Hack Green to Moss Hall, Audlem

Friday 28th July

Passing Coole Pilate Picnic Area

We are moving on to Audlem today, it’s not far to go only a couple of miles and the sun was shining as we set off along the canal.

Field Full of Geese

We passed a field full of Geese, there must have been a hundred or so and then we came to Overwater Marina which has a nice café which we walk to from Audlem sometimes.

Passing Overwater Marina

Overwater Marina Cafe

We went on and moored up at the bottom of Audlem locks overlooking Moss Hall, it is really nice here with a lovely view but unfortunately there is a bit of a shelf under the water on the towpath side so we bang against it a bit even though we drop fenders down but it is a lovely spot to moor.

Also all the moorings between the locks are suspended this weekend as there is an historic boat gathering and they all moored there so they will be good to look around and also on Sunday there is the Festival of Transport in Audlem and we will be going to that as well, and of course we will be seeing our Audlem family again so should be a good weekend.

We are going to stay here now for a few days, then turn around and head back towards Nantwich next week.

 

Moored at Moss Hall

Lovely View from our Mooring

Nantwich to Hack Green

Austins Coffee Shop

Replica of General Store

Going over Nantwich Aqueduct

We are on the move today but we decided to wait until the afternoon as the forecast for this morning was rain and they were right.   We walked into the shops in the dry but soon it was raining although it didn’t last for too long.  We walked around the shops and then had a coffee in Austin’s which is part of Welch the Butchers.  It is a nice coffee shop old worlde and they have reproduced an old general store at the front of the coffee shop.

Hack Green Locks

We then walked back to the boat and had our lunch.

After lunch the sun was shining, so we set off from our mooring and stopped at the services to get water.

We then chugged on along the canal and over Nantwich Aqueduct and on our way.

Uhooh Trouble on Bridge!!

Our friend Dave

Hack Green Top Lock

After a couple of miles, we came to Hack Green Locks, there are two locks here.  We got through the first lock and then as we were coming into the second lock, we saw a van on the bridge and heard a voice and guess who, it was our friend Dave.  He stopped for a chat on his way to a cup of tea, now there’s a surprise!!, it was lovely to see him and we will be seeing him and our other Audlem friends at the weekend so looking forward to that.

We got through the second lock and moored up just after.  We got here in the dry as well so that was lucky, it can rain now, we don’t mind!

We are staying here tonight then off to Audlem tomorrow.

Moored at Hack Green

Nantwich Show

Wednesday 26^th July

Lots of Cheese

We are off to the Nantwich Show today and guess what it was raining when we got up, quite hard as well but the forecast says by mid-morning it should be gone and will be dry and sunny so we shall see!

And More Cheese!

Horse and Carts

Falconry

We set off through the marina to the main road and the entrance to the show.   The ground underfoot was a bit muddy but not too bad. We had already bought our tickets so we just showed them and went straight in and made our way to the Cheese Tent.  As well as a Country Show, it holds the International Cheese Awards and there is a massive tent with over three thousand cheeses so we had a wander around there looking at all the cheese.

Vintage Cars

We then made our way into the part of the tent where they sell the cheese and you can taste it, there were many stalls selling cheese from all over the world and we tried as many as we could and needless to say bought too much cheese, but never mind it will keep.  They were also giving samples away of cheese and cheese biscuits so we got some of them as well.

James Martin

Suitably cheesed out, we then went outside and the rain had stopped and it brightened up and then the sun came out and it was really lovely for the rest of the day.  The show is huge so we wandered around and watched a few things in the ring including Jason Smyth Stunt Display, Falconry Display and in the afternoon the parade of the tractors, old cars, horse and carts and the Shire Horses.

Wouldn't fit on the tool box now!

Jason doing his stunts

More Stunts

There was lots to see, trade stands and horticultural machinery, people making baskets and weaving and all sorts of other things.  We went in the Crafts Marquee and also the Home Produce Arts and Crafts where they had vegetables, cakes, paintings, etc. which had been judged.  We also watched the Gun Dogs in training in the smaller ring, that was really good.

They also had some cookery demonstrations and James Martin was one of the chef. We stopped to watch him as although we have seen him before he is always very good.

Up he goes!

We walked around the vintage cars and tractors and when I was a little girl, my dad drove a tractor for work and sometimes I would go to the field he was working in and sit on the tool box on the tractor and go up and down the field with him.  I saw a similar tractor at the show and it reminded of that happy memory.

It was a very good show and we spent about 7 hours there wandering about and it was a glorious afternoon and evening so it turned out okay.  We really enjoyed our day there but I was glad to get back to the boat and have a rest in my chair!

Hurleston Junction to Nantwich (Shropshire Union Canal)

Here comes John, Sharon & Smugs

Lovely Smuggler

Bye Bye see you again soon

We are moving on to Nantwich today and it is also my birthday.  Kev made me breakfast and I opened my pressies and cards and had phone calls from my Mum and Dad and several text messages and messages left on face book, all very nice.  Our friends John, Sharon and Smuggler have been on the Llangollen canal and are almost at the junction where we are but we thought that we might miss them, but shortly before we were going to leave, they came around the corner from the locks.

Where we had our lunch

They moored up in front of us and came on board for coffee.  It was lovely to see the three of them and to catch up before they go one way on the canal and we go the other. 

We had a nice chat and then it was time for us all to go, so we said our goodbyes and hopefully we will meet up again soon and we went our separate ways.  We chugged on a couple of miles and then were at Nantwich where it was very busy so we moored just before the visitor moorings as they all looked full.

Inside The Cheshire Cat pub

Our Tapas Lunch

We then walked into the town and found a really nice pub called The Cheshire Cat pub which is in an early 17^th Century building. They do tapas so we had that and it was really good.  I also had Panacotta for dessert and that was delicious too.  They did have a Gin Menu although they didn’t have a lot of the gins on it, but I had Tiger Gin which is from Shropshire and although I have had it before it is one of my favourites.  I had a lovely Birthday lunch and we will definately eat at this pub again.

After lunch we did some shopping and then went back to the boat.

We are off to the Nantwich Show tomorrow which is a Country and Cheese show so we walked through the marina and onto the main road to see where the entrance to the show was and it was just across the road so that is handy, not far to walk.  The weather forecast for tomorrow is for some rain but not all day so hopefully they will be right as we are really looking forward to going.

Therefore we are staying here tonight and also tomorrow and on the move again on Thursday.

Moored at Nantwich

Calveley to Hurleston Junction (Shropshire Union Canal)

Diesel Boat Halsall

Filling up our cans

The sun was shining today and that’s good as we are on the move. We needed to fill up with water so we went under the bridge and stopped at the services. The diesel boat Halsall was in the services so we got some diesel, a gas bottle and some toilet fluid, its good buying from a boat, better than going into a Chandlery.

Moored outside the Cheese Shop/Cafe

My Breakfast

We then moved down the canal and stopped outside Calveley Cheese Shop and Café, it is right on the canal and you can moor outside.

Cheese Shop

We went in and had a lovely breakfast and then bought some cheese, bread and milk.  They do a cheese called Calveley Crunch and its delicious, it is supposed to have salt crystals in it but you can’t taste the salt but it is crunchy and so tasty.

Busy Barbridge Junction

We then chugged on and soon came to Barbridge Junction, this is the junction with the Middlewich Arm.  The canal has now become very busy and there were boats everywhere, we are now in the real world as the last few weeks it has been so quiet and now we are back with a bump!

Our lovely Ice-Creams

We moored up just before Hurleston Junction which is the junction with the Llangollen Canal and that was really busy, a lot of boats were turning up there, glad we are not doing that canal at the moment.

We have moored here as we are off to visit Snugburys Ice-Cream shop this afternoon, we went there on our way up to Chester and the ice-cream is so yummy, we can’t resist going again and I can report that it was as good as last time, delicious.  Also there is a farm on the way selling free range eggs so we want to get some of them as well.

We are staying here tonight and then off to Nantwich tomorrow, hope the canal is not as busy as it is today and the sun keeps shining!

Moored at Hurleston Junction

The Shady Oak, Tarporley to Calveley (Shropshire Union Canal)

Lovely sunset at Shady Oak

Passing the Shady Oak Pub

We are off to Calveley today and have six locks to do, two are in a staircase and the sun was shining as we set off along the canal to Wharton lock.  These are all double locks but there was no one around to share with so we did the lock on our own.

In Wharton Lock

We chugged on along the canal to Beeston Iron lock, it is recommended that you don’t share in this lock because of the iron plated sides.  There was a couple of boats in front of us but they soon went on.

In Beeston Iron Lock

Janet and Martin on April Lady who we shared the locks with coming out of Chester came up behind us so we said that we would wait for them at the next lock and then we could share.  The stretch of canal between the Iron and Stone locks at Beeston is really lovely and one of my favourite bits.

Lovely Stretch between Locks

We got to the next lock and a boat was coming down and it was a single hander so I gave him a hand and then another boat turned up so I told them that there was a boat coming behind us and did they mind if we waited for them to share the lock, they said they didn’t mind so we waited and after a bit Martin and Janet turned up and they came in the lock and up we went.

Sharing the Stone Lock

We let Martin go out first and we chugged on behind him.  

Coming into Bunbury Staircase

We got to the next lock and the boat that was in front of us was just going in so Martin went in with him. Janet did apologise and said that Martin should have let us go in first but I said that was okay, so they shared the rest of the locks together and we did them on our own, the story of our life we do a good deed and waited for them at the last lock and then end up dipping out, never mind.  As we were filling the lock, a lady came up to the lock and said oh are we too late, we said yes as the lock was half full, I think she thought we would empty the lock so they could share, she had to think again!

Going up the staircase

In the top lock

We got through this lock okay and then went on along the canal and then we came to the Bunbury Staircase of two locks.  Martin and the other boat were just going up and one was coming down so when they came out the bottom lock, Kev brought the boat in and when Martin and the other boat were out of the top lock,I emptied it into the bottom lock and we worked our way up the staircase.

We chugged on along the canal and moored in the visitor moorings at Calveley.  We had some lunch then went out for a walk along the towpath and it has stayed dry today even though they did forecast rain so we have been lucky.

We are staying here tonight then off again in the morning.

Moored at Calverley