Even though Lawrence would close the top paddles and open and close the top gates as I was walking to the next lock and setting it, the locks were really hard going. The bottom gate paddles winding gear were extremely stiff and most had to be wound in a series of jerks - very tiring. By half way up I was done with admiring the views and just wanted the flight over.
Looking down the flight
Looking up the flight
Looking down the flight further on
Lawrence getting AL out of a lock as I drain the next lock to get it ready to receive Aqua Life with The Cloud in the background
Even though we passed a boat coming down the locks about halfway up the top gates leaked so badly, the locks filled up with water again.
At the top lock we disposed of the rubbish and took on water
while Lawrence showered, and as no boats arrived we sat on the waterpoint and had some lunch before pushing on. A very nice park like garden
Rural scenes
A couple of ducks taking advantage of the shallows and afternoon sun
More bosky scenery
The home base of NB Alton, one of the last commercial trading boats on the canals,msupplying gas, diesel, coal, pump outs etc to boats and canal side houses on the Mac and Peak Forest Canals.
Next up was an electric, key operated swing bridge. This is what our Pearsons canal guide has to say about it. "For though it is only a minor road.... It can be surprisingly busy, especially during the 'school run' when Cheshire's womenfolk take to the roads in 4x4s which appear better suited to delivering aid parcels to remote villages in the third world."
Reading that immediately conjured visions of Morrison St, Hawthorn and running the morning and afternoon gauntlet of luxury 4WDs, most driven as if their drivers owned the road. So it was with some trepidation that I pocketed the key and walked toward the bridge in question, especially as it was 4.00pm.
Huge relief was felt as I reached the bridge and there was a gap in the traffic. I scuttled across the bridge,whipped out the key, had it in like Flynn and pushed the button. No sooner had the warning beep started than cars appeared and started queuing up. But unlike Morrison St, everyone was polite and patiently waited until the bridge swung open, AL cruised through, I switched buttons, the bridge closed and barriers raised (all of which took somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes). The Morrison St mums could learn and thing or 2 from the 'Cheshire womenfolk'!
We were both pooped by then so we cruised on until we came to a quiet stretch and moored up for the night. All was serene until I stepped in some dog shit - with both feet!! For awhile it wasn't serene at all as I vented my wrath to some birds and the sheep across the canal (Lawrence wisely pretended to be asleep) and told them, in no uncertain terms, what I thought of English dog owners. And then I thought of Geoff, the dog shit magnet, on our first Narrowboat trip and I smiled, because he would have enjoyed the scene. But, I've probably told you already, the problem is so bad over here it is now a finable offence, not to pick up your dogs droppings, and they have a dob in a dog shitter campaign, and they've even caught people through DNA testing of the doggies do dos. It's serious stuff!
Suzie, she of Van de Graff Accelerator fame, requested a map of where we have been. Lawrence is on the case, but it is a work in progress. In the meantime here is a pic of a waterways map showing the area we are in. We started at Willington, near Burton on Trent, then Nottingham, Newark, Torksey, turned left at Keaby (opposit Scunthorpe),turned right at Bramwith Junction, Leeds, Skipton, Blackburn, Wigan, Leigh, Manchester, Lymm, down onto the Rover Weaver went downstream first to near where the M56 crosses the river the upstream to Winsford Flash, back downstream to Anderton Lift. Turned right onto Trent and Mersey to Kidsgrove turned left up the Macclesfield Canal and we are Approx 3 miles south of Macclesfield township.
So i expect at least to Suzie to print off a copy of the map and get out a highlighter. And Suzie, I'll want to see it when I get home!
10 miles, 12 locks, 1 swing bridge in 7 hours
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