Shebdon to Market Drayton Autumn 2024

We've planned this or rather not planned it for a while, I'll explain. 

We've always wanted to 'extend' our cruising but stuff has always got in the way, mainly good stuff. We have one less restriction that it's not my place to explain but suffice to say we can now enjoy extended cruising if we wish to so we had planned to finally complete the Macclesfield canal and venture onto the Peak Forest canal - a canal I was told was nicer than the Shroppie  (Floating our boat Youtubers) !! 

We were last on the Macclesfield on Waterlily in August 2008. As I type this as look back at the blog post for our old Waterlily blog site I'm saddened to reflect on the fact Leia was just a pup and left us two years ago. Ross my mums companion died in 2015 and my mum in the pictures if you follow the link is now suffering dementia in a care home in Derby. All give massive signals to get on with life before life and death overtakes you.

Here is the link ...Waterlily on the Macclesfield

We've taken the conscious decision to go with the flow and the weather this trip. We arrived Monday evening late as always and Rachel set to making up the bed and putting away the food we brought and I ran the genny while the fridge was cooling down and filled the water tank. While said tank was filling I removed our worn out front fender  - fitted when we had the boat painted in 2015 and made by Joe Hollisworth a real old boater born on NB Victoria outside the Mucky duck in Fradley I had previously been over to Pillinglock marina to see Geoff and Maggs who were a favourite blogging couple when doing the system on their narrowboat Seyella.They have a wide beam now at the marina... another blog post to put in later but I brought a very lightly used bow fender off Geoff which I fitted last night.

Geoff looking good next to his Dutch Barge in August 

The fitting needs work as I need some shackles and I also need to introduce two cuts in the chain to allow it to break if it gets snagged... work in progress

We set off after engine lubed and checked at 10.30 heading for market Drayton as we knew it would be heavy rain after 3pm so that was todays target. 

Despite my dredging efforts - blog to fit in after this trip, getting Percy out was a pig, but we did and off we went.

Some pics ....

Looks nice but a pig to get out of 

The Wrekin...it can be seen up near our cottage at Cauldon Low as we drive from Ashbourne to where we live 

Rachel approaching Goldstone wharf - plenty of moorings and tempting but there is a half day stoppage at Tyrley locks tomorrow 

We met two boats in Woodseaves cutting the first held for us and the second reversed eventually for us  - both hire boats thank you.  

It's only a matter of time before these come down and close the canal for an extended time

Tyrley flight was good to us mainly because there was no following boat dropping locks full of water thru the bywashes - if you are a boater you'll know !!

Despite the calm'ish bywashes the last /first lock still moved Percy about

The lock entrance has taken some bashing as have the boats. -its a poor design and needs the baffle improving 

We arrived 2.20 pm so just under 4 hours. Went shopping and had coffee and cake ...

To Goldstome 2 hours

To the top lock 2 hours 40 mins

To mooring up on visitors 3 hours 50 mins

Tomorrow is given a lot of rain so we'll have a lazy start - I've engine room jobs to do, empty the cassette and do some shopping. If it brightens up we'll head for the top of the Adderley flight or maybe stop short in the haunted woods !!