Weekend in Bugsworth Basin

The forecast rain for Saturday did not arrive until late morning, by which time Geoff had done a dry run walk to Chinley Church.  The church here does not have a morning service on the second Sunday, just our luck. he reported that the walk was within my capabilities......just a stroll for him.    It was in fact just under 2 miles but with church in the middle I was OK.

Bugsworth Basin is a fascinating place and a great place to moor.......see the link

Saturday evening after the rain had cleared through

The small church at Chinley

Interesting idea with the cross outside.

We had a warm welcome and would have stayed for coffee but we were expecting our friends Bill & Hilary to join us for lunch in the Navigation Inn.    They arrived soon after 12 and we had a lovely catch up session.

Early start tomorrow as we begin the leisurely journey to the Huddersfield narrow canal and the Standedge tunnel.  Our passage is booked for the 18th...or rather Geoff and Petroc's passage is booked for the 18th.  I have ascertained that there is a bus over the top to take Barnaby and I to the other end of the tunnel at Marsden.

Back to Bugsworth Basin

Later yesterday the weather was good enough for all the canoeists to appear

Evening on our mooring....is that a glimmer of ,red sky at night' 

Must have been as it was one of those beautiful mornings on the canal....

Early morning Visitor

We set off just before 8 with Barney and I walking as far as High Lanes, where we nipped up to the local store for the paper

Interesting back gardens again

Passing Goyt Mill as we approach Marple junction.

We stopped at the sani station where the water tap must have been the slowest ever.......we gave up in the end before the tank was full....

Geoff on the bows looking for traffic as we approach the blind junction.

We passed this sorry sight soon afterwards.  The trees were thick and overhanging on the opposite side so passing was done very gingerly

Geoff opening one of the 4 swing bridges on this section.    At the other 3 we were very lucky and were let through by another boat.

The scenery along this part has to be some of the best anywhere.

But much better seen in sunshine

Now this is a sign I would have to take issue with!....................

........Looking at the state of some of the pontoons!

Far reaching views

and closer to home

Geoff and Barney walked from the last swing bridge and we didn't bother to stop to shop at Tescos (I walked back the 1/2 mile later on)

Plenty of room up in the basin so settled ourselves in to await the rain the forecasters are promising us for the morrow.

Later we walked to the Navigation Inn for a pre dinner pint (1/2 cider for me!) and to book for Sunday Lunch

Total distance:10.16 miles  (gosh...a long way for us)

Elapsed time:5h27m18s  (including time at sani station with slow tap....)

Locks:0

Bridges:38 
Average speed:1.86 mph (1.86 lock/mph) 

Higher Poynton

Well today was supposed to be a better day....or so the weather people said!
We awoke to pouring rain again so an early departure was delayed, but by 9.30 it seemed to have improved a bit so we set off, vaguely aiming for Marple or just beyond.

Mooring at Bollington

Clarence Mill

However the cold and the general dismal air defeated us and when we saw there was space at Higher Poynton in the wide stretch of canal before bridge 14 we decided to call it quits for the day.  Such a shame as we are in beautiful countryside but cannot appreciate it properly in this dank weather....we will try again tomorrow.

Behind us we could see White 'Nancy' another hill Geoff climbed on our last trip this way.

I spied a strange contraption in the distance

Well that's a lot of solar panels......good clothes line as well!

There are no visitor's moorings marked here as such but lots of space just before bridge 14.  When we have been through here previously it has always been full of boats.

The moorings after the bridge are permanent, although there seemed to be plenty of spaces with no boat names alongside.   It is also the home of Braidbar Boats.

Total distance:4.13 miles 

Elapsed time1hr 35 min

 Locks:0

Bridges:15 

Rest day in Bollington

A rest day was declared as the forecast was for heavy rain...in the event although there was some rain during the day the really heavy stuff did not arrive until just before 4pm.......just in time for me to take Barney for his after tea stroll......

I spent the day catching up with various things including Giles' accounts but took time out to catch the bus to Poynton, 20 minutes away.

Bought a few odds and ends including a new small umbrella but it is not a patch on the one I left on Bisous.......but I have hopes of being reunited with that before too long.  That will probably when the weather takes a turn for the better and all this wretched rain goes away for a while.

I failed with some tasks as it only boasts two banks and neither was one of the ones I wanted....No Lloyds and no Barclays

Whilst I was away Geoff observed what looks like one of these new fangled 3 parent families!

The forecast looks better for the next two days so we are aiming for Bugsworth basin by Friday as Saturday looks dire ....yet again.....

Goodbye Boe

Geoff had ascertained that as we thought the moorings at Macclesfield are less than useless so we panned at late start so we could just drop Boe off in time for her 3pm train.

Moored by our own infinity pool

and a morning visitor

Barnaby and I decided we would walk into Macclesfield for our daily exercise.

Boe has a liking for travelling on the roof

Approaching Macclesfield

Some very pretty back gardens and a rather posh patio........

It gets a bit grottier after this!

In fact Macclesfiled canal area is not to be recommended....There are visitor moorings where there is space for one boat just before bridge.37.  (Boat on it)  ..and beyond the bridge there is a sign which says you are welcome to moor for 24 hours.....well 24 minutes would be too long!

We managed to pull close enough to the bank just before the bridge by a now disused water point, too shallow to moor for long term.   So Boe was hastily off loaded, Geoff took her to the bridge and pointed her into the direction of the station and picked Barnaby and him up as I went under the bridge.

Onward to Bollington to try our luck.   Through very quiet peaceful countryside but very tree lined and no suitable places to moor.    Certainly no nice open spaces which we like.

As we approached the aqueduct at Bollington we though we were out of luck but there was just one space and we just fitted in.   Phew.......otherwise we would have had to carry on and it was already 3.30 way past our stopping time and Geoff had missed his siesta......

Total distance:4.43 miles 

Elapsed time:2h5m42s 

Locks:0

Bridges:17 
Average speed:2.12 mph (2.12 lock/mph) 

Boseley Flight

We had planned on a relatively early start but not as

early as Meanders...they went past us at 0640.........we set off about 8.20 and since not another soul had stirred all the 12 locks were against us.  Still it was not raining and warm enough for shorts......well long shorts!

A certain member of the crew was still abed as we left 

and still abed as Geoff does the work

But now a figure appears

Maybe I'll join in.......

The casual approach

Now a bit of wellie is required....

Now an easier time for Geoff

Back on board after all his exertions at the locks Barnaby resumes his normal cruising position

A little way from home methinks....

This was our intended destination at Oakgrove for supper out tonight.......however we were forewarned by Bisous that it was all boarded up

Instead we carried on to the Gurnett Aqueduct where there was lots of space, although with the mooring rings positioned for 50 ft boats we really needed to put a pin in for one end.     After a lot of cursing from he who shall be nameless we gave up that idea and had to use the rings as they were.

We had been so lucky with the weather.......Geoff then walked into Macclesfield to suss out the moorings for us to drop Boe tomorrow for her train.  As expected they are not good, so we shall go late and do a quick drop off.

Later the rain came quite heavily.    The pub closest to the Aqueduct does not do food on a Monday so we set off to find Church House Inn in Sutton.....however when we reached  where Geoff, with his normally infallible memory, remembered it to be, we found that the pub was called the Lamb and no sign of life and a For Sale sign outside.........

I had previously phoned the Church Hall Inn and ascertained that food was OK on a Monday so we persevered with the aid of a local and eventually found it.   It was well worth the trek as we had an excellent meal.   Just pub grub, but nothing pretentious and well cooked.

Total distance:5.60 miles 

Elapsed time:4h53m49s (This included a stop at the top of the locks for us to use a very good shower)

Locks:12

Bridges:17 
Average speed:1.14 mph (3.59 lock/mph) 

A bright Sunny day!!

Wow!  We awoke this morning to blue skies no wind, no rain and the canal was as flat as a mill pond.

Geoff and I took off for church leaving a sleeping Boe behind.......we knew the service in St Peters Congleton was a special service with a visiting couple from the Church Missionary Society.   They turned out to be a doctor and his wife who have been in Rwanda for over 12 years.  A lovely couple and a thought provoking talk for the sermon..........but we ended up with a service lasting nearly 2 hours in extremely uncomfortable boxed pews!!

Leaving Congleton basin

and over the little aqueduct
After Geoff had done a little bit of shopping we moved off with the intention of reaching the bottom of Boseley Locks

Pretty turn around bridges

Lovely quiet countryside along this stretch and we managed to find a great mooring in the open not far from the bottom of the locks.  It was a little shallow but we managed to get the bows in so we settled for that.

We are opposite the hill called the Cloud which Geoff climbed in the rain 2 years ago,

Soon after our arrival Boe decided to have her exercise for the day and went for a run taking Barnaby with her......he must have wondered what was going on as no-one normally runs with him.

A later occupation!!

Total distance:4.05 miles 

Elapsed time:2h38m42s

 Locks:0

Bridges:23 
Average speed:1.53 mph (1.53 lock/mph)