Sunday 4th November

We woke incredibly early for us but still had our cuppa in bed with yesterdays papers.

A full breakfast was needed before we started on heartbreak hill. So sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes, toast, poached eggs, and Ben Vickers favourite black pudding were had. We started out at 9.45, it takes a long time to eat one of Micks breakfasts!

Unfortunately after we had moored last night NB Alcedonia and another boat went past us and headed up the locks, which meant that for most of today the locks were set against us. Okay when there are only a few, but when it's heartbreak hill!

There wasn't much coal left on board so we needed to stock up, which we did at Lock 57 whilst watching everyone rushing by on the M6. We managed to keep the fire in overnight but weren't sure it would get going again, Mick stoked it up and we waited to see if smoke would appear from the chimney.

A short break in the locks enabled me to put the kettle on, but as I arrived with the coffee, tea and biscuits the next lock loomed, so we drifted up to it. So that I could finish my tea, Mick emptied the lock and then we were off again.

At Rode Heath there were two Claymore boats moored offside. They are a hire company who are based on the other side of Preston Brook where a breach occurred about five weeks ago. They are in the process of collecting their boats that ended up the wrong side of the breach. We reckon they have about 3/4 of the Cheshire ring to do with every boat to get them back to base before winter sets in.That's a lot of locks!

One the gates on lock 51 just wouldn't open fully. No matter what I did it just wouldn't go all the way. Mick came with the boat hook but the lock was too deep to reach the water and the boat didn't even help to nudge it open. So we opened and closed it several times until whatever was in the way got dislodged. Then back on up the flight. We resisted the urge to moor just above lock 49 Halls Lock where we have woken to snow and sun on two occasions. The day was still young so on we pressed. By now the fire had taken hold and smoke was appearing from the chimney.

We only passed 2 boats coming down the locks today which made life a little bit easier, but we still must have been following someone as we only had a few locks in our favour.

For most of the day light aircraft and microlites circled us, makes a change from helicopters.

At Red Bull we stopped to fill with water. Howard had rung yesterday to appologise for still having the key for the filler cap in his pocket, easily done, so we used a screw driver which worked very well. We'll buy a back up when next near a chandlers. The tank filled quickly, rubbish deposited too. Apparently there are now recycling facilities at Red Bull, but we hadn't been on board long enough to make proper use of them.

Onwards as it was only 3.15pm, at least another hour of daylight ahead. So I walked on to empty yet another lock. Last Christmas when we came up lock 42 there were floral tributes to a teenager who had been trying to impress his girlfriend by jumping the lock and had slipped and died. It looks like there is now a bench and small area set aside in remembrance for him which is a nice touch.

At lock 41 we decided to go for the right hand lock of the pair as the bridge is much lower on the left one and the chimney doesn't fit. There is currently scaffolding and awnings around the bridge which made it hard to judge as to the clearance, so Mick removed the chimney anyway, just incase! This pair of locks are always so filthy, full of litter, where are the Wombles when you need them!

We turned right onto the Macclesfield Canal and pootled along past the moored boats and then veered round to the right over the Trent and Mersey to start to look for a mooring for the night. Red Bull aqueduct looks like it is full of winter moorers, so no luck there. Following round the bend we thought of trying to pull in. But the Macclesfield is notoriously bad for being able to pull in at the side which we found out just as we met two boats coming the other way. So on we plodded in the fading light to the stop lock. As we approached it I saw a flash of blue zooming up the cut ahead of the boat and then again, a Kingfisher with its back just catching the last of the days sunlight, what a treat.

The last lock of the day should have been in our favour, but no! We pulled in just past the water point at a 48hr mooring and awarded ourselves a cuppa with a slice of cake. We had missed lunch!
After we'd been moored for a while the sound of an engine approaching, followed by a headlight. Another boat has moored just behind us on the waterpoint. Tonight we can hear fireworks but not see many as we are in a cutting. TV failed to tune, last episode of Downton tonight. Mick has persevered and got the satellite dish working for the first time in an age, so we will be okay now. It seems that if you avoid plugging the humax into the external aerial box and just go direct to the dish out of the window it works.

Roast chicken, a bottle of Crabbies to start with and then wine to follow, finished just in time to watch Downton in a very cosy boat. With half an hour to go a sudden gust of wind affected the dish and we lost signal. After tinkering a little with it we discovered that if we both sat on the edge of the sofa we regained signal, so next advert break Mick adjusted the dish again and we could sit back to watch the remainder.

Smart gauge reading at start of day 97, it got to 92 before we started the engine.
7.5 miles, 25 locks, 4 miles walked, 1 heron, 3 microlites, 4 planes, 1 kingfisher, 1 chicken, 1 very successful fire, 1 right turn, 3759 rockets, 25 bangers, 1 dishwasher and 2 very full tummys.