Batteries and Basins

Battery mania continued ----- but sorted last Saturday when I spent 2 hours trundling 6 new batteries and 6 kaput batteries up and down the towpath and - the worst thing ever! - up and down a cobbled bridge!!   While Dai did the change over.    My right arm is now 6 foot longer than my left.    And I got into trouble for sheltering in the boat when it rained --- “I need the next new battery NOW” never mind getting wet.     And, yes, everything worked afterwards (oh ye of little faith, I hear you call !!) ---- in fact, we are now only having to run the engine for just over a hour a day to get hot water.,    I know they will start deteriorating but we should have some months of joy from charging when stationery ---- surely!!


Found a super old fashioned butcher in Poynton - his meat was probably the best we have ever had.    Bit of a walk to get there but, hey, well worth it.


Had a few good pints in the Boars Head at Higher Poynton - the food looked good but we didn’t try it.


So, this week we have moved from Bollington up through Higher Poynton (always a big gamble whether or not you’ll get a mooring there --- we managed to get on the end amongst the trees so pretty dark and gloomy but then the next morning, the boat in front moved so we were able to pull further up out of the gloom) to Marple and onto the Peak Forest Canal.    Very beautiful but very shallow and hit/miss where you can moor because regulars know where you can get into the side and those places usually occupied.    Not that it’s a problem cos Bugsworth Basin holds loads of boats and its lovely mooring there.    Very quiet at the moment - mind you there was a Gardiner Rally here last weekend so think everyone rushed to get there for that and now they’ve all gone.


Funny weather this week - cloud, showers, one hot sunny day and today it’s very warm but dark clouds keep passing over and we’ve already suffered one downpour (while Dai and Foxxie were out taking photos round the Basin).


Since last blog we have done …  13 miles and 0 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1275 miles and  1050 locks

mooring at Higher Poynton

just one of the splendid views from the Peak Forest Canal which is 500 feet above sea level

Let's all jump in the canal !!!
There were several groups of schoolchildren canoeing in Bugsworth Basin

This is the one basin (middle of 3) in Bugsworth Basin which is not open --
wonder if this stone is the reason why!

Another group of children in the Basin - this time on a Super Raft

Info board set into the ground at the entrance to Bugsworth Basin by the Wharf Master's House

Love this weather forecasting stone!!

another piece of very interesting info in the Basin