Doing the Bunbury shuffle

The internet coverage is rather sporadic on the Shropshire Union, so we've got a little behind in our posts …

Back to Scott's Bar

Last Saturday we surprised everyone at Scott's Bar in Tattenhall Marina and turned up for the weekly entertainment. It was a quiz night organised by Jeff, and we teamed up with Mike and Jane. Fortunately we came second - it's more than our life's worth to win again!

Great to see you all again - if all goes to plan we'll be back in the autumn.

Right! Time to move south and leave our autumn/winter 'comfort zone'. There's work to be done …

Heading down the Shropshire Union, we spotted this guy guarding someone's boat - looks like a bit of face painting competition!

Beeston to Bunbury

A few wide locks still to do on the way. They take a bit of filling, and the gates certainly give you a good work-out!  We did Beeston Iron Lock with Tom and Jan last August, on our way to Tattenhall Marina before Barry had to return to NZ.

Who needs to go to a gym when you can pump iron at a lock?

Beeston Iron Lock - with some swanky new lock gates in-situ

During our lengthy stay at Tattenhall, Barry took the opportunity to make some top-boxes for extra storage, and he's had a number of people admiring them and asking where he got them from. Someone even suggested he could start a business making them! No thanks! The hours he put into it wouldn't be able to be reflected in the price. But they do look rather smart don't you think?

He's a clever kiwi ...

Three top-boxes sitting in a row

Passing Barbridge Junction, where we bought Northern pride in April 2009, we continued south on the Shropshire Union for the first time since that year.

Arriving at Bunbury late afternoon, we needed a few groceries but had no idea if there was any hope locally. So we had a walk to explore, just in case there was anything around (unlikely on a Sunday evening I know!).

Bunbury Staircase (only two steps though!) bottom lock

There was a pub in the village, advertised on the sign under the bridge above saying it was ¾ mile away. Slight understatement - more like one and a half miles! Unsurprisingly, it turned out to be one of those restaurant establishments, looking rather too lofty for the likes of us in our comfortable 'boaty' clothes, so we just had a stroll instead and admired the buildings.

Bunbury appeared to be a very well-to-do village 

Charming Alms Houses …

… and black and white cottages

Not a shop in sight though. Ah well, nothing urgent needed. It'll wait.

The Bunbury Shuffle

Monday began as a very wet and cool morning, not in the least enticing for lock-work. However, luckily for us by lunchtime it abated a little, so we set off.

In this staircase, unlike most others, it's possible for two boats to pass from the top to the bottom lock - or vice versa. In fact last August, we did it with two of us in the top lock and one in the bottom which was an interesting concept, but seemed to work just fine!

This time, we did the 'Bunbury shuffle' with one other boat - very smoothly.

Nantwich

Barry drove again. I got more exercise and simultaneously listened to a one and a half hour webinar on coaching ethics through my iPhone and headphones! What a great way to work - while you walk. The wonders of modern technology never cease to amaze me.

We travelled as far as Nantwich, mooring on the embankment there. Apparently the ground here, when it was first built (by hand of course), was unstable, delaying the opening. At that time, the canal from Nantwich to Autherley Junction was called the 'Liverpool and Birmingham Junction Canal'. Thomas Telford, who designed the new 'fast route' (hard to believe nowadays isn't it?), sadly died before its 1835 beginning.

The embankment

Still needing a few groceries, we took the opportunity for some more fresh air and exercise, and walked into the town. We'd not stopped here last time we passed by in 2009.

Crossing the river Weaver, it soon became apparent that this was a very fine town. Unfortunately, Barry had used all the battery up on his camera, so only had his phone on him to capture the black and white timbered buildings, many dating back to 1684. There was a great fire in Nantwich in December 1583, which sadly destroyed many structures. Being re-built, they've managed to remain extremely sturdy - or at least they appear to be.

Barry takes some shots on his phone - though he's not been able to get them off it yet! You'll have to make do with mine

Still standing - but a looking a tad wonky!

A short distance from the centre, we found a huge Morrisons store. I literally had only a few items on my shopping list, but decided to grasp the chance to fill the freezer and fridge while the opportunity presented itself. I ended up spending £85 - good job I took a few sturdy bags with us.

I'm off to London for a few days with my eldest sister, early next week, so I won't have to shop now before I leave Barry boat-alone - again!

Moving along to Christleton, then back to Tattenhall - witnessing a spectacularly sensational sunset

After a good stock up in Tescos last Monday, we cruised back to Christleton, saying a fond 'farewell for now' to Chester - on a beautiful, spring, blue-sky day.

Mooring once more just alongside The Cheshire Cat, we took full advantage of the mild weather and enjoyed a stroll to this charming Cheshire village on Tuesday.

A quintessentially British village

Many a mansion in these parts!

You don't get too many days like this in March - having a crafty lunchtime pint at the pub

Barry enjoyed his last game of badminton at the High School in the evening - he'll miss that on our travels. Does anyone know any good badminton halls in the midlands that may take 'random' visitors?

On Wednesday, the lovely Jill came to see us for a spot of lunch, on her way to Cheshire Oaks.  She's off to Bali en-route to Australia soon, so we don't know when we'll meet again.

Jill and Sandra say goodbye for a while

Yes - Barry's had a recent hair cut!

Leaving mid-afternoon, Barry was driving the boat to Tattenhall, while I played catch-up with a  few things inside. 

The seemingly endless row of boats along the route

Fading light, but it's getting later before the sun goes down now

At dusk, he called on the phone (we have an internal phone from the stern to the kitchen!), to tell me to look outside.

The sun was low on the horizon looking like an orange Smartie. It was so clearly outlined at one point, it could've been a press-able button. I don't think I've ever seen the sun in such glory - so much so that I couldn't decide which of Barry's photos to leave in so I posted them all ...

I realise looking at these that it looks like they've been photoshopped - but seriously, this IS what the sun looked like! Is it some sort of phenomenon from something?

Not to be out-done, the moon was looking rather marvellous later on too!

Isn't nature incredible?

It's such a blessing to be out doors most of the time, and able to watch these breathtaking sights

A last look at Chester - for a while!

We decided to enjoy another couple of days in Chester last week, before heading south on the Shropshire Union. We adore this city, such a friendly, welcoming feel to it.

Barry captured some more delights …

Such a tiny house - maybe dolls really live here??

He had a walk around when I was off the boat visiting my daughter and grandsons Friday to Saturday afternoon. Along the way of course there's The Albion Inn, described as a 'Classic Victorian corner street pub' (it'd be rude not to drop in if you're ever passing by!).

When he arrived, the pub was packed with people, many dressed in tuxedos. It was a Friday night, he thinks they were dressed up for a posh 'do' at The Grosvenor Hotel. Within a short time of him arriving, everyone left! I'm pretty sure he'd had a shower in the morning, and hopefully wasn't wearing his 'holy' jeans, so it's unlikely he was the cause for the evacuation - but you never know! 

Good for the bank balance though, he only stayed for the one pint after that before walking around the wall - again! I think we've both done it three times.

The Albion Inn

Lots of little ice-cream kiosks line the river bank

Even the weir looks like it's had a bit of a clean up

Loving the abundance of daffodils, such a British tradition

The side of Chester Castle along the wall

Crocuses are another mainstay of spring in UK

On the Saturday night we went to some friends for a delicious chicken curry. They're both looking fab, shedding the pounds through Weightwatchers, so the meal wasn't calorie laden as curries can be, which was great for us too. We're still on the 'Fast Diet' where you reduce your calories to 500 for women, and 600 for men, on two days of the week.

When I say 'still on', if you know anything about it you'll be aware it's 'for life'! Barry was unsurprisingly a little alarmed when I informed him of this the other day. Once we've reached a weight we're comfortable with though, we can alter it to just one 'fast' day a week ...

So you may notice us slimming down a little, over the coming weeks! 

Before we left the boat on Saturday evening, we were happy to see our 'neighbours' from Tattenhall Marina moored up not far from us. We could only stop by for a short while before our curry night, but hoped to see them on Sunday.

Luckily we did! We were all ready to move up the Northgate Locks at the same time which was most fortunate. Apart from the fact that we got the order a little awry!

The bottom lock was empty, and I saw that Liz had gone up to open the paddles and fill the top two.

Barry and Andy motored into the bottom lock together, and I duly closed the gates. Retrospectively, that wasn't the best thing to do!

As the top two locks were filling, Liz and I were merrily chatting away. A few gongoozelers were congregating, including a family with a young boy who was terribly excited to be included in the winding up and down of paddles and gate opening and closing.

Looking down at the boys, I realised that they were rising as we were talking - now that shouldn't be happening! By some means, filling the top two locks with the bottom lock gate shut, caused the bottom lock to also fill. So it was a very slow process to get the bottom and middle locks level.

Lesson learnt.

When it says bottom lock empty top two locks full - it means exactly that!

Andy looking chirpy on a sunny Sunday morning

Liz and Andy discuss the conundrum of a filled bottom lock before the middle lock is full - not sure where Barry went ...

Ah well, it'll all work out in the end they smile

We'll mis you guys! Maybe we'll get to moor next to you again later in the year?

Passing the wall again, I chose to walk. This time, after all the comments on our last 'Chester' post, I knew a lot more about this quaint foot bridge across the canal.

As Mike so kindly messaged:

"The bridge in the first picture is called the "Bridge of Sighs", this was built by Joseph Turner (who was also the architect of the Bridgegate and the Watergate) in July 1793 for the sum of £20 in order to prevent the many, often successful, attempts to rescue condemned prisoners in the Northgate Gaol when they crossed the canal cutting to the chapel of Little St. John and the 'apartment made for prisoners' to receive the last rites of the church before their execution." 

The impressive medieval King Charles Tower, dating from the 13th century

On Sunday we I cooked a roast beef lunch for Lisa, Rob and the gorgeous grandsons - making the most of their last chance to have a Sunday dinner while we're only a short drive away.

After lunch we did another short wall walk - though not the whole thing. Strangely enough, Lisa, who's lived near Chester for about 6 years, has never walked the wall. And I discovered she's never walked along by the River Dee either! So we took the opportunity to go there. The sun was shining brightly, and there were hoards of people buzzing around the waterside. Ice-creams were popular - and so was one of the pubs which I think was showing a rugby match.

Blooming marvellous outside Chester Cathedral

Such a fine day

What a glorious day. We'll miss Chester. But the time has come to move out of the area and get trading from The Home Brew Boat!