May Cruise - Day 3

We woke to bright sunshine, a great contrast to yesterday.  We set off at 8.30, and were the first boat down The Bratch.  The lock-keeper's son helped us through.

Botterham staircase locks were quite slow, as there's only one paddle working on the bottom lock.  I was expecting the BW Aware ticket to have a date of 2003 on it, but in fact it was only put there last week.  We last did this canal about ten years ago, but neither of us can remember anything about it.  This came as a big surprise to us, as it's so picturesque -- you'd think we'd remember a lot of it.  Pretty lock followed pretty lock, with lovely stretches of canal in between, flanked by red stone cliffs and bluebell woods.  We stopped for lunch next to the remains of the round tower beyond Gothersley Lock.  Nowadays there's just a wall about three feet tall.  It used to look like the tower at Gailey.

We soon reached Stourton Juntion, but carried on down the Staffs and Worcs.  Hyde Lock has a lovely cottage with garden gates shaped like lock gates.  Whittington Lock is even prettier, and the lock cottage there is for sale.  Debdale enjoyed Debdale Lock, even though it's not the Debdale she's named after (that's on the Leicester Line).

The pub garden next to Wolverley Lock was packed with people enjoying the sunshine.  We moored up for the night just below the lock, and roasted a chicken for dinner.

13.5 miles, 18 locks (35, 26)

May Cruise - Day 2

The mooring at Wheaton Aston is nice, but by the morning the boat was covered in bits of tree and bird droppings.  We had to get the mop out before casting off.  I'd slept extremely well, going to bed just after 9pm, and not waking up until 6.  It was still quite early when I walked into the village to get a paper.

We left at about 8.45, heading into Wheaton Aston lock.  It had rained over night, and continued to rain on and off all day.  It was never heavy rain, but it was cold.  The canal was quite busy.  Last time we headed this way the Shroppie was closed, and consequently very quiet.  Brewood was particularly busy.  Beyong Bridge 8, we passed Jim on Starcross, and he pulled away behind us.  By the time we got to Autherley Junction it was raining quite hard.

We turned right onto the Staffs and Worcs towards Stourport.  Passing Aldersley Junction, we were now on water we hadn't travelled for ten years or so, when we hired from Stourport and did the Stourport Ring.

We went down Compton Lock, and moored up for lunch, with Jim not far behind.  I made a quick visit to the Spar shop for soup (we hadn't expected to need winter-style lunches!).  After lunch we set off again, finding the Staffs and Worcs has a very different character from the Shroppie.  The little bridges over the tails of the locks are a great help, although the one at Awbridge Lock requires nerves of steel!

 

 We carried on a little further, to the top of The Bratch, where we moored for the night opposite the cricket ground at around 4pm.  We'd lit the fire as it was fairly cold, and I used it to cook a meat sauce for pasta.

14 miles, 8 locks.  (21.5, 8) 

May Cruise - Day 1

We left home at 9am.  I was rather tired: having vowed not to stay up all night watching the election results, it was so fascinating I didn't go to bed until 3.30am.  However the journey to Norbury Junction was problem-free, and we arrived at 12.30.  Lunch in the cafe, then a very constructive discussion with Simon from Norbury Wharf, about Debdale's future.

Having unloaded the car and taken delivery from Tesco, we set off in bright sunshine at 2.10, heading south.  In spite of the sun it was quite chilly, as there was a cold wind.  Debdale has a new look, having been repainted during the winter and having new signwriting, which looks fantastic.

Being lock-free, this isn't my favourite stretch of canal, but it was looking lovely in the sunshine.  We moored up at 4.45 at Wheaton Aston.

7.5 miles, 0 locks.

On the verge of boating

We are off to Norbury Junction tomorrow to take Debdale out for a week.

At one stage in the past few days, we wondered if we'd be able to go.  As the news broke that OwnerShips had a huge hole in its finances and was going to be wound up, it emerged that most boats had outstanding unpaid bills.  Some boatyards started disabling boats, refusing to let them out until the bills had been paid.  It's been a busy few days, with emails whizzing backwards and forwards between our owners, trying to sort things out -- both for the past and the future.  We're still not entirely sure how everything will be settled, but things might be slightly clearer after a this weekend.  We're meeting the staff at Norbury tomorrow, and other owners will be attending a big OwnerShips meeting on Saturday.  Whatever happens, all owners will be out of pocket, thanks to the actions of OwnerShips' founder who died earlier this year.

But at least we'll be on board, with a plan to go to Stourport.  The last time we boated in May, on a hire boat in 2006, it rained almost every day for a fortnight.  The forecast isn't looking much better this year, with Saturday looking both wet and cold.  I'm beginning to think that on the evidence of the past few years, April might be a good time to go next year.

Aqueduct Marina

To Aqueduct Marina on the Middlewich Branch today, for a boat test.  It's an attractive marina, not too big, and with great facilities including a cafe.  And the sun shone.

Ellesmere Port and Chester

A fantastic day today, which started with a quick visit to Ellesmere Port. The Waterways Museum hadn't opened yet, but a gate was open so we had a look round the basins. We're planning to come this way in September, and wanted to work out the lay of the land.

We then went on to Chester for a look at the Northgate staircase locks, and the canal below the city walls.  Our return route took us up on the walls, looking down on the canal.

We had lunch at The Boot Inn at Willington with my sister and my little neice, before a walk with them in the afternoon.

More pictures when I've got a better connection.

Foxton

We left home at 7 this morning, heading indirectly for Cheshire.  Actually, our final destination was past Chester just into Wales.  But first stop was Foxton for a boat test, which included an all too brief spell at the helm up to Debdale Wharf, in lovely sunshine.  We walked back to Foxton for lunch at Bridge 61, then an ice cream at the top of the locks.  The whole place was swarming with people as usual.  In the afternoon we were back in the car, driving further up the M1 and cross country towards Chester.  En route, thanks to avoiding an accident on our intended route, we crossed the Caldon Canal at Froghall, and the Trent and Mersey at Stoke.  Then it was over the Llangollen at Hurleston and the Shroppie at Barbridge.

Apsley

A visit today to Apsley Marina on the Grand Union.  It's an area I've neve been to before, and it looked lovely in glorious sunshine.  The marina is quite small, and surrounded by attractive housing.  There's also a small supermarket, a cafe, and a pizza restaurant, in addition to boaters' services.

Out on the canal itself, there are to contrasting bridges.  In one direction, there's a striking modern footbridge.  The other way, there's an attractive traditional bridge, painted white.

In spite of the weather, we saw very few boats on the move, although the working pair Bletchley and Argus did go past.

Rory the skipper

One of my former colleagues is featured in this week's edition of the BBC newspaper, Ariel.  It's in a double page spread about people who've left the BBC, and what they're doing now.  Rory Maclean, who used to be a Home Affairs Correspondent, and who owns Sudbury.  He appears to be enjoying himself, having landed a job as a skipper on the waterbus from Little Venice to Camden.