The forecast was for no rain today! Apart from 30 seconds when there was a very slight drizzle, it indeed stayed dry. When we awoke there was plenty of blue sky but, by the time we set off, clouds had covered it up. We had a good view of the Dane Valley railway viaduct in the distance.
These three trees amused Mike - made him think of the three witches! Toil and trouble - but that was yet to come.
We moored overnight just a few minutes from the bottom of the Bosley flight with a hire boat having just started up the flight. This was their first experience of locks as they had just stated their hire from Heritage Boats at Scholar Green.
Part way up the flight we caught just a glimpse of the Dane Aqueduct we came over just before the first lock.
Croker Hill dominates one side of the canal, with its huge communications tower on the top.
At the top lock we made use of the services - we were going to use the water point at this stage but a boat coming down pushed in front of us so we went on a short distance to another point.
Alongside the water point is one of the mile markers, this one still has a quite clear inscription. They were really quite impressive originally, much more than just functional.
A boat going the other way had warned us about a fallen tree, not far from the Royal Oak swing bridge. We managed to squeeze slowly past.
A short while later saw a couple of CaRT staff with a quad bike and a small dinghy hurrying to tackle it. The photo was taken accidentally whilst we were trying to unstick ourselves from a mud bank - but at least it makes the point!
Approaching Macclesfield there is another snake bridge. Unlike those in Congleton which stand alone as accommodation bridges, this one is incorporated into a much larger bridge.
This site, probably of a former mill, has only recently been cleared (It is still there on Google Satellite) - unlike several other buildings we would pass later which have been converted to offices or apartments.
We planned to stop at Bridge 37, just to pop to a nearby shop for a newspaper. This is the place which has been subject to a lot of debate as CaRT (and BW before them) tried to appease a local resident. It is still signed as visitor moorings complete with mooring rings, albeit with a request not to run engines whilst moored. As we came alongside our propeller issued a very loud noise as it collided with something very substantial under the water. In any event we did tie up and successfully found a paper from a Co-op just close to the bridge. Somewhat annoyingly, as we set off we saw that there are some new pontoon moorings just the other side of the bridge. Alas we very quickly discovered that the collision has indeed done damage to the prop as we now have quite evident vibration.
Adelphi Mill, in Bollington, a former cotton mill, is an impressive building now converted into offices.
As also is the more iconic Clarence Mill, a short distance to the north. They both seem to be operated by the same company.
Mike spotted nb Alton, a fuel and other services supplier and he flagged them down so that we could top up our fuel tank. It was only about half empty but we were not sure where we might otherwise find diesel for our return trip at the end of the month.
A little later we pulled into the side to check down the weed hatch just in case there was some rubbish causing the vibration but alas it was immediately obvious that we have a rather bent prop blade. And it is only just over a week old!
We limped along and moored as planned at FourLane Ends, just before Lyme View Marina where we have arranged to leave the boat for the next three weeks whilst we return home. In the morning Mike expects to catch a bus from the village to take him into Macclesfield where he should transfer to a train - ticket ordered last night. He can then collect the car from Wolverhampton.
12.6 Miles - 12 Locks
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