Visit to Northwich & Weaver Hall Museum & Workhouse

Thursday 21^st September

We are staying put today as it is rain forecast for this morning so we are getting the bus to Northwich.  We walked down to the bus stop and waited for the bus and yes it was raining, quite heavily as well.

The bus came and off we went into Northwich.  We had a walk around and did some shopping and then went for a coffee before getting the bus back.

The sun had come out by then and also we had a day rider ticket. There is a museum in Northwich which we have kept meaning to visit so we decided to get the bus back into Northwich to visit that and also get good value from our ticket!

Weaver Hall Museum & Workhouse

The Workhouse

The buses are very frequent, every 20 minutes so we were soon back in Northwich and walked the half mile to the Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse which used to be the local workhouse.

Master's Sitting Room

The museum is housed within the old Northwich Union Workhouse building built from 1837-39 and would have provided a last refuge for the poor of mid-cheshire. The workhouse closed in 1968 and half of the structure was pulled down but the famous author Robert Westall campaigned to save the building and so it survived to become the Museum in 1977.

One of the Displays

The displays tell the story of the workhouse from the daily routine to the diet of the inmates and you can explore the school room, the master’s sitting room and the Guardian’s boardroom where weekly meetings took place to make decisions about the care of the poor.  The Guardian’s were all men and wealthy land owners.

School Room

It also has displays about the Northwich industries such as boatbuilding, chemicals and salt mining and the history of Northwich and the floods that have occurred.

Guardian's Boardroom

It is a really interesting place and we had a good couple of hours wandering around, don’t think I would have wanted to go to the workhouse, far too much like hard work to me!

We then wandered back to the town and walked around the marina and then back to the bus and back to the boat. 

We are staying here tonight then moving on tomorrow.

Dutton to Barnton (Trent & Mersey Canal)

The sun was actually shining again as we set off from our mooring this morning.

Sunset at Dutton

Timed Entry Board at Saltersford Tunnel

In Saltersford Tunnel

Aaaah there's the end!

We chugged on along the canal which is quiet now, not many boats moving around and after a bit we came to Saltersford Tunnel which is on timed entry.  Going our way it is on the half hour to ten to the hour and we got there just after 10.30 so we checked there was nothing coming which is a bit difficult to see as this tunnel has a bend in the middle, but it looked okay so in we went.

This tunnel is not that long, 424yds but it has an S bend so it is a while before you see the end and then we did and were soon out the other side. There was some men working by the tunnel and as we were coming through, you could hear loud bangs and machinery, it was a bit disconcerting as it sounded like it was in the tunnel and I was glad when we were out.

Barton Tunnel

In Barnton Tunnel

We chugged on and came to Barnton Tunnel which is not on timed entry, you can see the end so you just need to check it is clear before you enter as it is only wide enough for one boat at a time.

I checked and it was clear, so in we went, this tunnel is 572yds long and is crooked as well but not as bad as Saltersford Tunnel.  We were soon through there and moored up in the visitor moorings just along from the tunnel.

Northwich Antiques Centre

We walked up into Barnton to the Butchers and got some more sausages, bacon, pork chops and diced lamb as it is a really good butchers.  We also called at the hardware shop as they were selling big bags of kindling for £5 so we bought a bag as it is now turning chilly at night and we have started to have a few fires.

Butchers at Barnton

We also called at the Co-op and then walked back to the canal.  Just down the road from where we are moored is Northwich Antiques Centre, we went in here on our way up, so we walked down there and had a wander around and then went to the café. They do really good toasties and home-made scones and is a good café, and really friendly.

We then walked back to the boat, it had been dry but not long after we go back it started to rain and rained for most of the afternoon.

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow as we are going to catch the bus to Northwich for one more visit before we go on our way.

Moored at Barnton

Moore (Bridgewater Canal) to Dutton (Trent & Mersey Canal)

The sun was actually shining as we set off today although it was a bit foggy at first, but that soon went away and it was sunny and warm for a change, no rain!

Back past Moore Village Stores

Moored at Daresbury

We went on for a couple of miles and moored at Daresbury opposite the Daresbury Science Park and walked up into Daresbury, the birth place of Lewis Carroll.

There is a really nice church and inside the church they have a Lewis Carroll information centre which tells you all about him and his family.  

Moore Village Sign

Info Board

His father was the Parson of the Church at Daresbury and was concerned about the canal workers on the Bridgewater Canal and he converted a barge  into a floating chapel, moored at Preston Brook and held weekly services there as the bargees  were seen not fit to go to the church.  They had a big bell on the front of the boat and rang this to bring the canal folk to the boat for worship.

Bell from Barge

Another Info Board

All Saints Church Daresbury

Lewis Carroll’s real name was Revd Charles Lutwidge Dodgson known in the village of Daresbury as Charlie Dodgson.    He was ordained as a Deacon but he never preached.  He lived in Daresbury for the first 11 years of his life, from 1832 to 1843.  He became the famous writer of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass when he was a lecturer at Oxford University.

Lewis Carroll Window

It is a really interesting place and the church is really nice as well.  In the Daniell Chapel above the small altar is the memorial window to Lewis Carroll, put in to commemorate the hundred years of his birth here in 1932.  The window was designed by Geoffrey Webb.  The entire window has some significance to Lewis Carroll’s life and Lewis Carroll and Alice can be seen on the left hand side and along the bottom are many of the characters from Alice in Wonderland.

It is a nice village as well and there is a pub and a tea room although neither of them were open.

Horses have their own crossing!

Preston Brook Tunnel

We walked back to the canal and we had to cross a big road which had two pedestrian crossings, one for people and one for horses, we went across the horse one as that was nearer to us but we made sure we cantered across!

We then chugged on, went past the Runcorn Branch and stopped at Midland Chandlers for a few things.  We then went on and came to Preston Brook Tunnel.

It's dark in here

The tunnel is on a timed access and we arrived at the right time for us to go through, so into the darkness we went and after about 15 minutes we were coming out into the sunlight.

Out we come

In Dutton Stop Lock

Just after the tunnel is Dutton Stop lock and there was a boat just coming through so they came out and we went in, it is only a few inches deep so doesn’t take long to get through and another boat was waiting to come in so we left the gates open and went on our way.

Railway Viaduct in the distance

We went on for a couple of miles and moored up  in the nice moorings with a lovely view overlooking the valley with the Dutton Viaduct in the distance and where we moored on the way up.

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

Moored at Dutton 

Bollington Underbridge to Moore (Bridgewater Canal)

Night Sky at Bollington

Back past Lymm Marina

It was a bit overcast as we set off this morning and yes we did have a couple of rain showers, but nothing too much and then it brightened up.

Back through Lymm

Not many boats moored at Lymm today

We left Bollington Underbridge and chugged on along the canal and stopped at the water point to fill up.  We then went on our way passing under Lloyd Bridge where we stopped on the way up to get gas and eggs and vegetables.

One of the many cranes along the canal

Church at Stockton Heath

We went back past Lymm Marina where our boat came from and then came to Lymm and went under the Bridge and past Matthew Corbett’s house and past the visitor moorings which were very quiet today.

We went on for a couple of miles and moored up at Stockton Heath. We walked up into the town which has plenty of shops and cafes and restaurants.

Manchester Ship Canal

Swing Bridge at Stockton |Heath

We had a wander around and walked down to the big swing bridge which goes across the Manchester Ship Canal.  We got a few supplies and then walked back to the boat.

We had lunch and then untied and chugged on for a couple of miles and moored in a nice spot on the outskirts of the village of Moore.

We are staying here tonight and then chugging on through Preston Brook Tunnel tomorrow and back onto the Trent & Mersey Canal.  It has turned chilly to day so we lit the fire this evening, our first fire since last Winter.

Moored at Moore

Trafford Centre (Leigh Branch) to Bollington Underbridge (Bridgewater Canal)

Saturday 16th September

Back past Kelloggs Factory

Back onto the Main Bridgewater Canal

We are moving on today, it was a bit overcast as we set off and there was a couple of rain showers but then it brightened up and the sun came out.

Passing Stretford Marina

Rows of Coronation Street Houses

We went back past the Kelloggs Factory and soon came back to Waters Meeting and turned back onto the main Bridgewater Canal and back through Stretford and past Stretford Marina which looks really nice.

Flats shaped like a Boat

Tame Deer

We chugged on down the Sale Strait and through Altrincham where there are some flats shaped like the back of a boat overhanging the canal.  It’s not so nice in this area, quite built up and bits of rubbish in the canal.

Soon through there and back out into open countryside and we moored on Bollington Underbridge near Little Bollington and Dunham Massey Hall, a National Trust property.

Old Car

In the afternoon, we went out for a walk down off the canal through the Underbridge and along the path into Little Bollington.  We went past the Swan with Two Nicks pub which looks really nice and on into Dunham Massey Grounds. 

Mill in the Grounds

Swan with Two Nicks

There is a big deer park which you can walk around and some of the deer are really tame and are just grazing in amongst all the people, they don’t seem to take any notice of anything.  If you want to visit the house and gardens then there is a charge, but you can walk around the park and some of the buildings including the Mill, the Motor House and visit the shop and cafes free of charge.

500 Year Old Oak Tree

There was lots of people around and we had a nice walk around the grounds, we had a look in the Mill but unfortunately the water wheel was not working as there was a fault on it, there was an old car in the Motor Store which we had a look at.

Pathway to Little Bollington

We went in one of the cafes for coffee and then walked back to the boat and stopped off at the Swan with Two Nicks for a drink.  It is a really nice pub and was very busy.

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow then on we go on Monday.

Moored at Bollington Underbridge

Sunday 17^th September

Lavender Barn Tea Room

Dog Cafe

We are staying put today so we had breakfast and then set off for a walk.  We walked up the canal and did a cache on the way and then walked down the steps and onto the road, along there and then came to Lavender Barn Tea Room.  We stopped off there for a coffee and a sandwich.

Slaughterhouse

Dunham Massey House

It was a really nice place, very dog friendly, they even had a special dog café!

Dunham Massey Park

We then crossed the road and walked into Dunham Massey Deer Park and had a lovely walk around there.  We did a couple of caches in the park and saw some more deer which again were very tame.

One of the caches was in the old Slaughter house building, so we did the cache and had a look in there as well

Bollington Underbridge

We then walked back past the house and mill and back down the lane which leads under the Underbridge and back to the canal.

Ooh they're coming to get us!

We watched the Grand Prix and will just chill out for the rest of the day.  We have had a few rain showers but sun as well.  Tomorrow we will chug on.