau crew. In warm sunshine the Captain pulled out the mooring pins and the boat set off for the last three miles or so back to the moorings at Higher Poynton.  A squirrel ran across a bridge parapet in...

Friday 13th April: Bosley to Bollington, 10 miles, 12 locks, 2 swing bridges Prompt at 0930 Cleddau’s extra crew arrived. Techno Son-in-law and Techno’s Dad had pre-positioned two cars and walked the mile down the flight to find us at the bottom. A cup of coffee and then the work could start. While drinking the coffee some unexpected words were noticed: stuck on a bollard at the bottom of the flight was the Lake Powell Utah – Arizona sticker.  Some...

Thursday 12th April: 11.54 miles, 7 locks “I’d love a cup of hail-proof tea,” said the Captain once Cleddau was safely back on the Macc.  From Church Lawton up to Kidsgrove, through 6 locks, during a shopping and a watering stop the skies had  not leaked rain and rain caps had not been worn – a great improvement on previous days. But once the sharp right turn from the Trent and Mersey onto the Macclesfield Canal had been made at...

Wednesday 11th April: just north of Wheelock to Church Lawton, 6.24 miles, 20 locks             Embarrassed last night that only a few crumbs remained of boat cake when our Bosley visitors were on board Boatwif retrieved the second boat cake (baked before departure) from the freezer compartment and now it has defrosted. The recipe for Toss in Together Cake was passed on decades ago and it always goes down well after a boating day. It is flavoured with mixed fruit,...