An unplanned evening cruise

  

We rarely loiter on the Bridgewater Canal, as we have a 7-day limited allowed on it. But because we were waiting for the lock repairs on the Ashton Canal before we entered the central Manchester area we spent a few days in Sale, where we’d never moored previously. It was handy for the shops and had some super yarn bombing.

Is this graffiti or wall art?

And what about the name of this narrowboat we saw in Sale?

CRT usually send out their e-mails late in the day, as they did to say the lock on the Ashton Canal had a temporary repair and was open for a few days until a longer stoppage for the proper fix.

The chap moored behind us set of for Castlefields there and then. He said he was hoping to meet another boat to go up the 9 wide locks on the Rochdale Canal and would hit those locks at first light.

So, we decided to follow him & be his lock buddies in the morning.It's unusual for us to travel late in the day, so an evening cruise was a nice treat.

 

It was 10 years ago we’d travelled this route, from Waters Meeting junction into Castlefields, but in the opposite direction. I think the Manchester skyline has altered no end over those years.

We had a lovely evening in the Staffordshire Arm at Castlefields, right under the railway arches, which we’ve travelled over many a time. We have never moored here before though and certainly plan to return for the allotted 72 hours at the visitor mooring. We have often walked around the area, but a stay would be amazing.

 

 The alarm set for very early so we could have a proper breakfast. There were 9 wide locks and then 18 narrow ones ahead.

The alarm wasn’t required as the geese were up way before us!!

While sipping our coffee there was a huge thump on the bow – someone's jumped aboard!! Look who it was, and the cheeky thing was nibbling my mint plant.

As planned, in the bottom lock of the Rochdale 9 just as the sun was peeping out.

The Crew

  

Our daughters & the 4 grandchildren came on the train to visited for my birthday in 2024.

It was the youngest’s first trip through a lock. It’s amazing how they’ve all grown during the missing blog months. When we met them I told them the canal looked like tomato soup!

 

 

 

We do like to get the kids to help moor the boat.

Ed was our bridge man.

Crafting

  

I learnt to crochet in January last year – I just had to take part in a crochet along organised by the designer Attic 24 – it was the Canalboat Blanket.

Then I went on to make another snazzy hexigan blanket.

My favourite natural dyeing is with onion skins. Most other natural dye stuffs require the wool to be mordanted, but you get a nice orange colour with no mordant and a bright yellow with an alum mordant. I pop the jars on the roof on hot sunny days & a few days later the wool is dyed.

John’s the weaver – I honestly wouldn’t have the patience to warp a loom.

The locker hooking technique is more for me. I’ve sold lots of doormats.

We had a BBQ and sat out until late & I spun until it was too dark.

 I’d quite like to live in this street in Congleton.

Wildlife and Weather

We’ve taken lots of photos over the missing blog months. The next few blogs will be themed and in no particular order. Today, there is a spotlight on wildlife and weather.

Fallen trees are a regular occurrence on our travels. So if we’re going to have a few days wait for the chaps to clear it, we just get on with crafting. I always have cake made to offer the lads with a brew when they do arrive to sort the stoppage.

This last winter (2025/26) was quite mild, with no significant ice. The previous winter however, saw us frozen in.

 The autumn & spring sunrises & sunsets are stunning with the colours they cast.

We are surrounded by birds every day, but some sightings are tremendous. While moored in spring at Halsall on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal we were visited each morning by a barn owl, no doubt looking to feed a hungry family.

A little dove hitched a lift.

Apart from the water birds pecking the algae off the bottom of the boat at any time of the day & night, which sounds like a hammer!! We just love them all.

And no, I didn’t have my scissors handy to snip the alpacas fleece.

Late one evening we heard a lot of splashing & scratching on the bank side of the boat. It was a hedgehog that had fallen in. Once we’d got him out & he’d caught his breath, he scooted off into the hedge.

The moon also fascinates us.

Finally, we’ve never managed to get to that pot of gold.