Victor continues around the Four Counties

THE remainder of the Main Line of the Shropshire Union Canal presented no problems, and so on to the Middlewich Branch, and to see that Venetian Marina has had a major makeover, will new long jetties.

This enables moorers entry to either end of their boats, and can be a blessing when having to moor with the normal entry facing away—in our case due to strong wind—or wanting to clean the whole boat.  I only wish our marina would do the same instead of the pathetic short jetties on every pier. Being part of Cart, it spends thousands on other things, with us boaters it seems way down the list.

Middlewich Branch

Anyway, back to the Middlewich Branch and an extra effort to get past the much newer marina, but could not find its name, with no mention in our edition of  Nicholson's. Eventually, after passing it and discovering it is the Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina, I managed to find it's website. It tells us it is near Nantwich on the Shropshire Union Canal, but no mention of the Middlewich Branch. Yet another example of sloppy journalism telling you everything but what a new customer would want to know, and thus would have problems finding it.

The need to get past was because when we took the boat along the Branch a couple of years ago on a Sunday we had the hell of a queue of boats at its nearby Minshull Lock, who took ages to get through.  And it would be Sunday tomorrow.

Worst lock of all

Going up through the lock last time was a pain, but this time it was worse coming down, and I rate it the worst lock of all to date.  One of us just could not wind one of the bottom paddles at all it was so stiff, and the others were not much better, with the lock gates too needing some tender winter maintenance—in April!

Though we always get back on board at the lock mouth, it was impossible here, as the wall had completely disappeared with struts across held by rope, that then left you at the mercies of the bywash until you could gain access.

Allowing a lock just a few hundred yards from the entrance to a major marina to get into such a state of disrepair is totally unacceptable, and I wonder if the marina people have complained to Cart about its condition.

Anyway, way past the marina and we found one of those delightful Shropshire Union Canal Society's picnic sites with seating and barbecue facilities—and a wood for the dog!

Anderton flyers

But before long a tidal wave went past—She Who Must, etc, etc describes the Anderton Marina hire boat causing it crewed by a bunch of lads as going 'Like a bat out of hell!'.

And then another!  I heard it steaming towards us at very high revs and even faster than the first, obviously trying to catch up, but we just held tight whilst it passed, very nearly putting us on the bank, again a bunch of lads and again an Anderton hire boat.

But I was ready for the third—yes, the rate of knots it was going was a dead give-away, it was another Anderton hire boat, and again crewed by lads. I put my head out of the hatch and told them that 'you are supposed to slow down past moored boats', at which, the steerer volubly apologised, and though a little late, actually slowed down.  At  least they seem a better class of booze cruisers at Anderton!

Where we were moored there was piling protecting the banks, but further towards Middlewich itself there was little such protection, and the way those boats speed out of Wardle Lock with their bow waves slamming the banks there is every possibility of a breach in the offing.

Hangover?

But not the end of the story.  With it being Sunday we were having an easy day, so stopped just before Middlewich, and would you believe, all three came back past us—slowly!  It had obviously been a Saturday night race to a pub, and they were suffering the consequences!

It was not only Anderton hire boats that passed us on that Saturday night, but two of a similar name, Anderson of Middlewich, whose crews had been well educated, slowing down as they should.

On to Heartbreak

The handy Tesco at Middlewich is easily reached from Bridge 30, so we stocked up, and then it was yet again on the Trent & Mersey Canal and Heartbreak Hill.

The locks here were undoubtedly in a better condition than those on the Shroppie, for where those had leaking bottom gates, and so emptied, those on Heartbreak Hill held their water.  Possibly because the top gates leaked more than the bottom ones! So this time we had to empty them before we could proceed. We had definitely taken the wrong way round!

We found a very pleasant mooring near Church Lawton just below Lock 46, with a path past the church into the very extensive Lawton bluebell woods that pleased both Rusty (the Ridgeback) and Jan.  One dashing about up and down the hills and the other adding to her collection of wild flowers.

We often wonder, as people intent upon doing the Four Counties Ring in a certain time, only stopping at the towns and such like for provisions, miss the attractive country walks through the many woods that border the waterways.