The Middlewich branch

Sunday 14^th July; Calveley to Winsford Top Flash mooring

Not only was it dry this morning, it wasn’t even cold!  Even the nearby A-road wasn’t particularly intrusive.  Dave wanted to spend some time in the engine hole, checking various things and cleaning out the bilges, so I did some washing and then cleaned through the boat – bits of grass and grit from the towpaths but mostly dog fur.  Jess is moulting, but we need a dry day to give her a good brushing outside.  It was after 10 by the time we left – I walked down to the garage to fetch the paper (kindly kept back for me) and some milk.  This time I found the steps!  They come up a good 50 yards before the garage itself.

So much more civilised than scrambling up on your knees and sliding down on your bum

Dave had cast off by then and came to pick me up.  After seeing practically no boats for most of the morning, suddenly there were plenty about as we neared Barbridge junction.  After an easy turn onto the Middlewich branch, we trickled slowly between lines of moored boats to join two boats waiting their turn at Cholmondeston lock.  With one top paddle out of action (which it has been for a while, I was told) it was a long wait, especially for the 7 boats below!

Saturn and motor waiting in the queue.  That won’t be popular with the boats behind them!

We carried on past some lovely mooring spots.  We haven’t been this way for a long time but I remember liking these long sunny moorings.  We dropped down through Minshull lock, where a boat was coming up to save us some work.  They were on the same mission as us – to find a mooring with a good TV signal.  They were making for Wrenbury, and recommended the mooring above Winsford Top Flash for us.  We stopped soon after Aqueduct marina for some lunch.  While we were there, Brian and Diana on nb Harnser went by.

After lunch we set off again in lovely warm sunshine.  At Church Minshull I remembered one of our very early hire-boat holidays.  We were probably doing the Four Counties in a week, as hirers do.  We had tied up on the visitor moorings for the night, but when we made ready to go the next day we found that someone had nicked the tiller arm and tiller pin.  The hire base brought us another tiller arm, but nothing to hold it in place – I can’t remember what we did about that.

Minshull Bridge

We made our way to the long and lovely mooring above Winsford Top Flash in the valley below.  We were in time to catch the third and final set in the Wimbledon men’s final and see Alcaraz beat Djokovic.  As I had been told, the TV signal was excellent.  Boats came by now and then, but apart from the boat that was already on the far end, no-one else joined us.  You can’t really see the flash now, as the tree cover is quite extensive, just the odd glimpse – if you didn’t know it was there you would probably miss it.

It was such a lovely evening it was a shame to have it marred by Spain beating England in the final of the men’s Euros.  Maybe in another 4 years …..

8 miles, 2 locks