Chester Basin to Christleton (Shropshire Union Canal)

Coming into the bottom of the staircase

In the middle lock

We had some rain last night but luckily as we are moving today, it was dry when we got up.  We are off back up Northgate Staircase today and 5 further locks so a busy morning for us!

Doing the Northgate Shuffle!

Back under Chester Walls

I walked on to the staircase to get it ready and usually there is a volunteer lock keeper but guess what no sign of one today.  Another boat called April Lady was turning around in the basin and coming back up the locks so we shared with them.

Out they go

Passing a row of nice cottages

Northgate Staircase locks are hewn out of solid rock, they lower the level of the canal by 33 feet. When the River Dee connected directly into the Shropshire Union Canal at the foot of the Northhgate locks there were five chambers but since the Dee Branch was built there are now only three.  Looking down over the locks is Harvest House, once the headquarters of the Shropshire Union Canal Company.

Almost up another lock

We worked our way up the first two locks, these locks are huge and deep and the gates are really heavy.  There was a boat waiting at the top so they came into the top lock and we passed in the middle doing the Northgate Shuffle, good fun.

Last lock for today

We then went on our way, past where we moored on the way down and into the first of the five locks.  Most of them weren’t set for us so we had to empty them first but as there was two of us, it was okay.  We met a few boats coming down but there was a boat in front of us so they got the empty lock.  After a few hours we were at the top and we stopped at the water point to fill up.  Janet and Martin on April Lady went on, it was nice to share the locks with them though as it does make life easier.

Christleton Church

We moored up near The Old Trooper pub which is a Harvester.  We thought we might have breakfast there tomorrow before we leave, but when we went in to enquire, they don’t do breakfast so we decided to have lunch instead and very nice it was too.

We chilled out for a bit after lunch, then had a walk up into the village of Christleton and visited the church, we then walked through the village and back along the towpath to the boat.

We are staying here tonight then chugging on tomorrow morning, hopefully before the rain comes as the forecast is not too good for tomorrow.

Moored at Christleton