Friday, February 6th finally saw us waving a cheery goodbye to the boatyard — with fingers firmly crossed that we wouldn’t be seeing them again any time soon, at least not unless it involved a drink and a social call! With a shiny new alternator fitted and a brand-new mattress on board, we set off feeling refreshed and optimistic, bound for Bramble Cuttings, a mooring we’d been trying (and failing) to reach for several weeks.
It was well worth the wait. We spent a wonderfully quiet weekend there, tucked away off the towpath with picnic benches nearby and a real sense of privacy. After the bustle of the yard, the peace felt like a luxury.
The next couple of days were spent in Middlewich, topping up supplies and catching up on the usual essentials before it was time to tackle a new challenge — our first staircase lock.
For anyone unfamiliar, a staircase lock is a series of locks joined together with no pound (flat water) between them. Instead, the boat moves directly from one lock chamber into the next, which means the water levels all have to be managed together. They can be steep, a bit intimidating, and leave very little room for error — especially when there’s an awkward turn thrown in for good measure! This particular staircase consisted of three steep locks, and we were hugely grateful for the help of a lovely couple who had navigated it before. Their calm guidance made all the difference.
Buoyed by that success, we carried on to another three locks which we completed entirely on our own. Slow progress perhaps — but progress all the same. We’re definitely getting there.
We then spent a couple of nights in Sandbach, as I’d been keen to visit the market. Sadly, the market itself was a bit underwhelming, but the town more than made up for it. Sandbach is steeped in history and is best known for its impressive Saxon crosses, which stand proudly in the town square. Dating back to the 9th century, these elaborately carved stone crosses are thought to have been commissioned by a Mercian king and tell biblical stories through their detailed panels — a remarkable survival from England’s early medieval past.
On Saturday, February 14th, we cruised just two miles — which doesn’t sound like much until you realise it involved ten locks! By the end of the day, a well-earned cuppa never tasted so good.
After a couple more quieter days, we moved on to Rode Heath and moored near The Broughton Arms. We’re actually meeting friends here in a week’s time, so this stop gave us the perfect excuse for a reconnaissance visit. We took part in the pub quiz and came 12th out of 35 teams — not bad at all for two old farts!
And finally, today brings a new adventure: our first ever supermarket delivery with no fixed address. A huge Sainsbury’s order is due to arrive, and we’ll be meeting them in the pub car park. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly — this continuous cruising lark certainly keeps life interesting!
As always, onward we go… 🚤✨
And Away... 
Leave a comment