25th June- 1st July

Rain, more rain, downpours and Marple festival - Posted by Linty

We returned to the canal centre through torrential rain, after my daughter's pagan wedding, though flooding on many roads requiring detours before we reached the boat. We didn’t mind too much, we were in no hurry. However, I did contact my neighbour at home to check the house was alright. We were fortunate, more so than some nearby under 3ft of water, as our bungalow is raised up and the ground slopes away slightly.

We moved the boat and car back nearer mums, and went round the following day, Tuesday, taking advantage of the dry spell to thoroughly weed her garden while the earth was wet enough to work – she has thick clay soil. We promised to take her out on the boat again if it remained dry, but the weather has not proved favourable so far in keeping that promise.

We decided to move back up towards Marple the next day, mooring up and staying over at Higher Poynton, as there were a couple of museums that I thought Alex might find interesting, and at least we’d be under cover. Foiled again by them only being open on Fridays and the weekend - we did enjoy the walk though, taking an overgrown footpath back towards the canal. Strange weather we are having, torrential downpours but when it stops it’s SO warm. Our ‘Jack Murphy’ long raincoats, might look a bit ‘hooray henry’ but they don’t half keep you dry from head to toe!

Thursday we travelled on past Marple in the pouring rain, including filling up with diesel and pumping out along the way.

One of the few remaining working boats operates in this area, and passing him we took advantage of the unexpected opportunity to top up with cheaper diesel and empty the poo tank. We couldn’t have passed until he’d completed servicing another boat due to the shallow depth of water, and with us there, we completely filled the channel.

We moored up at Buxworth basin by Whaley Bridge, this time with enough spare time to stay and explore a bit more fully. Again, the weather continued to be a bit of a mixed bag – next day, we walked over the hill through into Whaley Bridge itself looking for a cycle shop for a bike pump, cycle clips and bits, through dripping trees and heavy showers. I say hill, but it was a tad steep ! The showers stopped as we reached the town, so having found the relevant shop, we returned the long way via the towpath, and it was entirely more enjoyable. We happened by chance to walk by a marquee and stopped off to watch some ladies painstakingly pressing flower petals into trays of clay for a well dressing display due that weekend. Slowly stripping off the weather proof layers, then jumpers – we arrived back at the boat in sunshine! Alex heaved out the two large boxes housing our folding bikes, and we put them together for a test run. Bit apprehensive on my side due to it being 2 ½ years since I’d last been on one and fallen off to tear my cruciate ligament, but grinning ear to ear, almost – I managed a brief circuit of the basin without mishap

and stopped to feed the ducks. I didn’t fall off, this time either!!

We re-arranged our furniture so that we could stow the bikes in bags aboard with easy access. Easier said than done, though as Narrow boats are a bit limited for space! Our friends due this weekend for a two day visit were unable to make it now, as Paula has become ‘Poxy Pol’ – her words, not mine! Catching chicken pox at 58 !!, she has been a little bit poorly, and of course, infectious and therefore confined to indoors. We shall re-schedule this visit for another time later in the year.

During our time at the basin, one of the British Waterway staff let us know there was a festival on at Marple celebrating the re-opening of the lock flight. A last minute arrangement to meet two more friends on Monday and Tuesday, meant we were heading down that way on the Saturday and we hoped we would find moorings available. We arrived around lunchtime and I hotfooted it around the bend and under the bridge to check, before Alex brought the boat round. A boat just coming through the bridge altered course for the watering point leaving one space just the right size for us on our favourite spot. How lucky was that!

We wandered upto the bridge and watched an historical horse drawn narrowboat mooring up, but wondered at the lack of other visiting boats, thinking this might have been a washout due to the weather forecast, especially after taking a walk down the lockflight, and finding no boats on the move - but this morning, were pleasantly surprised to find things busying up. People on the boat opposite started putting up bunting, and the boat behind opened up his side doors revealing his pristine and well looked after Lister diesel, with traditional boatmans cabin behind.

Our boat is definitely not traditional in any way, but we do appreciate the history and those that have that interest in preserving these historic boats. A tidy around, and we decided we’d leave our blinds up to show our modern layout in contrast, whilst we took a walk to see what was going on.

Canoes were busy manoeuvring in the junction of the Peak Forest canal, hastily shifting as narrowboats came down and around the sharp bend to the Macclesfield canal providing a colourful display. We waited and watched the horseboat move down the first few locks towards the park alongside the lockflight - I hadn’t realised how fast the horsedrawn boats can move, and spectators were quick to shift out of the way of the horse, Queenie, tacked into traditional harness, with helpers and workers in traditional old costume.

The park was now full of gazebos and marquees – traditional canalwares being displayed and demonstrations of crafts. On the way down we passed some other old boats and we, or rather, me… seeing someone painting castles and roses, became tempted to purchase an example, and picked a set of mugs on a mugtree – blue background to match the boat of course!

Here we are, moored midst bunting waiting for the heavens to open up once more.