After spending so long hanging around the Anderton area, we really needed a change of scenery. But with the weather still being cold, I didn’t want Mags hanging around on the tiller while we did locks, so we headed north instead. Just one lock this way, the shallow stop lock just south of Preston Brook Tunnel.
There are usually 3 live-aboards on the offside of the Trent and Mersey near Acton Bridge, but they were missing as we went past yesterday.
What, no boats?
The mystery was solved when we got to Dutton. They must have relocated before the canal froze, so they were nearer civilisation.
Ahh, there they are.
We made an unsuccessful visit to Midland Chandlers at Preston Brook. It was a long shot at best, we needed a grate rail for the stove after one snapped the other day. Not a stocked item, unfortunately, so I’ve had to order them direct from the manufacture and have made a temporary fix with a bit of steel bar.
Then to the services just around the corner on the Runcorn Arm, before heading for an overnight stop at Moore.
Although it can be a bit boring, the Bridgewater makes for easy cruising. No locks, wide and deep, it is an ideal commercial canal. Hmm, just have to think of something that’s not urgent, produced in Manchester and in short supply in Runcorn. There must be something….
The Bridgewater Canal near Thelwall.
The canal ducks under the M6 just south of the famous Thelwall Viaduct, which soars over both the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey.
Just a glimpse of the Thelwall Viaduct.
There’s a short rocky cutting just at the edge of Lymm. It’s amazing that trees can establish themselves in the smallest crack.
Knobbly roots.
Through Lymm and the next stretch is busy with moored boats on the offside. Lymm Cruising Club is responsible for most of them, but there are a couple of boatyards bracketing the Barn Owl pub.
Cheshire Narrowboats at Lymm Marina looks busy. I counted 6 or 7 boats in various stages of completion.
Lots of primer…
We passed The Olde No 3 pub, turned and moored just north. We’ve a Tesco delivery due there tomorrow lunchtime, but although it’s handy, the offside mooring is a bit noisy with traffic for an overnight stay. So I reckon we’ll move back towards Lymm in the afternoon.
Oh, and from the last post, regarding the large chicken sat in the tree; I reckon Alf goes to the top of the class for identifying it as a guineafowl. Precisely, the Vulturine variety, Acryllium vulturinum . A native of Africa, they are farmed here for meat and eggs. I wonder where this one came from?
Locks 1, miles 18 (Wow, that’s further than in the whole of the previous month!)
1 comment:
Only reason I knew them was where we used to live the pub had them as pets & gawd dont they make a noise under the bedroom window at
4 am on a summers morn !!!!!!!
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