Leek to The Holly Bush Inn, Denford

We were sitting on mud and listing this morning when we got up, the level has dropped by 2”, which made the return trip along the Leek branch interesting. Approaching Leek tunnel.

We turned sharp right at Hazelhurst junction and down the 3 Hazelhurst locks, then under Hazelhurst Aqueduct which carries the Leek branch over the mainline of the Caldon canal.

Now moored outside The Holly Bush Inn at Denford, where we have just had a lovely lunch of plaice, chips and peas, washed down with pints of Marston’s Pedigree.

Keith.

Stoke on Trent Boat Club to Leek.

A cool but dry start to the day, which warmed up as we went along. Approaching Hazlehurst junction, where we turned right to take the Leek branch.

Entering Leek tunnel.

Moored at the end of the Leek Branch.

After lunch we took a walk up into Leek, unfortunately the cars parked in the square spoil the view. We visited some of the antique shops that were open, Leek is renown for it’s antique shops.

I had a tea and Jo had a coffee in “The Green Dragon” a delightful Wetherspoon's establishment.

Keith.

West Port Lake to Stoke Boat Club, Endon

A good start to the day, we stopped briefly at Middleport Potteries.

We had a look around the shop, got this photo of Hadar from the shop's 1st floor.

A view of Middleport Pottery that we have never seen before.

Then we carried on to the Caldon Canal, it started to drizzle lightly as we came up the Stockton Brook locks and started to rain heavier as we moored just outside the Stoke Boat Club where we will stay for the weekend.

Keith.

Red Bull Wharf to Westport Lake.

It was supposed to rain all day, but it certainly didn’t where we were. We stopped below Red Bull top lock for food shopping at Tesco's, then carried on the Harecastle tunnel where we had about an hour wait to go through, so we had lunch and a coffee.

 

We moored up at the South portal of Harecastle tunnel where we normally moor overnight, but having chatted to the tunnel keeper about the house above the tunnel being empty, which it has now been for 2 weeks, he said that people had already been in the garden messing it up, and there was a dodgy looking guy hanging around so we decide to move on, better safe that sorry.

We are now moored at Westport Lake.

We took a stroll around the lake, which has had a lot of work done to the footpaths since we last walked around it. This squirrel was tucking into some food someone had left for the pigeons.

This sign made me giggle, a very narrow area of no fishing between the 2 arrows on the sign! If you can’t quite clearly read it it says “No Fishing between Arrows”.

 

Keith.

Wheelock to Red Bull Wharf

We had a good run up through the Cheshire locks, 23 of them and 7½ miles in 5½ hours, with lots of boats coming down, setting the locks ready for us, and the sun was shining too!

Keith.

Dutton to Paddy’s Wood, West of Wheelock.

A cold start to the day, I even contemplated putting an extra pair of socks on, but it did warm up for the afternoon. On our journey to Liverpool I discovered the bridge I hit with “Pisces”. Today we passed it again and I got a photo of the scar which is still there, along with another on next to it.

We had a short wait at Saltersford tunnel as it is timed entry and we had to wait for half pas the hour before we could go through.

We passed “Halsall” heading north, we will see him at Etruria. We had fun and games at Middlewich. We arrived at the bottom of the three locks to join a queue of 3 boats waiting to go up the locks. Having negotiated them, I was then confronted by one of them, having tried to turn into the Middlewich branch, and failed with the wind taking him onto the boats moored at King’s lock chandlery. As he reversed back into the junction winding hole, I shot past him. He managed to achieve it as we left King’s lock. However all of this set us back time wise. We arrived at 5:30pm and moored at Paddy's Wood, between Rookery Railway Bridge No.158 and Bridge No.157 West of Wheelock.

Keith.

River Weaver Walk

This morning Jo and I took a walk down to the River Weaver at Acton swing Bridge.

We walked along the river towards Dutton locks and weir.

We didn’t see the loco but the coaches were GWR chocolate and cream, and they disappeared before I could take the photo, you will have to imagine them crossing the viaduct!

And then we walked back up the footpath from Dutton locks to Bridge No.210 on the T&M. this photo is taken from Bridge 210 looking back down the footpath to the River Weaver.

This is the winding hole, behind where we are moored, I mentioned yesterday.

We got back to Hadar, and whilst we were waiting for the kettle to boil, Ian & Irene on “Freespirit” came alongside and we had a quick chat in the sunshine, before they continued their journey to Liverpool.

Keith.

Dunham Massey to Ryan’s Bridge No.210 on the Trent & Mersey Canal, near Dutton.

Another good day weather-wise. We left the Bridgewater canal at Preston Brook tunnel.

We are now back on the Trent & Mersey canal, moored near Ryan’s Bridge No.210 near Dutton, and not far from Acton swing bridge on the River Weaver.

Immediately behind us is the winding hole where, on a trip on Pisces when the gearbox had jammed in forward gear, I attempted to wind. Selecting neutral and it was still in forward gear, selecting reverse resulted in both forward and reverse being selected, which stalled the engine. I had line Pisces up perfectly, intending the swing the stern in close enough to the towpath for a crew member to step off with the stern line, thus keeping us in contact with the towpath, and I was going to stall the engine, and then we could wind her using the rope, but the crew member on the stern with me would not step off with the rope and we ended up grounded in the reeds, and had to wait for a passing boat to help pull us off.

Keith.

Worsley to Dunham Woodhouse Underbridge

A warm start today, very different from yesterday. Crossing over the Barton swing aqueduct.

We moored at the canal access to the Trafford Centre and went to have a look around.

It is quite an amazing place, and we now know why so many friends have said we should visit it. We had a Pizza Hut buffet lunch whilst there before continuing our journey to Dunham Woodhouse underbridge, where there is an offside mooring, and just as we were about to moor up, John and Judith on Serena arrived and also moored there, so we had a quick catch-up with them.

Keith.

Wigan to Worsley

A damp start to the day with very light fine rain, which had stopped by the time we got to Worsley, where we are now moored.

The entrance to Worsley mines seems to have become more overgrown since our last visit here!

Not much has changed at Worsley, it is still as pretty as ever.

Keith.

“Ring O’Bells” to Wigan Pier.

A dull start to the morning. Approaching Appeley locks, with the abandoned locks to the left, which have been replaced by a single deep lock.

Having arrived at Appeley lock Jo discovered that neither ground paddle was working so she had to fill the lock slowly with the gate paddles, which as the lock is 12ft deep it took a while. Whilst the lock was filling another boat arrived behind us. Having moved Hadar out of the lock, Jo could not shut the gate, there was something stopping it, so I reversed back to the open gate and flushed whatever it was out with the propeller. We decided to wait and help the other boat up through the lock and we paired up for the following 3 locks to Wigan Pier. The rain started to spit and spot, but by the time we moored up it was more drizzle. We will be sharing tomorrows locks with George & Linda on Wandering Star.

We are now moored by Wigan Pier again, and went to Asda for a food shop.

Keith.