Mills and Real Hills - we must be in the North

In the last few days we've come to the end of the Macclesfield Canal and turned onto the Upper Peak Forest Canal and we are now moored in Bugsworth Basin.  We've climbed peaks in Cheshire and today in Derbyshire and even the dreadful weather on Sunday did not prevent us enjoying ourselves.

On Thursday we moved on from Congleton and moored on the Dane Aqueduct with fine views across the canal.  We then set off to climb the Cloud.

The Macclesfield Canal is famous for its 'changeover' bridges.  These were designed to take the horse over the canal when the towpath changed sides.  The genius of this sort of changeover bridge is that the horse does not need to be detached from the boat when crossing the canal.

Here is a view of The Cloud from the canal.  It is a lump of gritstone around 1100 feet above sea level with superb views all around.  It cried out to be climbed, so we did.

And here, a couple of hours later, is Helen on the top.  The view is looking North towards the Peak District.












On Friday we climbed the 12 Bosley Locks which took an age because one of the pounds higher up was dry and needed to be filled from above.  Consequently we had to sit in one of the lower locks waiting for boats and water coming down.

Here we are part way up the flight with the Cloud now drifting into the background.  The fence to the right hides a side pond, though these are no longer in use - perhaps the water supply would work better if they were!

We moored on Friday on the Gurnett Aqueduct (there are lots of aqueducts on this canal over roads, railways and rivers).  Down below was a fairly plain cottage which was famous only because James Brindley, the canal engineer, served his apprenticeship there.








After a walk into the neighbouring village of Sutton we had a meal at the Church House pub which was very welcoming and with a garden on the edge of the hills.  On Saturday we cruised on pretty slowly in shallow waters to Higher Poynton where we stayed two nights.  As Sunday was so wet we visited Lyme Park where at least we could tour the house in the dry even if it was a wet two mile walk to get there.

The title of this posting mentions the mills and this is the old Hovis Mill at Macclesfield, now converted into flats.  You can make out below it the boatyard with moorings beside the canal.

Did you know about the gorillas in Cheshire?  No, neither did we until we saw this chap watching us from a canalside garden.

And another mill, this time Clarence Mill at Bollington.  As you might guess the raw materials and the finished goods were transported by canal.

And another animal for you, this time a real one.  We've seen loads of Grey Herons but usually they fly away as the boat approaches them.  This one was much braver and stood in the water to have his picture taken.

This is part of the garden at Lyme Park.  Even in the intermittent pouring rain it was lovely.

And here is the outside of Lyme Park, built on money from the Lancashire Coalfields.  No pictures were allowed inside but it was sumptuous and very interesting.  The gardens featured in the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice.

We have a friend Iain who volunteers as a ranger in Lyme Park.  It doesn't look as if we will be able to see Iain and Ann as they are off shortly for a major overseas trip.  We spoke to one of the rangers who told us that Iain (and others) were working on this bit of dry stone wall, so Iain this is your wall featured for you!







 Yesterday in better weather we cruised up the rest of the Macclesfield Canal to Marple where we turned right on the Peak Forest Canal to Bugsworth.  The route has spectacular views over the Goyt Valley towards the Peak District and finishes in one branch at Whaley Bridge and another at Bugsworth where we are now.

We were gently cruising up the canal when there was a hoot and clouds of smoke and this traction engine went over the bridge in front of us.  Quite a sight.

And another mill - this one being Goyt Mill close to Marple.  They are lovely buildings and at the moment the novelty is such that Ian is taking pictures of every one.  No doubt the novelty will wear off.

The Peak Forest Canal has four lift or swing bridges in the six miles to Bugsworth.  We haven't done any of these for a while and had to brush up our technique.  Later we alternated with a boat called Kinder Rose so halving the work.

This sign was at the apex of a winding hole where the huge weed with the corrosive sap was growing in abundance.  Lucky we didn't want to turn round here!

Bugsworth was a major industrial site in the 1800s as a transhipment place for lime and stone brought down from the hills by tramway and loaded into canal boats for onward travel.  It has several basins all of which are open to visiting boats.  It is like mooring in a museum. Leo is moored in the Middle Basin Arm which used to have a building over the top so that quicklime could be loaded out of the weather.



Yesterday evening we welcomed our friends Dave and Wendy who live nearby at New Mills.  We had a good meal together at the Navigation Inn which is the building you can see behind Leo.  Today we walked over the hills to Whaley Bridge and then back via Eccles Pike, about 1200 feet up with lovely views all around.  Though there were plenty of showers we mostly seemed to miss them.

This is the White Horse in Whaley Bridge.  Not a particularly nice looking pub and unfortunately not open at lunch time.  However in 1863-4 Ian's great great grandfather was the innkeeper there!

Here is the view South East from Eccles Pike.  Combs reservoir in the middle distance is one of two round here that feed the canal with water.

And here is the view looking North with Kinder Scout in the background.  The village in the valley is Chinley which is the next place up the valley from Bugsworth.  We had a lovely walk and finished by walking down the old tramway along the Goyt Valley back to our boat.







Tomorrow we shall have to do some shopping and we will probably stop short of the Marple Locks to admire the view of the countryside before we have to touch the outskirts of Manchester and then head for the hills once more on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.  We now have a booking for the Standedge Tunnel, the longest, highest and deepest in the country, so watch this space.