Church Minshull to Bridge 26 (Middlewich) (Middlewich Branch)

Tuesday 15th August

Quiet Morning on the Canal

We are moving on today to the outskirts of Middlewich and it was dry and sunny as we set off along the canal which was quite quiet, not many boats moving around.

Swan Family

We went under the West Coast Main Line Railway Bridge and on along the canal passing a family of Swans, the babies are big now.

Coming to the West Coast Main Line Bridge

Rosehip

We moored just before Bridge 26 which is on the outskirts of Middlewich and is a nice open quiet spot.

We had lunch and then Kev put another coat of varnish on the floor and so we went out for a walk to let it dry.

Middlewich

We walked along the towpath and took a detour up onto the road to do a cache which was in the small wood by the canal.  It was a little Gnome called Rosehip hiding in a tree stump and we found him okay.

Church at Middlewich

We passed the lock we have to do tomorrow and then walked on along the towpath and got off at the path which took us into the town.  We wandered around the shops and then went for a coffee, got some shopping and then headed back to the boat.  It was a sunny afternoon although there were a lot of rain clouds around, but fortunately it kept dry.

We are staying here tonight then moving up to Middlewich tomorrow.

Cholmondeston to Church Minshull (Middlewich Branch)

Yesterday (Saturday) we stayed put and in the morning we did some jobs, Kev revarnished some of the floor to freshen it up and it looks really good now.  In the afternoon, we walked up to Aqueduct Marina, it was just under 2 miles each way along the towpath.  They have a Chandlery there so we had a look around there and then had a coffee in the café before trotting back, it was a nice walk on a lovely sunny warm afternoon.

Leaving our mooring on a sunny morning

Cholmondeston Lock

Passing Skyes Hollow

Coming to Minshull Lock

Today we are on the move so we untied and set off along the canal to Cholmondeston Lock, there was a boat in front of us and one coming up, and then it was our turn.   It is quite a deep lock but doesn’t take very long to empty so we were soon through there and moored up outside the café at Cholmondeston  Marina where we got some diesel and filled up with water.  It is a really good place and you can use the Elsan point and fill up with water for free, and they are really helpful and friendly.

We went on along the canal and passed Sykes Hollow Leisure Area where there is mooring and picnic tables and barbeques.

Minshull Lock

Out we come

We then came to Minshull Lock and a boat was coming up the lock and when it came out in we went.  We were certainly going the right way today as a lady on a boat coming up said that she had been waited to come up the lock over an hour as it was so busy!

Passing Aqueduct Marina

When we came out the lock, she was right as there was about 7 boats waiting in the queue to come up.  We went on by them and along the canal, passing Aqueduct Marina where we walked to yesterday and moored in some really nice open moorings near Church Minshull.  The views from this mooring are lovely as you look right over the valley.

River Weaver Running under the Canal

Lovely view from our Mooring

We had lunch then went out for a walk back down the towpath as there was a cache on the aqueduct which goes over the River Weaver but you can’t really see it from the canal and we didn’t even realise we were going over an aqueduct.

We found the cache and saw the River Weaver below us, then walked back to the boat.  There is a nice bench near where we are moored overlooking the valley so as it was a nice sunny warm afternoon we sat there for a while watching the world go by.

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow and then going on a bit further.

Moored at Church Minshull

Calveley (Shropshire Union Canal) to Cholmondeston (Middlewich Branch)

Friday 11th August

We are finally leaving the main Shropshire Union canal today and heading off up the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal which joins to the Trent & Mersey canal at Middlewich  It was opened in 1833, and owned by the Chester Canal Company, it was a very busy stretch of canal. 

Moored outside the Cafe

Our Lovely Breakfast

We left our mooring at Calveley and stopped at the services just beyond the bridge.  We filled up with water, got rid of rubbish, etc. and then moved down the canal and moored up outside Calveley Mill Shop and Café and went in for breakfast.

Going under the A51

It was busy today.  We both had the cooked breakfast which we had a couple of weeks ago and it was very good then, but I have to say it was even better today.

Barbridge Junction

We had a look around the shop and bought some nice fresh bread, we bought some Calveley Crunch cheese yesterday when we were here having a coffee, so resisted the temptation to buy any more today!

Onto the Middlewich Branch we go

Venetian Tea Room

We went back to the boat and set off along the canal for Barbridge Junction.  The canal is very quiet again today, not much movement. 

Our Neighbours!

We got to Barbridge Junction and turned up the Middlewich Branch.  We went past lots of moored boats and moored in the visitor moorings at Cholmondeston above the lock.

We chilled out for a bit, then went for a walk down the lock to the café which is just below the lock by Venetian Marina.  We had a coffee sat by the canal, it was very quiet and only a couple of boats came along.  We had a look in the Chandlery as well.

We then walked back up the lock and sat on the bench there and watched a few boats come through the lock.  In the field near where we are moored are lots of horses and ponies.

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow and then on Sunday we will be off again.

Moored at Cholmondeston

Barbridge Junction to Calveley (Shropshire Union Canal)

Thursday 10th August

The sun was shining as we set off along the canal, it seemed very quiet with only a few boats moving around.

Coming to Barbridge Junction

Middlewich Arm

The canal narrows just before Barbridge Junction and we got through there as a boat was coming out of the Middlewich Arm, we passed okay and then another boat came steaming out without any warming and narrowly missed us!

Turning Around

We went on along the canal and after a mile or so, we were at Calveley, we chugged up to the winding hole just before the Bunbury staircase and turned around then went back down and moored in the visitor moorings which were very quiet, only a couple of boats there, the last time we were here a few weeks ago, it was packed.

We had lunch then went for a circular walk, up the towpath to the staircase and stopped there for a while watching some boats come through and helped out a bit opening and closing gates where we could.  We then walked up onto the lane and walked up there to the main road and on along there and back to the towpath.

We then walked down the towpath to Calveley Mill Shop and Café which is right on the canal and really good.  We had a coffee then walked back to the boat.

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

Moored at Calveley

Meeting John, Sharon & Smuggler in Chester

Wednesday 9^th August

We are off to Chester this morning so we walked up to the main road to get the bus, it is less than a 10 minute walk to the bus stop. The bus soon came along and after about 50 minutes we were in Chester.

We then caught another bus out to the Grey Hound Retail Park where the Asda is and Kev picked up his new glasses.

Thomazina Moored in Chester Basin

We then got the bus back and got off at Chester Basin where our friends John, Sharon and Smuggler.  Smuggler was outside chewing on a bone so didn’t see us at first, we then called his name and once he saw Kev he got all excited as usual.

Hello My Friend!

We had a coffee and a chat, and then we left Smuggler in the boat and the four of us went to find somewhere for lunch.  There is a Thai restaurant on the canal so we walked up there, but today it was closed due to a private function, typical!

I then asked Mr Google and he told me there was another Thai restaurant nearby so we walked to that and it turned out that Kev and I had seen this place when we were moored in Chester and wanted to try it so that worked out fine.

Say Cheese!

We went inside and they did a Banquet lunch of three courses for a set price so we all had that, there was plenty of choice and it was really good, we had a lovely meal.

Lovely Platter

Lunch is Served

Suitably full, we walked back to John & Sharon’s boat and had a cup of tea and saw Smuggler again.  It was a lovely sunny afternoon, so we sat outside for a bit and then it was time for me and Kev to walk to the bus station.  John, Sharon and Smuggler came with us and as we had a bit of time to spare, we stopped for a drink at The Lock Keeper which is a nice pub right on the canal and opposite the bus station.

We then said goodbye and went to get our bus.  It was a bit late, but it came along eventually and we were soon back at Barbridge.

We had such a lovely day with John, Sharon and Smugs, it was great to see them and spend time together, chatting and having lots of laughs.  Hopefully we will meet up with them again in the not too distant future.

We are staying here again tonight and then off tomorrow.

Hurleston Junction to Barbridge Junction (Shropshire Union Canal)

Sunset and Rain at Hurleston Junction

Evening Sky at Hurleston Junction

We are moving on this morning but only a mile or so to Barbridge Junction as tomorrow we are catching the bus to Chester to collect Kev’s new glasses and we can get the bus up on the main road.

Rain is forecast for today, but when we set off it was dry, so that was good.

Leaving our mooring

We chugged under the bridge and past the junction with the Llangollen canal and on along the canal we went.

The canal wasn’t too busy, a few going the other way.

Passing Entrance to Llangollen Canal

We soon got to Barbridge and was going to moor outside the Barbridge Inn, but noticed that they had a lot of containers to catch wasps hanging near the moorings, so we decided to go over the other side and moor there.

Coming to Barbridge

We tied up and then went for a walk up to the main road to see where the bus stop was for tomorrow and found that okay. We then walked down the other way to Barbridge Marina and had a look in the shop there.

We then walked back past the boat and went to the pub for lunch.  We sat inside and it was really busy and then it started pouring with rain, so glad we didn’t decide to sit outside!

Inside the Barbridge Inn

We ordered sandwiches and a drink, our drink soon came but we waited and waited for our food, it says on the menu that there might be a 30 minute wait but really sandwiches shouldn’t take that long, in the end it must have been 50 minutes before they came and they were nice but not sure if they were that special for that kind of a wait! The waitress who served us did apologise and said they were short staffed in the kitchen and didn’t think they would be as busy as they were, but I don’t think we will be rushing back anytime soon as we seem to remember the last time we came here it didn’t go too well either!

We ran back to the boat as it was still raining and just chilled out and it rained on and off for most of the afternoon,.

We are staying here tonight and off to Chester on the bus tomorrow and hopefully meeting up with John, Sharon and Smuggler who are in Chester so looking forward to seeing them and let’s hope the sun is shining!

Moored at Barbridge Junction opposite the Barbridge Inn

Nantwich to Hurleston Junction (Shropshire Union Canal)

Off we go

We are on the move today and actually leaving Nantwich behind us, well until  September when we will be back.  It has been great being in this area for a while, but it is now time to head to pastures new.

Crossing Nantwich Aqueduct

We set off from our mooring and stopped off at the services.  There was a couple of boats there so we had to wait our turn to get water, etc. 

When we had filled up, got rid of rubbish, etc. we chugged off under the bridge and along the canal.  The canal seemed quiet today, not like last Monday when it was really manic.

The sun was shining at times this morning, but at least it was dry.  After a couple of miles, we moored up in the visitor moorings just before Hurleston Junction which is the junction with the Llangollen Canal.

Two Ice-Creams!

We had lunch then walked up the four locks and up onto the bridge and up the road to Snugbury’s Ice Cream Farm.  We thought we would have one more before we leave this area as it is so nice and also the sun was shining, so just right for ice-cream!

Yum Yum!

I had my usual Sea Salt Caramel and Kev had his usual Mint Choc Chip, but they also had a new flavour, Rhurbarb and Elderflower made with their own Elderflowers, so Kev had a scoop of that as well and lovely it was too.

We sat on a bench in the sun to eat them.  It was very busy this afternoon with lots of families.

We walked back to the boat and on the way stopped off at the house that sells free range eggs. They are a really good price and great eggs.  The hens were running around in the field by the house.  The view at the top of the locks was lovely today, really clear and we could see our boat down on the canal.

We then sat on the bench which is at the entrance to the Llangollen canal.  It is always entertaining sitting there and today was no exception.  A boat came under the bridge going fast and then realised they had missed the junction. There was an old chap steering and I think he was in a world of his own as he wasn’t listening to anyone.  There was a boat behind them which turned okay onto the Llangollen so then the old chap had to reverse the boat back to wait for their turn.

View from top of locks including our boat

Well, what a mess he made, in the end Kev went and helped him turn around.  Kev said throw me your rope and he tried to give Kev the centre rope, Kev actually wanted the back rope to pull him round!

We then heard them say that they were complete novices and didn’t have a clue.  The chap on the boat in front of them came back down and had to show the girl how to operate the lock as she said she didn’t know what to do!  All I can say is I was very glad we weren’t following them, it’s a disaster waiting to happen!  Apparently it is a boat that someone hires out from Nantwich marina, but hiring to people who don’t have a clue what to do is not good, locks and canals can be dangerous places, quite irresponsible of the people who is hiring out the boat really.

After all the entertainment we went back to the boat.  We are staying here tonight then moving on tomorrow.

Moored at Hurleston Junction