A fine, dry day.

Not only that but the sun came out this afternoon! We started out with a cool, grey morning as we moved to the Trading Post to get a gas bottle.

Heading for the Trading Post at Bridge 15
After loading up the fresh cylinder we pulled back to the water point to top up the tank while we were running the washing machine.

Through the bridge on the left is Lord Vernon’s Wharf, a colliery wharf built to service Nelson’s Pit. It’s now occupied by Braidbar Boats, a well respected boat builder.

Braidbar at Lord Vernon’s Wharf
It looks like someone’s soon to take possession of No 135…

Can I get off, Dad?

It was getting on for midday by the time we got away from Higher Poynton, past the long line of moorings on the offside.

Floyd Fan

The bridges come regular, counting rapidly down to the junction with the Peak Forest Canal at Marple. At High Lane, Towpath Bridge 12 crosses the entrance of another arm, this one leading to the Macclesfield Canal Company’s wharf and warehouse. This has also got a new lease of life as moorings, this time for the North Cheshire Cruising Club. The oldest narrow canal boat club in the country, they were established in 1943 and moved onto the unoccupied wharf. They then approached the owner, by then the London North-Eastern Railway Company, and were given permission to rent the whole arm.

High Lane Arm

Coming round the corner at Hawk Green you get the first sight of the impressive Goyt Mill.

Goyt Mill on the skyline 
Built as a cotton mill in 1905, it sits alongside the canal near Bridge 3, situated to take advantage of water transport for raw and finished goods.

Goyt Mill dominates the view from Marple.
The Macclesfield Canal Company built a warehouse, stop lock and gauging lock just below the junction. We made use of the facilities here to empty the loos, then motored under Bridge 1 and out onto the Peak Forest Canal.

MCC warehouse, now BW’s local office. I hope no-one was hurt when that narrowboat caught fire, but I couldn’t help having a chuckle at the sign on the wall….

Yeah, right!

Looking back, the stop lock gates have been removed but the narrows remain.
There’s some doubt whether the lock was actually ever used, as both canals run at the same level.

Bridge 1 just before the junction is another of those now familiar but still delightful snake bridges, carrying the PFC towpath across the Macc.

We turned right, away from the top of the 16 locks of the Marple Flight. We’ll be back here later in May, to head down into Manchester. But for now we’re heading for Whaley Bridge and Buxworth Basin.


We moored just past the junction opposite the marina. Looking at the forecast we’ll be staying put tomorrow.

Looking back at Marple Junction, the locks to the right and the Macclesfield Canal under the bridge to the left.

It’s a tight turn for a 70 footer!
That’s us, middle top.

Locks 0 (there’s no gates on the stop lock…), miles 4.