As well as the Stanley Arms, we are also moored right next to the engineering wonder that is the Anderton boat lift. This raises boats 50 feet from the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal. And in the interests of pedantry, it also lowers them in the other direction
I was hoping the visitor centre for the boat lift would open as advertised at 10am. By 10.30 there is no sign of life so we set off towards Middlewich where I thought we would be having a latish lunch.
This part of Cheshire is flat and has been dominated since Roman times by the salt industry. This currently takes the form of this charming chemical works, that was belching all sorts of interesting jets of smoke and steam.
It wasn’t until nearly 4pm that the tower of Middlewich church came into view and it was clear this would be as far as we travelled today.
We went through the four locks, Vera in charge of the boat while I worked the locks. She was rather freaked out by the way the boat gets pulled forward by the powerful currents as the lock fills. She did discover reverse thrust, though this barely stopped the boat hurtling towards the front lock gates.
Turned right into the Middlewich branch of the Shropshire Union and then moored up in the warm afternoon sun and went searching for a pub with beer and outside tables.
The Kings Lock delivered both of these, Raspberry Pale IPA, a range of Belgian fruit beers, and a vintage car. Chatted to the owner of the ancient Austin 7, but unfortunately he turned out to be a complete arsehole.
The pub wasn’t doing food, but were happy for us to get fish and chips from the chippy opposite and eat them in the last rays of the evening sunshine.
Then back to the boat for a little nightcap, where we got chatting to Martin, the owner of the house opposite who had come out for some evening ‘fishing’. He was a gas fitter turned primary school teacher and we spent a good few hours talking as the bats fluttered past
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