Macclesfield and Peak Forrest

After clearing Harecastle tunnel the tunnel manager asked if I would be kind enough to give a lost boater a tow back to the junction - about 1/2 a mile up the canal.  The chap had taken the wrong turn at the junction with the Macclesfield canal and as there was not room to turn his boat he faced a choice of going through the tunnel to find a winding hole (canal speak for a turning point) and coming back or reversing the half mile on a narrow stretch of canal with a couple of narrow bridges and tight bends.  Having towed a boat a couple of times before I was happy top help. However, I didn't realise how difficult it would be as he had no steering as I was pulling him backwards and his rudder was virtually useless. After a near miss with the first bridge I shortened the line and had to get him to correct the drift of his boat by occasionally putting it into gear and almost pulling me backwards to straighten his boat. Breasting up (tying the boats side by side) would be the ideal way to move him but the bridges were too narrow. In the end we managed to get to the junction without hitting anyone else, although he did catch the bank a few times.

My first attempt at towing a boat backwards.

After seeing the couple on there way I joined the Macclesfield canal and moored overnight just above the junction.  The next few days were spent cruising gently up the canal, through Congleton and Macclesfield to the top of the canal at Marple junction.  Although the canal is only 27 miles long I spent  a week on the trip as it was just too hot to stand on the back in the blazing sun. I tended to move a couple of miles in the morning and then again in the evening.  I'm in no rush as I plan to leave the boat at Macclesfield on 12 Aug when I head home to prepare for my son's wedding on 17 Aug. After which my brother is taking the boat for a couple of weeks for a family holiday.

One of the nicer waterside properties

Typical views across the hills to the peak district

The original Hovis factory in Macclesfield - Now converted to flats.

After spending a few days at Marple I cruised up the Peak Forrest canal to Whaley Bridge. A shallow canal which runs at 500ft above sea level with stunning views across along the Goyt valley. At the terminus in Whaley Bridge is Buxworth basin where the canal splits into a series of small docks originally used to transfer cargo to the Peak Forrest tramway. I spent the weekend here while the thunder storms passed. Thankfully, they have finally reduced the humidity levels and I am now back to my normal one shower a day.

Junction of the Macclesfield and Peak Forrest canals.

I shall now take a short break from the blog as I will be covering the same ground over the next couple of weeks. The blog will continue when I rejoin the boat at the end Aug.