Buxworth upper basin to Bollington aqueduct

Was going the other way any different to my experience of the Upper Peak Forest, yes a bit ! What took us 7 hours going up took us 6 hours back - we adjusted our 'tickover' or boat passing speed from  one and a half wheel turns to two wheel turns. We cruise at three on shallow canals as any more and the stern drops enough to slow us whenever the top gets close to the bottom. 

Anyhow happier today than Saturday. 

We woke to rain as expected but it stopped sooner than forecast. I'd lubed the engine for the small wind the day before so it was all set for a us to start slowly motoring to the services  water and empty waste while the engine warmed up and we had breakfast. However as I came thru the middle basin the Anglo Welsh hire boat untied and started their reverse with the second crew member 'owning' the services by standing resolutely there. we arrived just before them and I enquired - are you 'about' to use the services simple yes was the answer so I motored on to the gauging narrows and held there while emptying the cassette. The two on the hire boat never looked at me despite my best efforts ! 

Last nights moorings 

Emptying to poo tank while in the gauging narrows 

Nice when its clear 

I love cheewey sweets but not good for the teeth ! This is where fruit salads refreshers and black jacks are all made 

400k a piece 

There are more than a few project boats on this canal. No criticism, good they are being lived in or done up. Just some (not this one) moor badly 

So we motored on eating our porridge on the go, no hardship. What pisses me off is the poor mooring or dumping of boats at bridge holes on a narrow shallow canal. We had one where got only knows how Alton got around as they are 70 feet... we had to go through the bridge hole stop and reverse and go again to make the turn. Anyhow we progressed meeting a few boats all at bridge holes and we held for them all bar one who waved us through.

Pillock 

Back on the Macclesfield canal 

Looking back to the Upper Peak Forest canal 

Impressive mills demonstrate the industrial heritage 

We made the junction in three hours this time and for the record Swizzles New Mills factory was absolutely on the fruit salad run today. -lovely smell!!  

Greg Wallace - inside the factory

Three boats on the Marple waterpoint so we motored on and again passed lines of moored boats and off side on line marinas.

What price this lovely Braidbar boat ?

We won on the weather today so made more progress than planned 

Tonights mooring.

Clarence mill, I visited on my motorbike  few months ago and took cake and coffee in the cafe there... I'll be back !

We eventually stopped on the aqueduct. Annoyingly the waterpump ( engine) must have a flat spot on the shaft seal as most times when stopping no weep, today a weep simple cured by rotating the pulley 1/4 turn. A winter job to strip and replace the seal on the pump.

We moored and set off to post the card to our friend Charlotte in the USA - it'll be interesting to see if she gets it before we get home ? Called at the Coop for supplied including beer and. now on the boat resting !

Tomorrow we'd like to make the moorings at the bottom of Bosley flight as they are lovely and it'll give us a shortened day hopefully Wednesday before a long day Thursday through the tunnel and in and out of Stoke to The plume of Feathers for a meal on Thursday night - all plans and subject to change !