KELPIE at Christmas

[haggis]

Here we are again , out for a KELPIE trip of unknown length. Depends a bit on the weather. 

Good run down ( the usual  4 hours) and picked up an order at the farm food shop down the road before going to the marina. We had two complete numbered sets of Allan Firth plates which were looking for a new home and they were collected by the local IWA. Fire on and boat  sorted out  and all seems to be well apart from the loo guage saying the tank.is full. It is a big tank which was about a third full when we left. Could be a faulty guage but glad we bought a porta pottie a few years ago 😄. Will contact Middlewich Narrow boats  in the morning about a pump put.

The object of the trip is to  treat  ourselves to Christmas lunch at Barbridge. This will be the first time in ages which I haven't  cooked a Christmas lunch.

Terrible news about the Llangollen and I feel so sorry for all affected by it. 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

23 minutes ago, haggis said:

Here we are again , out for a KELPIE trip of unknown length. Depends a bit on the weather. 

Good run down ( the usual  4 hours) and picked up an order at the farm food shop down the road before going to the marina. We had two complete numbered sets of Allan Firth plates which were looking for a new home and they were collected by the local IWA. Fire on and boat  sorted out  and all seems to be well apart from the loo guage saying the tank.is full. It is a big tank which was about a third full when we left. Could be a faulty guage but glad we bought a porta pottie a few years ago 😄. Will contact Middlewich Narrow boats  in the morning about a pump put.

The object of the trip is to  treat  ourselves to Christmas lunch at Barbridge. This will be the first time in ages which I haven't  cooked a Christmas lunch.

Terrible news about the Llangollen and I feel so sorry for all affected by it. 

then we might get a passing wave again,

weather wise it’s forecast to be dry around this area til the new year at least 🤞

 

 

[mrsmelly]

1 hour ago, haggis said:

Here we are again , out for a KELPIE trip of unknown length. Depends a bit on the weather. 

Good run down ( the usual  4 hours) and picked up an order at the farm food shop down the road before going to the marina. We had two complete numbered sets of Allan Firth plates which were looking for a new home and they were collected by the local IWA. Fire on and boat  sorted out  and all seems to be well apart from the loo guage saying the tank.is full. It is a big tank which was about a third full when we left. Could be a faulty guage but glad we bought a porta pottie a few years ago 😄. Will contact Middlewich Narrow boats  in the morning about a pump put.

The object of the trip is to  treat  ourselves to Christmas lunch at Barbridge. This will be the first time in ages which I haven't  cooked a Christmas lunch.

Terrible news about the Llangollen and I feel so sorry for all affected by it. 

Have a good trip and hope you get xmas day lunch out. Life is too short to cook christmas dinna at home. 

[haggis]

15 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Have a good trip and hope you get xmas day lunch out. Life is too short to cook christmas dinna at home. 

It's been booked for months 😄

54 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

then we might get a passing wave again,

weather wise it’s forecast to be dry around this area til the new year at least 🤞

 

 

Where are you and we will watch out for you?

[mrsmelly]

Just now, haggis said:

It's been booked for months 😄

Same here 😁

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

24 minutes ago, haggis said:

It's been booked for months 😄

Where are you and we will watch out for you?

the plan has been to get through Audlem by New Year,

it’s been a longtime since I’ve been to Anderton so heading that way on a little detour before going through Harecastle

depends if the grip of a certain pub delays me and I don’t make Audlem before the flight closure on the 5thJan. 

[haggis]

I wondered if the Anchor featured in your plans 😄

[haggis]

That was a success ! Our first Christmas meal out in I don't know how many years and we  SO enjoyed it.  Moored at the door of the Barbridge we didn't have  far to go to enjoy .a lovely meal served in a relaxed environment by very efficient staff. It certainly beats all the planning, preparation and cleaning up  of doing it ourselves.

An experience to he repeated,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

e

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, haggis said:

That was a success ! Our first Christmas meal out in I don't know how many years and we  SO enjoyed it.  Moored at the door of the Barbridge we didn't have  far to go to enjoy .a lovely meal served in a relaxed environment by very efficient staff. It certainly beats all the planning, preparation and cleaning up  of doing it ourselves.

An experience to he repeated,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

e

Are you moored there tonight?

[haggis]

14 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Are you moored there tonight?

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon, moored outside all day yesterday and will move on today. It was hard frost last night but the sun is out now but still a bit chilly. 

Got chatting to a couple at the next table yesterday and they moor in Venetian. They are paying double what we are for their mooring ,( same length of boat .

We still like our no frills mooring 😄.

[mrsmelly]

17 hours ago, haggis said:

That was a success ! Our first Christmas meal out in I don't know how many years and we  SO enjoyed it.  Moored at the door of the Barbridge we didn't have  far to go to enjoy .a lovely meal served in a relaxed environment by very efficient staff. It certainly beats all the planning, preparation and cleaning up  of doing it ourselves.

An experience to he repeated,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

e

Eating out christmas day is the best. We have done it for years but I think yesterday was probably our last as I struggled this year lol. Got some kids, grandkids and great grandkids popping over in a minute so the old girl has been messing about for hour's doing food stuff as all our local eateries are not bothering this lunchtime 😱 they all do the driving these days, not us, how life changes!! 

Edited December 26, 2025 by mrsmelly

[ditchcrawler]

4 hours ago, haggis said:

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon, moored outside all day yesterday and will move on today. It was hard frost last night but the sun is out now but still a bit chilly.  

Did they charge you for overnight mooring?

[haggis]

47 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Did they charge you for overnight mooring?

No. I don't know if they charge if you don't eat or drink in the pub but we have never been charged. When we are moored I just go in and tell them KELPIE is moored and we will be in later to eat. 

The signs on the moorings say mooring for up to 24 hours by  permission and to ask in the pub. There is no mention of £10 on the signs. 

The £10 story is still around though as we got chatting to a couple who moor at Venetian and they asked us if you had to pay 😄.  Chasing away the boats which were there for years has worked as we  aways  get a mooring there now.