Friday, May 27, 2011

Shopping and an eye test….

We left our Barnton Cut mooring at around midday today, with just a short cruise to Northwich to do.

Although the river is mostly rural, reminders of why it was made navigable in 1732 crop up regularly.

Brunner Mond salt works. (previously ICI, now Tata Chemicals, Europe)

Deck gear on a C1940’s concrete barge.

These were built using reinforced concrete to save precious steel after WWII.

We had odd showers this morning, but it’s improved considerably this afternoon, and we’ve even had some sun.

Northwich Town Swing Bridge, with Town Wharf on the left.

We moored on the wharf, just a couple of minutes from the pedestrianised High Street. Mags went into Specsavers for her eye test, while I went up to Sainsbury’s for something for tea and a joint for Sunday lunch.

Arriving back on the boat we had a cup of tea before heading back downstream. Northwich is OK for an overnight stop, but the best moorings are through the swing bridge, on the right. It’s too noisy on the wharf. But we chose to head back and moor near the boat lift.

Anderton Lift, the aqueducts linking the lift structure to the Trent and Mersey Canal are clear to see.

Witton Brook joins the river under a graceful span just upstream from the lift. During the reconstruction of the river to allow navigation, this stream was made passable, through one lock, for about ¾ of a mile.

Witton Brook

Boats on the move near Winnington.

Locks 0, miles 4

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