Scenes from the Huddersfield Narrow Canal

Look at this woolly baby, he was only about 3 feet tall and very very cuddly. I was all for taking him home but Lesley pointed out that he'd make an awful mess on the boat!This is the monument known as pots & pans above Upper Mill. Lesley & I climbed it this Sunday morning in the wind & rain; the last part of the climb was very steep. I could have been in bed with a cup of tea and the Archers omnibus....we're mad !!!!

The dogs loved it though & we felt very virtuous after we climbed down and met Joe & Graham at the Church Inn for Sunday lunch. Fabulous pub; 4 pints for under £8, great food & packed with adults, kids and dogs-also wins my vote for the best view from a ladies loo; straight out across Upper Mill valley.Having moored between locks 21 & 22, we had then intended to move up onto Saddleworth

Moor by Standedge tunnel, do a bit of ridge walking & then wind & return. Except you can't. If you don't have a passage through the tunnel booked, BW won't take the padlock off of lock 24. This has evidently been the case since the canal was re-opened in 2001, but it seems to be the world's best kept secret - there is no mention of this in the navigational notes.
So we walked up to Standedge tunnel - yes, ALL of us.
Please note smart new waterproofs being modeled by Baxter & Muttley (well it is their first winter up North).
Even in his new coat, Baxter is still the tail-end Charlie
This is the aqueduct over the River Tame - the latter being a bit lively which is hardly surprising.

Portland Basin where the Peak Forest & Huddersfield Narrow meet.
We start the return journey tomorrow & I'm still not sure how I'd sumarise this Canal. It runs through glorious countryside but no-one uses it because (my hypothesis):

*you can't get to the bank to moor up very often

*the only marina charges£15 per night

*the bottom gate paddles on locks 18 & 21 are virtually inoperable (& I've stuffed my back trying)

*you can't get out of the trees into open country because lock 24 is padlocked.

Some may say it is deserted due to the time of year, but the locals treat us and the boats as a huge and fascinating novelty!!!!!

Me? I love it.

Collection of photos over the last two weeks

Romiley, Peak Forest.

Tree down across cut, Lesley and Joe on Caxton doing the removal for British Waterways.

Matilda Rose approaching Romiley.

Arn't they sweet? I know not!

Fletcher and Baxter chilling out in the White Lion, Disley on the supplied dog blanket.

Jill on the Millenium Bridge , New Mills.

Lesley trying to eat her picnic at Lyme Park.

Lyme Park stags probably close to rutting season!

Dove Valley, Peak District.

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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