Last night's red sky did indeed lead to a bright morning as we awoke, despite the fact that we are not shepherds. However, we did later discover that shepherds must only work up to mid morning as things went downhill after that. The morning turned grey and by mid afternoon rain arrived and at times it was very wet.
Whilst the ladies prepared themselves, Mike walked back into town for some milk and a newspaper as well as a map that was missing from our collection.
By 9.30 we were are ready and cast off. Although our plan takes us northwards we were facing south so it was a short trip, passing over the aqueduct and also spotting another of the wooden sculptures, to the nearest winding hole where we did a swift about turn.
With so many boats around and plenty moored, the first couple of miles were rather slow - further complicated by two moored boats on the offside that had been pulled away from their pins. With so much passing traffic, not all of it travelling especially slowly, this is a definite risk. One of the boaters on the Visitor Moorings seemed very upset as her boat had been bumped by one of the loosed boats. She seemed to be blaming the boatyard for putting boats there rather than passing boats for pulling out the pins!
Just north of Nantwich we eventually managed a good view of Acton Church, even if in the distance over the boats in a small boat club.
As we again passed the bottom of the Hurleston Locks, we were surprised that there was nobody waiting to go up.
By the time we passed under the first bridge beyond Barbridge Junction the blue skies had been replaced by fairly solid cloud.
There had been a queue waiting for the water point at Nantwich so we opted to do the servicing later. The next option was at Calveley, situated in a former loading wharf for the canal. The Shropshire Union Canal Company were as much about carrying goods as in earning tolls from other carriers.
After leaving the services it was not long before we arrived at Bunbury. The first two locks are formed into a staircase. Two boats coming up were just leaving so both ourselves and another boat just ahead of us were able to share going down. Alice and Jess came and helped. We shared the next few locks with the same boat until we reached Beeston Iron Lock.
A couple of the locks have these interesting shaped huts once used by the lock keepers whilst waiting for boats to arrive needing help.
By now rain had arrived but we battled on! Beeston Iron Lock was constructed to replace a conventional lock that kept failing when the sandy ground in which it was built collapsed. Although the iron sides have survived well since the late nineteenth century they have become a little distorted. Added to this, the sides are not smooth where the plates were joined together - this gives a hazard to catch on boats. As a result, signs indicate that the lock should only be used by one boat at a time so we parted company with the boat we had shared with thus far.
The Shropshore Union was a later canal and by then the engineers had developed better construction techniques so that they could design the route with many more long straight sections, often with high embankments and deep cuttings, which improved the speed of the boats.
A notorious feature of the next length, beyond Tattenhall Marina, is a mile and half line of offside moored boats. Not only does this mean a long time on tickover, many of the moorings have been extended out into the canal with dangerous and disfiguring scaffold pole staging. Passing a boat coming the opposite direction needs care.
Once we had finally left the moorings behind, a rather busy minor road followed the canal for another mile. Asa result it was a bit later than planned that we ourselves moored for the night. Fortunately, Mike had prepared the bolognaise sauce and vegetables this morning so it did not take too long before we were all keenly tucking in. Strawberries followed.
After the meal, Alice did some violin practice and then showed off the latest pieces which she has been learning. It was probably Easter when we heard her last and she has definitely come a long way since then. The tone is delightful.
15.2 Miles - 4 Locks
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