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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
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Strange vibrations at Greenfield Lock
1 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Like The Shady, The Cheshire Cat was a pub we couldn't miss out on revisiting. It wasn't too far from our moorings, so we did a lunchtime stopover before continuing on to Chester. The Cheshire Cat also offers accommodation and is a bit posher than most canalside establishments. We nabbed a round table for two in the dining room and ordered our food from there. Vicky had a starter of falafels on hummus and grains so she had room for a summer fruits crumble afterwards. Will had a butternut squash burger with fries, all of which was delicious. The waiting staff were attentive and efficient, keeping everyone happy without seeming to rush, so the atmosphere was relaxed. We were very glad to have stopped by.

When we approached the outskirts of Chester it was the end of the school day. Vicky helped work Rainboat through the locks while keeping a close eye on Leo and Tiger. They drew the eye of many of the pupils, with exclamations of ah! and aww! In the end they were surrounded by half a dozen crouching teenage girls while Tiger excitedly jumped around the circle on her back legs, getting fuss from each of them in turn 🥰 It was a real treat.

We moored along with other boats just before Greenfield Lock and settled in for a light tea. As things quietened down we could hear the rumblings of a train on its tracks, accompanied by some strange vibrations. Vicky was a bit freaked out when Will explained there was a train tunnel running underneath the canal. She could easily accept and wonder at water passing over a height like the Poncysyllte Aqueduct but a huge hole under the canal with trains hurtling through? Not so much. Strange how the mind works 🤔

The following day we left Tiger to relax on board and took Leo into town. It seemed like ages since we'd had access to this many shops! We picked some ebay orders up from Foregate News then headed to the indoor market for lunch. The place was buzzing and it was a pleasure to sit and 'people watch'. Chester may just be our favourite canal city and its market is our favourite place to be within it.

Leo found it difficult to sit and watch Will eat his vegan buger with only a carrot to munch on, but a visit to the Digby and Champ stall more than made up for it! Collette the owner, fell in love with him and fed him a mountain of dried meat kibble. He must have made an extra special effort to look cute because as we were leaving she wrapped up a chunky beef and vegetable stick for later! He was well and truly spoiled by her.

We moseyed back via Lakeland, Søstrene Greene and Rylands, picking Will's bike up when we got to the towpath. Vicky was so grateful to have her chair, without which she couldn't have experienced half of what we did today.Baca lagi
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Pengembara I like the way the grin is the last to disappear :)
12/07/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's Travels👄
14/07/25Balas
Pengembara Yummy and lots of custard :)
12/07/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsA real treat 😋
14/07/25BalasTerjemah
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5 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Chester Cricket Club
3 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
We were moored quite a way out of the city centre so decided to go through a couple more locks to make it easier to visit. There are moorings in the heart of Chester but they aren't good for the dogs and Whiskers really wouldn't enjoy it. We knew of the canalside cricket pitches from our last visit so decided to moor adjacent to them, giving Whiskers plenty of room to roam.

There was a Saturday Makers Market taking place, so despite Vicky being tired from the previous day we headed in, not wanting to miss out. It was a struggle to find a table at the indoor market food hall as the place was packed. It was a great atmosphere with families of all ages, couples and groups of friends enjoying themselves.

We visited Purely Pots indoor plant stall and Vicky eagerly loaded up the carry box she'd attached to the back of her chair. The knowledgeable trader gave her lots of advice about caring for each of her purchases so fingers crossed she can keep them alive 🤞She picked up a heavy and delicious chunk of chocolate fudge brownie at one of the Maker's stalls and was munching happily when we came accross The Driftwood Projects. The carpenter uses wood that others might see as flawed as well as used wood from old furniture and the like. He bases his work on Kintsugi- taking something broken and fixing it, using the 'flaws' to make it beautiful. We'd been on the lookout for a new chopping board for while and Will fell in love with a large slab of mapel with a rounded split in one end - handy for picking it up and for funneling chopped food into a bowl! Being Will and living in a moving home, he was also keeping his eyes out for an espresso cup after the last one got broken. He found the perfect one at a ceramic stall selling handmade items in beautiful earthy greens and blues. We do love getting the things we need directly from the people who made them!Baca lagi
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Catherine FoulkesSounds wonderful
11/07/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsIt was a fun day of indulgence ☺️
14/07/25BalasTerjemah
5 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
King Charles Tower Gardens
5 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Will has been working hard preparing for the next part of our adventure. We plan to travel along the Manchester Ship Canal from Ellesmere Port to the River Weaver. It's a big shipping channel and all boats need a certificate of seaworthiness when they book passage. He'd been struggling to get hold of an inspector so until he found one we decided to stay in Chester. There were a few more single locks and a triple staircase lock before a straight run to the port. With no rush to get going, we descended the single locks and moored at King Charles Tower Gardens; a sloping pocket park between the canal and the city wall.

We took advantage of its proximity to Chester's charity shops and Abakhan; an Aladin's Cave of haberdashery. Leo took advantage of the wooden bench where people often sat for lunch or a snack. Thank goodness he's not big enough to reach most food!Baca lagi
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Chester Basin & the Dee Branch
8 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Finally Will recieved the call he'd been hoping for. One of the inspectors for the seaworthiness certificate was available and could meet us at Ellesmere Port whenever we were able to get there! The certificate is one of the requirements for vessels travelling on the Manchester Ship Canal, which we planned to do in order to get to the River Weaver.

Will agreed to meet John Pope the day after tomorrow, so we set off from King Charles Tower Gardens to get the Northgate triple staircase locks out of the way before the 8 mile run to Ellesmere Port the following day. Unfortunately there weren't any other boats to pair up with and Vicky had been hitting the shops a bit hard so she wasn't able to help work Rainboat through the locks. She stayed on the towpath with the dogs and Will started off. There are often a number of 'gongoozlers' at these unusual locks (non boaty people who enjoy watching boats). We lucked out when local resident Chris came by and offered to lend a hand. He'd been on a number of boating holidays with his friends and enjoyed locking. He was a brilliant help, making the process so much easier for Will. He teaches axe throwing skills for a living and had a few tales to tell, including the time he applied for a mortgage. We were very grateful for his help and for the community spirit that exists along the canals.

There wasn't any mooring space in the basin so Will pulled in at the water point and began filling while we thought what to do. Vicky needed a few bits and bobs from the retail park a mile away so she took Tiger while Leo stayed with Will and they moored on the towpath just beyond the basin. It was tea time by the time we'd got everything done so Vicky picked up fish and chips from the small chippy near the basin.

There used to be access to the River Dee from Chester Basin via three locks but there have been problems with lock gates and the channel is silting up. The Inland Waterways Association have made the Dee Branch a Silver Propeller Location, encouraging boaters to visit and show it is still needed as part of the canal system. Will decided he couldn't leave without visiting, even though it felt a bit silly reversing into the first lock, then backing out and along the channel to the second, which is closed. The wind made maneuvering difficult, but a kind woman helped by pushing Rainboat away from the side of her boat and the next. To counter this, a guy working in the dry dock came and accused Will of scratching his boat (he hadn't). He said the channel was all silted up, Will shouldn't be going down and the people with permanent moorings would shout at him too 😲 Luckily people like him are rare on the canals, the channel wasn't too silted up and one of the residents offered to catch a rope in order to help Will moor 😊

Vicky took photos for evidence and the Dee Branch became the thirteenth out of the twenty sites we need to be awarded the little Silver Propeller plaque.Baca lagi
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5 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Ellesmere Port
9–14 Jul 2025, England ⋅ 🌙 18 °C
We made the straight run from Chester Basin to Ellesmere Port without having to pass through a single lock. At first we were disappointed there was no room to moor outside the Waterways Museum but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After winding, Will passed back under the main road bridge and moored on the off side at a small recreation area with a couple of picnic tables. It had a section of flattened grass for the dogs with tall knapweed, oxeye daisies and brambles backed by goat willow for Whiskers to prowl and laze. It could only be reached by crossing over a pedestrian bridge from the towpath and winding your way along a narrow path. There was lots of activity going on around us but the mooring itself was very private.

John Prior arrived just after 9am the following morning to inspect Rainboat for her Seaworthiness Certificate. Will had done a great job of researching what was required and taking note of the tips John had given him over the phone. John charges by the hour so he had everything laid out; the ropes, anchor, life jackets, boat safety certificate, an online tide table etc John was friendly and efficient and Rainboat passed with flying colours. He was going on to inspect another boat in Ellesmere Basin so waived the travel fees and charged £85; a good price judging by what we'd read of others' experiences. The certificate will be valid for 1 year, so will cover our return journey on the Manchester Ship Canal as well.

The following three days were a heatwave amd we battled to keep the boat as cool as possible. Will went out every morning and bought icecream and lollies. On the second morning he came back with a large oscillating desk fan. We'd been putting off getting one because of the space it would take up but at 30°C+ we felt it was necessary. It was too hot to do much of anything during the days. Vicky's Samsung S22 received an update which messed it up. It wasn't practical to get to one of Samsung's five repair shops outside of London and we weren't at a home address for DPD to collect it so she spent much of the time trying to transfer everything she needed to Will's old phone with the cracked screen. She'll use this until we can get another.

Ellesmere Port is a bit run down and some of those who live here are a bit rough. The first evening we were kept awake with a slanging match between two women arguing over which one was horrible and which was nice. The second night there were magnet and anchor fishers casting their lines into the water close by until well after dark, pulling up a pallet lifter among other things. On the third evening a group of kids enjoyed throwing goodness knows what at Rainboat and on the fourth day a group of teenagers spotted Little Rainboat and had a great time hollering homophobic slurs. It was a colourful stay to say the least!

On Sunday evening we backed the boat under the bridge, filled with water and moored at the only free spot outside the Waterways Museum. We were ready to tackle the two locks through the museum grounds to Ellesmere Port Basin the next morning for our booking at Marsh Lock at 10:15am. This would take us into the unknown... on to Manchester Ship Canal!Baca lagi
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4 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
1 1
Manchester Ship Canal
14 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
We've reached the River Weaver and what a big adventure we've had getting here! First we spent 20 minutes trampling through undergrowth in search of Mr Whiskers, whose GPS signal was blocked by something and only started transmitting to our phones once we were close by. Reunited, we quickly descended the two narrow locks in the Waterways Museum and approached Whitby Bottom Wide Lock just after our appointed time of 10:15am. We couldn't moor at the lock landing because of a sunken boat so we roped up to metal bollards outside the hotel.

A swing bridge blocked passage through the lock which confused us, because we'd booked passage. We steered to the other end of the basin to see if there was another exit, but returned to the lock with the knowledge this was the only way out. The CRT were supposed to liaise with the council to open the bridge but something had obviously gone wrong. Vicky called the number displayed on a sign and the operator said to bear with them, they'd look into it. 20 minutes later Will called back to be told no booking had been made. When he read out the email confirmation, he was told they'd get someone out. Another 20 minutes passed and a rather tired council employee who had been on his way home pulled up in his van, checked Will's confirmation email and donned his hi viz and working gloves. He was happy to help and chatted while he chained off either end of the bridge. Apparently they were always having trouble with communication from the CRT re times. They had waited for boats for hours in the past, some of whom didn't turn up.

During this time we'd been radioing Eastham Port Control, advising them of our delay. They'd radioed back to say there was a large ship passing and to hold fire. Some time had passed since this communication so while Vicky was hesitant about entering the Manchester Ship Canal (MSC) without permission, Will was sure the ship would have passed so we swung a right when we reached the wide channel. Luckily the wind wasn't too strong so Rainboat had no problem making headway eastwards. Will had called the CRT to let the operators of Marsh Lock, at the entrance to the Weaver, know we'd be delayed and was checking the map when the prow of a humongous ice breaking ship came into view ahead of us. Oops! "Rainbow, Rainbow, this is Fore Viken. We did tell you to wait at Ellesmere. You're going to have to turn around". Not needing to be told twice, we executed a hasty U turn and nipped into an abandoned dock we'd passed earlier. Will radioed an apology and confirmed we were out of the way while we cowering there and watched the 150m long vessel with a tug at either end pass by. Mistakes are made and this potential disaster was averted. The captain seemed to appreciate our grovelling apology as he radioed back saying it wasn't a problem, then approached the darkened floor to ceiling windows high up in the control room and gave us a wave. Our relief fuelled our extra enthusiastic return waves.

After this the journey went relatively smoothly. Will apprised the CRT of our further delay and Vicky protected the laptop map from the showers, until it ran out of battery. We continued to track our progress against the various industrial works and the yellow, numbered waymarker bollards on each side of the channel. Only a narrow ridge of land separated us from the tidal Mersey Estuary and as we moved away from the oil refineries we were treated to a wonderful array of bird sightings; Little Egrets, Greylag Geese, Pied and Grey Wagtails, Sandpipers, Starlings and different gulls. It felt invigorating and exciting to be travelling somewhere so different to what we are used to.

Crossing the mouth of the River Weaver as it flowed into the ship canal, we spotted Marsh Lock and steered in, apologising to the two CRT lockies for our repeated delays. They were happy enough to see us and sanguine at our late arrival. Tossing the centerline up, we were tied to a sturdy mooring bollard while the gates were closed and supersized windlasses were used to open the upstream paddles. Although the rise wasn't substantial, the lock was one of the largest we've been in and would certainly fit over 20 narrowboats inside, with one CRT official quoting 29!

Jubilant and relieved, we exited Marsh Lock and backed up to the floating pontoon adjacent. The trip had taken lot of research, planning, trying to get hold of people who didn't answer phones, £85 for the Seaworthiness Certificate, £55 for passage on the Manchester Ship Canal and a certain amount of courage. It didn't go to plan at times but there were no disasters and it was exhilarating in many ways. We were here, on the 20 mile long River Weaver, where we would spend the rest of summer. We were both happy and content, able to look back with a sense of achievement and forward with expectation.Baca lagi
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Catherine FoulkesWell done guys!
18/07/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsThanks Cath!
18/07/25BalasTerjemah
PengembaraSounds like that was quite an experience. Glad you're safely over it.
20/07/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsIt was! We'll be better informed for the return journey!
20/07/25BalasTerjemah
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
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Runcorn Rowing Club
14 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
It was a relief to pull into moorings along from Runcorn Rowing Club and spend our first few nights on the River Weaver. Getting here via the Manchester Ship Canal had taken a lot of planning, organisation and was rather stressful so it was good to be able to relax.

The river is wide at this point but levels are low and the flow hardly noticeable. We were the only boat moored against the grassy path. The only other craft we saw during our stay were the rowing boats, kayaks and the safety boat.

On the first evening Vicky spotted a couple of people from the club struggling to haul something out of the water. She asked Will to come outside and went to offer help. It turned out to be the road trailer for the safety boat that must have rolled down the concrete slope when nobody was looking. Will got handed a metal scaffolding pole and got to work levering the trailer up against the river wall while the others hauled with all their might. Little by little the trailer emerged and finally gained dry land once again. The members were very grateful. Unfortunately while all this was going on, Leo took advantage and was found round the side of one of the buildings, face thrust inside one of 7 black bin bags. It was a struggle to keep him from returning each time he stepped off Rainboat.

During a welcome day of rain Vicky enjoyed crafting a birthday card for her Dad and Will sewed himself a new cooking apron. It was a lovely place to stay apart from the noise of the M56 flyover, but we only noticed it when there wasn't any other sounds to concentrate on.Baca lagi
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Pengembara I see those in our garden :)
20/07/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsWhat a joy! Are you going to take part in the Big Butterfly Count?
20/07/25BalasTerjemah
PengembaraProbably, if I remember ;) One of my college friends goes moth trapping at night. She's always been involved in the natural world one way or another.
21/07/25BalasTerjemah
5 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Stinky Sutton Weaver
16 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
The River Weaver navigation is only 20 miles long. We intend to spend the rest of the summer here so we didn't feel the need to travel far and moored at Sutton Weaver, just a short way upstream. We passed under the impressive Weston Viaduct and passed by a beautiful boat called the Danniel Adamson. It was getting some TLC from enthusiastic volunteers who were painting and polishing. 'The Danny' as it is affectionately known is a 1903 steam powered canal tug, designed for towing strings of barges. Today she is under the care of a charity who run themed cruises along the Weaver and Manchester Ship Canal.

Continuing on and passing under Sutton Swing Bridge we were hit by the most gut wrenching stink. We pulled in at the moorings assuming it would go away but it persisted all evening 🤢 It smelled like rotting flesh or some strange kind of sewage. Will spotted a muck spreader but we don't know if it was coming from this or a farm or factory.

Vicky finished off her Dad's card and Will went to post it while she rested. He then sat on the stern with his fishing poles. Unfortunately Mr Whiskers has discovered that fish occasionally dangle from the end of these poles and that he likes to eat fish. It is now a battle for Will to safely remove his catch from the hook and return it before Whiskers gets his claws in 😪

The river flow had picked up a little after rain overnight and the water was clear for a good way down so Will got his homemade rope ladder and went for a cooling swim. Feeling summery, he then got the bbq and made some pittas to go with the vegetable skewers, passing food in to a tired Vicky through the side hatch.

The smell had gone from the boat when we woke the next morning. Will took the bike to get some shopping but encountered the foul aroma again when he crossed the swing bridge. Concluding that the wind might well change back, we moved on before lunch. It's a shame because otherwise it was a nice mooring within decent distance of shops.Baca lagi
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Blackamoor Wood
17 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
We've discovered our paradise and it's on the River Weaver. This waterway has plenty of official moorings but as far as we understand, boaters are allowed to wild moor where the bank is suitable. We were chugging along upstream when Will spotted a linear meadow sandwiched between the water and a mature mixed woodland that climbed a steep bank. He hauled Rainboat into a U turn and floated her gently back downstream until we came to a part of the grassy bank that was just the right height to step out on to.

After hammering in the mooring pins we scouted out our surroundings. Young Marsh Thistles grew amongst the cow pats and cropped grass at Rainboat's stern. Farther inland flowering thistles were almost drowned out by rampant yellow Ragwort. The air was filled with butterflies, bees, wasps and a plethora of unknown pollinators, along with a few flying insects we knew all too well; horse and deer flies. A farm track ran the length of the land but in the 4 nights we stayed, only a small herd of bullocks and two walkers used it.

Fields and a couple of distant farm houses occupied the opposite bank, with not a road in sight. It was blissfully peaceful. The track was great for Vicky's chair and the dogs enjoyed not having to wade through long grass or the spiky stalks left after strimming. On walks we spotted loads of Small White, Large White, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper and Peacock butterflies as well as a Comma and a Small Blue. Swallows fed their young who were fledged, perched and cheeping in a hawthorn bush and we were each lucky enough to see the two resident Kingfishers flying by.

Will was in his element, fishing, canoeing and diving into the water from the stern when the days got too hot. We'd have stayed longer but we needed food shopping and to dispose of rubbish. We do however plan to return on our way back down the Weaver.Baca lagi
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Catherine FoulkesSounds idyllic
23/07/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsIt was 🙂🦋
24/07/25Balas
PengembaraLovely :)
24/07/25Balas
Vicky 'n' Will's Travels🥰
24/07/25Balas
6 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
1
Acton Bridge
21 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Cruising on the Weaver is a pleasure. It is a wonderful green corridor with occasional industrial interludes and it's wide enough to turn around whenever we want. The current isn't strong so Rainboat's engine doesn't need to strain and mooring is easy. The locks are large and staffed by CRT employees who only ask that we throw them our centre line They then tie to a bollard before doing everything that's needed, while we sit and twiddle our thumbs. Tiger is finding the easy going and open aspects less stressful too.

Will encountered another narrowboat on a canoe trip yesterday and today we passed another. Two narrowboats in a week! A far cry from any of our waterway travels to date. We discovered on social media that we are effectively trapped on the river, although our plan was already to stay here over the summer. We can't go back because the Shropshire Union canal has drained between Ellesmere Port and Chester due to a breach The Anderton Boat Lift which would take us to the Trent and Mersey is closed due to a problem with its river gates and we can't rejoin the canal system further up the Manchester Ship Canal because low water levels have forced closure at the top end. We are not alone. There are canal closures throughout the UK as a result of drought and breakages.

We moored at the bollards just before Acton Swing Bridge. There was a short scramble up a steep grass bank onto Dutton Bridleway but this was paved and therefore easy for Vicky's chair and the dogs' short legs. One direction led towards a CRT dredging site and the other towards a small car park with boater bins and water tap. Unfortunately the bins were used by non boaters and overflowing and the tap wasn't working. Will called the CRT to report it and they said they'd get someone out to investigate but it still wasn't working when we left after two nights.

The towpath took us under the bridge and a small track linked it to the Leigh Arms; an independent pub. It had been refurbished and the thoughtful decor provided interest and relaxation. The food was delicious and Vicky was in the rare situation of being spoilt for choice of vegan options. It was a real treat and we'll definitely revisit if we moor here again.Baca lagi
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Pengembara First pic of your chair that I've seen, Vicky. :)
9/08/25BalasTerjemah
3 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
2 2 2
Barnton
23 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
As usual the cruising was easy. We passed through Saltersford Locks and the lockie was happy to see us; they've all been getting bored with the lack of boats. There's only so much grass you can cut and limited other jobs to keep them occupied on shift.

Mooring was more difficult, we were in need of a shop but the first place we stopped (Winnington Swing Bridge) was open to the adjacent road, noisy and not safe for the furries. We turned back and Will found us a lovely quiet, wide stretch of towpath near Barnton. It was peaceful and had a strip of wildflowers which pressed up against Rainboat's windows when we pulled in. Unfortunately access to the shops was difficult. Will set off on the bike the next day. One public footpath leading off the towpath was too overgrown so he doubled back and found one in the other direction that was slightly more passable. Further on, in contradiction to official council footpath signs, others claimed there was no public right of way. Will eventually reached the store but not liking to be where he wasn't wanted, he tried a different route on the way back, only to find access to the river was blocked. It took some perseverance but he eventually returned to Rainboat in need of a rest.

We sat out with the dogs that evening and barbecued vegetable skewers to go with the homemade pittas Will had prepared. It was a wonderfully relaxing evening.Baca lagi
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PengembaraVery frustrating when footpaths aren't being kept as they should be. My walking friends often comment about that.
9/08/25BalasTerjemah
Pengembara Being on a river must make for more interesting aspects, I should think.
9/08/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsYes, there have been some scary floods in the past!
15/08/25BalasTerjemah
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
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Anderton Boat Lift
25 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Anderton Boat Lift is one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. Known as the Cathedral of the Canals it is one of only two working boat lifts in the UK, although it is temporarily out of action while the river gates are fixed. We'd been looking forward to exploring it ever since we began our life afloat and had hoped to take a trip on it with our sister and brother in law Sue and John.

Built in 1875 to transport boats carrying salt, pottery, coal and other goods between the Trent and Mersey Canal and the River Weaver 50 feet below, the lift is now 150 years old and a weekend festival was being held to celebrate this significant anniversary. A Victorian theme had been chosen, linking in to the time period when the lift had first begun operation.

We moored at the visitor pontoon on Friday and Will set out to explore. Exhibitions and information stands were being set up ready for the next day and a BBQ and drinks tent had been layed on for the workers, volunteers, performers and CRT executives that seemed to be having a pre-festival gathering.

Will was concerned about the 1 day mooring restriction as we really wanted to stay for the whole festival. The pontoon was half empty and given the small number of boats currently active on the Weaver it was unlikely to fill up. He set about asking the people milling around, who directed him to other people milling around. He eventually got to a smart looking person in a purple shirt and name tag. He said he didn't know but that he'd find the regional manager and check it out. It was only once this smart looking person had left that his companions said to Will "you do know who that was don't you?!?". They then informed him that he'd just asked Richard Parry, the outgoing Chief Executive Officer of the Canal and River Trust, to find out whether we could stay a few extra days at some moorings 😂 Give him his due, Richard returned with the Regional Manager who was happy for us to stay for the whole festival and even said we could move to the lift moorings during the day for better access if we wanted! Pleased and a little embarrassed, Will celebrated with a BBQ burger and pint.

The following morning, music drifted across from the festival ground. We took the dogs on a short walk in the nearby parkland then harnessed them up and headed towards the music. First things first we enqiured at reception about the Lift Walk Tours. They'd all been booked for today but we could book places online for Sunday. They weren't wheelchair accessible so we had a good look at where we'd be going and decided Vicky could rest on the floor during the tour and all the next day if necessary. She really wanted to do it.

Initially we hadn't been overly excited by the Victorian theme but watching Barnton Circus perform with ribbons, poy, hula hoops and a trapeze soon had us grinning from ear to ear. There were visual illusions for our minds to boggle at and an early coal and steam powered fire engine that would have been pulled by a horse. Old counterweights had been removed from the top of the lift and stacked to create a maze. It was good wholesome fun on a sunny day and we loved it. The food tent provided us with drinks and we tried to keep our hot dog and flapjack away from a persistent Leo and a hopeful Tiger Lilly. Even Leo was getting tired with all the strokes people wanted to give him by the time we returned along the grassy path to Rainboat.

The following day began with the highly anticipated Lift Tour. Places are rarely available so we were thrilled to get two. Unfortunately the four others on our tour weren't there at the start time. Mike our guide waited a little while, then began without them. They turned up after 10minutes, stayed for the first part of the talk then said they were too scared of heights to go on, so had to be let back out of the enclosure. It was a shame for others who could have taken their place but as a result Mike gave us all of his attention, altering the tour a little to give Vicky the chance to perch on steps and pipes. A former teacher, Mike was an amazing storyteller, conjuring visions of several hundred years ago when the river had been a third of its current width and a local businessman dug down in search of coal and discovered salt instead. Instead of a 50 minute talk, he spent well over an hour telling us about the history of the area, the construction and various versions of the boat lift and how it worked. He listened to our interests and shared his knowledge in these areas. It was brilliant. Although Vicky was tired she was also high on adrenaline when the tour eventually came to an end and we rolled into the visitor centre café for a vegan 'fish finger' sandwich and panini.

The enthusiastic performer Mr Alexander had been in front of his stage most of the weekend juggling various items and performing little tricks for the kids gathered around on woven carpets. His last scheduled performance was fast approaching so Vicky nipped back in the chair to fetch the dogs and we joined the growing crowd. Here was a person who truly loved to entertain. The smiles on people's faces seemed to fuel his half hour act in which he told humorous tales, unicycled, juggled and made objects disappear and reappear. Children and adults alike were spellbound and it was the best ending to our weekend at Anderton!Baca lagi
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PengembaraSounds absolutely super and the tour especially :)
9/08/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsA really fun weekend 😆
15/08/25BalasTerjemah
Pengembara Great to see a photo of you both together :)
9/08/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsThanks Jane 😊
15/08/25BalasTerjemah
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Northwich
28 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
It was a short distance between Anderton and Northwich but we had to go through Hunts Lock which was being surveyed with a sonar scanner mounted on a little boat in preparation for repairs. It wasn't a long delay and interesting to see.

The gated access pontoon moorings were adjacent to the Odeon, BEAR restaurant and a few bars. It was an excellent spot for access to the town centre but poor for furry facilities. Leo poddled up and down the pontoon but there was nowhere nearby suitable for walking him and Tiger Lilly. Abby is mostly boat bound but Whiskers found it very frustrating not being able to roam and didn't feel comfortable toileting on the pontoon.

We treated ourselves to lunch at BEAR and Vicky had a delicious lemon and pistachio cake for desert. She'd visited BEAR in Stone with her stepmum as a birthday treat and was keen to go again as there were lots of plant based options.

On the first day found a little wood on the other side of the river to walk the dogs and the following day we carted them to the other side of town to a walk along a tributary. It was a long way to go for a relatively short time off lead but the atmosphere was good, with other dogs and families with young children enjoying the good weather.

Northwich has made a real effort with street decoration and we really warmed to it. The highstreet was busy for a weekday and we enjoyed a round of charity shopping. The Weaver is still essentially locked down with no access to the Shropshire Union Canal or the Trent and Mersey so we knew we'd be back before long.Baca lagi
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4 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Vale Royal Visitor Moorings
30 Julai 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
From busy urban Northwich, the furries were desperate for some time out in the country. We found the perfect moorings just beyond Vale Royal locks. A long stretch of grass and gravel towpath backed by wetland and native woods meant the dogs could trot up and down to their hearts' content and Whiskers could stalk amongst the foliage all he wanted.

Runners, cyclists and a few walkers passed by but it was far enough away from civilisation not to be busy. A bench was situated right outside, which Whiskers used to charm a captive audience. Will swam, canoed and fished and Vicky relaxed and took short walks with Leo, Tiger and Whiskers. It was blissful.Baca lagi
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PengembaraEven a bench to sit on and watch the world go by :)
17/08/25BalasTerjemah
4 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
2
Winsford Marina, the end of navigation
2 Ogos 2025, England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
The River Weaver is only navigable for 20 miles and today we reached its upper limit. A sign at Wharton Road Bridge (which also happened to be our 14th Silver Propeller Site) announced we were passing beyond CRT jurisdiction. Fifty metres later we turned and backed into Winsford Marina; empty of other boats but full of swans. Mooring was a little difficult as the sides were silted up in places but we settled ourselves in to a spot by a handy tap. Wooden decking encircled the water. Weeds poked through and it had holes where the weathered boards had cracked but it was a nice touch. Metal railings with a gate on each side bordered this, separating us from other visitors who came to feed the swans. A cut grass green edged by trees lay between us and the river channel and benches were used by locals as meeting points or just places to sit and read a book. A lot of thought and money had gone into creating the whole area and it was still very popular despite falling into slight disrepair.

In the late afternoon we took the dogs for a stroll. Vicky wasn't feeling great so was grateful the paths were suitable for her chair. Part way through the walk she began to get chest pains and breathing difficulties. She's had these before but they usually stop after a while. These were more painful and didn't stop so when we got back to Rainboat Will called 111. They asked a long list of questions then sent an ambulance. The ambulance crew tested Vicky's blood pressure and pulse which was above 100bpm, then did an ECG. This was normal but they decided to take her to Leighton Hospital A&E to get checked out. Being a Saturday evening we were stuck there for the next 15.5 hours, only returning to Rainboat at 08:30 the following morning. Poor Leo had barked himself hoarse and Whiskers was desperate for a pee. The hospital ruled out everything obvious but the doctor looked blank when ME was mentioned. Reading up on the internet afterwards it isn't uncommon for these episodes to occur with people who have ME. At least the staff brought free tea, coffee, juice biscuits and cakes around a few times throughout the night!

We slept through the morning then decided to return to Vale Royal moorings to relax and recover properly.Baca lagi
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PengembaraHope Vicky has recovered.
17/08/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsI'm doing alright thanks Jane x
19/08/25BalasTerjemah
Pengembara lovely photo :)
17/08/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsShe's such a sweetheart 🧡
19/08/25BalasTerjemah
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Vale Royal #2
3 Ogos 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
After a rather stressful time at Winsford we tracked down and retrieved Mr Whiskers then headed back to Vale Royal Moorings to unwind and see out the named srorm that was forecast.

It felt good to be somewhere a little familiar and although Floris brought sharp gusts and a huge rain dump, the mooring lines held tight to the rings and the river level didn't rise enough to cause us any problems. Once the extreme weather had passed we took Leo and Tiger along the towpath and Mr Whiskers decided to join us too. Alongside the path are a series of small bogs which turn into larger ponds and eventually a lake surrounded by trees. Some are long dead and their stripped silver white trunks stand in stark contrast to the myriad of greens, oranges and yellows in the lush surrounding foliage. Ducks have flattened reeds on the sloping banks to congregate and preen their feathers while three herons have their various perching spots higher up. We'd often hear buzzards' familiar cries and look up to see them circling. Just what the doctor ordered!Baca lagi
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Catherine FoulkesGreat description. Could really imagine it.
19/08/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsAww, thanks Cath, it really was a lovely setting 💚
20/08/25BalasTerjemah
4 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Winsford pub moorings
6 Ogos 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
The furries favourite uncle was coming to stay on board for a few nights and we'd arranged to meet him at Winsford. We'd given Al the location of the marina car park but decided to moor the preceding night at the CRT pontoon just before the end of navigation, close to the Red Lion pub. It would hopefully be less busy and had good access to a walking trail leading alongside the Weaver. By staying here we didn't need to worry about swans, swan food left on the ground or cars.

Will went and stocked up on food and beers at the nearby ASDA before doing a bit of tidying. Whiskers ended up joining Vicky and the dogs on a walk past a lovely wildflower meadow but got scared by the sight of a big dog and darted into the bushes. The path was pretty busy and Vicky didn't want to call him out to another situation where he'd get scared so she returned with just the dogs. At dusk she went back out and he popped out of the bushes at pretty much the same point he went in, walking by Vicky's side all the way back home.

Traffic noise from the bridge was quite loud into the night and started early in the morning. As we were getting ready to go on another dog walk Vicky looked around and couldn't see Leo. One of us had accidentally left the stern gate open and he'd taken his opportunity to escape. We quickly began calling his name and a woman with a large dog directed us to the Red Lion. Apparently he was inside! We found him getting some fuss in the beer garden but as Vicky retreated with Leo tucked under her arm, a bar attendant called her back to say he'd piddled inside. She returned on the walk of shame with cloth, water and enzymatic spray to deal with the tuppence sized drop on the wooden floor. Apparently Leo had misunderstood that pubs are places where people get p*ssed, not places to p*ss in! 😵‍💫Baca lagi
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PengembaraGlad the escapees came home safely :)
17/08/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsLife is never boring with furries 🥴
19/08/25BalasTerjemah
4 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
2 2 2 2
A visit from Al and the Manderscheids
7 Ogos 2025, England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Vicky's wonderful brother Alastair had finally secured a fortnight's holiday from his lorry driving job and was coming to visit us for a couple of days! We love Al's company and so do the furries. Vicky had gone a bit mad on Ebay and Al's boot was stuffed with her purchases. We met at Winsford Marina whose car park was free and close enough to cart the packages from car to boat after a sudden torrential rainstorm had passed.

Following a cuppa and catch up, Will took Al on a mini pub crawl while Vicky rested. The boys brought a Chinese takeaway back which we ate before cruising to the quiet moorings at Vale Royal. The cats were a lot happier to come and go here and we didn't need to worry about the Leo annoying the swans or stealing their food.

Over the two nights spent here Al had time to unwind and make a big fuss of Abby and Whiskers. He misses having cats and being favourite uncle to our two is the next best thing. Abby certainly perked up with his presence and he even got her to play with a wand toy!

On Saturday we returned to Winsford and Al drove us to get a couple of large bags of cat litter to save us the trouble of lugging them back on foot. He helped Vicky choose a few toys to enliven Abby and a pizzle stick for Leo who had come along for the ride.

As if Al's visit hadn't been enough of a treat, our niece, nephew, great niece, nephew and partner had arranged to have lunch with us on their way between the first and second part of their holiday! Rainboat was too small and Winsford didn't have anywhere to eat so the eight of us met at the Kingfisher pub five minutes' drive away. Since moving on to the boat we haven't seen as much of them as when we lived in the van. We really appreciated the chance for us both to catch up with them m.

After desert we nipped back to Rainboat hoping Mr Whiskers would be around for Kaiya and Sophie to say hi to. Unfortunately his tracker was out of range but Abby, Leo and Tiger Lilly got extra love in his place. All too soon it was time for Vicky, Dave, Kaiya, Peter and Sophie to leave for the second part of their holiday so we said our goodbyes.

Vicky and Al found Whiskers relaxing beneath some thick bushes and walked him back to Rainboat. They then packed the last of Vicky's luggage into the car and began the long trip back up north while Will set off for Vale Royal moorings once again.

What a wonderful time catching up with family. Thank you everyone for visiting us!Baca lagi
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Pengembara That's lovely to see :)
23/08/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsIt is isn't it? He spends a lot of time outside in this fine weather but comes inside every so often for cuddles.
24/08/25BalasTerjemah
Pengembara Love the look ;)
23/08/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's Travels😂
24/08/25Balas
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
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Northwich Piña Colada Festival 🍍
14 Ogos 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Now that we've traveled as far up the River Weaver as possible we are going to take a blogging break. We'll be pootling back and forth up and down the river over the next month and will only post if there is something particularly interesting. Which brings us on to Northwich's Piña Colada Festival!

In 2021 it came to light that Rupert Holmes, the person who wrote and sung 'Escape (the Piña Colada song)' was born in Northwich. Ever since then the town has been celebrating this claim to fame with a summer festival. We knew that Northwich was a vibrant town that put a lot of effort into attracting people and trade to its streets. This was the best example of these efforts.

The fun began at midday and ran until 6pm. The place was packed with people wearing Hawaiian shirts, tropical print dresses and flower leis of different colours. It seemed that every high street business had done something special. Shop fronts, pubs and cafés were decorated with pineapples, flowers and bunting. Outdoor tables served freshly made piña coladas; each with it's own twist. One place even served them up in hollowed out pineapples!

The cocktails were expensive but there were a whole load of free activities. Live music blasted from stages at both ends of town and/simple fairground stalls including 'hook a flamingo' and a coconut shy were popular with the kids. Several tonnes of sand donated by a local construction firm was laid out as an urban beach. This kept the little ones happy as their parents put their feet up and watched on from deckchairs. A community of knitters and crocheters had been exceptionally busy; handmade pineapples and flowers decorated post boxes, bollards and railings, lending a Hawaiian feel to Northwich (albeit a woolly one!)

Piña Coladas are normally too sweet for Will but he immersed himself in the spirit of the celebration and sampled a few, while Vicky enjoyed a virgin version. There was such a good feel to the day; everyone seemed happy and up for some fun. Later on Will caught the final parade of drummers, dancers in rainbow tutus and human butterflies. It was a day we'll remember with a smile on our faces!

The pontoon moorings outside the Odeon were full but we moored a little way upriver alongside a stretch of grass, separated from a private residents' area by railings and a concrete wall. It was so much better for the furries than the pontoon and we spent the afternoons outside in the shade of the wall. We knew Heidi the Pirate (a YouTube vlogger we've followed for years) was on the Weaver so we were happy but not surprised when she moored along from us with her little French Bulldog rescue Bonnie. In keeping with her pirate persona Heidi likes a nip of rum so she couldn't possibly have passed up a visit to a festival all about a rum based cocktail! Her followers often gift interesting bottles of rum to her, which she features on her videos. Will had picked up some alcohol free Captain Morgan rum, which she jokingly told him he could keep! It's always a pleasure when you meet someone you enjoy watching and they are just the same genuine person as they present online. Leo and Tiger enjoyed playing a little with Bonnie, who Heidi is trying to socialise. She has recently bought a 'new to her' boat that she's renamed 'The Jolly Roger' and had a great painting of her 'first mate' Bonnie done on the side.Baca lagi
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PengembaraSounds great. Your posts are always interesting and enjoyable. Look forward to more once you've enjoyed your break from being an online presence. :)
23/08/25BalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsAww, thanks Jane ☺️
24/08/25BalasTerjemah
Pengembara Nights are starting to draw in now, maybe we're beginning to notice because we've had more overcast skies.
23/08/25BalasTerjemah
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
2
Northwich Dry Dock
5–12 Sep 2025, England ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Every three or four years narrowboats need their bottoms blacked 😳 The base and sides of the hull get scraped and bashed and exposed to all sorts of detritus and bacteria in the waters they travel through. To avoid rust taking a hold and eating away the steel, boats are taken out of the water and a new protective coating applied.

Northwich Dry Dock is located on an island near Hunt's Lock on the River Weaver and has a good reputation. Rainboat has been afloat for 28 months now and we have time to spare before any route off the Weaver opens up, so now was a good time to get this particular job ticked off.

Will got in touch with Matt and Rebekah who operate the dock and booked her in. At 15:30 on Friday 5th September we took the branch off the main navigation that led to a weir and the dry dock, located between two of the arches of Hunts Viaduct; a visually striking position. On arrival we found another narrowboat called Enigma already moored in the dock. Following Matt's directions, Will steered Rainboat in and we tied up to the starboard side.

Matt used the overhead gantry to lower the stop gate in. He carefully tied both boats to ropes which ran through pulleys and had weights on the end. Next, the paddle at the far end of the dock was opened, releasing a torrent of water into the navigation and gradually draining the dock. As the boats lowered with the water level, Matt and Rebekah kept a careful eye on their positions. Sturdy sleepers lay across the base of the dock and each boat came to lay gently on top of them as the water drained away.

The gantry crane was used to place a set of steps next to our stern so we could get on and off. Matt and Rebekah had thoughtfully put carpet onto them to make it easier for the dogs but each step was taller than Tiger so it was very tricky for them and we ended up carrying them. For the first two days Leo was too nervous to even descend the stone steps into the empty dock so needed carrying up and down these as well!

Matt gave us the dock induction, including safety, facilities and routes on and off the island. Some people choose to do the work themselves but it is very labour intensive and Vicky had persuaded Will that it was a good idea to let Matt, who had done it many times before, undertake the task for us.

The job started almost immediately with Matt blasting away the original blacking with a pressure hose. It was filthy work which required him to lay underneath Rainboat and get covered in the black layer of detritus as it peeled off. He worked fast. Once the hull was blasted back to the steel, he checked it over for damage and pitting, applied some anti rust paint in places and between spells of rain painted on two coats of Two Pack Epoxy over the next 5 days. We chose this instead of bitumen because it is more durable and adheres better. While the new blacking was left to dry Matt wrestled to remove our propeller. It had been damaged over the course of our adventures, probably due to frequent grounding on the shallower canals. It was a real struggle to remove and surprisingly heavy. With a shiny new prop installed and her unblemished coat of paint, Rainboat's underside was gleaming.

It was a strange experience living in the dock for a week. The sound of water streaming through small gaps in the stopgate was a constant and a little disconcerting considering the river level on the other side was above our heads. Trains slowed when they crossed the viaduct but even so, the rumble and vibrations could be heard and felt inside Rainboat. Whiskers didn't feel confident enough to use the stairs so spent the entire time cooped up inside, sitting on the stern or prowling the rooftop. We walked the dogs on the island, being careful to keep them away from Matt and Rebekah's hens. A bridge led to a path along one side of the river and we could cross Hunts Locks to access a park on the other side. Leo liked this route best because it passed the lock hut where CRT people often fed him treats. Northwich was a reasonable walk away so we only went a few times.

When the week had passed we were more than ready to regain our sea legs and enjoyed watching the paddles open, refilling the dock and refloating our boats. We noticed straight away what a big difference the new propeller made to how smoothly Rainboat sailed so were very glad we'd had it fitted.

Thank you to Matt and Rebekah for the work you put in and for allowing us to stay on board. It was a lot easier doing this than rehoming ourselves and the four furries for the week! The closure of Anderton Boat Lift and Marsh Lock means Northwich Dry Dock Company will struggle for business while the Weaver is cut off from the rest of the canal and rivers network. We do hope they make it through.Baca lagi
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Pengembara What's this please?
2 hrBalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsIt's a sacrificial anode, used to take the majority of the rust to save the hull. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_anode
1 hrBalasTerjemah
PengembaraOnly just picked up on this today - don't know why I missed it.
2 hrBalasTerjemah
Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsI've been catching up after leaving the Weaver so only just posted it.
1 hrBalasTerjemah
3 suka
Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Northwich Christmas Celebration
29 November 2025, England ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
Time had ticked by and we found ourselves approaching Christmas. Neither Anderton Boat Lift (nicknamed Anderton Broke Lift) or Marsh Lock had been fixed, meaning we were still on the River Weaver. We'd come to really love Northwich and it's small businesses and had been looking forward to celebrating the festive season here.

Christmas kicked off on Saturday 29th November when Will donned his novelty waistcoat with golden snowflakes on and we headed into town for the Northwich Christmas Extravaganza! The weather was cold and rainy so we wrapped up warm with waterproof clothing and began to explore the stalls. Unlike the Piña Colada Festival in summer, most of them were run by the high street shops. As frequent visitors there was little new to look at but we did enjoy a go on the free 'chuck a pudding' game and saying hi to the stallholders. The weather didn't encourage a ride on the ferris wheel so we moseyed on round to Baron's Quay where Will found a bratwurst stall for his lunch.

After warming up on Rainboat we walked to the Harlequin Theatre where we'd booked seats for the matinée performance of The Hogfather, adapted from a Terry Pratchett discworld novel. We'd watched the small company's performance of 1982 the pervious month and it had been top notch so we were really looking forward to this. We weren't disappointed. It was a high quality adaptation with humour and great acting.

From the theatre we went straight to Waitrose car park and the start of the lantern parade. Volunteers were giving out free mince pies and mulled wine and children were attaching their handmade lanterns to sticks. Snow geese floated above the crowd on flexible poles and soon a giant snow queen puppet led the procession up the high street to the sound of drum beats from the marching band in Christmas fancy dress. It was an amazing atmosphere, with crowds lining the walkway and turning in to follow on behind. Everyone assembled in the square at Baron's Quay where a Radio Northwich DJ was broadcasting from the stage and lights bedecked a large Christmas tree ready to turn on. By this time we were both very cold. With fireworks due to accompany the lighting of the tree we made our way back to the furries so we'd be there to reassure them. The big switch on was broadcast on Facebook and we watched the fireworks from the boat while Leo and Tiger happily tucked into peanut butter licky mats. Thank you Northwich. What a way to kick off the Christmas season!Baca lagi
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Breaking Ice to Escape the Weaver
5 Januari, England ⋅ 🌙 -2 °C
The Canal and River Trust had announced they would manually open Marsh Lock (whose electrics are broken) on 7th January. They made it clear they may not be opening it again for some time. Keen to leave the River Weaver and get back to touring the canals, we booked Rainboat's passage through Marsh and along the Manchester Ship Canal to the end of the Shropshire Union Canal at Ellesmere Port.

We then had some very sad news a few weeks before Christmas. Our good friend Andrea passed away unexpectedly in her sleep at the age of 59. We lived on Andrea's farm for nearly three years in between touring Europe and moving on to Rainboat. She left behind her partner Simon, with four horses, two collies and two geese. We put Rainboat into Northwich Quay marina, hired a car and moved ourselves and the four furries up to the isolated Northumberland farm for a fortnight over Christmas and New Year, staying in the old static van Andrea had bought. Vicky helped look after the horses and we tried to be around for Simon.

Staying in the van in sub zero temperatures was tough but it wouldn't have been fair to move our furries into the house. Whiskers was scared of the collies, Tiger was scared of the younger dog Milo and Leo suffered from being left alone while we did the horses or spent time with Simon. We hope our stay did Simon some good.

Three days before we were due to leave the Weaver we drove back to Northwich. The three hour journey took five hours because of the M6 being closed to repair a railway bridge. Despite freezing temperatures it was 2.5°C on board when we arrived because Will's wonderful friend Adrian Chattaway, who was also at Northwich Quay marina had been running Rainboat's engine most days to charge the batteries and putting the heating on for an hour to keep her from icing up. We'd met Adrian and Alison of Narrowboat Yorkshire Tyke on the Llangollen Canal and they'd celebrated Will's 70th birthday with him at Ellesmere. Adrian had welcomed Will into the group of boaters who met every week at Baron's Lounge for 'Thirsty Thursdays' when we met again on the Weaver.

As Will ferried luggage from the hire van to the boat it began to snow. By bed time there was a proper covering and we woke the following morning to a world blanketed in white. After returning the car, shopping and dropping off a 'thank you' bottle of JD for Adrian he piloted Rainboat out of the quay and downriver for the last time. Despite the cold temperatures the channel hadn't frozen and we assumed that because there was a flow, there wouldn't be a problem. Well you know what they say about assuming don't you...

Just after passing Anderton Boat Lift we encountered our first stretch of ice. It was thicker than we'd ever traveled through on the canals but we needed to keep going because we'd arranged for CRT lockies to work us through Saltersford and Dutton Locks the following morning. The boat shuddered and lurched as the ice creaked and snapped at the bow, scraping along the newly blacked steel hull. Whiskers darted under the bed, then emerged to cuddle with Vicky, Leo reacted as he usually does to anything unknown, by barking his head off and Tiger trembled and clung to Vicky, despite anti anxiety medication we'd given her before setting off. The ice continued for a couple of hundred metres and we managed to get through. It was sometimes necessary to reverse Rainboat to build up speed and ram the thicker parts. We encountered several more patches where the sun hadn't thawed the frozen water, the last being at our destination; the floating pontoon at Saltersford Lock. It was too thick to break here, so we improvised by tying up to the high concrete wall at the lock entrance. We had to lift the dogs up and down for their walks but they weren't that keen to be outside anyway as Leo was too cold and the snow clumped painfully in Tiger's paws. We kept the cats in for safety, much to Whiskers' disapproval.

It rained heavily overnight which helped to thaw some of the ice but it was still a struggle to get into the lock when the CRT arrived the following morning. Vicky stood on the bow with the barge pole, spearing it through the ice to weaken it in the direction we wanted to turn. She did this again when we reached Dutton Lock. The ice was 2-3 inches thick here and very difficult to get through. Unbeknown to us a person called Sam Harmer was out to capture photos of the snow covered landscape with his drone. He took a few photos and a video of our exploits which you can see below. Thanks Sam!

Once through Dutton Lock well moored on the lock landing and rested, giving the ice ahead a little more time to thaw. With our passage through Marsh Lock booked for 11:20am the following day we wanted to get a couple more miles under our belts, so 'cracked on' after an hour or so.

A couple of miles from Marsh Lock the light fading. Will tried to reach the bank by the boat club, but again the ice was too thick, forcing him to reverse up and moor at the floating pontoon behind the restored Daniel Adamson tug boat; now a popular trip and event boat.

That night a front of warmer air and rain moved in and thankfully melted most of the ice so it was easily broken by Rainboat's bow. It unfortunately brought with it winds of 18mph with gusts of 33mph 😪 Our usual cutoff for travel is 15mph but needs must. Will wrapped up warm and ploughed through the now thinner patches of ice to arrive safely at Marsh Lock with an hour to spare before it was due to be opened. Well done Will!Baca lagi
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Manchester Ship Canal
7 Januari, England ⋅ 🌬 5 °C
The long awaited day had arrived. We were due to leave the River Weaver! There are two routes on and off the river. Anderton Boat Lift, the most popular, takes boats to and from the Trent and Mersey Canal. It has been broken since 3rd January 2025 and it's going to be well into 2027 before it is operational again. Marsh Lock gives access to the Manchester Ship Canal, from where narrowboats can travel to the Shropshire Union at Ellesmere Port or the Bridgewater Canal at Manchester. It has been out of action since 12th September owing to electrical safety concerns and there is no estimate as to how long it will take to fix. There was a special manual opening, early in December and we'd booked Rainboat in to the only other opportunity on Wednesday 7th January.

We'd originally planned to travel along the Ship Canal to Manchester but the journey was too long to do in the daylight this time of year. Instead we'd arranged to return to where we'd come from; the Shropshire Union Canal at Ellesmere Port.

Over the last 3 days we'd driven a 5 hour journey back from Northumberland with four furries in a hire van and fought our way through ice on the river to get to Marsh Lock. Today we faced winds of 17mph with gusts of 33mph. We usually don't pilot Rainboat in anything over 15mph as her long sides and shallow draught mean she gets blown all over. We'd broken through thin ice to arrive at Marsh Lock that morning only to find the floating pontoon we were planning to moor at was half sunk. Improvising, we tied Rainboat half in and half out of the lock entrance.

It wasn't long before the CRT lockies arrived. Vicky was in the middle of washing up when they asked said they were opening up early, so she piled the plates up as best she could and Will reversed Rainboat out to make room for the lock gate to open. We'd expected to be part of a small flotilla. As it turned out we were the only boat leaving the river but there were five travelling from Ellesmere Port to the Weaver. The lock operators took it in turns to wind the massive handle opening the gates into, then out of Marsh Lock, warning us that it was very blustery out there. We needed to cross the River Mersey in order to reach the Ship Canal. The full force of the wind battered us together with side-on waves as soon as we exited the protection of the lock walls. Our adrenaline spiked and a crash from indoors was heard as Rainboat lurched to one side. It was pretty hairy! Luckily the only casualties were a couple of plates, a bowl, a kilner jar of Seville marmalade Will had just made and a chipped floor tile.

Things became easier once we'd crossed the Mersey and were heading into the wind and waves of the Ship Canal. We were grateful for Rainboat's 42bhp engine as she ploughed ahead, white spray crashing off her bow as she cut through the peaks. We met the other narrowboats half way. The sun was in our eyes so we didn't realise it at the time but the first couple were piloted by Matt and Rebekah Parrot who owned Northwich Dry Dock and had blacked Rainboat in September!

The wind and waves were a lot gentler when we reached Ellesmere Port. Despite having been there before it was very difficult to see where to turn in to the port. We ended up going past the entrance and turning back into it. This made it easier to avoid the bow being blown into the wall. Our hearts sank when we turned the corner and saw the Swing Bridge across Whitby Lock was closed. We'd needed to wait over an hour for the council to send someone out to open it in the summer and feared the same now. We were cold and knackered and there was nowhere to moor but in the lock under the bridge 🤦‍♀️ Vicky got on the phone to CRT who were in charge of our booking and after 15 minutes a lockie arrived to tell us the bridge operative shouldn't be long. Around half an hour after we'd got there we were backing out, ready to be worked through into the boat museum marina.

A further two narrow locks lay between us, the start of the start of the Shropshire Union and a place we could moor. As we wielded our windlasses for the first time in 6 months and winched open the gate paddles, Sue from the CRT turned up to check we'd got through the swing bridge- she'd tried to call Vicky back but there hadn't been any signal. It was very nice of her to check on us personally.

Feeling exhausted but exhilarated we finally tied Rainboat to the towpath mooring rings just a few hundred yards outside the boat museum. What an adventure. It had been exciting but we were very glad to be back on safe waters once again.Baca lagi
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PengembaraWow!
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Vicky 'n' Will's Travels😂 Yes, it was quite an 'adventure' 😬
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Rainboat Vicky 'n' Will's Travels
Return to the Shroppie at Ellesmere Port
7 Januari, England ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
After 6 months of river living we were finally back on a canal with access to the wider network. No more worrying about winter floods. Far more opportunities to moor, better provision of services like water and bins and the ability to roam and explore new places. Returning to the Shropshire Union had lots of positives but we would certainly miss the beauty and nature of the Weaver, the quiet rural moorings, the cafés and bars we'd got to know, not to mention the people. Adrian, Alison and the 'Thirsty Thursdays' crew from Northwich Quay marina, Jane, Ian, Georgia, Mojo, Clyde and Melody from Sandy Lane Equestrian as well as Paul from Northwich Art Shop and Jenna and Shaun from Dante's Boutique. They'd all become part of our lives and will be missed.

Also, we hate to say it, but Ellesmere is a bit of a dump. The towpath is littered with dog poo, rubbish and fly tipped items. The pristine white snow had melted, leaving a soggy, muddy mess behind, not improved by the weak and limited daylight. Nonetheless it was invigorating to be somewhere new. The boat museum and surroundings are mostly clean and well maintained so we headed to the Port and Anchor restaurant for lunch. It had advertised itself as open but alas there was no sign of life. We went to Plan B and made our way into town. A huge retail outlet called Cheshire Oaks has stolen most of the trade from the highstreet which is now filled with vape shops, takeaways and minimarts. It was a grey day with grubby streets but we enjoyed searching in the charity shops for replacement plates and found a food court in the indoor market. It was homely food sold cheaply on large plates. We found ourselves feeling glad the Port and Anchor was closed because we'd discovered a place with some life in it where the people behind the counter were either the owners or directly employed by them and invested in the business doing well.

We reckon Mr Whiskers picked up some little friends at the farm who had jumped ship to Tiger. The insides of her ears and end of her nose had come up in horrible itchy spots which were driving her to distraction. The small market pet shop didn't have any treatment but a nearby Jolleys did so we stocked up on Spot On to zap all four furries and crossed our fingers that would be the end of it. There weren't any vegan sweet treats in the market either but we'd spotted the cute looking Grace Tea Room on the high street, which turned out to have a choice of vegan cakes and a quirky selection of crockery. It is such a pleasure discovering gems like this in an initially unpromising area.Baca lagi
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Catherine FoulkesLovely to read about what you’re up to. Hope to see you in the not too distant future…xx
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Vicky 'n' Will's TravelsThanks Cath, looking forward to it 😆
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