Sizzling Severn........towards Gloucester docks.

A trip boat on the River Severn near Stourport.

Leaving the confined space of the two staircase locks from Stourport Basin brought a sense of freedom as we joined the wide River Severn.  After the restricted world of canals it is always liberating to be on a wide river with deep clear water under the boat ..........like most narrowboats 'San Serriffe' always seems to run better on rivers.

Leaving Stourport in our wake we negotiated our first River Severn lock at Lincomb............like the River Thames all the locks on the Severn are manned and gigantic compared to canal locks.  Apart from taking instructions from the lock-keeper and roping to the vertical wire lines you can just relax and let the machinery do all the work.

A narrowboat dwarfed by the River Severn lock at Lincomb

Temperatures rose as we enjoyed the blue-sky sunny weather that we are enjoying in stark contrast to the truly awful 'summer' we had in 2012. This is 5 star luxury weather indeed and certainly a match for anywhere in Europe at the moment ...long may it last :)

Making a fast pace towards Worcester despite a lack of appreciable current on the river
because of the reduced rain-fall recently. During 2012 we had more rain than most rivers could cope with and this would have been a very tricky navigation with fast currents and flooding a constant threat.  At the moment it is a very benign and a superb river experience.

Mid-afternoon  found us on the outskirts of Worcester and lucky enough to find a mooring near the racecourse.

Moored near Worcester racecourse.  River Severn

River Severn, Worcester.

Following morning came early with more blue skies and sunshine.......this weather is becoming almost predictable !!!!!!!.........fantastic :)   It has now been categorized as an official 'level three' heatwave, not sure what that means apart from being b........dy hot!

Pushing the throttle forward until settling on a fast (for San Serriffe) 2000 revs' we burbled towards Upton on Severn and Tewkesbury.  Spotting a marina at Upton we spent an hour or so taking on fuel and a 'pump-out' for the toilet, visiting (with some difficulty) Upton on Severn for bread, milk, etc.   Upton is an absolute delight and a living 'ye olde England' film-set ( in the nicest possible way) and we would have liked to spent more time there. Unfortunately like most River locations they have very few moorings for visiting boats.
A strange phenomena when you consider the money boat crews could spend in local shops/pubs, etc.

Blue sky cruising - River Severn.

Approaching Tewkesbury we watched out for the River Avon we we hope to visit after we have been to Gloucester docks and Sharpness. I was amazed when the junction was little more than a 'gap in the hedge' with poor signage and certainly very easy to miss. Not sure what I expected , but certainly something little more obvious  !!!!!

Approaching Upper Lode lock I decided to try my under-used VHF radio.......

"Upper Lode lock ....Upper lode lock   San Serriffe, San Serriffe, over "
" Yes ,San Serriffe ?"
" Passing Avon junction, any chance of a lock down?  over "
" No problem, lock will be ready, over"
"Many thanks for that..... San Serriffe........out"

Wow,....not used the radio since the Thames and I am always slightly amazed when somebody actually replys to my message. Not much chance to practice on the Macclesfield canal !!!!!

Sand barge powers past 'San Serriffe' on the River Severn

Mooring places between Tewkesbury and Gloucester dock are very far and few between so did not hesitate when we saw a gap big enough for 'San Serriffe' on the 'Lower Lode'
pub moorings......an idyllic pub serving excellent beer that judging from the old sepia toned photographs has not changed for many a year.  We paid our mooring 'fee'
(a few beers)  and sat looking out at the River Severn from the lush grass of the beer garden, bathed in the cool light of the evening sun........

"time for another one then ?" was the perhaps the most appropriate comment of the evening.

Lower Lode pub...River Severn.

Running the last fifteen miles into Gloucester dock the following morning we passed 'Upper Parting' where the River Severn is split into a West and East channel.  At the previous lock the keeper had suggested we radio forward to Gloucester dock lock and they would have it ready for us.  It is three miles from 'Upper Parting' and I suggested an ETA of some 40 minutes to the lock keeper.  He warned me of a dredger working in the middle of the channel and he was right !!!!!   We rounded a bend and found this large vessel looming over us with just a few feet either side for us to pass.  Narrowboats are used to small gaps so it was no problem and off we went leaving this voracious sludge gulper to its important work

River Severn dredger.......near Gloucester docks

  Sure enough as we approached Gloucester lock everything was ready for us. If this had been a spring tide it would have helped a great deal to have the lock open and waiting for you instead of mooring to the wall to avoid you being swept along in the current.  On this occasion the River Severn was as benign as any canal and we burbled straight into the lock.  Stern and bow ropes were secured to the vertical wires on the lock wall and the lock-keeper gently filled his lock rising us slowly into the Gloucester dock basin. 

'San Serriffe' locking up into Gloucester dock.

Gloucester lock has seen it's glory days of commercial traffic long gone. Like many other local authorities Gloucester realized that with some effort you could turn crumbling warehouses and dockyard into desirable housing and offices with the added bonus of  creating a major tourist asset a the same time. It is certainly well worth a visit.

Entering the basin from the River Severn lock there a pontoon visitor moorings (48 hour) on the left hand side. Our Nicholson's guide ( about five years old) was not really helpful when listing important facilities for boats ( like refuse disposal and water ) so for anybody like ourselves new to Gloucester dock who would struggle to find these here are their locations......

There are no facilities on the pontoons
Toilet and shower block ( with toilet for the disabled) is situated just past the large dry-dock before Llanthony swing bridge next to a furniture charity warehouse. It has a sign for a washing machine facility, but don,t get too excited if you have dirty washing to be done as it has been removed 
( at least we could not find it)

There are two Canal and River Trust refuse locations near here .........  two skips near the dry-dock and one near the swing bridge. There is another location behind the warehouses on the same side as the Waterway museum.

CRT water point and self-pump out ( card) is located on riverside pontoons just past the swing-bridge ( you will have to go through the bridge to use these)

Llanthony swing bridge-keeper has a little office here to observe traffic entering the dock and you can obtain pump-out cards from him.

There is a Canal and River Trust office near the road entrance and opposite to a Gloucester Municipal office.
There is a push-button on the door and a eventually somebody with talk to you through the intercom and advise you on your requirements
 ( like where are the rubbish bins ??)

It is just a shame CRT cannot put a sign on near the pontoons explaining where all these essential bits are if only to save them answering the office inter-com every 10 minutes to explain the locations to visiting boaters. If the budget cannot stretch to a sign how about a printed sheet/map of locations in the basin handed out to visiting boats by the lock-keeper........simples.

If your food stocks are depleted there is a convenience store
located behind the warehouse on the same side as the Waterways museum. This includes a small 'Subway' outlet if you do not feel like cooking.

There is a large Sainsbury store about fifteen minute walk from the basin on the Sharpness canal side. It is just passed the 'Sula' lightship and has a limited number of moorings for boaters (2 hour).

Gloucester main shopping street is just five minutes away
but the nearest supermarket ( Co-op) at that location is a  good thirty minutes walk (especially carrying bags) 

Apologies if I have missed anything, I will just await a cheque in the post from the Gloucester tourist office....dream on baby......:)

Hope you find the information useful but I find information regarding facilities for boats sometimes difficult to find. I tried both the Gloucester Tourist and Canal and River Trust web-sites regarding water and refuse points and came up with ...er...... well..... nothing.  Nicholson's guide might be updated now, but my older copy also also gave no locations for refuse points.

"....and I would like to thank" ........ all the Canal and River Trust lock and bridge keepers on the River Severn and Sharpness Canal, they are some of the most friendly and helpful on the system ( they told me say that ) No only joking......they really are!

'San Serriffe' in Gloucester dock

 

Shades of the original users of Gloucester dock

Gloucester Cathedral

Approach to Gloucester Cathedral........

Follow our next post....... The Gloucester and Sharpness canal

 

.

Towards the Severn - Tixall to Stourport

Leaving Tixall 'Wides' after a couple of days lazing about in fantastic sunshine in that idyllic spot we decided to get a few miles under our belt and move along the Staffordshire and Worcester canal towards the midlands with the summer turning into a real heatwave -
or........ 'Phew , what a scorcher!' as the papers would say..............

'Phew, what a scorcher'...moving towards the Midlands from Tixall Wides on the Staffordshire and Worcester canal.

A Heron enjoys a bit of fishing on Tixall Wides.

Heading towards Autherley junction with the Trent and Mersey canal we continued on the Staff and Worcester canal passing the Aldersley  junction which leads down towards the Wolverhampton '21' flight of locks.  We were so glad we did not have to take this notoriously difficult route as a lock wall had collapsed, closing the whole flight to navigation. We negotiated this flight of 21 locks a few years ago in an afternoon of hard work not made any easier by lager swilling 'Scallys' throwing empty cans into the locks - certainly not a place I remember with great affection.

No problems on this occasion as we breezed passed en-route to Compton in glorious afternoon sunshine.

Essential summer headgear in the hot July sunshine. Staffs and Worcester canal.

Compton is described in Nicholson's canal guide as 'uninteresting' - an accurate description in many ways but it is a very useful place for the canal user.  This small place has everything the boater/walker/cyclist could need to sustain their travels. Two pubs are a few minutes walk from the canal together with a laundrette, two small supermarkets, a chip-shop, Chinese take-away, Pharmacy.
In addition the boater can obtain fuel, pump-out and chandlery from this 'uninteresting' but very useful place- if you ever think of passing in a boat  - Don't !!!!

'Bratch' locks - a flight of three manned by a lock-keeper who appreciates all the help he can get.

 Bratch locks are a flight of three that are often described as a 'staircase' but are separated by a miniscule 'pound' and fed by side ponds........care needs to taken so read the instructions given by the signage and the nice hard-working Mr lock-keeper.

Bratch locks. Staffs and Worcester canal

Debdale lock on the approach to Kidderminster

Approaching the centre of Kidderminster. 'San Serriffe' against a background of St Mary's church.

Kidderminster proved another invaluable place to stop with a Sainsbury's and Tesco superstores all canal side with plenty of moorings....... oh,yes we certainly know how to live........what can be better than trolling around supermarkets on a nice sunny day.


Oh, well, I suppose you have to eat ( and drink)  :)

Leaving the delights of Tesco supermarket a few pounds lighter in the wallet we moved towards Stourport - entrance to the River Severn.  We had been advised by a local boater to more before Stourport basin as there are only a few visitor mooring actually in the basin.  We found a mooring next to a pub called the 'Bird in Hand' and as they say a 'Bird in Hand is worth two in the bush' so we decided to moor just within a few feet of the pub...........

Treating ourselves to a 'day-off' being Sunday we took advantage of the fantastic weather to do a little washing which dried before our very eyes in the scorching sunshine......wow.......this is a perfect summer that we have not seen for the last few years.

A few 'summer' pics people enjoying the canals........

Straw hats......a visual image of a perfect summer on the canals

Heading for a pub lunch....a walking group near Stourport.

Keeping cool on the Staffordshire and Worcester canal near Stourport.

Leaving the 'Bird in Hand' we continued towards Stourport Basin locking-down the pair of staircase locks into the River Severn from the former glory of this once busy basin - once alive with commercial traffic and now just as busy with recreational boats of all sizes.

Morning sunshine for the customers of this tea-room' adjacent to the entrance lock of Stourport Basin

'Bresting-up' to wait for the busy water-point in Stourport basin

Stourport Basin.

All the fun of the fair......locking down into the River Severn.

Continued in the next post....... 'Sizzling Severn'.   

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Sunny Stone......a journey to the River Severn.

Leaving the Harecastle we proceeded onwards towards Stoke where we had planned to spend the night near Festival Park near the junction of the Caldon canal. We had made good time and realized that it might be better to work through the locks in the centre of Stoke. Mooring later in the day near more pleasant open country surroundings near  Barlston - home of Wedgwood Pottery factory and visitor centre some five miles further on.

Nearing Etruria lock.  Stoke on Trent.

Almost gone......one of the few remaining pottery kiln chimneys in Stoke-on-Trent.

Barlston was certainly a good choice as we found an idyllic mooring  near a family of Swans with a beautiful views over farm land with several horses coming to check us out over the nearby hedge.

Suzy makes friends with the 'locals'

Current weather forecasts have had an unusual slant to them recently.....they are suggesting that we might be due for a few sunny hot days.  Whatever next ? Anybody would think it was the middle of summer!.......I think I will buy a few lottery tickets on the strength of this ........we are obviously on a roll!!!!!!

Our next stop was sunny Stone.......birth place of the Trent and Mersey canal in 1771.
It was apparently a sunny day also when the canal was opened with great celebrations which included the continual firing of cannons!!    These cannons put a damper on the proceedings by causing the lock walls to collapse - perhaps the gunners should have used blanks !!!!!!!

Entering the famous 'Star' lock where those military percussions delayed the opening of the Trent and Mersey canal, we were greeted by a gaggle of 'gongoozlers' boat watching and enjoying a few beers in the sunshine outside the lockside 'Star Inn'

Happy days! ...... enjoying a few beers watching boat crews work through the 'Star' lock. Trent and Mersey canal.  Stone.

A canal floral display in the centre of Stone - birthplace of the Trent and Mersey canal.

Finding a rare mooring in this popular stopping place for boat crews, we decided to have an early finish for the day and enjoy the sunshine watching  boats outside the 'Star Inn' with everybody else.

Stopping for water in Stone.......

An overnight in Stone enabled us to do some shopping in the High Street. Our West Highland terrier Suzy was taken for a walk down near the river Trent on the recommendation of a local resident.  A slalom course for canoeists had been built there and is certainly a 'secret' dog walk I would have not noticed from the confines of the canal.

One of the other best kept 'secrets' of the canal in the centre of Stone is the whereabouts of the all-important refuse point for boaters. I only found this a few years ago by accident when taking Suzy the Westy for a walk - it is half down the short term moorings, behind a hedge with no sign to indicate  it is there.  Even the 'Nicholson's' canal guide has knowledge of this with the spot remaining unmarked on their maps.

Perhaps it is a cunning ruse by Canal and River Trust to cut down on the amount of times it has to be emptied........I can just see the suggestions in a meeting now..........
" I have a good idea to cut costs.......let us hide the refuse points. It will save on collection and signage at the same time. Simples !"

Well le sun est arrivee' ....... I got up very early at 5.30am at 'Tixall Wides' to greet it !!

Here comes the sun.......sunrise at Tixall wides.

Early morning mist - Tixall wides.

Cattle find shade from the sun near Great Haywood.

Tixell wides is a beautiful part of the Staffordshire and Worcester canal about a mile from it's junction with the Trent and Mersey canal at Great Haywood.

A glimpse through the boat window showed a sunset heralded by a low mist - a sure sign of a hot day.  Pesty Westy Suzy got an early morning walk and I got some ( if I may say so) some nice photographs for the blog.

Another form of transport almost as slow as a Narrowboat - a Romany caravan spotted in a field near Great Haywood

More to follow........we are moored on Tixall wides in blazing sunshine on the Staffordshire and Worcester canal  :)

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Towards the River Severn...Macclesfield canal to the Trent and Mersey.

Our annual 'summer' travels on the canals with 'San Serriffe' has been delayed this year from our usual choice of early May onwards.

Perhaps this is just as well as the British 'summer' has developed into the usual cold and wet affair that we have learned to live with and be philosophical about......global warming perhaps......but I wish it would warm this chilly part of northern England.

Delaying until July has at least increased the chances of a glimpse of the sun....as May and June has been seen the usual wall to wall grey clouds.

July 1st saw the same grey clouds herald a start on our journey towards the River Severn as we left Higher Poynton dressed in the usual wet weather gear. A rare sighting of the sun was actually witnessed and duly logged and the details reported to the Royal Astronomical Society before stopping for an overnight on Gurnett Aqueduct and relaxing with a few beers in the Ye olde (1695) ' Kings Head ' pub....once visited by Bonnie Prince Charlie it is claimed......wow, that guy certainly got around and  obviously enjoyed a good pub crawl.

A rare sighting of the sun......south of Macclesfield

Following day found us heading for the next watering hole of  the 'Rising Sun' at Scholar Green and after an afternoon of constant rain we managed to get a vacant mooring in the late afternoon near this popular hostelry. On most occasions all the nearby moorings have gone by this time....... a testament to the popularity this superb pub.

Bosley locks had to be negotiated before we could enjoy a little 'R&R' in the 'Rising Sun'.
We have been up and down these twelve locks on numerous occasions and for some reason there has always been a certainty about them.......it always rains !!!!!!

Negotiating the Bosley flight of locks

We were actually surprised that despite the threatening clouds, not a drop of rain fell on us.  It came with a vengeance though in the afternoon forcing us to seek refuge in the aforementioned  'Rising Sun' 

Not sure that she will fit with the rest of the herd !!....... a colourful cow brightens the morning at a canal-side farm on the Congleton side of Bosley locks.  Macclesfield Canal.

Nearing the end of the Macclesfield canal and as a precaution before negotiating the 2926 yard (in old money) Harecastle tunnel I checked the prop' through the weed-hatch for any fouling like the usual plastic bags/old rope etc. Struggling through the dark of this long tunnel with an engine labouring against debris on the propeller is not to be recommended.... a bitter experience of our first trip through this subterranean tube that seems to go on for ever......

Despite our precautions .....yes you are ahead of me.......the prop fouled in the tunnel and the engine laboured as the prop-wash gave the usual fan-tail wake which is a sure indicator of something spoiling the curves of the prop' and turning it into a thrashing machine.

Not in the mood to stop all the boats in the following flotilla and dive into the weedhatch in the pitch-dark  to clear the prop' we struggled on.  Despite our prop' problem we negotiated the tunnel in about 45 minutes - about par for a trip through the Harecastle.


Emerging blinking into the bright light of the Stoke side of the tunnel we promptly moored-up and found a tight circle of weed-roots on the boss of the propeller. These felt like rope as I struggled blindly with unsighted hands in the freezing water. Weed roots they might be, but they were almost as strong as the rope I imagined them to be and resisted my attempts to break them with my hands. Unfurling them from the prop' took some time, but eventually we were clear and we could make  headway without a struggling engine trying to overcome the resistance caused by the thrashing weed..

Counting them out...tunnel keeper ensures that the number of boats leaving the tunnel matches the number that went in !!!!!

Northern portal of the Harecastle tunnel

Are we nearly there yet?.....

Our last trip in March was optimistically headed ' Sunshine Weekend' and the warmth of the sun lasted......er well....hardly a weekend !!!

It is certainly all my fault that the recent weather of savage cold east winds and drifting snow is a direct result of my predication that winter was finally over.......I should know better !  Winds with the freezing force of a Siberian winter have been blasting narrowboats  and most other types of transport almost into submission.

A recent visit to 'San Serriffe' to check how the mooring ropes were holding against the wind witnessed a few brave and hardy boat crews making crab-like progress along the canal despite the wind.  A recent 'lull' in the weather and a visit from a friend who resides in Plymouth prompted a suggestion of a day's cruise to Macclesfield. 

Having had some experience of cold weather ( is there any other type ?) in-shore sailing, I guessed he would enjoy a little 'booze' cruise on the back of a rain-swept narrowboat to make him feel at home.

Grey skies heralded the morning as three-men in a boat (another hardy friend was also invited) and we all headed towards Macclesfield.  I tried to keep the macho image of braving the weather without a coat for as long as possible, but after an hour or so I decided on the sensible thing and grabbed my coat , hat and gloves, making a fair stab at an impersonation of an Arctic explorer....but at least I was warm (ish)

" Anybody catch the weather forecast this morning ?" I asked of nobody in particular.
" Cloud, rain interspersed with more rain and cloud....and piggin' cold " came the reply
" Which forecast was that......the BBC? "  I asked
" No mine, I just made it up......bet I am right though !" came the optimistic reply.

 Spring has sprung with a shiver, but that is why sheep have woolly coats !!

Daffodils struggling to force their way through canal-side brambles.........

 Passing through Bollington the 'crew' were becoming rebellious as lunch time started to pass without any 'lunch' liquid or otherwise on the horizon.

" Are we nearly there yet ?"  was the plaintive cry.
" Not far....just a few miles to go " I said
" How long ?"   came another demand
" Oh, not long.....soon have you in a warm pub" I of course lied as a few miles on the canal is always longer than you think.
" Hope they serve food all day then" came a grumpy observation.

Things were proving positively mutinous..........

Clarence Mill, Bollington

I gave way to the 'Bollington Packet Boat at a bridge on the other side of the Bollington aqueduct.
When my companions realized that this was a restaurant boat and could see the diners sat in their warm cabin scoffing hot food washed down by beer and wine, the mutiny nearly boiled over..................

" Oh, look ....should have gone on that boat, bar is open all the time there...."  came the envious observation.

A skipper dressed for the weather- Bollington Packet restaurant boat.

As dreams of a warm pub became more desperate the remains of large snow drifts added a visual dimension to the mental state of my freezing passengers.

" Wow........good job we were not going through here a couple of weeks ago, we would have needed a snow plough on the front of the boat !" came a not too inaccurate observation.........

Snow drifts at the side of the Macclesfield canal

Finally reaching Macclesfield before I was forced to walk the plank, I managed to moor 'San Serriffe' a few minutes walk from the 'Puss in Boots' pub and noticed with great relief that food was served all day......phew!

Hot food and a couple of pints thankfully restored good humour for our return journey.


Back on the boat the it became colder and colder as unrelenting rain soaked  the jolly crew
to the bone..........


"Perhaps we could stop at the 'Miner's Arms' on the way back" somebody suggested as a moral booster.

" Are we nearly there yet ?"  came the quiet reply.



 

'Puss in Boots' Macclesfield Canal.

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Sunshine weekend......

'Hold the Front Page' ....... 'sunshine and clear blue skies forecast over the North of England'

 As long suffering residents of this soggy sceptered Isle we have learned that  wasting  sunny weather  is akin to sacrilege.   Second day of March found us throwing all the essentials like a few bottles of wine onto the boat and heading towards sunny Marple and the Upper Peak Forest for an extended weekend.

Sun Glasses.........check
Folding chairs (to lounge in the sun)......check
Side hatch open to catch the rays.......check
Remember to buy coal ( in the unlikely event it turns cold)....check
Sun tan cream ?.................now you are being silly !!!!!!!!

Standing bravely coat-less on the back of the boat in my (admittedly padded) shirt sleeves, I realised this was the first time I had been outside without a coat since winter had touched everything with it's icy claws in November. In fact most of the year had seen us festooned in coats of some kind.


Heading towards Marple from Higher Poynton we planned to join the Upper Peak Forest Canal and head towards Bugsworth Basin near the terminus of the canal at Whaley Bridge.

Nice drop 'o sunshine - nearing Marple

Junction of Macclesfield Canal and The Peak Forest Canal - Marple.

A long blast of the horn at the blind junction of Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals hopefully avoids a head-on collision as we negotiate this unsighted ninety-degree bend and onwards towards the Peak District with its hills still covered with patches of snow.

Looking back towards the Macclesfield Canal - Marple

Blue sky cruising - Peak Forest Canal, Marple

Surprisingly for such a beautiful day there is little traffic on the water as we pass moored boats at Marple  and the panoramic views towards Mellor together with its companion upper moorland scenery begin to unfurl in the crisp clear sunlight.

Rooms with a view - houses situated above Marple Ridge.

Upper Peak Forest canal is certainly worth a visit come rain or shine..........but like most things much better in the 'shine'

A slight disadvantage of this stretch of the Upper Peak Forest is the two 'lift' bridges and two 'swing' bridges before you arrive at Furness Vale.    Both lift bridges are windlass operated and require more than a few strenuous turns to get into the 'lift' position. It is possible to get on and off your boat on the non-towpath side next to the lift mechanism  avoiding mooring at the conventional bridge mooring and walking across and then moving your boat through to moor again at the other side to collect your crew.
This also makes life a lot easier if you are soloing.

  

Peak Forest Canal Lift Bridge

Furness Vale swing bridge. Leaving bridge open for a following boat - first boat is waiting on bridge mooring (camera location)

 Approaching Whaley Bridge the canal enters a wooded area after Furness Vale Marina with the temperature dropping steeply as the trees hide the sun and I reach for my coat.......brrr!

But is nice to see the first signs of spring on the trees...........

'Pussy Willow' buds herald spring.

'Suzy' keeps a watch for killer ducks - Furness Vale Marina

Mooring in Bugsworth Basin  on Saturday the temperature dropped so low in the early hours of Sunday that the basin froze over.   Fortunately Sunday brought another nice day that soon thawed the ice cover. Our coal stocks were low and we had been using logs on the 'Morso' fire so we very pleased when 'Alton' the fuel boat appeared on Monday morning enabling us to purchase a bag of coal which should now last us until the weather starts to warm up.

Renaissance Canal Carrying Company - fuel boat 'Alton'

Bugsworth Lower Basin with Braidbar boat 'Bosley' in the forground.

 Bugsworth Basin was was a hive of activity in the 19th Century with Limekilns producing burnt Lime to be moved by boat to Manchester and beyond.  It is a fascinating place being one of the busiest inland 'ports' during its heyday with narrowboats moving burnt-Lime, Limestone and stone 'sets'  to feed the frenzy of building that characterized that time.

Every time we visit Bugsworth I seem to notice something I have missed before.......like the set of exposed stone steps that lead down
the side of a bridge that is the entrance to the Upper Basin.....I assume this would enable the boatman ( or woman) to climb up and over the bridge enabling the boat to be  'bow-hauled'  through with a rope as there is no tow-path access under the bridge for man nor' beast. 
Certainly like all things at that time there was scant regard to safety.

I certainly would not like to run up and down it too many times especially carrying a long wet rope !!

  
 Monday brought cloudy cold weather with more than a little wind as we crabbed in reverse out of the lower basin. Using the strong wind to turn the stern into the opening for the middle and upper basins we eventually pointed towards Whaley Bridge stopping at the water-point before leaving so that 'San Serriffe' would be ready to 'rock 'n roll'  with a full tank of the H20 stuff for our next weekend sojourn into the
 ( fingers crossed) sun.

Best way to spend a cold Monday morning......discovering that heat rises !!

       

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