Thursday 20 September 2012

Day 2. Huxley to Sandbach

Wow, we have photographs tonight, not many because I didn't take many today. I have spent most of the day following canals, and they get a bit samey after a while. First pic is me and Mo, taken just as we were leaving her house this morning. She wanted you to see her amazing apple trees, there are masses of apples on them. Last night we had some of her apple pie with lashings of ice cream on top, yummy.
 
Mo took me back to where she picked me up yesterday, can't have me cheating can we, ha ha. She decided to walk part the way with me from Huxley to the canal by road, then along the canal from Whartons lock almost to Tiverton. This is the view from the pub next to the lock, across to the remains of a castle high on the hillside.  
We came across some people taking their boat through a lock a bit further along, and got chatting to them. Amazingly the man had met Mo before at a Folk Festival. As soon as the boat was clear of the lock the man decided to walk the mile with us to the next lock. Him and Mo were chattering away like long lost buddies about their love of folk music.
 
After Mo left me to go home I got to Bunbury Locks. There are two locks together here, it's like the boats have to go down two steps to the lower level. Here are the instructions. 
I watched a couple take their boat through, the water level is dropping so the boat can go underneath the bridge. 
I thought this phone box looked lovely, it's in Warmington. The people in the village have stuck their photo's of the Jubilee celebrations on three sides of the windows, inside the glass.  
Opposite is Warmington Church.  
Spotted next to a fishing pond, lots and lots of Canada geese. Is it time they are getting ready to fly away I wonder.  
I followed the Cheshire Ring Canal Walk as far as Wheelock, I was hoping to make Alsager but realised that it was going to be impossible to do before it got dark. I found a shop in Wheelock to pick up some provisions, enough for tea tonight and lunch tomorrow. I'll be filling up with a big breakfast in the morning so that should last me most of the day. I asked a man if there was a B & B nearby, but the only place he could think of was a mile and a half away in Sandbach, so here I am.

Ooh it was lovely to soak in a hot bath tonight. I have a small blister underneath my right heel, but I can put up with it. I spent a lot of time walking through wet grass today so my boots and socks were well soaked again. They are on the top of the radiator now, hopefully they will be dry by morning.

I have seen lots of boats today, and had a chat with a man who was doing some diy on his boat. He had taken the door off and was fitting a cat flap. He has two dogs and two cats living on his boat with him. The cats are microchipped and will have a state of the art cat flap which only opens on their approach and no other cats can pass through. One of them was just like my Mayze cat.

I reckon I have done about 18 miles again today. It was a lovely sunny morning, with about half an hour of rain about 1.30pm, so not too bad really. I've come to the conclusion that canals are a bit boring, I don't fancy miles and miles of plodding along in a boat, and all those queues to get through the locks. I hate queueing up for anything. Off to read a few blogs now. Toodle pip.

12 comments:

  1. I have often fancied the idea of cruising down the canal but I think I would find the slow pace and queueing a bit tedious. You certainly get about Ilona. I hope the weather is kinder to you tomorrow. Look after yourself, I hope your foot is better soon.

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  2. What a way to travel. I am enjoying seeing the British country side through your eyes. Who knows I may get there myself one day but it's along way from Tasmania.

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  3. Just a note to say thanks for the photos. I've kayaked and camped those canals. No waiting for locks ith a kayak- take the boat out of the water and carry it round. Called portaging just as the old voyageur trappers did inCanada. I've also cycle camped that area too. Hope the weather improves although you seem to have been lucky. Take care with the blister.
    Brenda in the Boro

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  4. Lovely photo's. What a great way to see the country and meet interesting people.

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  5. Im only up the road! Love the area where you have een walking, hope you are enjoying the countryside xx

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  6. I had a nice walk back along the tow-path, including the bit that you missed by walking on the road. Saw some interesting sights including monkeys with leaves and a cat with wings.
    And one of the boats had fenced off a tiny strip of the opposite bank 2 garden chairs, a hen-run, and a sign saying Side Fenders for sale.
    The weather was nice for the morning, didn't rain till about 1 just as I was arriving in my gate. Hope you didn't get too wet.
    I think the geese you saw were probably arriving for the winter - farmers don't like to see them as the flocks can strip a field.

    I think you already knew how folkies can 'go on' about their enthusiasm even if others (no names mentioned) find it boring!

    Have a good day.

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  7. I am enjoying sharing your trip, great photo's too. Keep safe and looking forward to where you go next.

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  8. Nice to see the phone box un-vandalised.
    There was one near us here on the Solway coast, the villagers looked after it, it had flowers in a vase inside.
    Nice touch but sadly you couldn't do that in many places, they'd be gone overnight.

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  9. Lovely pics and journey. I`d love some of those apples from Mo`s trees. They do look rather rosy and delicious!

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  10. Tell Mo that I love her apple trees! Do you still have phone in the phone booths? Boxes, I guess/

    Walking in wet boots will not help your blister! I do hope you have something with which to cover it. Was the radiator heating?

    Oh, I have no idea where a phone booth exists in this country. Long ago, they replaced them with a stand with a phone, open air, not enclosed. That certainly discouraged me even when I had to make a call. I just went to a store with a pay phone on the back wall. Since I have had a cell, seven years now, I have never looked for a phone booth. Ours were never so nice as yours are.

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  11. I was outside today picking that tree. So now it is bare. It's not been a very good year for apples, that was the best in our orchard, and most of those had split.
    Some people are very fond of the old red telephone boxes, but maybe they didn't have to try to hold open the heavy door to try to get a pushcair inside. Pictures and story here http://www.the-telephone-box.co.uk/ (click Images to see the modern version)

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  12. I'm so excited you're doing another long walk. Great photos!

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