Battery Madness

Good weather for ducks!!    The wind seems to have gone and now rain showers are the pattern today and last few days - with Missy Sun poking out for minutes just to remind us she is there ---- somewhere!!


Not moved very far this week ---- left Congleton and had a couple of days at bottom of Bosley Locks, then up the 12 locks to Bollington where we’ve been since Sunday.   Am always surprised there isn’t a mooring time restriction here - not that we’ll be staying for 14 nights but could if we wanted!     We like Bollington and Foxxie likes the big playing field just down the lane!     


The beer at The Vine is just as good as last time we were here and, in fact, Bollington Brewery have just opened their second pub - this time in Macclesfield so obviously other folks like their brews too.


Had fun and games with the batteries this week.    We have 6 batteries for the main bank (plus one for the starter motor and one for the bow thruster)  - and suddenly they were not holding their charge.     Charged up ok but dropping like a stone after switching the engine off.     After several consultations with other boaters and the loan of a hydrometer, Dai ascertained one battery was completely kaput and the others were on their way out!     More consultations led to Dai disconnecting the whacko battery.    Hey presto - yes, after charging again the five remaining batteries were good.     For some time now Dai has been saying he’s getting sealed batteries next time as topping them up with distilled water is not one of his favourite jobs (nor mine as my ears are terribly assaulted when he does).   We phoned a nearby chandlery but they wanted £100 per battery - lordy lord!!!    So we called into the nearby car garage and asked them for price of normal batteries ---- £89 each.    Do we look as though we have grass growing on our heads or what!!!   We just hope the 5 batteries keep on going till we can get a reasonable deal somewhere!!


Kevin commented on last week’s blog asking for recipe for the mint aero cake I baked last week in honour of Amy’s visit ------ just a normal sponge cake, then I added several heaps of that Mint Aero hot drink powder (do not like it as a hot drink as the powder just won’t mix properly and you end up with a mouthful of undissolved powder - yuck).   So added after the flour --- sorry, can’t be precise about how much mint powder but I would guess about 3 heaped tablespoons).    Then I added 2 of the small packets of Mint Aero Bubbles chopped into quarters.    Normal butter cream icing with some peppermint essence to sandwich the two sponges halves together and on top for the 3rd packet of Bubbles to stick to.    Must admit I wondered if I had gone OTT with mint flavouring but hadn’t - it did taste very very nice!!


Since last blog we have done …  13 miles and 12 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1262 miles and  1050 locks  


sorry, no photos this week ---- not managed to take any between the rain storms

Mint Sponge and Purple Hair

This week we left Rode Heath and went onto to Red Bull and onto the Mac, mooring today at Congleton so have done with Heartbreak Hill !!    We came up the Mac last August - love this canal as its so peaceful with lovely scenery.    We plan to turn down the Peak Forest Canal into Bugsworth Basin - another favourite place.


Lots of wind and rain/drizzle but yesterday/today the sun has been out now and again - forecast is for it to warm up over next few days with sunshine, so here’s hoping ---- our tans are now fading fast.


Amy came to visit on Sunday and stayed until late Monday - just great.    Her friend Stephen brought her in his car.    I baked a bakewell tart and chocolate mint aero sponge cake (which Amy decorated) and Dai cooked a huge Sunday roast dinner.  Lots of drinking, talking, discussing, eating throughout the two days ….. And lots of hugs for me and Amy!     You will see from the photos below that Amy has changed her hair from pink to purple ----- just as much fun but somehow more sophisticated!


Since last blog we have done …  7 miles and 10 locks
total since Setting Off ….. 1249 miles and  1038 locks

let me on .... let me on too
(unfortunately I only spotted this family when they'd gone by -
would have loved to have got a closer shot)

Amy with her work of art !  
(well, the cake is my work of art but the decorating done by Amy)

Loved this interesting garden

It's a Windy Place

Still lots of wind with us, I blame it on Marston’s Merrie Monk !! ---- I said it before you Dai ---- no, seriously, still days of wild wind this last week and still carrying on today.


We have moved though ---- through Middlewich, Wheelock and tonight moored at Rode Heath.    Nothing much happened this week - called for a pint or two at The Cheshire Cheese in Wheelock and last night at The Broughton Arms in Rode Heath.      Walked into Sandbach while moored at Wheelock about a mile and half away --- town centre not highly exciting, just usual sort of thing.


Was looking forward to re-visiting The Romping Donkey at Hassell Green but it is closed down --- shame as it’s a old place but looks like gone same way as so many pubs these days.


Made choux pastry for first time ever today and have to say, very successful ----- only 4 Elephant Feet left now.    I like to bake new things now and again and had to have a bit of experimenting in readiness for my daughter’s visit this coming weekend.     Dai made pasta this week too ---- lets just say we ate it but next time needs to make it not quite so sticky so the dough can be rolled out thinner!


Done 23 locks this week but they were easy-peasy even though up what is know as “Heartbreak Hill” ---- tell you, these narrow locks are so much more enjoyable than those doubles on the Leeds & Liverpool (you see, I am still traumatised from the Wigan Flight!!)


You will see that I've -- at last! -- started a "blogs I follow" listing which I will be adding to when I have a bit more time to sort it out.


Since last blog we have done …  14 miles and 23 locks
total since Setting Off ….. 1242 miles and  1028 locks  

Right lads --- I've got the chips

--- and I've got the bread

--- so let's have the butties

--- all gone, so let's see what the next course is from the next boat

I love it ..... Dai hates it
10 facts about Marmite

Just who did I make a rag rug for ??

Drizzle, wind, wind, drizzle ---- on and on and on ---- come back sunshine!


This week we have moved from Preston Tunnel, through Barnton, by the Anderton Lift, bypassed Northwich and are now moored in the middle of nowhere about 4 miles north of Middlewich.     


Caught a bus to Northwich about 4 miles away last Friday and nearly had a dickie fit when the driver asked for £8.80.    Yes, £8.80 return for the two of us.   Daylight robbery but we needed some supplies, so off we went.    Quite a big town with an indoor market and the usual array of shops.


Over the weekend we were at Anderton and decided to look round the Lift Exhibition which was, actually, quite interesting.     They were doing good business too with the lift especially I think as there was a rally of old Morgan cars --- beautiful machines.


On Sunday our friends Ian and Sarah came with their boys Aaron and Jack so we all went round the Exhibition - the boys loved it as there were several interactive things they could do.


Since last blog we have done …  12 miles and 0 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1228 miles and  1005 locks  

my first rag rug finished !

...... which Foxxie claimed within an hour !!

mayhem at Anderton, fighting for a mooring space !

"side" view of Anderton Lift

"end" view of Anderton Lift

Anderton Lift in operation as the two caissons pass each other

I found this and the following 3 bits of information in 

the Anderton Lift Exhibition the most interesting

Back to BW Canals

Wigan Locks - DONE ….. And re-confirmed, I will never do them again.    If we do come back to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal ---- which is glorious between Foulbridge Tunnel and Bingley 5-Rise  ----  then we will come onto it the other way round.     As I write this the Wigan Flight is closed as one of the locks in the middle has to have some emergency work done on it.   Are we surprised?   Err, no.    They are without doubt  the worst lock flight we have done for leaks, heaviness and cranky paddle gear/gates and today we are up to 1005 locks done in last one year and 44 days.    


So, we are now off the Bridgewater Canal having come through Preston Brook Tunnel this afternoon and onto the Trent & Mersey Canal.    Thinking of making our way now to the Macclesfield Canal.   


You will have seen the photos of the “Jandai v Mrs Cow Race” last week ---- what I forgot to mention was - yes, she did manage to get back onto terra firma.    Her mates in the field walked alongside the canal en masse making sure she stayed at that side of the canal and just as we were going around a bend, spotted that she had found a break in the bank to climb out of the water ----- probably it was the same spot that she fell in at !


Thanks Anne for confirming on your comment here last week that I’m not really that old - certainly don’t feel it !!    But obviously to Barnoldswick teenage girls, I am ancient!


I managed to escape last Friday to wander around The Trafford Centre ---- window shopping until Dai phoned me asking if I could be back on the boat by 3 pm as another boat had just passed and told him “Wouldn’t stay there overnight mate” --- so we upped the pins and ended up going all the way through Stretford and Sale to moor at Dunham Town which was, in the end, a good thing as we ended up eating at the local pub “Axe and Cleaver” that evening - and they had Black Sheep Ale as a guest beer !!


Since last blog we have done …  48 miles and 24 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 1216 miles and  1005 locks  

passed us this week

Gifford was being towed by Shad

both together

sign on Gifford

Back to BW Canal

Wigan Locks - DONE ….. And re-confirmed, I will never do them again.    If we do come back to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal ---- which is glorious between Foulbridge Tunnel and Bingley 5-Rise  ----  then we will come onto it the other way round.     As I write this the Wigan Flight is closed as one of the locks in the middle has to have some emergency work done on it.   Are we surprised?   Err, no.    They are without doubt  the worst lock flight we have done for leaks, heaviness and cranky paddle gear/gates and today we are up to 1005 locks done in last one year and 44 days.    


So, we are now off the Bridgewater Canal having come through Preston Brook Tunnel this afternoon and onto the Trent & Mersey Canal.    Thinking of making our way now to the Macclesfield Canal.   


You will have seen the photos of the “Jandai v Mrs Cow Race” last week ---- what I forgot to mention was - yes, she did manage to get back onto terra firma.    Her mates in the field walked alongside the canal en masse making sure she stayed at that side of the canal and just as we were going around a bend, spotted that she had found a break in the bank to climb out of the water ----- probably it was the same spot that she fell in at !


Thanks Anne for confirming on your comment here last week that I’m not really that old - certainly don’t feel it !!    But obviously to Barnoldswick teenage girls, I am ancient!


I managed to escape last Friday to wander around The Trafford Centre ---- window shopping until Dai phoned me asking if I could be back on the boat by 3 pm as another boat had just passed and told him “Wouldn’t stay there overnight mate” --- so we upped the pins and ended up going all the way through Stretford and Sale to moor at Dunham Town which was, in the end, a good thing as we ended up eating at the local pub “Axe and Cleaver” that evening - and they had Black Sheep Ale as a guest beer !!


Since last blog we have done …  48 miles and 24 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 1216 miles and  1005 locks  

came by us today

Gifford being towed by Shad

sign on Gifford's deck

and here they are together 

pub grub that wasn't

Busy this last week - and started “hireboat” mode to get off the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, so last couple of days lots of miles and locks (for us anyway!!).


Royal Wedding - it was fab.    I had to watch it on the laptop cos no telly reception but that was okay as the BBC were streaming it live so I didn’t have to miss any of it.   Dai watched bits inbetween fishing.   


We met up with friends Fred and Lisa who were on a week’s hireboat at Salterforth.   We had booked a table for dinner at The Anchor so after a glass of wine we meandered the 50 yards or so to the pub.   It was heaving and banners/balloons everywhere for a 40th birthday.   We were met at the door by the landlady who told us that the kitchen extractors had broken down so they couldn’t do food ….. Mmmmm, right.
So we walked up into Barnaldswick which was only about a mile or so away.   First pub we saw … shut and for sale.    Second pub … for sale, but it was at least open with about 3 men at the bar …. No food.    So we had a pint while we debated what to do!      We were all starving having saved ourselves for the Anchor dinner.    Loads of Chinese takeaways, loads of pizza takeaways and then we saw Flavos - no good, we just had to eat.    Actually it tasted much better than expected and there was loads of chicken and chips and kebab for Dai and it was really cheapy cheap.     While we were in Flavos we asked where the “decent” pubs were - lots of noisy, blaring music “youngsters” places but “not really anywhere for old people” we were informed  by the two teenage girls.     We spotted the Conservative Club over the road so I went over to suss it out!!    Two young women were going in and they offered to sign us in “you’ll like it here, vodka and orange only £3.50”.    So, yes, we paid our pound each and became members for the evening.    And yes the beer was very cheap although we had to drink Tetley Mild !!    Lots of interesting people in there and a not bad singer.    We got a taxi back to our boats and after a whiskey nightcap decided that  although our plans had to change we actually had a really good night out !!


Oh and I got my Easter Egg too - thanks Fred and Lisa !!!


On Sunday after saying our goodbyes, Dai and I set off to turn onto the Bridgewater Canal.    We are moored tonight about 3 miles from start of Wigan Locks so have done Foulbridge and Gannow Tunnels; Barrowford, Burnley, Blackburn, Johnsons Locks; gone through Colne, Nelson, Burnley, Rose Grove, Hapton, Church, Rishton, Whitebrik, Blackburn, Cherry Tree, Riley Green, Wheelton, Chorley and Adlington.     I have to say that it looks like someone (presumably BW) have been out cleaning up surface rubbish from this stretch - it was noticeably less than when we came up this way beginning of April.    We did still have a couple of rollercoaster rides over god knows what in the canal which you couldn’t see - probably freezers, fridges, settees, bikes, you name it, I think it is stuck in the mud in this part of this canal.


The locks have been interesting too ….. Pounds very low in some flights and in the Blackburn flight, well, the water was flowing over the top gates like Niagara Falls and I was paddling up to my kneecaps in water round the paddles !     Just heard today that the Bank Newton lock flight passage is now restricted to between 8 am and 4 pm cos of lack of water and that the Rochdale Canal is in serious trouble.


Been quite windy this week although the sun has also been shining all day every day so can’t grumble!


Psyching myself up now for the Wigan Locks - think I need a few bottles of wine and whiskey nightcap before we tackle them tomorrow !!


Since last blog we have done …  42 miles and 22 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 1168 miles and  981 locks

Big Chimney, Little Chimney

Burnley Skyline

Race you to the next bridge .......

looking back in Gannow Tunnel

Good advertising for local shop in Church (wonder what etc is?!)

Bye Fred and Lisa - hope to see you again soon

Ummm - well, yes, no,  I didn't think Hapton was that bad

good effort Mrs Cow, but we won the race