8 October 2023

We are still kinda marking time in the hope that the lock at Middlewich will be operational by tomorrow afternoon. Fingers crossed!

After a slow start we headed further along the Macclesfield Canal as far as Congleton where (having done our homework over breakfast) we knew there was a “Winding Hole”, a place on the canal wide enough to turn Ellie around and head back towards the junction of the Trent and Mersey.

We consider ourselves a “gun team” when it comes to operating locks. Our 4 man team consists of one driver and three lock workers. After only one teensy little lock yesterday we were itching to get our windlasses a-turning!! Unfortunately this section of the canal had zero locks and we had to content ourselves with just sitting, taking pictures, saying g’day to the fishermen, and dog walkers , feeding the ducks and avoiding the angry swans!

John thought this was an ideal time to give me (yet another) driving lesson. I’ve had a few of these over the years, but being in control of a back steering 19 metre long vessel that is slow to respond and has a vast distance between its two ends, meaning that if the front is ok, the back end probably isn’t, hasn’t been my “cup of tea”.

Anyway, armed with the sage advice, “Point at the Problem”, from Capt’n John., I assumed control of the steering side of the vessel. (Using the throttle is still above my pay grade. )

Given there were no locks to negotiate, and the Captain seated along side, it was the ideal time to “Point at Problems”. Tiller in hand , I pointed at overhanging trees and overgrown bushes, I pointed at moored canal boats, I pointed at bends in the canal, I pointed at narrow, narrow sections in order to pass under little bridges. And mostly, it worked. It was reassuring to have John sitting calmly beside me, at the ready if things went belly up. What I discovered was that I was ok at pointing at one problem, but when they grouped together and became more that one problem all at once, things could get tricky. For example, an approaching canal boat on a corner, with an overhanging tree , and a “slow to withdraw his fishing rod“ fisherman, sent me into a bit of a tiz. Which problem should I point at? The obvious answer was.. ME, and I’d quickly hand the tiller back to John to rescue the situation. Anyway, the upshot of lesson one is that I’ve been awarded a “Provisional Tiller License” (PTL) and may be allowed to have another lesson tomorrow.

We arrived at Congleton not long after. We moored and walked into town ready to discover what was on offer, which was hopefully a good cup on coffee.

Wikipedia is a wealth of knowledge and I’m so glad I consulted it. I can report that there exists a “Congleton Ale Trail”, highlighting the 28 pubs serving real ale across the town . (As the sun wasn’t yet over the yard arm, we saw no need to pursue this) I also discovered that back in the 1620’s Congleton was the place to be if you were into bear- baiting or cock-fighting. The town did however struggle to attract clientele due to the less than aggressive town bear. In an attempt to draw the crowds, legend has it that the townsfolk used the money they were saving to buy a new bible, on a new more aggressive bear instead. Apparently though this is not completely true. They only used some of the bible money!!!

But most significantly, Congleton was home to “Our Elizabeth”. Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy.

“Elizabeth lived in Congleton and was one of the most important national figures in the Women’s Rights Movement of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Elizabeth led the campaigns for girls’ education, for women to have rights within marriage, including owning property and having custody of their children, and women’s right to vote. Emmeline Pankhurst called Elizabeth ‘the brains behind the women’s suffrage movement’.” (From the sign)

Good on you Elizabeth!!

Before leaving town, we found that Congleton has one more feather in its cap…. A coffee shop serving a good flat white!

It was time to turn around. Captain Grahame did a beautiful 100 point turn much to the delight and admiration of several onlookers, and Ellie and her crew were headed back down the Macclesfield for an easy afternoon of cruising.

We crossed back through our only tiny lock, passed back over the Trent and Mersey canal and were almost immediately set to work. Lock work that is.

We were in the section of locks that 4 years ago had two single locks side by side, allowing us to pass other vessels quickly and being in the enviable position of being able to select the lock set our way. It’s obvious 4 years and a pandemic have had an effect in the canals with lots of locks broken and/ or neglected. This made our choice limited but fortunately the locks were mostly set our way and our progress was pretty fast.

We passed through the Lawton Locks and decided to call it quits for the day.

Dinner and a bevvy at the Broughton Arms was a fitting reward for a good days work.

There was Sunday night roast and Yorkshire pud for 3 of us , while I bucked the trend and had Nachos with pulled pork. Yummm

Our game of Euchre was abandoned tonight as I have once again developed a head cold and was feeling a little miserable. I took a whole wad of medications and put myself to bed. Hopefully, normal services will be resumed tomorrow.