The White Lion - Disley

Jill on her wanderings with the dogs has found what has to be the most dog friendly pub in the country.

The White Lion at Disley on the Peak Forest Canal has a policy of looking after dogs 1st and humans a close 2nd. Unlike many eateries these days where dogs are not tolerated, here they are even catered for-for a small donation a meal will be supplied from the kitchens for your hairy friends so that they may eat with you.

A small donation is accepted and when he has achieved a reasonable amount the Landlord hands it over to the local dog trust. Absolutely brilliant.

Dogs are allowed anywhere in the pub where there are no carpets, they even have their own room where there is a dog bowl with fresh water, there are dog blankets available, and even tie downs for those animals which have a tendancy to wander.

Most definitely worth a visit.

Back at Marple on Peak Forest Canal

We have been very lazy, not a word for weeks and catching up always seems to be a pain in the preverbial butt, but we shall try to improve, well maybe!

Today we have done the Marple 16, possibly some of the most beautiful and interesting locks we have used. Most of them in the main with a rise of in excess of 10ft.

Biddulph Grange Gardens

On the Monday, Lesley & I walked the dogs a VERY long way down the Biddulph Valley Way into Biddulph (Lesley had already walked in the opposite direction to Congleton for shopping). We tried 7 or 8 pubs before we could get a pint of bitter - some were closed, some wouldn't accept dogs (even in the garden), & some didn't do real ale. By this stage we'd reached Biddulph Country Park & the National Trust Gardens - only to find they were closed Mondays & Tuesdays. So we walked home, via a longer route, 'cause we got a bit , well..er ..lost.

Linda (our friends from NB Critical Point who live locally) took pity on us and picked us up by car to re-visit the gardens on Wednesday - except we had a puncture and the car jack was at home in the garage!

Congleton and the Cloud

An early start for the services and descent down Bosley locks got us nowhere as lock 3 was closed for emergency repairs, but it was only a few hours and the weather was gorgeous for lurking and nattering.

20 short fat hairy (some more so than others) climbed our way to the top of Bosley Cloud for a picnic.

PS We are now on the River Weaver but I need to at least catch up with the in between highlights in particular our visitors.

Macclesfield and Culture

Had a fantastic day in Macclesfield with Lesley. In particular the tour of Paradise Mill - one of the silk museums. Absolute must if you are in this neck of the woods.

Look at this early comptometer

A silk stocking maker - early onset "knitting nancy" or french knitter - I remember producing those coils as a kid.

I have no chance of catching up with this blog - the lack of a regularly reliable signal defeats me

Bollington and White Nancy

When we moored in Bollington on the way through we thought we'd seen the town, but there are actually 3 parts to it and its' rather nice.

So we hauled our short fat hairy's out the back of the town and climbed our way up to "White Nancy".

The handsome Floyd posedfor me halfway up, which gave me an excuse to catch my breath!

This is the monument/folly as it used to be

and this is it as it is now! oh well, at least it's not covered in graffiti.

The views, however, did not dissapoint

The Middlewood Way runs from Marple to Macclesfield along a disused railway line and is open to walkers, joggers, horse riders and cyclists.........grrrrr....I'm beginning to hate cyclists.

This is one of the carvings along the way.

Oooops! I've just gone into edit this and, in the process, have lost someone's comment. SORRY. I think it was Aljero saying what a beautiful place it is to visit and they are so right.

Anson museum

My last "location & activity" blog was when we turned back onto theMacclesfield from thePeak Forest. Yesterday, we finally came off the Macclesfield on to theTrent & Mersey. We have been on the two canals 44 days! There are two reasons why I haven't blogged one, of course, is the lack of a reliable signal and the other is lack of time/inability to stay awake long enough. However, Graham had a good signal whilst I was out with the dogs and managed to get some photos loaded; so .... this is what we've been up to.

Joe & Graham went to the Anson engine museum & said it was fantastic.