Trip details and some photo's

So it was 120 miles and 76 locks from Hunts lock to Fourlane ends on the Macclesfield and back. We were out for 10 days and it felt like it rained for most of them at some point.


Images are worth a thousand words - and easier to put onto the blog.....


On the way to pick up our crew, just after we have done the Fradley locks









Leia taking an early nap





We were waiting at Sandon lock as the thunderstorm demonstrated the weather to come....





This was the thunderstorm after it had passed us





Colwich lock was not very busy at all - which if you know the route is a good thing





We timed our arrival at Harcastle tunnel perfectly as we were able to water up before we went through. The police helicopter buzzed us most of the way from Festival marina, we found out they were looking for a flasher !






My mum helping us moor up after day three (Leia is standing by waiting to help)






This Rachel taking Waterlily up the Bosley 12 locks, on the tight turn between locks 1 and 2







This shows how stunning the scenery is on the Macc...





There is a Heron in this picture somewhere...




Another nice pic and some blue sky






Some more of the same lovely countryside






This is a moon shot from our moorings above Bosley locks - I still cannot get anywhere close to Andrew Denny's fantastic night shots







My birthday dinner....in the Fools Nook - very apt and nice meal in a friendly pub





Then back off towards the Trent and Mersey but via this electric swing bridge - following a hen party day boat !





Rachel took this much better photo of Mr (or Mrs) Heron, spot its plastic mate in the reeds






This is one of the Maccs 'snake bridges' designed so the horse does not have to be unhitched when the tow path swaps over






Yours truly looking typically miserable




We were the last boat (just made it) through the Harcastle tunnel. Looking back to the entrance






The Tuesday was very wet. You can see the lock leaking top middle right, normally these leaks stop as the lock empties this one was still running as we left the lock
Tom and Lucy braving the crap weather I think this was Aston lock (half way on the Trent and Mersey) For the record there is a new Marina to be built here - surely they have reached saturation point ?

The rain did stop on the last Tuesday, just in time for a little fishing in the late evening.

Final day.....

A bit late but for completeness.

After the breakdown in Stone we were running late so we only made it to above Hoo Mill Lock. A 7.30 start saw us working our way back to our home mooring. It was all very uneventful with a nice cruise back. Rugely was very busy and luckily we met a boat just as we were passing the lat of a very long line of moored boats. We stopped for lunch just after Woodend lock, just as I got the rod out - yes you guessed it the rain came.

We got back onto our mooring just after 4pm and was home for 6pm.

I'll post some pics and a resume of the trip on the next post.

Nev

My new bike.....ish

I posted a while ago about my Ducati. While I was away on my trip up the Macclesfield my P&J was getting a makeover.......

From Blue to proper Ducati Red

When I first saw and brought the Ducati the fact it was blue was a little disappointment, but I wanted another V twin and a Ducati was my preference. When the tail piece fell off recently and got badly scratched up an excuse was given for a respray. I brought the belly pan off ebay to complete the look. Originally I was going to have it with white stripes but at the eleventh hour I went for the plain 2001 Ducati red look with the latest Monster decal (there is the word Monster in black under the white Ducati) I might put some text on the belly pan.

Cordwells did the work- -about 300 quid and I am pleased with it. I am also pleased I managed to put all the bits back on without scratching or damaging anything.

I keep thinking about selling my bike - now it looks so good I have put this off again....I took a 60 mile trip out into Derbyshire today to ensure the tank and fueling was OK - I ached by the time I came back (fibromyalgia) but on the whole it was worth it.

Nev

Penultimate day - and we break down

Not in an emotouonal sense -a water pip gave up and RCR had to be called. It meant a long day cruising and another long day tomrrow. ho hum..... and the weather has been just cr@p - literally rained all day.

We cruised from Barleston to Stone, when I checked the stern gland the bilge was full of rusry water - the return water hose had worn through by rubbing on the engine mount. A good reason to check the engine regularly.

RCR came out and sorted it in 2 hours.

We are just past Weston so a long day ahead tomorrow (or today as ts 12.40.......)

Nev

Continuous Cruisers I salute you.

Continuous Cruisers I salute you as when in my office the weather always seems fine and warm and I envy you. However being on the cut for the extended period I see the weather is foul and nasty and you must suffer - so endure and enjoy as much as you can. Be assured when I stop cruising the sun will shine again and all will be well.......apart from the fact I will be back at work !!

Day 9

We are now at Barleston on the final full day of our trip. We changed crews with precision at Stoke, dropping my mum off at Festival marina for her to catch a taxi and train and taxi back home then down the five stoke locks to pick Tom and Lucy - our eldest and his girlfriend up at the station itself. For the record the bottom lock is walkable to the station.

Biggest issue - the weather - its getting worse, the showers that were predicted are now its just heavy rain - certainly as I type this its driving rain, full waterproofs today. The good news is the leak we had seems to have been cured with some clear sealant.

So off to Great Heywood today......in the rain of course !!!!!

Nev

Day five

I have some 3g tonight at Fourlane ends - which is the terminus of this trip.

The Macc is worth coming back to to get to the rend and onto Bugsworth (the original destination, sacrificed for more leisurely cruising. )

We pootled up from our mooring above Bosley locks through Macclesfield and to just before bridge 18.

Its my birthday tomorrow but the stop in bed will be foregone as we are moored next to a ledge so any moving boats scrape us, not pleasant. We'll wind then head for a meal at the Fools Nook (apt). Metcheck says light rain from 1 and heavy from 4 so I hope to be moored up mid afternoon ready for some beer !!

Anyhow some pics courtesy of Vodafone 3g....

Day four - the Macc is a beautiful canal

Hang the bandwidth - I have to post this image - just shows how beautiful the Macclesfield canal is.

This is Ross taking Waterlily up he Bosley locksWe had a slow start - which I appreciated after the last couple of days of having to be to a timetable - this is how cruising should be - go when you want, stop when you fancy it, travel or don't - enjoy getting there.

We stopped at Congleton for shopping then after lunch moved on and finished the day at the summit of Bosley locks. I really like lock flights in the middle of nowhere. We only met one boat coming down and did the 12 locks in 1 hour 50 minutes, and this included setting the locks as we left for the boat behind.

Only one shower today and that was while we were having lunch. Tomorrow we will get to the terminus of our trip - not sure where but it will include a visit to Macclesfield.

Take care

Nev

Day three...

Still GPRS so no pics, but its worth the trade off in location.

We started off in beautiful weather at 8am as we had a crew pick up at 11.30ish at the Toby carvery next to festival marina in Stoke

All very uneventful, a nice cruise up the Stoke locks. The canal is very much cleaner than anytime I have been through Stoke so well done BW and Stoke residents. Now the roads are completed and the landscaping is done is was a pleasure to come through.

We arrived with about 10 minutes to spare and picked up my mum and Ross at the pub. As we passed longport lake we were buzzed by the police helicopter, speaking to the lockie (or tunnellie) they were looking for a nude jogger/flasher - it was a nice warm day for it I suppose.

The tunnel was a good run then left onto new territory - The Macclesfield. So far so good - shallow but we knew that, but straight away very rural - so it bodes well.

While fishing tonight saw a large white owl - too big to be a barn owl so it must have been a snowy owl?

On past Congleton and to where ever we want to stop - now we have done the first pick up we can go 2 days out at what ever pace now. So long as there is a pub close by on the 16th - my birthday ...

Nev

Day 2....

GPRS today sos till no pics.

Bridge 70 to Barleston - that over 30 Bridges and 14 locks. We set off on pouring rain which lasted 3 hours -even the Heron at Great Heywood looked fed up. The rest of the day was sun shine and showers

Diesel and pump out at Anglo Welsh - very efficient and very friendly and very opemn - take heed Kings Bromley, then cruising steadily to Stone.

Stone visitor moorings were choc a block - no spaces at all - good job we were not stopping. Just as we came out of star lock an Black Prince boat sped off the 12 hour town moorings in front of us.... never mind, the bloke seemed OK, I marked him as a rep type - he was giving his two lads a hard time - called them wusses when they were struggling to open the lock gates, plus he was revving the tits off the hire boat, takes all sorts I suppose.

Got to just short of the westwood factory ready for a crew pick up tomorrow lunch time at festival marina - then onto the Macc - a new canal for us...

Nev

Day one.....

Well as you might have expected we did not get away unto gone 12. Slow through Fradley - we stopped for diesel and a pump out - only to be told the pump out was 'full' so we cruised on to Kings Bromley marina for the same only to find it was CLOSED - Rachel made a fantastic entrance and exit - why can't they put a sign out on the canal -save an unnecessary manoeuvre.

We stopped just short of our planned destination at about 7pm just after bridge 70 on the T&M

No photo's and a slow connection would not allow it anyway....

We're off........

Well we will be tomorrow and just me and Rachel, the lads are holding the fort, (that's if we can finish the packing, tidy the house, buy food, get fishing supplies, get diesel, get a pumpout, get water to the other stuff I have forgotten)

Bugsworth basin is the destination via the Macc - this will be a new canal to us. So I hope to post more regular updates while we play at being live-a-boards.

Take care

Nev

Unexpected visits are sometimes the best

As both the lads were doing their own thing and Rachel and I had had busy weeks we decided late on Friday afternoon to go to the boat. We did not arrive until past 7 but the place was a peaceful as ever (apart from a couple on NB Snowbaby moored opposite having 'words') We had a nice meal and took a walk to Shadehouse. We were going to call in the swan but is was very busty so we opted for wine on the boat. I caught a couple of fine specimen canal fish on Friday and one on Saturday - Bream, Chub and roach

Leia inspecting the Bream

We left on Saturday lunch time after a lazy and relaxing morning - just what the doctor ordered (literally if you know me)

Now some thinking on our summer trip, plus I must finish the story about getting Waterlily back .........

Three dogs in a boat - the detail

So, we met John, Carrie, Prince and Bailey on Thursday 17th July for a long weekend on Waterlily. They had a wedding reception to go to on Friday in Newton Solney (Near Burton on Trent) so we pointed Waterlily Shardlow wise and set off.

The Weather forecast was OK, showers giving way to better weather as the weekend progressed. This was a very good forecast http://www.metcheck.com/ I'd recommend them for your boating trip weather checks.

Branston Water park was our first overnight stop. This really is the first good stop from Fradley - we could have stopped at Wynchnor just past where the Trent crosses over but the A38 starts its intrusive relationship with the canal about here and if the wind is in the wrong direction the tranquility of the cut is lost.

We had a lazy Friday start as our destination was Willington. We arrived early PM and found a nice mooring just off the visitor moorings which allowed the dogs some freedom.

Willington negatives point 1......

I started fishing and within half an hour was approached by a bloke who asked for my permit - I enquired Rod permit and he said no - Pride of Derby permit. I said I did not have one and he then asked me to stop fishing. Totally unnecessary in my book. He told me how much the Pride of Derby permits were..... and I told him I had just paid BW over £1100 quid and would be paying them another £600 in a couple of months. He then proceeded to take a Canaltime fisherman to task also. To my mind the point could have been made and let us fish on (if we had shown our Rod license, which I have) but the fact we were not seriously set up for a session, just a rod off the back of the boat made the challenge very unnecessary. Being from Derby' Pride of Derby' seemed wholly inappropriate.

John and Carrie left for their Wedding reception and we dog sat. John and Carrie's dogs like to be wrapped up in the evening so Leia had to join in....

Prince

Bailey

Leia

We had had a nice romantic evening in with candles. John and Carrie had 'had a few' when they returned and we sat and talked at the dinette over a coffee. John casually announced he thought he was on fire and turned to show us his shirt in flames !! He had lent back over a candle and set himself on fire. Carrie took the opportunity to 'beat' the flames out...how lucky for it not to have been much worse and a lesson to all over candles

Willington part point II....

Just after John and Carrie returned we walked the dogs to find some low life scum had nicked one of our (first time used) solar lights. They were only a Pound each from Morrisons but it was the principal.

Next day we set off for Weston on Trent (the Shardlow one not the Great Heywood one) and arrived in good time for another nice walk with the dogs before we walked the longish walk to the pub in the village in the evening. A friend, Tony, joined us and much beer and chat was enjoyed.

We winded Just before Weston and set off back on the Sunday and arrived back in Branston for a nice boozy meal (we drank all what was on the boat)

Monday saw us return to Fradley in perfect weather

John and Carrie at the tiller

The new marina road bridge at Willington - now full of water

Prince and Bailey were about equal in the falling in stakes, (three or 4 each) but we suspect Bailey enjoyed it more. Leia never went in once, I think that is the whippet side of her....

We got back at 2'ish and saw John and Carrie away. We than lazed about for a couple of hours, cleaned the boat and headed off home.... all in all a great weekend (apart from Willington)

Three dogs in a boat

Plus 4 humans of course.

Our guests have just left for a long trip back to Scotland after a great 5 days aboard Waterlily. Leia is absolutely wacked - she tried hard to keep up but the two collies, Prince and Bailey, were much too energetic for her.

Plenty to report to follow with pics.

Oh and by the way Willington on the T&M has gone down in my estimation.....I'll explain in a follow up post.

Nev

Bathrooms DIY and sanctuary

So today I have ripped out (or very carefully dismantled) the sink and cupboard in Waterlily's bathroom. Why have I done this.....? So it is easier for large people to shower, why now - because I have a large person due on board for a short break (checking if John reads my blog)

Seriously I do not like having a shower on Waterlily. and I'm (ahem) rather slimmer than most !! However I have realised that messing with the innards of my boat is not therapeutic at all - I need a sense of stability, calm and alrightness (I don't care if that is not a proper word - it now lives in my dictionary) I will not be doing too many more of these types of jobs. The only big thing will be a full paint job - any recommendations?

So the present position is no sink, pipes going nowhere with some tiling to do then connect it all back together and shower in more comfort - it sounds better already (that and the wine I'm drinking)

So the boat is a DIY place at the moment and I am not happy about that.

I need to cruise on my boat !!!!!!

Leia update

Leia s settling in nicely and we are enjoying having her in the house - she is always happy to see us, any time fo the day, not like my miserable goldfish who never comes to me !

This is a quick shot of her in her slumbers.....

Mercia marina

I see Granny Buttons has picked up on the approval of the planning for a massive industrial estate close to the new Mercia Marina.

I am not sure how I feel about this. I suppose I feel a little sorry for Mark Jenkins and Robert Neff who are getting this massive project up and running. But then again its just another development in this area, it could be argued they both blight the landscape?

I have just renewed my moorings so I have not been tempted.

I took a walk with Leia and Molly my Brother in laws dog and we walked from Willington to Stenson passing the new marina entrance...

On Tuesday this week we did the same walk with Rachel and Leia and the entrance was much improved - I took this panorama shot from my camera.

Its still way too close to the A38 - when the wind blows in the wrong direction there is a lot of road noise. Each to their own I say.

Nev

Leia on the water at last

Leia has had her first visit and her first 'holiday' on the boat. She will be a great boat dog for sure. Above and below are shots from her first trip from our mooring to wind in Alrewas prior to our weekend away up to Great Heywood - see below for that.

• She does not like the water
• She likes other dogs
• She likes people
  
• She does fart a lot which is a bad thing in enclosed spaces - however I can't imaging five farting greyhounds in a narrowboat is nice !

After winding the boat last Tuesday we set off Friday lunchtime for one of the best weekend cruises we have had on any canal boat. We cruised up to Bridge 69 (Taft Bridge) on the T&M and enjoyed a very remote and quite night on the boat - there was plenty of good space for Leia to enjoy and plenty of things to smell and listen to (she has very big ears !)

On the Saturday we took her into Rugely for a good 4 mile walk - she was a hit in the town. After some lunch we set off for a quick hop to GreatHeywood - below the metal bridge and has this million pound view for the rest of the day.....

We have never spoken to so many people whilst out boating due to Leia, - normally we do a few hi's and hello's but these were long conversations - very sociable.

At the end of the day she was done in.......

I even took the opportunity of a night shot - Granny has whetted my appetite !

Andrew - any comments?

We took a cruise up to Weston on the Sunday to charge the batteries up. I do like this bit of canal. It was a lot busier on Sunday but all very friendly.

Monday saw us come back with a nice early 7am start - the canals are sooooo nice at this time in the morning, especially if it is dry and sunny which it was.

It was so nice we stopped just after the turn at Woodend lock and had food on the towpath and then some more fishing - canal boating is fantastic!

Our next trip out is with our friends from Scotland who will be bringing two collies down - so we might have three farting dogs to compete with Dogsontour

Does Leia get me enrolled into the dog bloggers roll call them??

Waterlily comes home - not quite

So Waterlily was ours - see the Whilton post as this is the next stage in the story.

We dropped a car off at Fradley earlier in the week and set off on Friday 20th July and it was raining and it just kept raining. We stopped for Fuel on route and when we left the petrol station the road was actually flooded - in hindsight we only just made it through that stretch of flood water - the water was actually coming up from the grates !

The country - especially the West Midlands was getting a real downpour - we were lucky, some suffered significant problems

What really peed me off about Whilton was the lack of ceremony when we collected the keys. They just handed the folder of supporting documents got my signature and handed me the keys and told me where Waterlily was . By any ones standards the amount I paid was a lot - certainly garages passing new cars to new owners do it with a bit more flair. A bottle of wine and a card or flowers would have been nice - even to be escorted to the boat and best wishes given would have been better. Hey ho, no problem as we had Waterlily.

We loaded her in the wet, checked the diesel (full) and turned on what systems we could find - water, gas electric etc.

I reversed her out of her temp berth and got her onto the main line perfectly, a fine start to our ownership of her.

The water was flooding over the top gates of the locks and there was water everywhere - quite dangerous in fact. It was so bad we stopped just below the Buckby top lock and retired to the New Inn for food.

Saturday was better with no rain - just rumours of a collapse of Brauton Tunnel - our way home to Fradley I scouted the moorings above the top lock and found one right at the end by the BW base. So we moved up and did some checking of the situation. it turned out that the tunnel was OK but there was a significant mud slide on the Braunston end and it would not be until the start of the next week before engineers could even assess the damage.

we did consider the leicester ring option but the Soar was up as was the Trent - both part of this route home.

We were limited by time so a reluctant decision was taken to leave waterlily and reverse the planning - frustrating, but all0wed us to plan a quick return. We wanted our boat on our mooring !

Nev

Wales

We have been to visit relatives in North Wales and took Leia who certainly enjoyed her first trip to the sea side.

This photo is from my phone - is has a panorama mode - taken on Conway heights with Rachel and her dad looking over the Conway valley to Angelsey