Well that`s got that out of the way , Standedge tunnel just over three miles , and an hour and a half underground a bit of  a bumpy ride as most of the tunnel is cut from rough rock plus half way through there is twenty seven  foot misalignment in the shape of an s bend , even going as slow as possible there was contact between both front top corners and the rear handrail with the rock but its really only paint work damage .
Hilary decided to make the journey in the cabin but I think this was worse because there was all the sound effects banging and clanging but unable to see what was happening.
Today we are now heading down towards Huddersfield with twenty two locks completed  already .
Fish and chips for tea in Saithwaite.
These are not my pictures as there wasn`t really time to take any so borrowed from here

OK well I am sorry that it has been a few weeks since I last posted but following our visit to Stoke we then spent a week up the Caldon No internet but a beautiful place Then after that a visit back home and  on our return we made our our second attempt on the llangollen canal , success  at last no modern communications up in the Welsh hills but again fantastic country small narrow wooded canals and of course the viaducts wow .
following that we went off in a totally different direction a drive to the south coast , Eurotunnel ( a brilliant efficient event but look out for the french police speed camera on the exit ramp at Calais !!)
then on through Belgium , Holland and Germany to our destination Himmighausen  superb time had see Kirby band site for video evidence himmighausen and also http://www.kirkbyband.co.uk/ The round trip was one and a half thousand miles in total just as well I love driving .
We did manage to get lost in Calais Eurotunnel site in the dark including trying to get in the deserted HCV entrance , Security ?? we had to find a van with two french lads in to help us escape not an immigrant in sight either , when we did find the correct entrance no searches at all straight through both customs and  back in UK within the hour .
Jumping forward to today our current adventure is the Huddersfield Narrow which includes the Standedge tunnel three miles long and  that is the longest tunnel in Britain , that`s happening  on Monday but  as there a restrictions on size so we hope we will fit .
Pictures will follow later.

Monday we  have stayed moored at Longport lake and went to the Middleport pottery visitor centre unfortunately the factory was on holiday and so there were no guided tours but still plenty interesting stuff to see  pottery .
On our way back we called in here butchers outlet a carnivors paradise and although they are really more of a  trade outlet we  got a few bits including some steaks one of which was enough to feed us at tea time.
Tuesday we are going to start our journey through stoke and on to the caldon canal.

There has been a bit of a gap as we have been back home for a couple of weeks to make a visit too York hospital and then Hilarys sisters wedding the week after (well fed and watered thank you courtesy of the G&D in the afternoon and the golf club in the evening a good do all round  .
We left our mooring  on Thursday and travelled down to Gurnett Aquaduct for our first nights rest , then next day onward to the Bosley twelve locks stopping at the bottom for a well earned nights rest on the Dane aquaduct.
Saturday morning after a little lie in moved onwards  a few more miles towards the Trent Mersey junction stopping just short ready for an early start on Sunday to tackle the Harecastle tunnel  2926 yards long  that took us just 45 minutes to complete nothing like as difficult to do as some people make out the lowest parts do require you to bend down to avoid the roof for a couple of hundred yards thats all.
Sunday afternoon are now moored at the West Port lake just outside Stoke on Trent went for a little walk to find a shop and do some essential  food shopping and stopped off at the cafe boat on the way back for a bacon sarni and baked potato  .

Our neighbours for Saturday night just through the railings next to our bedroom window

spotted halfway down the Bosley  locks funny place to park an

aeroplane

 A fantastic setting for a mooring

tboss in pearls and finery

moored up

round ).

After ascending the sixteen Marple locks yesterday we are having a couple of days moored in town ,Although this does mean being in close company with other boats and people
today we checked out the shops in town and did some food shopping .

This head is carved into the key stone of one of the lock bridges but with nothing  to say who it is or give the significance of it 

On some of the locks as we fill them the water has to be let in through a gate paddle which makes an absolute torrent of water right in front of the boat

Here we are moored in company 

Today has been house keeping day , the sun has been shining  all day so one side of Sybil has been polished by me while Hilary has been cleaning windows and  cutting logs that I was collecting from the adjacent woods . last night was peaceful so we are going to stay at the bottom of the locks another night .
Not a single boat in either direction has passed us today but many hikers and bikers have , some of both stopping to talk to us but not a one of them was a compulsive polisher or log cutter , Disapointing !

Sunday night now we have moved on nine and a half miles along the Peak Forest canal leaving the city way behind thank goodness our mooring for a night or two is at the start Marple flight of locks sixteen in all which will lift us two hundred and fourteen feet up to the start of the Macclesfield canal
and eventually onward  to our mooring ready to return home in a few days time this means that we will have completed the Cheshire ring.
It is nice to be moored in the country side again no pubs or roads near enough to be a nuisance
The nearest house is a quarter of  mile away  on a hill at the opposite side of the canal.

The marples aquaduct with the railway viaduct next to it

this is the view as you cross the aquaduct there is no guard rail on the outside just a sheer drop 

the start of the Marple flight

Moored up for tonight with a nice rural view 

Sunday morning now ,well we did the Rochdale nine locks on Friday no problem really took us five , hours,covered one and third mile some of the gates were heavy but no harder than many we have done before absolutely no problem with the residents the only trouble we had was that we ran out of water in the last pound and had to wait a while as it filled back up enough to let us pass through .Friday night was spent in a secure area at the top ,,Picadilly village resting up for Saturdays challenge the eighteen Ashton locks these were a doddle really four miles covered in six and a half hours  again despite their reputation they went very well with no  serious problems apart from another water supply problem which I had to rectify by going up to the next lock opening the gates and letting some water down from the next long pound .
Unfortunately we made the mistake of stopping for Saturday night at Fairfield junction on the towpath side and were rudely awakened at one am by drunken singing and banging on the roof our only incident in all the time we have been out But no damage was done only a nuisance

Underneath the railway arches the canal footbridge looks tiny in comparison 

Heading up below  the buildings that cover some of the Rochdale locks not the best of places

Manchester library a fantastic place with books stored on many floors all the way around the circular building we had a look into the reference section on the top floor I could have spent all day if not all week in there .

Roadworks all over the city to install the new tram system

Flats built next to the Rochdale canal,little boxes but  not stacked quite straight

In between all the bars of Manchester

In between all the bars of Manchester

We have now jumped forward to Thursday morning.
After our spell down on the Weaver with no internet and minimal phone and tv reception.
we have moved on from the Anderton lift going through three long tunnels on the Trent Mersey canal
One being 572 yards, the next 424 yards the last being 1239 yards.
This then led us onto the Bridgewater canal and a long easy run up into the centre of Manchester where we are now moored for a few days , almost next to the Hilton Hotel , allowing us to explore some of the city and rest up before we tackle the infamous ascent of the Rochdale nine locks having already walked them we feel that although they do look difficult and run through some less pleasant areas of the city we will manage them ok on Friday morning

Moored on The River Weaver 

|Waiting to enter one of the Weaver locks

Now in Manchester city centre with many layers of transport canals at the bottom , roads next then two layers of railways on top

Our mooring at night with the Hilton hotel behind 

Tuesday
We have moved on from Middlewich along the Trent Mersey eventually arriving at the Anderton Lift we spent two nights  Saturday and Sunday moored in a flash (a small lake that the canal passes through these are caused by settlement from mining ) as it was too windy to travel.
This morning we descended in the Anderton Lift and are now on the River Weaver moored tonight at Devils Garden .
Tomorrow we are going to continue down as far as possible till we reach the Manchester Ship Canal ,
the furthest we are permitted to go .

Looking across to the lift we will soon enter it boat and all from the right across the bridge and be lowered into the river 

At the top looking down to the river

Moored at Devils Garden Tuesday night

Moored up Tuesday night

Locking down in one of the big locks on the Weaver

A View of the amazing framework of the lift

we are nearly half way down .

There are two boats descending in the lift this time

at least 30 tonnes of steel plus the water we are floating in

Friday night we are back in Middlewich for the night went into town this afternoon topped up with food at Mr Tesco`s had a browse round the rest of town but not much caught our eye

Coming down the Trent Mersey the lock side is covered with rust sediment and the water is rusty red with iron oxide which is washed out of the tunnel upstream 

Back at Poynton Good Friday courtesy of Enterprise ( we pick you up and drop you off ) really good so no car with us this time left our mooring  on Saturday morning and travelled down to Gurnett aquaduct ready for the lock flight on Sunday. Twelve locks down  nearly five miles and one day , tonight moored at Dane Aquaduct . Monday onwards to Congleton on the Trent Mersey ready for Tuesday twenty two locks and seven miles down to Wheelock for a well earned nights rest .
Wednesday onwards to Middlewich and turned onto the Shropshire Middlewich branch ready for our meeting with the safety inspection engineer at church Minshull on Thursday .
Fantastic , survey passed that`s it for four years now , £150 pound well spent  so turn around and head back to Middlewich and then to Anderton and the lift down onto the River Weaver to complete our tour of the river starting tomorrow  .

Today has been declared the first day of summer after yet another long sunny day , I went for a shower and shave tonight  and then  broke out the shorts , might regret it yet , 

We both are well sunned ie pair of red traffic lights .

Spring has sprung lamb chops on legs get the mint sauce 

This years spring flowers including Hilarys birthday basket ,  looking good 

A misty start to Tuesday

Sunset on Gurnett Aquaduct

Thursday evening we have left Bugsworth as our 48 hours of mooring time has expired it was still very windy in the  basin area making moving interesting but as soon as we left it we were into shelter and the wind was not a problem and we travelled on to our mooring for tonight just past new Mills of the sweet factory fame .
We are in the woods ,no roads near just a very very muddy tow path with the occasional dog walker or cyclist there is a railway line on the hillside above us one just below and another over the valley
but there is only a subdued hum from the nearest when a train passes .
Tomorrow we will move a little further , our target is to back at Poynton on Saturday as Hilary would like to be back at Kirkby for mothers day.

Looking up into Bugsworth basin , Sybil just through the bridge,the narrow part in front is where the boats leaving were gauged ie measured to see how deep they floated and therefore how heavy the load was

Whaley basin  , the town at the head of the navigation 

Yesterday we decided a test run out was called for so we disconnected the land line , emptied waste tanks , filled with water untied and off we went .A few hours , a few swing bridges ( no locks) and a trip round the back of the loveheart factory at New mills  , gorgeous aroma coming out enough to make your mouth water !
Today was sunny this morning so a walk into Whaley Bridge was agreed on , only half a mile on the tow path , a previously unexplored (for us) town small but interesting , unfortunately  Wednesday was half day with some shops  making a day of it .
This afternoon became wet and windy, two boats tried to reverse out of the arm we are moored in , the first was blown sideways and ended up cross over against us with the lady owner stuck on the opposite side and loosing the rope so her boat finally  came to rest alongside us and she had to cross the foot bridge to get back on board her boat  ,
the second was a little more lucky but they gave up till the wind dropped and tied up in front of us

Marple junction Tuesday morning  gorgeous sunshine

                          
                                                 Helps to keep trespassers out ??

A delay at the swing bridge for works going on to the canal side , note there are two narrow boats bolted together with girders to make a stable platform for the crane 

The horse tunnel near Bugsworth instead of a bridge the horses passed under the canal at the junction to enable the to continue on the other side

Tuesday and Wednesday nights mooring pictured at five o clock tonight , looks nice and calm now

We are back onboard again the last two days being spent getting a start on all the little jobs that need doing after a winter sat moored up, freeing off the bathroom drain pump ,painting out the gas locker , the stern mooring equipment locker , bow lockers and a few other bits , still got the fuel system to check out and the heating boiler exhaust to fix luckily it is really too windy to travel very far yet .
Hilary has lost a filling yesterday so I think we will be making a visit back to Yorkshire sooner than later and it will soon be her 60th birthday when we had hoped to be at home anyway.

This is what we achieved last year in seven months starting in Nottingham then meandering round by Coventry and back up through Birmmingham with a few sideways diversions to finish up just below Manchester We shall continue onwards shortly this year and start on the northern most canals after first finishing the river Weaver and possibly get back round again to Birmmingham

During our visit to Sybil in December we had to pass Joderal Bank on the way to the chandlery

and got this picture of the giant dish glowing pink in the setting sun

Just after Christmas we visited Nottingham and had a good day out at Rufford Park 

The wild fowl there all looking a little lost in the snow and ice

More ducks at Rufford

Boxing day meet at Kirkby  a good turn out of followers perhaps because of the dry weather!

A fine looking pack of hounds

Sybil today , we have been over for a couple of days , she is frozen in , but despite having no heating on until we lit the fire we were soon warmed up and last night was grand and warm.

Nothing much moving on the canals

The ducks do look a little perplexed as to why there world has gone solid 

We have just crossed over the Pennines this afternoon with heavy snow on the way,M62 outside lane becoming impasable over the moors but once over to Leeds virtualy nothing much at all