Deja Vue

This time we knew exactly where to moor!

John got going before I was up and dressed this morning, as we wanted to make sure of a good mooring in Middlewich. We left behind a lovely mooring with the views of Church Minshull on the towpath side and these contented cows the other!

grazing cowsEvening reflections

Just after Eardswick Hall Bridge (13) is the stile that leads to the path to Bluebell Woods - the lovely walk into Minshull John discovered yesterday. Here it is for anyone who might follow in his footsteps!

bridfe, moorings and stileStile and bridge behind us

The Middlewich Branch passes three lovely residences, possibly they were once linked to the Canal activity. The Cowburn and Cowpar working boats plied up and down the Middlewich Branch on their way to and from Wolverhampton, Runcorn and Manchester.

Swan

The photo above shows Cowburn and Cowpar's Swan about to enter the bottom of Middlewich Branch from the Trent and Mersey Canal at Wardle Lock

Wharf HouseMinshull Wharf House

The Canal Stables and alongside them this rather handsome canalside house

stableshouse canlalside

The next "sight" to look out for is the River Weaver Top Flash. These flashes are flooded areas of the river and the ones at this end are un-navigable. I was immediately reminded of our time on the River Weaver last year. We went down the Anderton Lift onto the Weaver on the 21st April 2009 - what an experience. We loved the River Weaver, but not a trip for us this year, boo hoo!

Weaver top flashRiver Weaver Top Flash from Middlewich Branch

When we arrived at Stanthorne Lock we had a narrowboat ahead of us and a couple of them coming up the lock too. We waited our turn and were helped through by the second narrowboat waiting to come up.

We reached the outskirts of Middlewich. The waterside properties look after their gardens well and make it a very attractive approach to the town. We knew exactly which bridge we were aiming to moor up at and so ignored the moorings beforehand!

blossom and bridgeBlossom and Bridge 28 ahead

Well, well, well, there were narrowboats moored along the stretch between Bridges 29 and 30 but there was one space left - just the one we wanted! It is the only one that we can get a satellite signal at and is just beyond Bridge 29, handy for the walk into Tesco in the town!

mooring upEureka!

Middlewich Branch, Shropshire Union Canal, Church Minshull to Middlewich

2 hours 8 minutes, 5.09 miles, 1 lock 

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