Staying at Vale Royal Moorings (River Weaver)

Sun set at Vale Royal Moorings

Saturday 9^th August

Last night, there was a beautiful sun set and the sky was orange and reflecting in the water, it was really spectacular.  

We are staying put today, so chilled out for a while, then walked up to the bridge and up the lane and into the village of Moulton, asked a lady if there was a circular walk back to the river and she said yes and pointed out where to go, she told us where the Co-op was, so we walked to that and then turned left and on the corner there was a pub, the Travelers Rest, it was closed, but good to remember for another time as it looked very nice.  Stopped a chap and asked him if we were on the right road for the circular walk to take us back to the river and we were, of all the people we could have stopped, he had had lots of boats and been on the Weaver when the Anderton Lift wasn’t working and so had to go out on the Manchester Ship Canal to get anywhere, it was nice to chat to him.  We walked on and down a lane, through a field and we were back on the River just up from the lock, so walked up to the lock, but no boats going through and walked back along the tow path to the boat.

Our friends John and Sharon and their dog Smuggler on narrow boat Thomazina moor on the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal were out on a trip for three weeks and heading up to see us.  Had a text from them to say that they were coming down the lift at lunch time so would be with us this afternoon, that will be nice to see them and catch up.  They left Gloucester last Saturday so it has only taken them 7 days to get to us, it has taken us nearly 14 weeks to get here!! Ha ha.

 

Sitting in the sun with John, Sharon & Smuggler

It is a lovely sunny day today and hot, so we sat out in the sun and waited for them to turn up.  We were completely on our own at the moorings and the river was very quiet, so plenty of room for John and Sharon, but about half an hour before they arrived, three boats came down and all moored here, it is the most boats we have seen since we have been on the river, but there was one space for them as they only have a small boat.  Not long after, they turned up. 

It was so nice to see them all again and Smuggler was very pleased to see Kev as Kev has looked after him in the past when John and Sharon have gone away.  We all sat outside and had coffee, home -made lemon drizzle cake and ginger biscuits, then it was Pimms o’clock and we all had Pimms.  Sat outside until about 7pm, then all went in and had our meals, then John, Sharon and Smuggles came round to our boat and we had a drink and a chat, it was nice to catch up as we haven’t seen them since we left in May.

Grrrr hope I get a Catfish!!!!

One of the boats that moored here had a lovely black Labrador.  When the chap is fishing, the dog sits in the front of the boat by the rod like he is fishing waiting for a fish and apparently when they get a fish,  he jumps in, but we didn’t see that as they didn’t get a bite!

We are staying here again tomorrow, as the forecast is not good, but also the diesel boat is coming to meet us here so we can fill up.  John and Sharon may stay or move on depending on the weather.

Sunday 10^th August

Diesel Boat Alton coming along side

Diesel Boat Alton off to another customer

Filling up with diesel

It was raining heavily this morning when we woke up and rained for the morning, it brightened up early afternoon just as the diesel boat Alton turned up.  We filled up with diesel and Kev also bought another core and some rope so he could make another fender, John and Sharon bought one too as they are going to have a go at making a fender as well, everyone has caught the fender bug!  The diesel boat chugged off and we sat out on the bank for a bit and had coffee and cake, then it started to rain and so we all went in, it looks like Big Bertha has arrived!  It rained heavily for a bit, but now it is brightening up again, so hopefully Big Bertha has gone to rain on someone else!

Cormorant drying his wings

When we were sat having our coffee, a Cormorant came and sat on the post opposite us by the weir and dried its wings, its lovely seeing them do that.

Just chilling out for the rest of the day, then chugging off tomorrow.