Saturday 4 May 2019 Day 8: Wheelock to Bramble Cutting (btw Br 176-177)

Mike and Tim took advantage of the CRT showers at the waterpoint a couple of hundred metres up the canal. While they did so Lawrence and I caught up on the Aus news - candidates falling like flies - worrisome they can still stand and win.

Morning view

We moved up to the waterpoint around 7.45 and while the tank filled I disposed of the rubbish and recycling and Mike walked into the village to buy some milk and coffee.

A non-squirter, as Lawrence was pleased to note

Whilst sunny it was bloody cold. Forecast high of a balmy 9oC for the day. Anyone's guess what it was at 8.00am in the morning. Brrrr. (Note for Rhonda - see L wearing the Aldi thermal he so much poo pooed!)

we either had a very empty tank or it was a very slow tap. We eventually pulled away from the water point at 8.30am.

Had 2 1/2 miles of lock free cruising

Oak tree coming into leaf

Lock 67, the first of a flight of three, called the Booth Lane Locks

In the long pound after lock 69 Tim served up hot chocolate to help keep the cold at bay.
Bridge 165 is at an awkward angle, and just where we met our first oncoming boat of the day. L bought us through clean but you can see where it has taken a regular battering.

It was also extremely low and the A533 had been attached to it somehow, turning it into a short tunnel.

First Chestnut tree starting to flower we have seen

Coming into Middlewich we passed the British Salt Works

Still producing salt.

The brine pumping and rock salt mining that has gone on in this area for centuries has resulted in severe local subsidence as can be seen by the number of 'flashes' in the area (what we would call water filled sink holes) and on the canals. In the past sizeable portions of villages have been swallowed by them.

Snoozing and preening in the sun.

Kings Lock, quite a deep one at 11'3" . It was coming up this lock in 2016 on a warm, sunny Sunday at lunch time that Lawrence inadvertently entertained the goongoozalers, diners and drinkers at the lockside pub. Lawrence, unable to see the crowd from below and busting for a pee, drove into the lock and once Aqualife was rising steadily took the oppoturnity to take a 'slash' off the side of the stern. Unfortunately for him, but to the vast amusement of the onlookers hanging over the railing and looking down into the lock, he chose to let loose from the side facing the pub. He rose in the lock to the sound of  much whistling, applause and laughter.

As we came to the top of the Middlewich Locks there was a boat in the lock going down, and one waiting on the lock landing. We pulled in to wait our turn.

This heron obligingly posed for me while we waited.

With more boats waiting to come up the lock and more boats arriving behind us to go down a log jam soon developed. Not helped by these two plastic boats sharing the same lock and the previous one. They had to fill the locks ever so slowly to prevent their boats from being bashed around. It took us an hour to get through the three locks

As we cruised through the rest of Middlewich we pass a number of inviting looking pub
(this isn't one of them in the pic below) which L and I looked at rather longingly but Tim had already started prepping for a lunch time fry up

Old CRT wharehouse and lock cottage for sale

Crossing over Croxton aqueduct over the River Dane along whose valley the canal runs for the next several miles.

One of the flashes mentioned earlier

We arrived at our destination for lunch, Bramble Cutting, at 12.40pm. Bramble Cutting is a lovely off-side mooring. The site of an old clay pit with the remains of a tramway for loading the barges.

About 1.40pm Tim produced a magnificent repast: bacon, scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms & onion, sausages and what no Englishman would do without - baked beans.

After such a feast we all sat around feeling sleepy and warm in the toasty boat. One by one we disappeared for a nana nap and as has so often happened this trip, cruising ended up being over for the day.  We are getting very lazy!!

Looking up the canal from our mooring

The evening light enticed me to take a short walk in the very nippy air

8 1/2 miles, 9 locks