Disley

Will's burned hands had been gradually improving with multiple trips to Stepping Hill hospital. He'd been getting the bus from Marple but didn't want to be tied down so used Google Maps to find a bus from a village called Disley, along the Upper Peak Forest Canal. We were both keen to move on and see new sights so set off as soon as the weather allowed.

Shortly after Marple services the Macclesfield Canal came to an end, joining the Peak Forest Canal at a T Junction. We turned right along the shorter 'upper' section that led south and east to its end at Whaley Bridge. Vicky found it difficult to get her head round the fact that the most southerly stretch of canal was the upper part, but Will explained it was because it climbed up the locks at Marple to its highest point at Whaley Bridge.

By taking this turning we'd put off the 16 locks on the lower section but hadn't factored in the three swing and lift bridges between us and Disley. As luck would have it a guy with a windlass called over to Will from the towpath. He was from the boat following us and it turned out to be Dun Eideann; a boat that like Rainboat was made by Cain Narrowboats! He said he'd open the next bridge for us and when Will explained the situation, he kindly said he'd do all three to save us struggling. People are kind!

It felt good to be on the move again and the scenery was stunning. Dry stone walls separated the canal from criss crossing hills lined with hedges and dotted with farmhouses, hamlets and villages. We pulled in just after Higgins Clough Swingbridge and waved our thanks and goodbye to Dun Eideann. The mooring was a little way out of Disley and felt very rural. Whiskers immediately leapt off to explore the wooded area beside the towpath and carried on popping in and out for the rest of the day. The spot had definitely got his seal of approval.

The towpath was good enough for Vicky's chair so she was happy to be able to take the dogs out in the beautiful countryside during our stay. There was a bike track in the woods a little way along from us that lots of teenagers enjoyed using. One day there was a boat called Yongala moored opposite it with a dog and a number of metal crates on the towpath. We got chatting to its owner and soon recognised her as a friend of a friend. Molly travels with her dog Buddy, cockerel Billy the Bastard (who was sunning himself in the crates) and her cockateel Sid Vicious. Molly took a shine to Leo, especially when he growled and tried to bite Vicky for taking him away from Billy's food!

The Dandy Cock Robinson's pub provided Will with lunch one day and a fish and chip shop by the bus stop for the hospital fed him on Saturday. Amazingly the nurse took his dressings off and deemed his burns sufficiently healed to leave them off and be discharged just 2 weeks and 2 days after the accident! He needs to keep lathering on E45 and protect them from the sun but we are both over the moon that they have reached this stage so quickly.

We'd planned to move on but a tree brought down by Storm Dave blocked the canal at New Mills for a few days. Even after it was cleared, the Disley mooring was such a gorgeous spot we decided to stay on for Vicky's birthday. She rested a few days prior and was able to make it up the lane to the village for lunch at the White Horse. Back on Rainboat we popped a bottle of fizz, broke out the Thunderbolts Marvel movie and she made a good go at demolishing a triple decker bespoke chocolate cake Will had cycled to collect from a cake shop in Marple that morning 😋Read more