Middlewich Branch

WE MADE IT!

The rain may have dampened our clothing but not our spirits 🤣 Beginning on the Trent and Mersey we trundled along without event until we came to a large flash which extended off to the side of the channel. With the end of our five day dash in sight Will was feeling in a jubilant mood. He hollered indoors to Vicky who was sheltering from the rain that he was going to do a 360; something he'd wanted to do since getting Rainboat. Vicky watched out the window as the clouds and trees swung round. They slowed and stopped moving. The engine revved, then revved a lot harder. We were stuck! Will tried going forward, reversing, steering this way and that and pushing the long wooden pole into the water in different spots but it only sunk into a never ending bed of silt. It was undoubtedly brilliant for the wildlife (seagulls swooped and cawed overhead to see what we thought we were doing), but it was not good for us! Vicky emerged in a raincoat and we tried leaping from one side of the boat to the other to rock it free. Did it work? No. We were both thinking that the only option would be to tie several long ropes together and paddle with them to the towpath in the canoe in order to haul Rainboat out backwards. While pondering this option Vicky noticed that the boat was listing to port. As a last dutch attempt she got out on the left gunwhale and hung off the side as far as she could. Will leant left too and put the engine in hard reverse. Hallelujah it worked! Slowly at first, Rainboat began to inch backwards. We held our breath but she began moving faster and finally she was free! When we reached the main channel a local who'd been watching told us that we were very lucky. Most narrowboats needed to be towed out and one was even stuck for three days!

At Middlewich we came up to Big Lock (so named because it is double width). Here we saw Richard and his dog Jess waiting on NB Maud of the Marshes at the lock landing. They'd been ahead of us at when we came down the Wigan Flight. As a single boater it would have been very difficult for him to operate the lock by himself, especially with his dodgy hip. We were happy to partner up with him and he kindly let us go on ahead through the 3 single locks, giving us tips as he knew the stretch well.

It is a good thing Will was at the tiller as he remembered to take the right turn on to the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union. Vicky had carried straight on and started setting the next lock; one we wouldn't be needing!

As soon as we were through Wardle Lock (which was due to close in a day and a half), we found an empty spot along a row of moored boats and tied up. We were very happy to have made it to the point from which we could get Will on the train to visit Al and we could access the Llangollen Canal for our first Christmas afloat.En savoir plus