Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow, part 2

Tuesday, 08 June 2010 22:00

The waltz (not) continues!

From lock 13 (where I left you waiting with me!), the Navigation Hotel is just visible, another of Samuel Oldknow's buildings with an interesting sign beside it.

Marple sign

The lock tail spills out almost under Possett Bridge (18). The name derives from the bribes (possetts of ale for breakfast!) given by Samuel Oldknow to encourage the builders of the bridge to speed up the build! Samuel was a canny chap and owned the Navigation where they all drank!

Possett Bridge from Lock 12

There were three arches, today only two are obvious as the other has been filled in. This arch (to the left of the above photo) would have led to the arm to the lime kilns. The narrow arch was for horses and the men working the boats could return to the boat via a narrow walkway here and a set of steps cut the other side.

Steps down from walkway under bridge

Lock 10 is thought to have had a tramway across it and I waited for Lock 9 sheltering in the remains of the retaining wall. Samuel Oldknow's warehouse looks over the pound.

Waiting besideTramway walls

Looking back at the lock

The Lock Keepers cottage at Lock 9 is a listed building and is lovingly looked after.

Lock Keepers cottage

The pound between Lock 9 and 8 is very attractive and it was on the bridge (17) below lock 9 that I stood, with my heart "in my mouth", and watched John bring Twelfth Night into the lock at speed due to a very fast bywash there. Sadly the old bridge is now obscured by a road widening and the rope roller at the lock is no more.

As I waited in the pound (yet again) I realised that there was an hire boat behind us, trying to be "quick". The crew appeared to be German and when one of them helped with a lock gate I explained about the slow narrowbaot, but they still wanted to go "quick, quick". However, we were quite contented to be "slow, slow" down the remaining seven locks!

Phew! We finally arrived at the bottom lock (1) and here an hire boat crew coming up saw us through! John had walked more than the mile of the lock descent as he was to and fro, helping the narrowboat ahead. He was glad to get back on Epiphany and take over the tiller!

Hire boat entering bottom lock

Many of the links on this blog are to Marple Locks Bi-Centenary Virtual Tour, a wonderful resource and full of information. It has much more about the locks so have a look - Virtual Tour

Peak Forest Canal, Marple Junction to bottom of Marple Locks

4 hours 9 minutes, 1.12 miles, 16 locks