Chemical works, rivers, tunnels and badgers.

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Cath)

(Delayed post for Thursday 16th May)

We are no longer in a hurry - at least for a few days - and the mooring in Middlewich was so quiet this morning that we thought that we could have a leisurely breakfast. This was a mistake.

Descending the three narrow locks at Middlewich involves a 90 degree bend.

Just as we started to untie the historic boat Tasmania came around the corner, heading for the lock that lock-keeper was getting ready. No problem, we joined the queue, but before we got to enter the lock there was a growing queue of boats waiting to go down the flight of three.

 

Always good to see a working fuel boat - this is the Halsall

I deemed it time to do washing again - nice weather; a long, lock-less stretch of canal; and because I didn't know when I will be able to wash again. This meant that Alan had to steer. It's attractive enough countryside, but not spectacular. 

 

One of the less pretty parts

Once the washing had been finished we stopped for lunch and then I had a stint of steering. This section of canal is much less attractive - passing through the TATA chemical works. The area is still famed for salt production, but the old towns have been decimated by subsidence because of the extraction of 'wild brine' from underneath the land. In recent years there were a lot of collapsed houses in some villages, but these days this seems to have been replaced with large warehouses. We passed close to Northwich, where Flamingo was built by Yarwoods in 1936. As she was on the fleet of the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company on the southern Grand Union we doubt that she has been this far north since she was built.

If we do need to leave, is narrow boat speed adequate?

We kept on past the Anderton Lift - which transports boats vertically between the Trent and Mersey Canal and the River Weaver by means of two caissons lifting 50' - and then into the two tunnels. Barnton Tunnel is not easy to see through, but you have to make sure that it is clear before you head into it. Saltisford Tunnel allows passage in a westerly direction from the hour to 20 past, and from the half hour to 10 to in an easterly direction.

Entering Saltisford Tunnel.

We got to Saltisford Tunnel shortly before 6 pm, and spent a little while deciding whether we could moor in the basin outside - we couldn't, it was too shallow at the bank. The humans could probably have managed to get on and off by means of the plank, but the dogs would have freaked.

Then David fell from the gunwale into the canal as he was putting the plank back on the roof of the boat. He was OK, wet, and a bit bruised, but he had to go and get into the shower as we headed into the tunnel following several other boats. He put his wet clothes into a bucket - more washing at some time soon.

There are larger boats on the River Weaver...

Shortly after the tunnel we found a pleasant mooring. I got ready to go for a run while Alan and David set up the solar panel. As I got back they took the dogs off for a walk.

They were a long time, and they didn't have phones, Alan having left his, and David's still drying out. Not long before 9 pm I was beginning to wonder where they were, so stepped outside onto the 'gap' on Flamingo in the hope that I might see them. I was disturbed by a grunting noise, and saw two badgers on the towpath. One disappeared into a field while the other ran determinedly along the towpath, just feet from me, then up onto the bridge we had moored near, and I saw it still running determinedly across the bridge.

Footnote by Alan

... but currently they can't get through this lock

The reason David and I were gone such a long while was because, apart from the dogs needing a really proper walk, we saw several fascinating things.

We walked down onto the Weaver and past Saltisford lock.  Only when we got there did I recall that it is currently out of action.  I'm not sure exactly what the problem is, but CRT seemed to have huge amounts of boats, equipment and supplies on hand to deal with it.  

The Weaver in the late evening sun.

Curious "valley" over Barnton tunnel, with air shaft at bottom.

Later we walked over the top of Barnton and Saltisford tunnels that we had passed through a few hours before.  The paths over each broadly follow the lines of the tunnels, as can be witnessed by where the air shafts are.  However we were very surprised to find that for much of the length of the Eastern end of Barnton Tunnel there is actually a significant cutting above where the tunnel runs. It looks like something approaching half the depth of ground above the tunnel has been removed, and the air shaft is actually coming up through the bottom of the cutting formed.  I tried some Internet research to try to find the history to this, but it seems a bit uncertain. Possibly when the tunnel was built it was found not to be fully stable, and this material, (and it would have been a great deal of it), was removed to avoid the instability 

On the path OVER Saltisford Tunnel

Part way on the footpath over Saltisford tunnel one encounters one of the Trent and Mersey mile markers.  Someone walking a horse over would have seen it - those travelling through the tunnel by boat would not have!


 

Middlewich to near Saltersford Tunnel
Miles 12.0, Locks:4
Total Miles 127.9, Total Locks: 88