Macclesfield

Apologies for the delayed publication of this post, I had a bad ME crash and am only just beginning to adjust to the new normal so the next few posts may be a bit skimpier than usual, Vi x
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At Macclesfield we squeezed Rainboat into a gap in a line of moored boats between two high road bridges. A stone wall separated us from a field on the towpath side. Gardens backed onto the canal to our port side. Past the far bridge lay Brook Street Wharf and an impressive looking restored mill that once belonged to Hovis.

The Macclesfield Canal runs above the town it was named after and we made the most of exploring it over the sunny days ahead. Steep hills, narrow pavements without drop kerbs and cobbled streets made it difficult navigating the wheelchair between the boat and the towncentre almost a mile away but we managed and it was well worth the journey. Macclesfield is a town of art, with several large commissioned murals decorating the sides of buildings and smaller works brightening interior walls.

There were several impressive old buildings including the Town Hall and St Michael and All Angels Church standing side by side in the centre. Macclesfield has more than its fair share of churches but what really struck us were the old red brick mill buildings with their grids of tall, rectangular windows. Back in its hey day there were 71 silk and cotton mills and many of them have been sympathetically restored and renovated into homes and offices.

We found a friendly Greek gastrobar called Nomas for lunch where the chocolate canola were so good we bought some to take home too. On the way back to the boat we popped into a sweet shop and a small independent book shop. The town had a good vibe and we resolved to return the following day to visit the Silk Mill Museum (see separate post).Read more