Middlewich

Here I am Rune

Distance 6.1 miles

Total 4488 Locks  282 Tunnels

Running total mileage 6,693.7 miles

I’d forgotten that it is further from Wheelock to Middlewich than it looked on the map. On occasions when we were over-wintering in this area I had ridden the bike from Middlewich to Sandbach/Wheelock so though of it as not being very far, but it is over 6 miles and 6 locks so just under 3 hours of travelling.

It got quite busy when we arrived at Kings Lock with hire boats coming through. A bit of an etiquette failure by one. It is necessary to moor and wait on the Trent and Mersey because there is very little space on the Wardle Canal between the junction. Whilst the crew prepared the lock I waited and set off when called to be told the lock was ready. One of the hire boats slightly nearer the junction set off at the same time as I did so was able to get to the junction before me, not very happy. As it turned out there was a rep from the hire company with them who then told them to wait below the lock to allow us to go in, so levity was restored. The problem with where they waited is that when the lock is let go it is very difficult to hold onto the boat against the flow of water and there is a good chance of getting flushed back out onto the Trent and Mersey Canal.

Tomorrow we’ll go something like halfway down the Middlewich arm and on Wednesday hopefully we’ll get to Nantwich.