Narrowboat Holiday 2010 – Day Five

Day 5 (27th July) was Abi’s birthday, so we started the day with some present opening (and some present nibbling, as she got a candy jewellery making kit from Auntie Sarah!)

Abi the birthday girl

After the presents were all opened, we set off back into Chester. We headed back to the water point we went to on Sunday at Tower Wharf and filled up again – we must have had a pretty low tank as it took ages! Once that was done we headed round the corner to the Northgate Staircase Locks. We were going up this time and Sarah and I went to see what the situation was. There was a boat in the middle lock going up and one in the top lock coming down, so it was safe for us to go into the bottom lock and wait. Unfortunately for us the boat that was coming down hadn’t got things quite right and had apparently left the top paddle open. This meant that it took forever for the middle and top lock to reach the same level as water kept on coming into the top lock!

Chestnut Thrush waiting in the bottom lock

At some point the error was noticed and the paddle was shut, and eventually they came level and swapped places. Richard was wondering what the problem was as he couldn’t see what was going on from his position on the back of our boat down in the bottom lock. Now the boat coming down was in the middle lock and we started the process of lowering him down and raising our boat up. Things went more smoothly after the initial problems and we finally exited the top lock about an hour after we came into the bottom lock. Just goes to show how easily mistakes can be made which slow everyone down. At least we weren’t in too much of a rush.

As we went through the city centre we decided to stop at the very convenient moorings right next to Iceland! We needed a bit of shopping so this was ideal It was really nice to just pop up the steps to road level and in to the shop! I was able to pick up pizzas for dinner and few extra treats as we had such a short walk back. After putting the shopping away and having some lunch we decided that we had time to have a wander round Chester before getting moving again.

The buildings in Chester are really interesting – a lot of the traditional black & white Tudor buildings and even older Medieval buildings. We took lots of photos of the buildings and then spotted a more unusual site of colourful painted rhinos, so started taking pictures of those too! The rhinos were part of “Rhino Mania” – basically there’s loads of rhinos, painted by different individuals and groups – they’re art, and a tourist attraction, and also a fundraising tool – after they’ve been on show around the city they will get auctioned off and the money raised will go to “Black Rhino Field Conservation Project in Kenya and Tanzania managed by Chester Zoo and the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, a Chester based charity”. We all enjoyed seeing them, especially Abi!

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We also spent some time wandering around the outside of Chester Cathedral straining our necks looking at all the different gargoyles and carvings of people and strange creatures. An amazing amount of work must have gone into all the decoration on the building.

Gargoyles on Chester Cathedral

After the Cathedral we found ourselves above the canal at the North Gate bridge, with the Bridge of Sighs nearby. We found out why the little tiny bridge was called the Bridge of Sighs – it linked the “gaol” with a chapel in the hospital and condemned prisoners would cross the bridge to get their last rites before being executed. It must have been tempting to jump off and risk the fall into the canal and the chance of escape!

Bridge of Sighs

The North Gate was very impressive and there was access on either side to go up onto the top of the city walls and walk along them.

The North Gate

Walking along the city walls

Such a lot of history in those walls. King Charles stood where we stood in 1645 watching his army be defeated on Rowton Moor.

Monument to King Charles watching his army being defeated

After our short walk along the wall we found steps down right next to where our boat was moored – very handy. We had a rest back on board the boat and looked at our purchases (we had visited a few shops on our walk) and then decided to set off out of Chester through the 5 locks out of the city. I didn’t take many photos in the locks as we’d seen them before, so there’s not much to show for it. We moored up for the night near the village of Waverton in a very nice spot.

Boat Log

Today:

Approx. distance travelled: 7 miles
Number of locks: 8

Total so far:

Approx. distance travelled: 52 1/2 miles
Number of locks: 30

Mooring:

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Narrowboat Holiday 2010 – Day Four

Day 4 (26th July) was Chester Zoo day! This was partly an early birthday treat for Abi, and partly just a fun day out for all of us! We’d originally aimed to have this day out on Abi’s birthday (27th) but realised we’d need to have the day out on 26th to allow enough time to get back to Anderton by Friday morning. So that’s why we were rushing to get her by the end of day 3.

So we got up early ready for our trip. We had a short cruise on the boat up to the zoo – just a couple of miles. We moored up by Bridge 134, Caughall Bridge. It was a damp morning but we didn’t let the weather put us off. We all put our rain coats on and set off from the boat. We had to walk about 1/2 mile up from the canal to the Zoo’s pedestrian entrance. It seemed quite strange going in the pedestrian entrance as it was also the main staff entrance. It was very quiet as the zoo had only just opened when we arrived, so there weren’t any crowds. The weather spoiled things a bit, but the sun did come out from time to time.

We saw a lot of animals, had a nice lunch in the cafe, saw some more animals, spent money in the gift shop, had a ride on the mono-rail, a ride on the waterbus, saw a few more animals, and then ran out of steam and decided it was time to head back to the boat. It was a great day, though tiring and rather damp!

Back on the boat we decided to get the boat facing the right way for the return trip tomorrow. This meant a trip up towards Ellesmere Port for a couple of miles to the next winding hole so we could turn round. The winding hole was about half way to Ellesmere Port near a village called Little Stanney. I steered most of the way up the winding hole but wasn’t keen on actually doing the winding! The winding hole wasn’t the biggest so I hopped off and hauled the stern back under the nearby bridge so we could get the bow round. It went well and I hopped back on and we set off back towards Chester. This time Richard was steering, and I cooked dinner We went back to a spot nearby where we’d moored to go to the zoo, and moored up for the night. A really peaceful spot with some birds singing, and a beautiful sky.

Lovely sky

Boat Log

Today:

Approx. distance travelled: 7 miles
Number of locks: 0

Total so far:

Approx. distance travelled: 45 1/2 miles
Number of locks: 22

Mooring:

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Narrowboat Holiday 2010 – Day Three

Day 3 (25th July) was my birthday, and we had a busy day planned. The aim was to get to the other side of Chester ready for a day out at Chester Zoo tomorrow (26th July). In order to do that we’d have to do 14 locks, which would be a new record for us.

After some present opening we set off for the nearby Bunbury staircase locks – our first ever staircase. This is a small staircase of just 2 locks. We joined a boat called Serenade with a friendly lady who was going through single-handed and appreciated me & Sarah doing the lock work so she could stay on her boat.

Bunbury Staircase Locks

So we began the staircase with Chestnut Thrush & Serenade in the top lock, going down (since turning off the Middlewich Branch we had begun going down instead of up!) and another boat in the bottom lock coming up. For some reason I found it hard to grasp the idea of people going up and down at the same time at first, but I got my head round it. You have to do a little maneuvering when the 2 locks become level, with boats moving one at a time, but you soon get things sorted and swap places prior to preparing to exit the staircase from opposite ends!

Two coming down, one going up (Chestnut Thrush is up there on the left)

After the maneuvring, Chestnut Thrush & Serenade waited in the bottom lock for it to empty before continuing on our way. We agreed with the lady from Serenade that we’d stay together through the next few locks. She was heading for Beeston so would be 3 more locks, which are often easier with a “buddy” – it stops your boat from wandering about in the lock as it fills or empties and and if you’re single-handed like she was it means you don’t have to keep hopping on and off your boat if someone else is doing the paddles & gates.

Chestnut Thrush & Serenade waiting for the bottom lock to empty

It was around this point that my Mum-in-Law texted me to say happy birthday and I texted back to say I was watching the boat sinking in the lock … bad choice of words as she was then afraid that I meant our boat was in trouble and was sinking! My attempts to explain saying “no, it’s not sinking, just going down” didn’t help much! LOL. I did get the message across though that all was well!

On leaving the Bunbury Staircase it was a matter of 1/2 mile or so to the next lock – Tilstone Lock.

Chestnut Thrush (& the kids) in the bottom of Tilstone Lock

Next came Beeston Stone Lock and Beeston Iron Lock. As you can gather from the names, one is made of stone, one of iron.

Beeston Stone Lock

Beeston Iron Lock

The iron lock had a sign on it saying that it had become distorted. We checked with Serenade as she was more experienced than us, but she was happy for us to go through together again, so we risked it and it went fine. We moored up soon after the Iron Lock as according to our map book there was somewhere to buy groceries nearby. Of course I had totally forgotten it was Sunday and when we found the tiny village shop, it was shut! So we headed back to the boat and continued on our way.

Next lock was Wharton’s Lock, from which we had a great view of Beeston Castle – very impressing spot for a castle, way up on a craggy hill in the middle of a fairly flat area – you can tell why they picked it as a place to build!

Wharton's Lock

Leaving Wharton’s Lock we had a long stretch without locks so I had a go at steering the boat – I relaxed a bit more this time and really started to enjoy it I steered for over an hour past moored boats and boats coming the other way I felt rather proud of myself! There was a very long stretch of long-term moorings so we couldn’t go very fast. It was interesting to see all the boats and their little bits of the canal bank that they’d personalised for themselves.

After this long stretch, we were coming into Chester and it was time for me to go back to lock duty with Sarah. First we came to Christleton Lock, then Greenfield Lock, then Tarvin Lock, Chemistry Lock and Hoole Lane Lock.

As we were coming through Greenfield Lock, Richard got talking to someone on another boat and they mentioned that there was a Sainsburys nearby. Apparently only 3 minutes walk from just before the previous lock. As we’d not managed to find a shop earlier we decided we should make a dash for it and get some shopping in before it shut. However the 3 minute estimate was a little low and it was more like 20 minutes so we got there hot and bothered and a bit cross about 5 minutes before it shut :-/ So we weren’t big fans of the people who’d told Rich it was only 3 minutes. But at least we got the shopping we needed!

We caught up with another hire boat on the way through these locks – ‘Oslo Fjord’. They’d been told that they should go through all locks alone and were finding it pretty hard going – Helen who was steering was really not enjoying the way the boat moved around so much in the locks (wide ones). After our good experience of buddying up with Serenade we suggested they go through with us, so we headed into Hoole Lane Lock together.

Hoole Lane Lock with Chestnut Thrush & our new buddy 'Oslo Fjord' approaching

After this lock there was a short break from locks as we came into the centre of the city. We passed busy canalside pubs where we briefly became a little self-conscious as they watched us go by. Then rounding a bend we came into a steep rock cutting which was very impressive to see. Up above us on the left we could see the city walls, and over our heads went old bridges like the Bridge of Sighs.

Rocky cutting & city walls

Bridge of Sighs from beneath

Shortly afterwards things became a little more modern as we approached the Northgate Staircase locks under a major road bridge. The Northgate Staircase is made up of three locks and takes a little more thought than a standard lock. The theory that I had learnt before leaving home was if you’re going up down (as we were) you need the first lock full and the other 2 empty. This theory is great, but if you arrive and others are already in the staircase it takes a little thought to see what the current situation is, and if it’s safe for you to enter at this point. When we arrived there was a boat making its way down so it was safe for us to start at the top as they would be emptying the locks as they went down leaving them just as wanted them. We filled the top lock and then brought Chestnut Thrush & Oslo Fjord in together the make the trip down. I found this staircase quite amazing – just the feat of building it and the apparent simplicity of the way it works. Also the location was interesting with the contrasts of modern & historical, speed & slowness, industrialisation & nature … the busy road bridge, the locks, a busy rail bridge at the bottom, the city walls to our left and a little bit of a park to the side.

Top of Northgate Staircase Locks

Looking down Northgate Staircase Locks (including passing train!)

Interesting wood sculptures in the little park alongside the locks

After exiting the bottom lock we made a sharp right turn towards Tower Wharf where we stopped at the water point to fill up our water tank. It was raining by now, and it was quite welcome after all the hard work on the staircase. Some of the paddles were pretty stiff, and the gates were very heavy. At this point I ducked indoors to make some dinner as it was getting late and we were all tired and hungry – a quick meal of hot dogs did the trick! We got a few more miles of cruising in before we had to call it a day and get Abi to bed a little on the late side.

All in all an exhausting but exhilarating birthday!

Boat Log

Today:

Approx. distance travelled: 16 miles
Number of locks: 14

Total so far:

Approx. distance travelled: 38 1/2 miles
Number of locks: 22

Mooring:

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Narrowboat Holiday 2010 – Day Two

Day 2 (24th July) began with a visit from the swans and cygnets from the night before. We didn’t have much bread with us so I’d tried to put the children off feeding them the previous night, but had to give in when they returned and looked so cute

It was an early start as we planned to get quite a distance done. Because we wanted to spend the day in Chester Zoo, we were going to lose a day’s worth of cruising so the plan was to get there as quickly as possible leaving us with a more leisurely return trip back to Anderton. So we set off, soon coming to Croxton Flash where we saw one of the first herons of the trip.

Heron in Croxton Flash

Not far after the Flash, we crossed Croxton Aqueduct. Nothing approaching the amazing aqueducts we crossed last year (Pontcysyllte & Chirk) but this was quite a different trip!

Croxton Aqueduct

The first lock of the trip was not far away as we came into Middlewich. Middlewich Big Lock was the first wide lock we had encountered as our last trip was on the Llangollen Canal which only had narrow locks (and we only went through 2!). It looked enormous, but as the trip went on we got used to the size!

Chestnut Thrush in Middlewich Big Lock

A short break followed as we came further into Middlewich, then after a bridge came 3 locks in a row, known as Middlewich 3 Locks. These ones were narrow ones like we were used to! The children were helping out with me & Auntie Sarah on these locks – working hard and pushing the gates open and closed

Ben & Abi working hard on the last of the Middlewich 3 Locks

When we reached the top of the 3 Locks we passed the Andersen Boats base and noticed a shop so decided to moor up past the next lock and pop back for a visit. We turned right under a low bridge onto the start of the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. The beginning of this canal is actually called the Wardle Canal – a very short canal of only 47 metres according to a plaque on the bridge – just reaching from the bridge to the end of the nearby Wardle Lock. A nearby information sign said that this was due to different canal companies wanting control of this important junction. The Trent & Mersey owned the small Wardle Canal and so controlled the junction and could charge tolls to pass through it. Richard had to wait just past the bridge while we emptied the lock for him to come in.

Chestnut Thrush in the Wardle Canal, waiting to enter Wardle Lock

Once the lock was ready, Richard steered Chestnut Thrush in, and up she went

Chestnut Thrush in Wardle Lock

We moored up soon after the lock and walked back to the shop at the Andersen base, where we bought some badges and icecream We also met a cute baby who was spending the day with his mum who was working in the shop! Back on the boat we headed out of Middlewich under several bridges before reaching Stanthorne Lock, just after Stanthorne Bridge. While waiting for the lock to empty so Richard could steer into it, a large herd of cows came across the bridge giving us a bit of a laugh as they all seemed to give us funny looks wondering what we were doing hanging around!

Cows crossing Stanthorne Bridge

A few miles of quiet cruising later, we arrived at Minshull Lock where we had to wait our turn to go up, then after passing Venetian Marina we came to Cholmondeston Lock where we had an audience as we locked (I hear they’re known as gongoozlers! )

Cholmondeston Lock

After this lock there was another mile or so of cruising until we reached Barbridge Junction which is where the Middlewich Branch connects with the main Shropshire Union Canal. Richard expertly negotiated a sharp right turn and off we went down the Shroppie towards Chester. I had a go at steering, which I found very scary at first! I’d done only a small amount in our last trip and having control of our huge boat was quite alarming at first. During this holiday I became a lot more confident and towards the end was happily negotiating bridges, passing boats and moored boats, all at the same time!

Barbridge Junction

We decided to moor before we reached the Bunbury Staircase Locks and found a nice spot to moor at Calveley where there was a nearby pub marked on the map. The pub, the Davenport Arms, was a short walk away over the canal and over the railway, and across a road. On the way there we were surprised to pass a field of Alpacas!

Alpacas at Calveley

The Davenport Arms had a fun little playground for the children to enjoy while we waited for our dinner to be cooked, and the food was very nice – a good place to visit if you’re cruising in this area.

Playground in the garden at the Davenport Arms, Calveley

After our meal we retired to the boat and it was soon time for bed … the grown ups not long after the children after a busy day with lots of miles and locks under our belts

Boat Log

Today:

Approx. distance travelled: 14 miles
Number of locks: 8

Total so far:

Approx. distance travelled: 22 1/2 miles
Number of locks: 8

Mooring:

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