Church Minshull

Here I am Rune

Distance 5.9 miles

Total 2934 Locks  142 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4213.7 miles

On the last day of 2017 we have moored up at a very pleasant outlook near to Church Minshull, close enough to the church to be able to hear the bells, particularly if they are chiming at midnight tonight.

The trip today was very pleasant, not as cold as recent and with the sun out for some of the time. The forecasted rain waited until we had moored up for the night before starting, so that was one bonus. After the first shower of rain had passed I took the opportunity to fix a broken ‘popper’ on the cratch cover. This has been broken since we passed through Standedge Tunnel (the only damage we suffered on the trip) but it has taken until now for me to bring my pop-rivetter to the boat from home.

Not sure how long we will remain here, we may move on tomorrow, or if the weather isn’t too good, we may not.

Hurleston

Here I am Rune

Distance 1.9 miles

Total 2932 Locks  142 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4207.8 miles

After probably our longest stay in one place for a while, we are now back on the move again, albeit not very far for today. It was never my intention to stay in Nantwich as long as we did but the elements were against us when we tried to move off. We were not the longest stayers there though, a hire boat that was moored just before the aqueduct was there when we arrived, and it was still there when we left so others have also outstayed the 14 day limit. In fairness, I’d rather keep moving, you get to change the view from your windows more often!

Today we have only gone as far as Hurleston and I wouldn’t have minded a trip up the Llangollen now that it is open again, but we need to get back to Midland Chandlers to pick up some more coal, so the Llangollen will have to wait a bit longer.

Nantwich

Here I am Rune

Distance 1.7 miles

Total 2932 Locks  142 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4205.9 miles

We have been in Nantwich for a bit longer than we had hoped/anticipated due to the recent cold weather. The parts to fix our stove have now been obtained and the intention today was to travel out to Barbridge for them to be fitted, the trip however became a trip to nowhere!

The section of canal on which we are moored has thawed out so I foolishly thought that the rest of it would be the same, it wasn’t. We set off towards the Nantwich winding hole to turn around to head to Barbridge and after about 400 yards we ran into ice. We did manage to get to the winding hole and after about 25 minutes of breaking up the ice in the winding hole, we managed to turn around and get back to where we were moored. We have taken the opportunity to refill the water tank and take on some diesel but travelling further seems to be out of the question at the moment. I spoke with someone walking into Nantwich from the Henhull direction and his boat has been stopped by ice at the Henhull moorings so it looks as though we will be at our current mooring probably until after Christmas.

RUNE in the snow

Nantwich

Here I am Rune

Distance 1.9 miles

Total 2932 Locks  142 Tunnels

Running total mileage 4204.2 miles

As stated yesterday, just a short trip back to Nantwich where we have found ourselves a decent mooring on the embankment. The intention is to stay here for a week or so to enable us to start on the Christmas shopping with one or two other small tasks to carry out. We’ve contacted the guy about the stove and he is still waiting for the firebricks, hoping that they will be in by the end of the week. 

I’ve also booked a blood donor session in Stoke on Trent for Thursday, just a short trip on the train. Expecting to move on sometime next Tuesday or Wednesday.