We left our lovely mooring at 10:15 yesterday morning
Passing Sue Day’s boat and carriage horses (Sue also does horse drawn carriages for weddings etc.)
It was here at lock 33 at Sparth Reservoir that we waited for over an hour on our way down in the pouring rain for C&RT to bring an anti-vandle key as ours wouldn’t work on the next lock - what a difference it was today!
Gosh, a boat coming out of the next lock - how unusual - to see another boat that is!
The day was beautiful and water seemed plentiful and from the boater in the picture above we were told why. Last night someone left a paddle open on the top lock so we now expected low pounds (stretch of water between locks) above us, but not in this one - you can see excess water poring through the leaky top gates!
and the abundance of water in the pound above here is like waterfalls over the gate as I enter!
Now we come to the low pound - it’s about 18” down and George has gone ahead to let down a lock full of water in the hope that I can a) get out of the lock and b) have enough water under me to get to the next one! However I didn’t waste time waiting here ...
Whiling away time watching mummy and daddy bluetit feeding their family
A glimpse of Marsden basin under the road bridge ...
… and the open countryside appears ...
… and the C&RT cafe and information centre and trip boat at Standedge Tunnel where we moored last night just on the right there.
Mum and seven kids snacking on blossom and dandelion seeds!
Fred (tunnel guide) and George - our life in their hands!
Marsden (East) portal of Standedge Tunnel
In we go this morning at 08:30
Inside rock formations ...
Nearly there!
Diggle (West) portal - out exactly 2 hours later! Relaxing this afternoon and a kip I think!
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