Gralyn Travels

Wheelock to Congleton.  Another 8am start to get up Heartbreak Hill, we had a reasonable passage with many Hire boats coming down the only problem was that they would turn the locks against you where the paired locks have been singled. This didn’t stop us reaching Hardings Wood by 1.30pm where we stopped to shop and have some lunch. At Hardings Wood we also met six boats from the NCCC returning from the Caldon canal. We joined them at Congleton tonight’s mooring by the old wharf.Picture for tonight, at Hassel Green where the Trent & Mersey canal passes under the M6.

Two days today as I could not get a good internet connection last night. 

28/05/2008 @ Chester.  It was raining most of the night and still at it this morning so we missed the early bus from Christleton into Chester. When we finally set off we found our choices of return bus was limited so we got the 2.30pm bus back leaving only a few hours to shop for provisions and see the sights. Whilst in Chester we had a call giving an appointment for next Wednesday so we decided to leave straight away. We are now moored above Beeston Stone Lock. 

29/05/2008 Beeston Stone Lock to Wheelock.  We woke to sunlight streaming through the chinks in the curtains and were ready to set off by 8am. We managed the broad locks by ourselves ok and got the technique perfected just as we left the last wide lock at Bunbury staircase. Had to wait for an hour at Cholmondeston lock the queue to go down the lock reached six boats at one stage. After that plain sailing to the Trent and Mersey canal at Middlewitch then up to Wheelock.

Picture shows Gralyn entering lock 69 on the T+M

Cholmondeston to Christleton  The overnight rain stopped in time for us to walk to Venetian Marine but although it was after 9am (their signed opening time) everything was closed. Can only think that the timing is a “country 9am”. The wind has also dropped so cruising the northern wide beam section of the Shropshire Union Canal was quite pleasant. Shared the locks with Cindy and Calluna two boats from the NCCC who we are travelling with at the moment. Saw this on the towpath below Beeston, has BW started letting the towpath out for grazing or is it a cheap way of keeping the grass cut?.

Also saw this.   A “Green” alternative to fenders?.

Wheelock to Cholmondeston.  Still very windy but not so many locks as yesterday. Middlewich was the scene of despair and delight – the despair as we picked up a very large piece of plastic sheet on the prop and the delight was the visit to the Fish and Chip shop at Kings lock. A visit to the chandlery for a morse control cable and some loo blu concluded our visit to Middlewich. The new marina advertised in Towpath Telegraph as being available on the Middlewich branch is nothing more than a not very deep hole in a field with a sign saying marina here soon. Pictured is the Wardle Canal showing almost its whole length, its only lock and lock cottage. Missing is its only bridge which is above as I took the photo.

25/05/08 The plan was to reach Wheelock today and we made it in spite of the strong winds coming across the starboard stern quarter for most of the day especially at locks. The first of the Church Lawton locks was very slow due to queuing and at Thurwell lock we had to shift a family of swans with new signets out before we could empty it to descend. I don’t think that the swans minded much but the local lady who “doesn’t like visitors” (and we were visitors) kept saying that we were going to crush them. Just after we had all arrived it started raining which says a lot for the local forecaster at Kidsgrove who said it was going to be a nice day. I dread to think what tomorrow will be like as he said it would be better than Sunday. 

24/05/08 Today’s run was from the bottom of Bosley locks, on the Macclesfield canal, to the BW yard at Red Bull on the Trent & Mersey canal. There was a stiff breeze which gave our colleagues coming down the locks lots of problems. We had it on our stern so we did not notice it much. Lots more boats around today, with the water getting cloudier, not clear like yesterday. Saw my first definitely recognised tree sparrow by the Red Bull aqueduct.

We are OFF. Not on the trip we thought we would be making a surprise series of medical appointments has put paid to that. We are going to Chester as part of the NCCC commodore’s spring cruise and finishing off with a quick trip round the 4 counties.

Maybe the Thames will see us later in the year. We set off just before noon from the NCCC arm at High Lane in dull weather rain sporadic still not enough to get you wet but still needing you to wear a waterproof. 

It carried on like this all the way to Bosley and stopped as we did the 12 locks in 1hr 40 mins. Then as we finished tea it started again. Hopefully the weather forecast will be better for tomorrow.

2/3/4/5 May

Set off from High Lane on Friday and travelled via Marple and New Mills to Bugsworth Basin for the bank holiday weekend. Weather was fine for Friday and Saturday but started to rain on Sunday which made the NCCC annual boat handling competition a bit difficult. Earlier on the Saturday the Kelvin Engine Owners group held their Tug-o-War competition as part of their weekend gathering. The trip back to High Lane on Monday was uneventful we had to work both swing bridges, got through without stopping and closed one of the lift bridges.

Weekend 10/11 May

A long-standing job to stop rain water running into the back deck area was done. This involved bolting a 3mm steel plate on each side across the access to the rear deck, sealing and painting. The temperature was in the high 20s C which made the filler set very quickly and the paint to dry fast. I am also trying to get a piece of 4mm thick aluminium chequer plate 1224mm x 705mm to replace the heavy steel access cover to the engine and weed hatch – so far without success, and with only two more weeks to go before we set off I think I will have to put up with the heavy lift each time I want to access the weed hatch.

Weekend 17/1/ May

All the week things have been taken to the boat in preparation for the trip (a good job we took lots of unwanted stuff off earlier in the year). Most of the tinned and packet food is already onboard and most of our clothes will go on board on Sunday. That will leave things like TV, Cameras, PC and generator to go on in the week with the perishable food going on last on Thursday evening when we will connect the fridge to a shore line till we set off on Friday. Diesel and water top up at the NCCC arm will also be done in the week.