Monday 5 August 2013

Bollington to Billinge

We left Little Bollington and Badger Sett yesterday (Sunday) morning; we need to keep going to reach our destination - Great Haywood before 12th August.
We would normally stop for at least one night at Lymm ...
… it is such a pretty town and canal side ...
… and the fish and chips from this shop are delicious!





A large swan family



Not sure what’s going on here - the boat being filmed is called Rif Raft.
When we came through this way in Sept 2010 Thorne Marine had been under the threat of closure by Peel Holding over 6 years and today they’re still on a recurring 3-month licence!



We had planned to do some shopping at Midland Chandlers in Preston Brook, but it doesn’t open on Sundays!
The heavens opened as we moored up here. 



I was surprised that the mooring rings did not extend along the whole of the wharf, I bet when the rings are taken boaters will spoil the hard-standing by knocking in mooring pins - I wonder whose idea that was?





A very pretty patch of wild flowers brightens the area ...






… and sluices …














… and Dutton Aqueduct can also be seen over on the River Weaver...







… and you can see for miles and miles ...








The weather forecast for today looked horrendous but it brightened up about 10 o’clock so we decided to make a run for it ...






Signs of recent subsidence along the way ...




… and the trees on the off-side desperately need to be cut back - some trees looked just about ready to fall across the canal!
 We need to wait 15 minuets before we could ...
… cruise through Saltersford Tunnel and there's an idiot behind us with no lights on banging about on the walls!
When we came out of there it was to a fine mess with boats all over the place!
 This is the idiot steering an old boat behind us with no lights at all!  There were boats waiting to travel through the other way when we exited and when we told them there was a boat behind us with no lights on, we were asked how far behind us they were - we had no idea - we couldn’t see them!
 A peaceful scene though as we look back ...
 … and another fine mess in front!



The Anderton Lift was not busy at all  as we passed by ...




… but the weir was very busy with the excess water from all the rain overnight and today ...



The Anderton Services were chock-a-block so we decided we could manage without the facilities.
It was soon after that the rain came down, and it rained and rained and rained ...
… and 6 miles (approx 2.5 hours) later George decided to call it a day and we’ve put in the pins at Billinge Green Flash with a view of the sunken boat.  Let’s hope for a much better day tomorrow!

10 comments:

  1. Isn't the white house by the bridge in Lymm where Matthew Corbett (and presumably Sooty) lives?

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    1. Hi Adam - gosh I didn’t know that! It certainly is a beautiful house in a lovely setting.

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  2. Hi, thought you may have passed us over the weekend in Lymm, we weren't there today.

    Rif Raft is Vik and his film crew doing a documentary of his travels down to Windsor.

    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/allritesreversed/one-long-journey

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    1. Hi both, sorry to have missed you on our non-stop journey through Lymm on Monday - I’m sure there’ll be other opportunities to say hello hopefully in the not too distant future. Thanks for the info re Rif Raft - I’ll have a look at the website.

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  3. Lots of boats, looks very busy. And yes I agree, I too hope for a much better day tomorrow. Love you. xxx

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  4. I remember going through one of those tunnels at the wrong time because I didn't know there was a timed entry... I was lucky not to meet anyone.

    Some lovely pics today Carol

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    1. Hi Sue, good to hear from you. Saltersford Tunnel must be the wiggliest one the system, you certainly were lucky to have got through unscathed - I would hate to have to reverse out of it! Good luck with the work on the boat, hope it happens very soon. best regards.

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  5. We are back on board waiting for dr. n dentist appointments. And your arrival at Gt Haywood of course. Chas n Ann

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    1. Hi both, should be at Great Haywood by the weekend - see you there!

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