Festival Park

Today's Canals : Macclesfield, Trent and Mersey

Overnight there had been some very heavy rain storms but these had passed by the time we woke. The mist that hid much of the distant views yesterday had gone bit the sky was, at this stage, still very grey. From our overnight mooring we could now see Mow Cop.

Zoomed in (and hence very grainy) so that you can see the landmark we are talking about.

Just after we set off we passed yet another canalside property on the market. This one, 4 bedroom, has an asking price of £410K. The agent advertises that they have had an offer of £375K but are inviting someone to gazump them! Just outside the front there was once a swing bridge across the canal but that, apart from the narrow abutments, has long since disappeared.

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Yesterday we passed nb Rosie which Mike recalled having seen moored in Scholar Green. (Christine thought he was making it up!) They passed us before we were on the move but not much later we saw that they had already moored outside their house. This is the near end one of three former canal workers cottages which they have called Teapot Hall, something that is clearly announced by a sign on the top of their  boat!

Before long we arrived at today's only lock, Hall Green Stop Lock. There was much rivalry over water supplies and this marked the meeting between the Macclesfield and the Trent and Mersey Canals. originally both companies built a stop lock although only one remains to effect the small change in level - the other is now just a stone narrows.

The Hall Green Branch (as it was once known) runs from the stop lock to Hardings Wood but crosses the Trent and Mersey at a higher level. From the junction to here, Poole Aqueduct, there are three locks on the main line.

We wanted to do a substantial food re-stock, taking advantage of the proximity of a Lidl store to the top lock. There was no room to moor on the main line (actually there might have been but it did not look long enough from a distance) so we manged to pull in just before the junction bridge. W are now very much into the iron stained waters around Harecastle.

After returning fully laden, we set off on the short move to the tunnel waiting area. We were not booked for another couple of hours but we also knew that the tunnel keepers would let us pass when the traffic northwards had cleared the north portal. As we arrived they did then say that it might be about 45 minutes so we took the opportunity to have lunch - otherwise it would be a bit late by the time we moored up on the southern side. There is no shorter route for the tunnel keeper than across this bridge to get from the control cabin opposite to the mooring in order to brief boaters Behind the stone bridge is also a railway bridge, carrying the line that we have been alongside since Macclesfield.

A couple of minutes after 1 o'clock and we were set on our way into the dark depths of Harecastle Tunnel. As the photo suggests. the direction of the sun, now unusually bright, made it hard t o steer into the tunnel, so we took it very gently!The first part is quite roomy but the steerer has to crouch rather low for the central part where the roof drops much lower. After about two thirds of the distance the fans at the far end start to make their presence felt, becoming almost deafening before the doors are opened just at the last moment. 

Passage time: 38 minutes. Immediately after exiting the tunnel we stopped at the water point for a top up as well as rubbish disposal. No elsan until Etruria. The rest of the afternoon was pleasantly sunny and warm.

We continued down to Westport Lake which had surprisingly few boats moored. No sooner than we had tied up than we received an email from nb Oleanna that they had moored just north of Bridge 118 (Festival Park Marina) and that there was plenty of room to moor next to them. So, on again.

We passed next through an area that at one time had many potteries, each with their own kilns (pot banks) and buildings where the products were shaped, fired and decorated. Most, of course, are long since demolished but this extensive set of industrial buildings is sadly in rapid decline, having failed to find another purpose.

On the other hand, Middleport Pottery is thriving, not only making its own ranges of pottery but also running an extensive programme community activities. The cafe was clearly doing well this afternoon.

After passing the site which once was Shelton Iron and Steel Works (now grey industrial sheds) we arrived at our meeting place. Oleanna was already there but Pip and Mick were away buying 'stuff' for Tilly, the boat's captain.

Bridge 118, just beyond our mooring, was originally a railway bridge, carrying part of the Potteries Loop Line. This line ran in a large loop around and through most of the Six Towns. Mike can just recall using in in the early 1960s to get from Hanley to Kidsgrove, especially on a dark and stormy night when the steam loco only added to the atmosphere (in more senses than one) Alas, this line went the way of many branches that would now be useful elements of urban transport. Incidentally, at that time the loop line came into Kidsgrove Station a short distance away from today's station of that name, then called Harecastle Station. However, the old station was much more convenient to connect with buses along the main road to Alsager, where Mike was staying at the time.

Mike took the opportunity, finally to fix the trim around the windows that the painters had left deliberately long to give them time to shrink back to their normal size. Unfortunately, passing vegetation was having the tendency to pull at the loose ends! Now we have to find an equally convenient place to complete the other side.

Finally, Pip and Mick returned from their foray to Festival Retail Park. They came aboard and we had a long 'catch' up over mugs of tea. No doubt their take on the encounter will make its way onto their blog - see here. 

But this four-person selfie is courtesy of Pip after Christine had been introduced to Tilly, happy to meet a sympathetic visitor after having been shut away for much of the day! (Nearby car parks and busy dual carriageways are not deemed safe play areas by she who must be obeyed - as if!)

7.6 Miles - 1 Lock