NB Zindagi: Snow on the Peaks

Plan? What Plan?

When we started out in 2007, we had a vague idea of the main places we wanted to go first, and then worked out where we might go after that. Our plans have been flexible, to say the least, and we like it that way!

In 2007, though we started up in Lancashire, we headed south and spent spent most of our time exploring some of the waterways in the south of the UK – but not all of them!

In 2008, we headed north and stayed there for most of the year, heading southwards in November to moor up in Blisworth Marina for the first time. After that, it became our usual winter 'home' until early 2013.

2009 found us fitting our cruising around Val's replacement knee joint operations in January and July. They were very successful! In the Spring, we went down the Nene to the River Great Ouse and the Cambridgeshire Fens. After the second op, and more recovery time in Blisworth, we set off for the Kennet and Avon Canal, via Braunston, the southern Oxford Canal, Oxford and the Thames.

An eventful time on the K & A, and a magnificent frosty journey back up the Thames from Reading to Oxford – and we entered 2010.

To start with, largely immobile in Aynho and Blisworth, but then we headed north-east via Leicester and Nottingham to the River Trent, from which we branched off wherever we could, down to Lincoln and Boston and back, then along the Chesterfield Canal and back before leaving the Trent on our way to Rotherham and Sheffield.

Then north and west over the Pennines by the Rochdale Canal, down to Manchester and then via the Macclesfield, Trent & Mersey and Staffs & Worcs Canals south to near Wolverhampton, via Birmingham and on down to the Severn at Worcester. Right down to Sharpness, then back up to Stourport, to head up the Staffs. & Worcs. Canal near to Wolverhampton again.

Blisworth again for the winter, then in the spring of 2011 we took a trip down the Grand Union to London, through and out the other side to the Lee and Stort – and slowly back! Then over to the Stratford Avon and up the Severn to visit the newly re-opened Droitwich Canals.

By boat to London for Jeremy and Laura's wedding in October 2011, then back to our 'second home' in Blisworth for the winter, enjoying a little more involvement with Christian folks there, too.

In 2012 we started by heading north again to see the Caldon Canal in the Spring, then changed our plans and decided to cross the Pennines again - up and down the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and then back over the Leeds & Liverpool to the Bridgewater. Our proposed visit to the 'Shroppie' and the Llangollen followed on after that – beautiful countryside on the way and once we were there.

Then onto the southern section of the 'Shroppie' and from there the Staffs. & Worcs. – we decided not to go down to Stourport but turned north again to Great Haywood, then south via the Trent & Mersey to the River Trent and then the the River Soar – up to Leicester.

From there, we dawdled back towards Blisworth for the winter again. The folks at the marina were expecting us on 5th November 2012, and we just managed to avoid being there early!

January 2013 saw us move back to the land in Lapford, and very little 'boat-related activity' until October 2014, when we moved Zindagi onto the 11-mile long Grand Western Canal near Tiverton in Devon. 3 years there gave us the opportunity to carry out some needed maintenance, but we did very little cruising!

The future? Well, as you can see, we moved Zindagi back onto the main national canal system in early October 2017. Just those couple of days gave us a fresh taste of enjoying life on board – almost like old times!

So, we hope to get out for some more trips, hopefully sometimes with friends, re-exploring some of our old haunts. Looks like there may be some interest from the younger members of the family, too. Lots of different routes to follow from Hatherton! Only about 3 hours drive to get there from Lapford – not too bad!

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Snow on the Peaks – and Down Again

At Marple Junction, we turned right and started heading south again, as the canal skirted round Marple Ridge towards Whaley Bridge and Bugsworth. Although we had been at the same level (about 500 feet above sea level) since Bosley locks, 16 miles south of here, it was as if we had suddenly climbed higher – we found ourselves looking down valleys and across them to higher hills. We were on the Peak Forest Canal, just on the edges of the Peak District. We came here in 1978, on our second canal holiday, and tackled the whole route from Great Haywood to Whaley Bridge and back in just one week. Ambitious, but we made it – just!

No such punishing schedule for us this time! We left Great Haywood way back at the end of February, though admittedly we have taken many diversions since then. We have not had to battle against the slow speed enforced by the shallowness of the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals, but just relax and enjoy it!

We had read in our old edition of Nicholson's Guide that Bugsworth (aka Buxworth) Basin was closed, but a quick check told us that it was now open again. Worth a look, we thought. It certainly is a massive project which has been undertaken by a faithful group of volunteers over 30 years. We have some pictures here, but for more (fascinating) information have a look at their website.

Apparently it was one of the largest inland ports on the whole canal system, handling vast amounts of stone and lime, which were then transported by canal all over the country.

The weather forecast over the weekend was for snow in northern England, so it was no real surprise to find a white landscape as we woke on Sunday. It certainly emphasised the fact that we were surrounded by higher hills!

We stayed put and enjoyed lunch at the Navigation Inn. Some beautiful canal scenes, crying out to be photographed! More snow fell later in the day, when most of the first layer had melted, so the next morning still presented us with snow-capped hills, before we set out to return to Marple Junction and start down the

214 feet drop in level through 16 locks in just one mile. We normally reckon to cover about 3¾ locks or miles per hour, so potentially this step down could have taken us nearly 4 hours. In the event, it only took us just over 2, as the locks are close enough together that Dave could walk ahead and start the next lock filling while the lock was still emptying where Val was on board Zindagi. A very pleasant flight of locks, in mixed surroundings, with town and country and busy road and rail bridges.

We also had some help on the last few, from a friendly cyclist who filled the locks ahead of us, using a large spanner instead of a windlass!

After coming down this flight, we started looking for somewhere to moor for the night, but had to travel on a bit first, crossing the Marple Aqueduct, itself nearly 100 feet above the river Goyt, next to a railway viaduct a little higher. We eventually moored only a few hundred yards from a housing estate, yet in what seemed like a remote piece of countryside.

Dave's morning walk revealed that we were also very close to a local nature reserve, with plenty more rural gaps before we came right into Manchester suburbs. Butterbur plants here are coming into flower, too.

A short run for 1½ hours this afternoon (with two more turnover bridges!) brought us here to Dukinfield Junction, where the Peak Forest Canal joins the Ashton Canal going down into Manchester itself and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal going up into the Pennines. Despite the fact that we are right into the Manchester conurbation, it seems quiet enough, apart from the persistent honking of the Canada geese! We need to stay here for a couple of days to get some 'chores' done, then on up towards Huddersfield, meeting Dave & Julie in Stalybridge on Saturday.