Planes & Boats & Trains &

Sunday 13 June 0 miles 0 locks.

Decided to visit the Salt Museum in Northwich but it wasn't open till the afternoon. The 3 of us wandered into town looking at the swing bridges and variety of house architecture. A bit of unplanned redevelopment with old and new and not so old and not so new in a higgelty pigelty pattern. Murray shouted us to lunch at the Old Post Office, now a Wutherspoon's Pub. On the way to the museum we stopped at an old Pumping station but the very keen retired engineers couldn't get it started. Museum was good in that it told of the salt industry in the area and that is why there is a water way to enjoy. Rained on the way home and the lock keeper had gone home again so another night under the lock and a railway viaduct.

Monday 14 June. 6 miles, 2 locks (big and manned) 1/2 a million litres of water used to raise a 20 ton boat.

Went up the Weaver to Winsford. As far as you can take a narrow boat. Parked outside the Red Lion Pub. Walked around Wharton which is on the east of the river. Found the railway station so Murray could find out the best way back to Glasgow on Tuesday. A visit to the supermarket had Murray introduce us to Morrison's Cafe. A big meal for a very reasonable price. This has been noted for future reference. Latter in the day we went walking down the Weaver Way, a series of walking/cycling tracks. Very pretty. As time was getting on called into a pub and they had such a good meal deal we enjoyed their Carvery before continuing the walk back to the boat.

Tuesday 15 June. 2 1/2 miles, 0 locks.

Today was to look around Winsford on the west of the river. Nothing special about this town, just another town in the salt industry. Had lunch on the boat and the Red Lion was showing world cup games so Murray & I went to watch the second 1/2. Makes us proud that the Kiwi flag is flying on the back of the boat. Now its off to the station again so Murray can head home. Back to the boat and up river a bit into a shallow lake so we could turn around. By now all the lock keepers had gone home so stopped at a lovely spot just short of the first lock down and had tea on the tow path enjoying the nice weather and peaceful place.

Wednesday 16 June. 9 miles, 3 locks.

Motored down stream and went through the first lock with 3 others. second lock not as big so 2 went through and we followed through on the second drop. Passed a large barge coming other way. Continued down the Weaver past the Anderton lift through another large lock to Acton swing bridge where we are to meet friends tomorrow. So noisy we went further down and stopped before the next lock. went for a bit of a walk through the country side following a public path. Thought about an hour would do it but with photo stops, talking to locals, climbing over styles that were a bit high for a short person and a stop at a pub we got back to the boat 4 hours later.

Thursday 17 June. 6 miles 0 locks.

Headed back up river to Acton swing Bridge.to meet Lala & John. They are a couple we happened to get in conversation with in a Greytown cafe while we were traveling in February and they were on holiday from Bristol. As you can tell contact has been made since we got here and they were going to be in the area. Took them up river as far as the lock and had lunch on board. Didn't have time to go through the lock so came back down to drop them off again at the bridge while we continued down to the same spot above Dutton lock. No walk tonight.

Friday 18 June. 11 1/2 miles, 1 Lock.

Down the Weaver to the Manchester ship canal. A beautiful part of the river almost all the way. Last mile is beside a huge chemical plant. Stopped for lunch. It rained. Turned around and headed up river again. Very gentle trip as we knew we wouldn't get to the lock before closing. Early closing fridays. It's great that one minute you are in the centre of industrial England then around a corner and all there is, is water and wild wife. Stopped several times to photograph different birds. Parked up at Devils garden with 3 other boats. just a river bank and a grass paddock.

Planes, Boats, Trains.

For the last week or so we seem to park up under railway viaducts or near the railway line that carry the fast trains to the north. We have also been under the flight path for planes arriving at Manchester.