I don't remember travelling on another canal that has bridge after bridge after bridge. Stunning!About Us
- Ian and Irene Jameison
- In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough. From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Wonderful views
Isn't life wonderful. The sun is shinning, temperatures in the low teens and spring is just around the corner. We have seen squirrels, Jays , buzzards and great spotted woodpeckers. The views are fantastic and if this is only the start of the Mac, bring on the rest!! 
I don't remember travelling on another canal that has bridge after bridge after bridge. Stunning!
I don't remember travelling on another canal that has bridge after bridge after bridge. Stunning!
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Maccelsfield canal
View from the Maccelsfield aqaduct looking down over the T & M
The trip through the tunnel was VERY wet. Well it would be after all the rain we'd had over night. We also needed coal and at the exit of the tunnel, the nice BW guy Dave, told us where we could get solid fuel and also diesel at 85p Ltr. So with a stop at the boatyard just before the junction, we loaded the boat up with another 6 bags of coal. ( At £6.50 a bag it was worth getting.) and then turned sharp left onto the Maccelsfield. At the first convenient mooring we stopped to go to Tesco and with a shopping list as long as your arm, it took several trips to get all our stuff back to the boat.( I blamed Ian's beer but he was convinced it was the wine cartons that did it.) I didn't fancy staying on our mooring over night. It was to near the road and the railway was about 50 yds away so we set of to find a rural mooring. Okay the Mac is very rural and there appeared to be loads of excellent moorings, piled edges and good towpath, but every time we tried to get into the side we hit mud. After attempting to moor up about 6 times I began to despair. I had visions of throwing out our mud weights and settling for the night in the middle of the canal. We eventually found a 48hr mooring that wasn't taken up by other boats and with a sigh of relieve stopped for the night. A fellow boater told us that most of the Mac is shallow so we are in for an interesting few days.
The trip through the tunnel was VERY wet. Well it would be after all the rain we'd had over night. We also needed coal and at the exit of the tunnel, the nice BW guy Dave, told us where we could get solid fuel and also diesel at 85p Ltr. So with a stop at the boatyard just before the junction, we loaded the boat up with another 6 bags of coal. ( At £6.50 a bag it was worth getting.) and then turned sharp left onto the Maccelsfield. At the first convenient mooring we stopped to go to Tesco and with a shopping list as long as your arm, it took several trips to get all our stuff back to the boat.( I blamed Ian's beer but he was convinced it was the wine cartons that did it.) I didn't fancy staying on our mooring over night. It was to near the road and the railway was about 50 yds away so we set of to find a rural mooring. Okay the Mac is very rural and there appeared to be loads of excellent moorings, piled edges and good towpath, but every time we tried to get into the side we hit mud. After attempting to moor up about 6 times I began to despair. I had visions of throwing out our mud weights and settling for the night in the middle of the canal. We eventually found a 48hr mooring that wasn't taken up by other boats and with a sigh of relieve stopped for the night. A fellow boater told us that most of the Mac is shallow so we are in for an interesting few days.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Dog rescue
Typical spaniel. They just cant keep out of the water. This one leapt in out of sheer devilment. The owner tried to direct it to a lower part of the bank, but the dog was having none of it. In the end the owner grabbed hold and unceremoniously dragged it out.Harecastle Tunnel
Yesterday Ian gave BW a ring to see about going through the tunnel. They only allow boats through Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and we had to give at least 48 hours notice to guarantee passage. We arranged it for Wednesday morning, so today we had a slow amble up to the tunnel entrance with a stop for lunch at Westport Lake. 
Surprisingly no other boats were moored along the stretch from Etruria and Harecastle. Maybe BW are finally moving the continues moorers along!
Surprisingly no other boats were moored along the stretch from Etruria and Harecastle. Maybe BW are finally moving the continues moorers along!Old and New Tunnel entrance
Old entrance to the Harecastle. Thank goodness we don't have to leg it through the tunnels anymore. Some things in the "good old days" were not so good!
And the new. Mandarin duck at Etruria
Another bird from far of shores.China to be precise. This one was also trying to woo a female Mallard. What a shame we cant match this Mandarin with the American wood duck found in Stone. 
Sunday, 20 February 2011
More Debris
After a great morning on Barney Buffer and because TV, Phone and Internet was rubbish at Chedderton, we decided to leave and go back to Endon where we knew all the technology would work.
I had the tiller again and as I travelled along something didn't feel quite right. I had to keep the revs on to keep us moving and even then I seemed to get slower and slower. More stuff round the prop I thought! I was wrong. All that you can see in the picture was caught on our bow. Now I know its just small twigs and branches but its amazing how much drag it caused.
I had the tiller again and as I travelled along something didn't feel quite right. I had to keep the revs on to keep us moving and even then I seemed to get slower and slower. More stuff round the prop I thought! I was wrong. All that you can see in the picture was caught on our bow. Now I know its just small twigs and branches but its amazing how much drag it caused.Froghall Tunnel
Me thinks our boat is to high to fit through the tunnel. Glad we didn't have the option to try it!!!
Silly pose
Although sticking ones head out of the window from a moving steam train seems like a good idea
, I wouldn't recommend it. I had a speck of what I presume was burnt coal fly into my right eye causing extreme pain when I tried frantically to work it out. I spent the rest of the trip mopping up tears and trying to get rid of the speck. Eventually I did manage to get rid of it but it took several hours before the eye was back to normal again.
Someone forgot to look!!! Luckily the train was moving slowly.
, I wouldn't recommend it. I had a speck of what I presume was burnt coal fly into my right eye causing extreme pain when I tried frantically to work it out. I spent the rest of the trip mopping up tears and trying to get rid of the speck. Eventually I did manage to get rid of it but it took several hours before the eye was back to normal again.
Someone forgot to look!!! Luckily the train was moving slowly.
First Crocus
Spring is nearly here although you wouldn't have believed it. Cold and grey with drizzle was the forecast for today and our steam train trip only an hour away. Hope the weather improves!Friday, 18 February 2011
Cheddleton Station
It's amazing that I have an Internet connection. If anyone wants to get away from modern technology, moor at Cheddleton Station. No TV, no phone, and an Internet signal that is so poor that it is a miracle if you manage to connect!! So far the signal is okay but I,m expecting it to go at any minute.
This steam train is not running at the moment although the enthusiast hope to get it going in the near future. On Sunday there is an special events day, Barney Buffers from the Toyland express will be running ( you can bet your bottom dollar that the price of a ticket will rise steeply. After all it is half term!)
Flint Mill Lock
As we had a couple of days to wait before the "Events Steam Day" we cruised the 3 miles to Flint Mill lock. We had hoped to go to Froghall but as you can just make out in this picture the dreaded "Gaffer tape" was across the lock approach. The winding hole didn't appear big enough but where there's a will there's away and with a lot of pushing and shoving from Ian at the bow we managed to get round. What I should tell you is that the winding hole is plenty big enough, but I got it wrong again!!
Consall station
On our way down to Flint Mill Lock and just off of the river Churnet section was the station of Gonsall. The approach was challenging as the canal got narrow and two bridges in quick succession made it difficult to get through. On the way down and in the bid to save our chimney I went a little to far over to one side. To my horror our grab rail on the roof line made contact and a good chunk of paint went with it. This section is not for the faint hearted and I wondered on the way back if Ian would do the same
This view doesn't really show how difficult it is to get through both. The "kink" in the middle might give you some idea.
Lime Kilns
Four of the lime kilns were at Consall Forge, and two more a little further north. Both sets were built into a steep bank to allow coal and limestone to be loaded from above.Firing took place at the base, and when the burn was completed, quick lime was dug out from the bottom of the kiln.
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