Thursday, May 24, 2018

And into Macclesfield

24th May 2018

After a nice peaceful night, we set off at 9am to ascend the Bosley lock flight. We have to say that a sunny morning in May, with lovely weather and nature all a LuckyBlackCatblossom, is hard to beat. The woodland birds sang for us all the way up the flight of 12 locks. We settled into a system as we were having to turn all the locks from 12 to 7 due to another boat being in front of us. We met a black cat at lock 12 so decided it was good luck for the ascent. At lock 7 we met a southbound boat being assisted by a vo-lockie and so things got easier then. At lock 5, two vo-lockies past us walking down the flight, but apart from emptying one lock for us they continued on.

Once out the top lock, Graham went and had a shower in the Sani station whilst I made a pot of tea. Then he went off on the Di Blasi to fetch the car from Stone. It started and ran well so the ackling he did at Hem Heath obviously sorted the problems. On his return we had lunch and then cast off towards Macclesfield. Although lovely and sunny it began to blow a hooley. The boat travelling in front of us had a fine display of rubber ducks on the roof until some of them took flight. The Jannock crew, now affiliated to Staffs and Worcs Fire and RESCUE Service, saved them using our fishing net to recapture them. We hoped the rest of the collection were better secured otherwise it could turn into a charity duck race.

Onto Macclesfield where we moored by bridge 40 and then walked down into town toWeaversCottages see the sights. There are some very interesting buildings and reasonable shopping with an Aldi as the most prominent supermarket near the town centre.The town’s history is in the bricks and mortar. We spotted some weavers cottages, the windows at the very top of the buildings allowed the best light for fine work, possibly in silk.

We had to check out Wetherspoons in the ‘Society Rooms’ – originally a Vicarage with an extension built by the Useful Knowledge Society as an Art and Technical school. Useful knowledge was the 3Rs. Next door is a lovely old library built in the 1890s. Whilst their Curry Night was too good to miss, G also found ‘Windsor GinNightKnot’, an excellent beer brewed by the Windsor and Eton brewery especially for the Royal Wedding – ironic. He also bought me a wonderful Rhubarb and Ginger Gin Liquer, it seems I really like Gin ;^)

On our walk back to the boat, we spotted the ultimate Caravancaravan to have parked in your front garden – gorgeous!  Back at Jannock and a 10 minute cruise moved us further out of Macclesfield onto a pontoon mooring opposite a floodlit building site – we’ll see what time they start work tomorrow morning.

Brenda

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