Chester Locks

I didn't realise how behind I was with the blog!  I'd got so used to not having a signal whilst coming up the Shroppie.  Once in Chester we got wrapped up in visiting family, my job application for the summer (yes I had to wait for the CRT advert to appear on the web site, then apply for the job in the Information Centre, the same as anyone else).  Before you know it 3 weeks have passed, and we're currently back on the Llangollen Canal (just).

The locks to go down into Chester basin are a staircase of 3 - and all pretty deep.  We had a swop around, and Dave did the locks whilst I stayed on the boat.  I'd rather Dave control the paddles, and which chamber has to be full or empty - in case I get it wrong.  Pretty scary though - looking up at the lock gates holding back thousands of gallons of water!

The towpath along the walls is closed for repair, which makes it very awkward to get off the boat to get to the lock.

 

Great views though!

Approaching the Mill

Locks up ahead, although this part of the towpath was closed to pedestrians...

... as they repaired a section of wall which had fallen down.

View from the top of the walls

Great sightseeing bus

 

lots of real ale pubs

and a proper job pasty shop!  It'll be hard to drag Dave away.

Chester Cathedral

The new apartment blocks were still under construction the last time we visited, now most are occupied.  Apparently, there will be a new CRT service block sited on the right, by the new apartments.

 

We took the last available mooring in Chester Basin, the boat who came down behind us just moored on the water point - and left it for the weekend!  The boats have been here for a while, judging by the boater's rubbish in the litter bins.  When we were preparing to leave, we saw the CRT boat checker man doing his rounds.  He told me that there were a few boats there with winter moorings - on the few available moorings in the basin. Why?  There's not that many moorings available anyway - even less with two 70ft CRT boats moored and a large gap left "for maintenance craft only".

We had a lovely few days wondering round the city, we met up with Bethan for a meal, then Mum and Tony came for a visit.  The weather was lovely, and really warm.  Dave did his best to visit the real ale pubs, but didn't manage to get round them all! 

Angry Swan in Chester

This swan in Chester Basin really didn't like bikes.......

Here he is guarding the towpath....

... and he's off, he's spotted some bikes in the distance

escorts them over the bridge, until the pass moored boats and he looses sight of them.

He's spotted them again, and off he goes.....

full attack thrust...

gerroff my land, and don't come back!

No, you can't come in.

At this point, the Dad and his kids threw their bikes and did a runner!

It was left to Dave to distract the swan whilst the family ran back & picked up their bikes.

Don't mess with me!

He's off again

and relax!

 

He'd behind you!

 

 

Got him!

Magnificent beastie!

 

Significant Milestone

Yesterday I had a significant milestone in my life.....

....I came to the end of my bottle of gravy browning.

As you can see from the expired bottle, it has been around for quite a while.  So long in fact, that the use by date isn't even mentioned - for which I'm thankful for, as I'm sure it would be rather alarming.  It has reached the status I reserved for the bottle of Camp coffee in the back of my Nana's cupboard many many years ago, and saw the light of day on the odd occasion.  It's something you have lurking somewhere in the back, hiding behind the soy sauce and white wine vinegar, which you bought with the intention of concocting sophisticated meals, but you never actually get around to using up before the expiry date.  I can't even remember ever buying gravy browning, so I dread to think how long I've actually had it.  Ah well, the end of an era.... a new bottle beckons.

For those of you who thought I was going to talk about a 'significant' birthday.  How dare you!  I'll have you know that there's a whole 8 1/2 months before that happens!

We are almost back in the land of the mobile signal, after 10 days slowly coming up the Shroppie, which is a black hole as far as mobile phones go!  I say "almost", as there still isn't enough signal to post multiple photos, as we're at the top of the Audlem flight. Will try again tomorrow to load up the photos.  So, it's been 10 days without a blog, and I come back writing about gravy browning.  I think I should get out more.......

Birmingham to Brewood

Having studied the forecast, we decided to make our escape from Birmingham, on what we thought would be the best day of the week.  So we were up and away early, as we had a long way to go, with 25 locks.  The day started out really nice, bright and sunny, but soon turned to heavy sleet by the time we reached Factory locks.  Looks like it's time to bring out the waterproof gear - we don't usually travel in the rain - and this was supposed to be the best day of the week, weather wise.  Ah well, onwards, and downwards (locks, that is!)  We did get out the GB road map, to find out if there were any rivers which may flood into the canal up the Shroppie (just in case....)  We were aware that we were leaving the safety of Birmingham, being quite high up above sea level, to descend into 'lowlands'.  Wet weather gear on, we descended Wolverhampton 21 locks.  We even saw a kingfisher at lock 12,  I didn't expect to see that!  The thing with wet weather gear, when doing things like locks, you tend to get wetter on the inside than you do on the outside.  Even my boots were leaking.  It was a relief to get to the bottom, and have another change of clothes & get dry.  We pressed on, and managed to get to the 'three mile mark' outside Brewood as it was getting dark.  We'll stay here for a few days, until the weather improves.

Here's a few pics of our trip along the Birmingham Main Line.  They're abit out of sync, as these ones of Coseley Tunnel were taken on our trip into Birmingham, hence the direction of the boat.  There's been a significant landslip on both sides of the tunnel, which will require quite a bit of clearing up.  I notice that there's a stoppage from the 18th February until the 31st March - another reason for leaving Birmingham and getting onto the Shroppie, where it's stoppage free.  I say stoppage free - for now - but with the amount of rain we've had, I wouldn't be surprised if there's another major landslip at Woodseaves.

Towpath blocked at the entrance to Coseley Tunnel

landslips on both sides now.

One of the many toll islands where a fee was collected from passing boats carrying cargo

Galton Tunnel

Here we've got all modes of transport on view:- the railway on the left of the picture runs parallel to the BNC main line , we pass under Stewart  Aqueduct, which carries the old main line canal, with the M5 on top of that.

View of the M5 piers, like huge concrete triffids emerging from the water

Spon Lane junction which takes you up onto the old main line (or Wolverhampton Level)

Toll island

one of the many now disused arms leading off the main line

... and another one

Junction off to the right onto the Walsall Canal (which we must do sometime)

Ah yes, the misleading sign posts along the way.  Near Bamford Stop, it's apparently 8 miles into Birmingham, when it is actually 5 miles.

Then a mile further on, it says 5 miles.  A mile later it's back up to 6 miles. 

Workers refurbishing the bridge at Albion Junction, leading to Brades locks.

 

The corner shop that is no more, at Lock 16 on the Wolverhampton flight.  It was very handy for a quick snack stop up or down the flight, whose home made samosas were particularly tasty.

Stone says it was laid 1862

The lovely row of cottages at Wolverhampton top lock

 

 

We heard about the imminent stoppage at Hampton Bank/Bettisfield.  Apparently, a breach has been averted, but the canal will be closed while emergency piling work is carried out.  We toyed with the idea of sprinting back up the Llangollen to be the other side of the planned stoppage on 17th Feb.  This would mean being back on our mooring 4-6 weeks earlier than planned, and having a such a short distance in which to cruise.  We decided to 'stuff it' and carry on cruising.  This means we won't be able to get back up the Llangollen till after the 4th April.