Venetian to Bridge 80 (outside Overwater Marina) - Shropshire Union Canal

Monday 8th to Saturday 13th November

(Monday)  It was a dry day as we set off from our mooring.  We stopped at Venetian marina to get diesel, empty the elsan and buy a couple of bags of logs. It is a really nice place and they are very friendly and helpful.

                                                    

                                                                                

There is a lock right by the marina called Cholmondeston lock so I walked up to the lock and opened the gates so Kev could come in.

A boat was waiting to come down so we left the gates open for them and went on our way.

                                                         

                                                                                

We chugged on along the canal going under a few bridges and passing a lot of moored boats and then we were approaching Barbridge Junction.  When we got to the junction, we turned left back onto the main Shropshire Union canal.

                                                

                                                                           

We went through Barbridge and on along the canal, it was quite quiet and we didn't see many moving boats.

We were then approaching Hurleston Reservoir and Hurleston Junction which is the junction with the Llangollen canal.

                                  

We went under the bridge and moored up in the moorings just past the bridge.  

We had one night here then on Tuesday we set off for Nantwich.

                                                         

                                                                                                    

It is only a couple of miles so didn't take us too long to get there.  We went under a few bridges and moored up in the visitor moorings on the embankment at Nantwich.

We stayed here a few days and had a wander around the town and did some shopping and went for lunch at our favourite cafe, Nantwich Bookshop or as we call it The Library.  Our friend Jane joined us for lunch so that was nice.

                                                 

We also walked up to a retail park on the outskirts of the town and found a really nice cafe, we shall definitely be walking up there again when we are back in Nantwich.

One afternoon a Kingfisher came and perched on the tiller of the boat in front of us and I managed to get some nice picture before someone came along the towpath and frightened him off.  It was lovely seeing one so close and staying still, not flitting off down the canal like they normally do!

                                           

On Friday we left Nantwich and headed to Coole Pilate which was about 4 miles from Nantwich.

We went on along the canal and it was a chilly day but the sun was trying to come out.

                                        

We got to Hack Green locks, there are two here.  There was a boat coming down and one in front of us waiting to go up so we had a little wait.  I went up to the lock to help but the people on both of the boats didn't seem as if they had a clue, so we were some time!

Eventually, it was our turn and we were soon through that one and on to the top lock.  We had to empty it first and then up we went.

We then went on and moored up at Coole Pilate visitor moorings.

We were planning to stay there a few days but we were still having problems with our engine losing water so on Saturday we moved the short distance to Bridge 80 which is just outside Overwater marina and we went in there and spoke to one of the engineers.

                                                                                     

He said it might be air in the tank so over the weekend we have bled it and hopefully that has done the trick, it hasn't gone down much so we will bleed it again and keep an eye on it but on Thursday 18th November we are going into the marina for a few days as we are off to Grassmere in the Lake District to celebrate our friend Jane's 60th birthday, there are 12 of us going so really looking forward to that.

The chap in the marina said if we are still having problems, they will look at it while we are away so if we think there is still a problem then that's what we will do, but hopefully it will all be okay.

When we leave the marina next week, we will then be heading back to Nantwich to trade at the Christmas floating markets.

Cruising from Middlewich, turning around and heading back to Venetian - Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal

Thursday 4th November to Saturday 6th November

We had a few days in Middlewich and got the bus to Northwich, a nice town on the River Weaver where are lots of shops and we found a nice cafe/bar for lunch.  We are turning around here and going back the way we have come.

                                                                           

We set off from our mooring the lock.  We went through Wardle Lock and out onto the Trent & Mersey Canal, turned around and went back into the Branch and back through the lock.

                                                                                  

                                                                                         

We then headed off leaving Middlewich behind us.  We went through Stanthorne lock and chugged on for a few miles and moored up again overlooking the flashes of the River Weaver where we moored on the way up as it is such a nice spot.

                                                  

We had one night there and then moved on a few miles going under a few bridges and we were lucky enough to see several Kingfishers as we chugged along.  I did manage to get a few photos but it is quite hard when we are moving and so are they, as they usually fly in front and then perch on a branch but as soon as you get close off they go again.

                                                    

                                                                                          

We moored up near Aqueduct marina and walked up there to go to the cafe for a bit of lunch.  In the afternoon we did a few jobs around the boat then just chilled out.

                                                 

                                                                                                       

Today (Saturday) we are on the move again just a few miles to near Venetian marina.

It has been dry the last few days and we were glad to see it was the same as we set off.

                                      

                                                                                                

We went past Aqueduct marina,under a bridge and then came to Church Minshull lock.  I got off the boat and walked up to the lock, it was full so I opened the paddles and emptied the lock.

                     

                                                                                    

Kev then brought the boat in, I shut the gates and opened the other paddles and up we went.

A boat turned up as we were going up the lock so the lady said I could get on and she would shut the gate.  We chugged on along the canal and after a short while we were approaching Venetian marina.

                                                                              

We moored up in a nice open spot before the marina.

We will stay here for a couple days now then move on a bit further.