Middlewich (Before Bridge 30) (Middlewich Branch) to Middlewich (Before Big Lock) (Trent & Mersey)

Smugs flat out!

We are finally moving on today after being here a few days.  On Friday (18^th), our friends John, Sharon and Smuggler caught us up and moored next to us, so we had a lovely evening together chatting and drinking gin, very civilised and Smugs just crashed out on the dinette and he didn’t even have any gin!

Gin Evening with John & Sharon

Coming to Wardle Lock

Wardle Lock

Yesterday (Saturday), we went to Bristol for the day by train to visit our dear friend Peter who is gravely ill in hospital after having a stroke, him and his wife Kate lived near me in Banwell and he was a wonder friend to me and Kev and we had lots of happy times together so we wanted to go and see him.  We said bye to John, Sharon and Smugs before we went to get the bus and as we are both going the same way, sure we will meet up again soon, its always lovely to see them and spend time together.

Plaque for Maureen

Plaque for Wardle Lock

Passing Maggin Finns

The sun was shining as we set off along the very quiet canal and came to Wardle Lock. There was a boat in front of us so when they had left, I filled it back up and Kev then brought the boat in and down we went.  There is a house by the lock that used to belong to a lady called Maureen, she was well known to the boaters and used to keep them all in check as they came through the lock. She passed away some years ago and there is a plaque by the lock in her memory.

Turning onto the Trent & Mersey

Once you get through Wardle lock, you turn onto the Trent & Mersey canal, we were turning left.  This is usually a very busy junction but today there were no boats there at all, only us, very quiet.

Down we go

The Middlewich Branch which we have just left is connected to the Trent & Mersey Canal via a small stretch of canal known as the Wardle Branch Canal.  This was originally owned by the Trent & Mersey and caused major problems when planning the Middlewich Branch as huge tolls were to be imposed by the owners of Wardle Lock.  As a result, in 1852 a diversion of 327 yards was proposed to avoid the lock and connect the Middlewich Branch to the Trent & Mersey elsewhere.  This, however, never happened.

By Historic Dry Dock

We chugged on along the canal passing Maggie Finn’s Tea Room where we went the other day and then came to Middlewich 3 locks.  It was very quiet here as well and there was a boat coming out so in we went.  These locks are very close so I walked to the next one to see if anyone was coming up, but no, there was a boat in the third lock which I thought was coming up and the paddle was up on the second lock so someone was getting it ready.

From one lock to the next

Kev came out of the lock we had come down and passed a very old dry dock which is still in use.

We then realised that the boat in the third lock was actually going down and that the paddle on the second lock had been opened by the people waiting to come up as they were two boats together and obviously didn’t want to wait.  They weren’t even in the third lock so I decided to fill the lock as otherwise we would be waiting for ever.  We filled up the lock and Kev came in as they were coming up the other lock.

And out we come

Nice Seat by the Canal

I don’t think they liked what we did, but it wasn’t their lock, you can’t get locks ready when you are not even in the first one. They didn’t really speak and the lady on the second boat who now had to wait for us to go down went up and helped her friend on the next lock and only came down to our lock when I was opening the gates, oh well never mind!  Typical SAS! (Saturday and Sunday boaters who come out of marinas for the weekend, tear around and go back in at the end of the weekend)

We stopped at the water point and filled up then went on a bit further and moored before the The Big Lock pub near the park.

We are still in Middlewich but a bit further along the canal.  We are staying here tonight as we want to do a bit more shopping and then moving on tomorrow.

Moored at Middlewich before Big Lock