Middlewich to Billinge Green Flash (Trent and Mersey Canal)

In Wardle Lock

Set off bright and early (well for us anyway!) to Wardle Lock, helped Pat and Patrick through, then it was our turn and turned left onto the Trent & Mersey canal.  We have  now left the Shropshire Union canal behind us and onto pastures new.  We have really enjoyed our time on that canal, it is really lovely and a lot of it is very rural.  On along the canal and through the next three locks, there were a couple of boats coming up, so that made life easy for us.  We stopped for water, then chugged on.   After we had filled up, we realised our water pump sounded like it was staying on, so we thought we might have a leak, so we turned the water pump off until we moored and Kev could have a look just to be on the safe side.

Middlewich Big Lock

There is the town recycling centre on the outskirts of Middlewich which is just off the canal, you walk off the tow path and right into it, so stopped off to dump our rubbish.  Then on we went to Middlewich Big Lock, this is a double lock, so we both went in together which saved time.  At the bottom of the lock there are plenty of visitor moorings, but we chugged on, this part of the canal is very windy and quite narrow in places with lots of reeds on the sides of the canal. 

Billinge Green Flash

We were looking for somewhere to moor, but a lot of places was not possible  so we carried on until we came to a wide expanse of water with several boats moored, it is called Billinge Green Flash.  It is a privately owned lagoon caused by subsidence on this section of the Trent & Mersey canal.  We moored up here, it is really lovely, open and sunny with Canadian Geese and ducks swimming around.  Kev  investigated the water pump, but couldn’t find a leak, so gave the pump a good clean as it was abit gunked up, put it back together and it worked okay again, thank goodness, but when we get to a chandlers, we will get some spare parts in case it happens again.

Chilled out for the rest of the day.  We had a few drops of rain in the afternoon, but then the sun came out and it was a really lovely evening.  Staying here tomorrow as well as we have moved every day for the past few days and it will be nice to just chill out and explore the area a bit. 

Moored at Billinge Green Flash

Church Minshall to Middlewich

Wednesday 30th July

It was a bit overcast this morning when we set off but at least no rain!  Chugged along the canal, Pat and Patrick went first and a boat full of Germans was in front of them, it was quite busy with a fair few boats coming the other way, and one behind us.  One boat stopped for us to come through the bridge and let us all through, he then went the wrong way with the tiller and ended up stuck across the canal, never mind we were through and just chugged on!!  He got through the bridge hole eventually. 

In Stanthorne Lock

Leaving Stanthorne Lock

We got to the first lock and waited for the Germans to go through and another boat which had pulled out in front of Patrick, then I helped Pat with the lock, they went through then it was our turn, the chap on the boat behind came and helped me so that was good and we went through smoothly.  Chugged on a bit then moored up; behind Pat and Patrick.  Chilled out for a bit, then walked up to Lidl to get some supplies, Pat came with us as Patrick still wasn’t feeling a 100%.  Back to the boat, then went out again in the afternoon to the factory shop and looked around the town.  It had been cloudy in the morning but it turned out to be a sunny afternoon and evening.  Back to the boat and chilled out for the rest of the evening.  Off again tomorrow, so have to be up nice and early as have four locks to do tomorrow, not sure how I am going to cope!

Moored at Middlewich

Sykes Hollow Mooring to Church Minshull

Decided to get an early start today as didn’t want to get in a long queue like yesterday, so set off to the lock.  Got there and hurray there was no queue, but the lock was against us so had to fill it up and Patrick and Pat went through.  Another boat then turned up, so they helped fill the lock up for us and we went through. 

Aqueduct Marina

Visitor Moorings at Marina

We stopped at Aqueduct Marina to have a look around.  It is a really nice marina with a chandlery and a really nice café, had a coffee there, then back to the boats and chugged on to the moorings between Bridges 13 and 14 near Church Minshull.  

Church at Church Minshull

The Badger Pub

Moored up, then Kev and I walked up the road to Church Minshull about a 10 minute walk from the canal.  It’s a small village with a church and a pub called  The Badger.  We went in the pub and it was really nice inside, so we had lunch, the food was superb, we really enjoyed our lunch.  Walked back to the boat and  just chilled out for the rest of the day.  On the move again tomorrow, so have to be up nice and early to beat the crowds!

Moored at Church Minshull

Calveley to Sykes Hollow Mooring (Shropshire Union Canal)

Saturday 26^th July

Our visitor at Calveley

It was another sunny day and hot.  There is a garage on the main road not far away, so walked along the tow path to some steps in the bank, up there and you are opposite the garage, got some milk, then wandered back to the boat.  Kev went outside to carry on with his fender making and I spent the morning cleaning and tidying up and writing my blog.  Pat was going to make some drop scones to go with our afternoon cup of tea, so that will be nice.  Just going to chill out tonight and watch the qualifying of the Grand Prix.  We were sat out on the tow path and we couldn’t believe our eyes as coming down the tow path was a cow, he just ambled down but when he got to where Kev and Patrick were sat, he stopped then turned around and went back where he came from.  Pat and I walked up; the tow path to see if we could see where he had come from, but we couldn’t, he just went on up around the corner, so we came back.  He didn’t come back, so he must have found his way home.  We sat outside and had the drop scones Pat had made with jam and cream and a cup of tea, just the ticket after a bit of cow herding!! 

Sunday 27^th July

Our Audlem Family

Dave on the Bus

We are off to Audlem today to the Car and Boat Vintage Day.  Malcolm picked us up on the main road around 9.30am, it was nice to see Malcolm as we thought he would be working but as it had rained in the night, he hadn’t been called in to work, but was expecting a call, it was nice to see him.  Went to pick up Anthea as Dave helps with marshalling the vehicles in Hankelow, the village where they start off, then we went onto Janes.  We walked up the road to see the vehicles come through the village and Malcolm’s brother Michael and his wife Ruth joined us, they are identical twins and they certainly are!  We walked up the green where they stand and Malcolm’s mum Sheila and dad (forgotten his name) joined us.   Sheila wanted a photo taken of everyone and she said she wanted me and Kev in it as well as we are now part of their family, how sweet is that.   We waited a bit then they started to all come through, there was probably around 100 or so cars, lorries, vans and tractors, it was brilliant, some really old, some not so old, all tooting their horns and waving flags, and they weaved their way through Audlem village with people lining the streets and all parked up on the field.  The stewards from Hankelow (including Dave) got a lift of one of the old buses, we had to walk!

Historic Boats

Dakota over Audlem

We walked down the road to the field and had a look around the cars, then went down on the canal where there was lots of historic boats moored up, had a drink in the Shroppie Fly pub, then walked one way down the tow path, came back up, stopped for more refreshments at the pub, then walked the other way.  Went back up to the field and got chips in the chippie on the way, then had another look around the cars, bikes, etc. At the end of the day, a Dakota flew over the field several times, it was really great. Walked back to Janes and she had done us all tea which was lovely of her, so we had that and some Pimms and watched the Grand Prix which was really exciting, then Dave dropped us back to the boat.  We are finally off out of this area tomorrow so now won’t see them until next year, but we have had a great time and it was lovely to see Jane, Malcolm, Dave and and Anthea and spend time with them.  We will look forward to seeing them next year. Walked  back to the boat and chilled out.  We had had a really lovely day, we are really glad we stayed around for it.


Monday 28th July

Entering the Middlewich Branch

 
It was hot and sunny again today so we set off with Pat and Patrick in front, Patrick hasn’t been too well the last couple of days, so we are going to help Pat with the locks and moor up today, we stopped at the services to get water, get rid of rubbish etc., then headed off up the canal to Barbridge Junction, turned into the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal and headed up there past all the moored boats to the first lock. 

In Cholmondeston Lock

going out the Lock

We were quite some way from the lock when someone on the tow path said to moor up as this was the queue for the lock, there was probably a dozen boats in front of us, not sure why it took so long but we slowly crawled up nearer to the lock and after nearly three hours it was our turn, we had nearly lost the will to live by then, we were originally going to go on through the next lock and moor up past there, but we had all had enough by then as we were told there was a massive queue at the next lock as well, so before Bridge 6 there is moorings with a bbq area and benches so we moored up there, its called Sykes Hollow Leisure Area, its really nice in the middle of nowhere.  Sat outside and had a cup of tea and an ice lolly.  Then chilled out for the rest of  the evening, we are on the move again tomorrow, hope the queue at the next lock is shorter than today!

Moored at Sykes Hollow Leisure Area