Up Up and away !!!

 

After a few days on the western end of the River weaver we decided we just had to explore all of the navigable river., So it was back and past The Anderton boat lift and on towards Northwich.

 

We stopped off in Northwich  to replenish the cupboards with essentials and to have a good look around the town and also to make  a visit to the local pie shop as recommended by Terry and Pam on Nb The Roosters rest. , And yes it was a very good pie shop and I am now half a stone heavier.

 

It was then down to Hunts lock and a one and a half hour wait as one of the lock gates had failed and they had to get in a portable winch to open the gates to get a wide beam through.

 

This lock was a lot deeper than the other two locks being 11 feet 2 inches deep.And again we had to pass a rope up to the lock keepers who put it around a bollard and then we had to hold Inca in to the side as the lock filled. Unlike the other two locks this lock is not electrified and it takes two lockies to work the gates and the paddles manually.

 

As you get to Winsford you come across the salt mine. It is massive and produces mostly road salt.

 

Hello Mr or Mrs Heron. The river Weaver must be very healthy as there is an abundance of wildlife on it.

 

As far as you can go up the Weaver on a narrow boat. Its called The Flash and we probably could have gone a bit further but we had heard so many stories about Narrow boats getting stuck in the shallows, so we decided to turn here and play it safe.

 

It was then back to the Anderton boat lift. We arrived at 13.00 and booked in , but we were told we couldn’t go up the lift until 15.00. Anyway that suited us fine as it gave us a chance to have a look around the visitor centre . That Colonel Saners was a busy guy I thought he only invented KFC, I didn’t realize he did the boat lift as well.

 

Up Up and away…. Half way up the lift and I do believe Carolyn is enjoying it !!!!!!!!!   (There's a good smile for you Pam)

 

The view from the back of the caisson as we get near the top of the 50 foot journey up on to the Trent and Mersey canal.

We are now back on the canals and continuing on to the next leg of our adventure. We have enjoyed the River Weaver so much and wish we could have spent more time on it. Anyway you never know we could end back up here in a few years time.

 

                                                                                                           Happy Days