0 Locks, 3 Miles. Now moored at Higher Poynton.
Overcast with occasional sun and showers was the order of the day as we set off this morning. There was nothing much to write about until we reached bridge 19 where there is a lovely old cottage built circa 1785. The very large grounds were impeccably tidy but instead of a Rolls Royce or Bentley parked in the drive there were no less than 2 helicopters just to pop into the office with. Nice if you can get it.
A short while later we spotted about 20 Mallards which seemed to be all female but as we passed them I spotted one that was different and it had 4 ducklings with it. After perusing the photo’s later it appears to be a Mandarin duck but as we didn’t see a matching male the ducklings may be Mallard crosses.
As we approached Higher Poynton we knew that there were moorings here and also that Les on Nb Valerie could be in the area. As we slowed to pull into the first available mooring we spotted a Green boat a couple of boats ahead with somebody standing on the bow waving, sure enough we had found our friend Les. While we moored up he put the kettle on for a cuppa and a catch up on all the gossip.
This afternoon we walked along the towpath and visited the Nelson Pit information centre which is set up at the site of an old colliery and gives the history of the mines, canal and railway that used to be in the district. Braidbar boats are now resident in the old transfer basin where coal was hauled from the mine and loaded directly into barges. In it’s hey day a barge would pass by this dock every ten minutes and we think the canals get busy now. I don’t think so some how.
1671 locks, 3516½ miles, 62 Tunnels, 47 swing bridges and 47 lift bridges since Nov 2006
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