The day started very grey, as forecast, but we harboured hopes (around 35% in forecasting speak) of something better later on. We set off around 10, immediately under the first of a quick succession of bridges connecting parts of Middlewich to each other. Our mooring can be seen in the distance.
We very quickly entered the section more densely moored - actually we had been rather surprised that up to here, moorings than in the past we had found full overnight, were often vacant this year.
There was a boat already coming up Wardle Lock but the previous boat was waiting on the only real space. The towpath has been collapsed for some time but it is now nearly fully restored but the workboats do take up a lot of the width, especially as the pontoon with the hydraulic arm has extra flotation pods sticking out both sides. Both we and the oncoming boat had to move very gently to get through without touching!
Wardle Lock (aka Maureen's Lock named in honour of a doughty ex-boatwoman who spent her last years guiding boats through the lock. Woe betide anyone who wanted to do things differently from Maureen!) is one end of the Wardle Canal, said, at just 47 m, to be the shortest canal in the UK.
The other end is marked by the towpath bridge over the junction - we turned left, north, onto the Trent and Mersey.
Middlewich Wharf had stood empty for several years after the collapse of the former hire base that operated from here. A couple of years ago it was taken on by a couple who also acquired a fleet of five boats. (see here for some history of the wharf)
We had quite a wait at the top lock with another boat already in a queue. Coming up was a newbie crew who told Christine that they had left their hire base late last night without any instruction and barely knew what to do. A chance that Christine could not miss! The boat going down had already told us that this was their first trip but at least had six days under their belt!
As we descended, eventually, we could see the remains of a broken bumper bar that has been the subject of a contentious stoppage notice which has had several updates, each claiming that this bar had been removed, with plenty of boaters loudly stating, "Oh no it isn't!" Would have been helpful is a warning had been posted on the balance beam but the risk off a boat with a very square stern getting caught on it whilst emptying the lock is probably small.
After clearing all three locks we then pulled onto the water point at the next bridge. Once our tank was full we found a convenient mooring just around the corner. Again, we could not believe the number of available spaces, especially at the point closest for shops.
We knew that there was a Tesco Express nearby and in the past also a full sized Tesco not far away - the large Morrisons is a bit of a walk. However, our needs were for fairly basic things like milk and eggs so not a problem. We were rather disappointed that the specialist butcher was right out of pork pies!
Back at the boat it was now lunch time. By the time we were ready to leave again the weather had taken a sudden turn for the better!
A rather dark cloud hanging over the newish houses beside the winding hold did worry us a bit but this soon went the right way - away!
The last lock for some while was Big Lock, built for larger barges that were planned when the last few miles of the canal were constructed and connected to the Bridgewater and thus the wide beam northern canals, notably the Leeds and Liverpool.
Boats wider than a narrowboat can no longer get as far as Middlewich as the Croxton Aqueduct, over the River Dane, was re-built in 1935, not for the first time, due to subsidence, a widespread feature of this area of salt extraction. This time it was not worth it to re-build any wider although a steel trough has proved durable.
Bramble Cuttings is a popular off-side 2 day mooring. The last couple of times we had hoped to moor here we found it already full (not much more then three slots anyway)
This time there was room for us, which we quickly snapped up. The boat already there left late afternoon and was soon replaced by two others. The afternoon sunshine was indeed an attraction although we did not plan to use the barbecue stands that have been provided. The site is said to have been a former clay pit, providing material for lining the canal when it was first built. However, there is no indication on the old OS maps viewable on-line.
3.2 Miles - 5 Locks
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