Calveley to Beeston (Shropshire Union Canal)

Friday 7th July

Sorry couldn't post this yesterday as had no Internet.

Beautiful Night Sky at Calveley

Into the Bunbury Staircase

Down we go

Into the second lock

We are moving on today and have four locks to do, one is a staircase.  We chugged off from our mooring and along the canal to Bunbury which is a staircase lock of two locks.  It is a nice setting here, there is a hire base at the bottom of the locks and alongside the locks is a line of well preserved old stables.  These were once used by the horse-drawn Shroppie fly-boats – non-stop craft carrying urgent or perishable cargoes which connected the Black Country factories to the Mersey ports and the rest of the Shropshire Union system.

Down the second lock

We shared with another boat and there was a lock keeper so he helped me with the locks and we were soon through and on our way again.

Tilstone Lock

We went on a bit further and then came to Tilstone Lock.  All the locks now down to Chester are double locks but if we are on our own we usually only open one gate so its not too bad.

Big locks these

We then came to Beeston Stone Lock.  The chamber is made of stone.  We got through this one okay and then moored before the next lock as it is a lovely open space to moor in opposite fields.

Beeston Stone Lock

Whats he got?

We had lunch then went out for a walk down to the next lock which is Beeston Iron Lock.  Near this lock is a café and it used to be really good so we went down for a coffee.  Unfortunately it has changed hands and has only just reopened and has a very limited menu.  We were going to have breakfast there tomorrow as when we were here two years ago, it was excellent, but at the moment they only do breakfast rolls, so we will give that a miss, pity as we were looking forward to it, funny how things change.

We also walked along the towpath the other way for a bit then back to the boat.

We are staying here tonight then off again tomorrow to Tattenhall where our friends John and Sharon and Smuggler the dog are in the marina there blacking their boat’s bottom so looking forward to seeing them.

Moored at Beeston