Overnight it had been very wet - flooding in many parts of the country including our home town - but soon after we arose it stopped and we had no more rain all day, despite a showery forecast. wed had a few damp spells and some heavy showers were not far away.
After the usual round of servicing we unplugged our hookup from the mains and eased out from our mooring. Onto the main canal we turned right towards Middlewich. A level stretch, there were no locks for the next two hours.
Just before the first bridge one of the many land drains was gushing out water into the canal. Whilst the many similar drains do quite a bit to keep the canal topped up, they do make modelling the system all that much harder.
On the other side of the bridge is a sign to the Badger Inn in Church Minshull, indicating that it is 700m away along a narrow track. Strangely, the main road bridge has a similar sign, also claiming to be 700m away. According to Google the first should be about 1100m whilst the second is around 800m! Hopefully anyone making the trek finds it worth the effort!
The sun did make several valiant efforts to break through the overcast cloud cover.
Alongside a small wooded area, marked on the map as Small Rookery, is this odd hedge which appears to have been well tended. However we can find no reason for it.
There is one point on the Middlewich where it is possible to have a brief glimpse of the Weaver and Top Flash near Winsford. The river was not only very full but also fast flowing whilst the flash seemed unusually full.
Just after passing under the main railway line we could see across a field this large farm. We think that the house is Stanthorne Park and the main building the Dairy House Mews. Not yet found out much about it but the house looks rather splendid and on Google aerial view the Dairy House forms three sides of a square, surrounding a formal courtyard.
Preparations for November the Fifth?
At the canal end of a house garden as we approached Middlewich we spotted this tiny structure. No Fishing?
For a short period this blue sky suddenly appeared.
Before the next lock we pulled onto a mooring so that Christine could pop to the shops for a paper and one or two other items whilst Mike continued with work on the internal window frames. They are gradually looking a bit smarter - we have to hope that it will last for a while! When she returned it was definitely time for lunch followed by a little more painting.
It was after 2.30 before we set off again, immediately into Wardle Lock, after which we turned sharp right to travel southwards on the Trent and Mersey.
A very busy main road follows the canal for some distance but from here to thew edge of town the buildings are comparatively older. This property looks as if it was once of some significance although we could not quite make out the inscription at the top, but it looks as if it once had a mews entrance. It is now three houses. The old maps give no clue.
A little further is Kinderton Arms - still little nearer to being turned into something useful and not much changed from when we were last here three years ago.
Just above Rumps Lock is the British Salt works - now part of the giant Tata group. Both table salt and industrial products based on salt are made here.
We were amused to spot a version of the hare and tortoise. The truck had to keep behind the fork lift until the other side of the site!
Just before the two Booth Lane locks is this factory. At first we thought that it is a gas fired power station but the sign is Brenntag, a chemical company but it does not list this location on its web site.
A large housing development by the Booth Lane Locks is called Albion Lock. It was just being started last time we passed here. Whilst this large building under construction (the houses now look to be complete) also calls itself Albion lock, it does not feature on the Taylor Wimpey brochure.
Just below Crows Nest Lock is this large house, the former Moston Mill - also known as Sandbach Corn Mill, dating from the late 19C. Look closely at the opening just left of centre. It is on the first floor and looks to be a door that opens outward - over a ten foot drop into open air! Hopefully it has a good lock on it.
We came up through the lock, hoping for a fairly immediate mooring spot. Alas, there was a long line of permanent moorings to pass first. Near the start we spotted this former ice breaker. Although listed by the Historic Narrow Boat Club, it gives not construction date. Shortly after passing the end of the moorings we found a mooring - a bit shallow but close enough to the towpath.
9.9 Miles - 7 Locks
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