The start of the trip home

Saturday 23rd June

Busy, busy. Last night we joined Cutwebbers, who were moored at Aylesbury basin, in the Old Millwrights Arms. Who knew? a good pub, good beer and a pizza buffet all within a very short walk from the basin. An excellent evening with good friends.

Today, we returned to Jannock at Higher Poynton on the Macclesfield canal, dumped our stuff on board and then started our holiday with a visit to Lyme Park – of Pride and Prejudice and Mr Darcy in a wet shirt fame. It was amusing overhearing visitors who had mixed up fact, fiction, TV locations and an American lady who seemed unaware that it was a book. The grounds and park plus a picnic could be a whole days visit in themselves. Graham loved the way that NT had leveled the billiards table in the games room using beer mats under the bottom of the legs.

Back to Jannock via the shops to provision for the next few days, we un-packed and chatted with the crew of the boat moored next door and then off to Alan’s for a ‘do’. We had a lovely evening full of laughter and silliness all based on a balcony overlooking Jannock. New friends!

You may have spotted that Jannock has overstayed ay Higher Poynton. When we left her here lock 13 of the Marple flight had just been repaired after a collapsed wall some 8 months ago. The first few boats through found that now lock 11 is impassable to boats longer than 45’ that are more than 6’9” wide with many getting stuck. Therefore Jannock is un-able to pass so we left her outside Alan’s house (without CaRTs permission due to not being able to get hold of the right person) until we could get time for another holiday to bring her back home again.

This yearstrip has been the ‘stoppage cruise’ so far. Unable to get to Huddersfield because of the Marple issue, unable to get to Liverpool due to a culvert collapse that has drained one pount on the Leeds and liverpool canal. We decided we would turn and return to Brinklow but it would be good to do the Caldon canal on our way home. It seems that is currently closed as well so we’ll see if they can mend it before we get there. The good news is that there were no ‘nastygrams’ on Jannock when we returned to her a month after mooring her on a 14 day mooring.

Brenda