We drove up to the boat yesterday, making a break for EV Charging at Penkridge, which we discovered on the last trip. Instavolt are easy to use and faster to charge than some others. We checked on the way to see that there was a space for us and it was with relief that when we pulled in both slots were empty. One of the good aspects of this as a stopover is that there is a coffee shop alongside. There is also a fair sized Co-Op as well and Christine had the idea of seeking out some of their delicious custard doughnuts. (It would not be lunch time until around the time of our expected arrival at the marina) It is always a bit hard seeing the final screen when using a public charger - around 9 times the cost of the same electricity when at home!
Apart from a short section just after the M5-M6 junction our route was remarkably light on traffic, especially cars. Penkridge is just over two thirds of the way to Swanley Bridge so once coffee and doughnuts were consumed (and the car sufficiently charged) we had just under an hour left to go.
The next three hours were mainly taken up by unloading the car and then looking for places to stow everything once more!
By four o'clock we were free to drive the short distance into Nantwich to visit Morrisons - although Christine first took a diversion to see if there were any loaves left in one of the specialist bakery shops in town.
Finding all that we had on our list in the supermarket took a while and we were in danger of outstaying the 90 minutes parking limit that has recently been introduced here.
We were glad that we had brought a meal with us, pork pasta bake, prepared yesterday at home and only needing to be put into the oven for half an hour.
Today we slept in! Not that we were in any great hurry to get away as the day was rather grey and forecast for rain or drizzle later on. It was also rather windy - we had planned to stop briefly at the service point on the way out of the marina to empty an elsan cassette as there are none now until Anderton. However, the string cross wind had other ideas and a boat with an apparent urgency chased up behind us and intruded into our manoeuvring space, so we abandoned that task and continued out of the marina. We tried to pause to let an on-coming boat pass but the boat on our tail made it clear that this was not their preferred option. In any event, we also planned to fill up with water above the locks so we were not stealing anyone's slot through them.
Just after passing under the first bridge we passed Chamberlain's fuel boat Mountbatten and their butty Jellicoe - no-one was about so they perhaps were just back from their usual round.
So grey today that even if the rain holds off we are not going to have great pictures!
Our water tank was quite low - we left filling until now as it is a 'bit of a faff' do it in the marina when the tap is at the wrong end of the boat!
The were several volunteer lock keepers on the flight today. Traffic was not busy but enough to keep them occupied. At the first lock we were asked to wait a short time and to go left (rather than the conventional right) to allow an oncoming restored working boat with a slightly uncooperative Bolinder to come straight through (they had had a difficult experience in a lower pound. The very short distance between locks and the strong breeze can easily create problems either boat has to come to a halt) It is a tight manoeuvre which is Mike's excuse for forgetting to take a photo!
Below the locks we turned left onto the Shropshire Union - this part originally known as the Chester Canal before amalgamation led to the abandonment of a planned direct route from the Mersey to Ellesmere (hence the designation Ellesmere Port!) This canal - which ends at Nantwich Basin, was built to allow wide beam barges.
Just before Barbridge Junction we pulled onto the Visitor Mooring for a lunch break. When we set off again we immediately spotted nb Ellis moored outside Barbridge Inn with the ever-cheerful Mark on the stern. Pre-Covid we had quite a bit of contact through his interesting blog and occasional fleeting conversation as we encountered each other on water. We had been wondering recently what had happened to him as no blog has been posted for some time. We managed to pull alongside and had a good chat, catching up on what we had all been up to. His hotel boat business continues but he is giving himself a bit more space and time than the somewhat manic pressure when he first started. Guess what, Mike again forgot to record the occasion but if, dear reader, you have not seen Ellis before than here is a link.
Shortly afterwards we turned right onto the Middlewich Branch. The boatyard alongside the junction is now called WallaceSheen Boats. Previously there used to be Midway here, a busy boat building business, but that seems to have closed and the new owners now concentrate on repairs and maintenance.
We continued through another three bridges and then moored on a VM just above Cholmondeston Lock. Before lock the dampness in the air turned into the promised real rain.
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5.0 Miles - 4 Locks
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