Rainboat

Nantwich is a characterful, old and higgledy piggledy place. Its high canal embankment runs along the western edge of town. There are good transport links between here and Crewe, from where Will had booked a train to Newcastle to celebrate Ali's 40th birthday.

The day we arrived we stopped at Nantwich Marina to fill with diesel and collect the generator Will had called ahead and ordered. It was 2000W; more than twice the power of our first one. There was a 2 day limit on moorings along the towath running close to town. We were worried Vicky was going to have to move every few days while waiting for Will to return, but happily Richard from NB Maud of the Marsh reminded us that this does not apply in winter, when unless otherwise stated you can stay up to 14 days. The generator worked beautifully, keeping the batteries charged and allowing us to stay a full 10 days without running the engine. There were lots of boats moored along the embankment. We were glad it was off season as we'd have been hard pushed to find a space in the busier months. As well as Richard and his dog Jess on Maud, we saw Fran and Rich from Floating Our Boat, who we'd first met at Adlington while waiting for the Wigan Flight to reopen.

Will explored on the first day while Vicky settled in. That evening we treated ourselves to fish, chips and salad from the Greek takeaway on Welsh Row. The Greek owner gave Vicky a confused and pitying look when she said she was vegan. It really brought her back to our time in Greece where this response was the norm.

We spent our last day together wandering around Nantwich's alleys and pedestrianised centre. The church stands central and its grounds are open for everyone to pass through. We loved the old black and white buildings whose walls slanted and bulged to show they really were Tudor and not just of that style.

We rumaged through charity shops and revelled in the small independent businesses like The Cheese Shop, Sew Did I, a hardware shop and Ginger and Pickles bakers.

Charlie & co dog café was full of all sorts of canine customers from Dobermans to Daschunds, Border Collies to Bichon Frises. Vicky was in heaven, although it was a shame the food all came pre-made and the two vegan meals were out of stock. Will shared the salad and crisps from his baguette and we enjoyed a delicious slice of carrot cake.

While Will was quaffing whiskey in Speyside, Vicky kept herself busy tending to our plant troughs and giving Rainboat's roof a really good scrub. She collected some solar lights we'd ordered from ebay so the dogs could see the towpath when they hopped off for their evening toilet trip. Screwfix supplied us with a couple of large wheelbarrow wheels to string from the side of the boat and act as fenders. The Shropshire Union has a feature known as the Shroppie Shelf; a concrete ledge protruding underwater from the bank which would easily damage the hulls of moored boats. We'd seen lots of craft using these wheels to keep them away from the shelf and hoped they'd work for us.

Every Tuesday and Saturday Nantwich opened its small indoor market hall while outdoor stalls popped up around it. Many sold handmade gifts, a few sold rugs, household items, fruit and veg etc Vicky found an oak frame for Paul's Tawny Owl print and treated herself to some cyclamen and hyacinth bulbs.

Will returned on the Thursday in time for Friday evening's Christmas Lights switch on. The markets were given special licence to open and from 6pm was entertainment from the Lil Mix tribute band. A large crowd had gathered with adults imbibing mulled wine, Bailey's hot chocolate and pork baps while children waved clear balloons on sticks in the shape of unicorn and Mickey Mouse heads, flashing with multicoloured micro lights.
There was supposed to be a big count down at 7pm but Matt Terry from X Factor came on to sing three songs followed by actors from a local panto, the sponsors, the town crier, a radio dj, the mayor and more. The crowd became restless with impatience as the introductions and speeches were made and by the time the countdown came half an hour later, the earlier fizz of excitement had gone somewhat flat. Nonetheless the lights strung between the buildings and around the trees were beautiful. We especially liked the rainbow ones!Meer informatie