September Cruise - Day Eleven

Our mooring proved to be very quiet. We were up and away by 8, and didn't seen another moving boat until shortly before Preston Brook Tunnel. By the time we had negotiated Dutton Stop Lock, with a difference in level of around two inches, we had a fifteen minute wait for the tunnel. It's only wide enough for one boat, so entry is timed: on the hour until ten past for northbound boats, and half past until twenty-to for southbound. The southbound boats which came through must have gone in late, as it was gone ten o'clock by the time they emerged.



There were four boats in our convoy north. By the time we got to the other end, we were on the Bridgewater Canal. We made a brief stop at Midland Chandlers, hoping to buy a spare handcuff key, needed to unlock the paddle gear on the locks in Manchester. They didn't have any. Our next stop was at Moore, where there's a little newsagents right next to the canal. At Higher Walton, we crept through the middle of a fishing competition, and at Stockton Heath we popped in to Thorn Marine to get the handcuff key. It'll be useful, as we're gaining an extra crew member tomorrow, ready for the hard work on Wednesday. We made a longer stop in Lymm, a nice little town with some useful shops.

The Bridgewater Canal is owned by the same people as the Manchester Ship Canal, and facilities seem to be few and far between. The only tap we've passed was at Little Bollington. It's brick housing was a pile of rubble, and there were no bollards or rings to tie to. We decided to leave it until tomorrow.

Our mooring for the night is at Dunham, a pretty estate village near the National Trust Dunham Massey Hall. We found a farm shop, and went for a drink in the fantastically named Axe and Cleaver pub. It turned out to be very smart, and much to restauranty.

18 miles, 1 lock. (139, 102)