The remaining 15 or so miles of the Macclesfield Canal takes us north through Macclesfield itself then via various small towns and villages to Marple, where it meets the Peak Forest Canal at a T junction; Manchester (eventually) is to the left, but we'll be taking the right turn and heading south east for just over 5 miles to the Canal's terminus. Bugsworth Basin is at the end of a short arm before that and everyone who we've talked to says we must see it - so we will.
Map showing the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals and the junction at Marple
Mooring at Macclesfield to collect paint from the local boatyard - looking dull at the moment but it's due to be sunny and we need to catch up with some DIY
A mile or two north is Bollington, where we stayed a few days to paint. The canal runs alongside the village on an aquaduct reached up this steep flight...
...bit of a workout bringing in the supplies. We're moored just past the Adelphi Mill building, seen here on the right and now offices
Opposite our mooring is Bollington Wharf with hire boats, diesel pump and selling coal and other provisions
Painter pausing for tea
Fancy a cuppa?
I'll just finish this bit
The council meeting at which this was decided must have gone on for ages! The Bollington wildflower meadow
Another view of the Adelphi Mill
To the Co-op for yet more provisions - all this painting is giving us a good appetite!
No. 74 is the deli in Bollington, where we bought cheese, chutney...
and a delicious sourdough loaf
Eventually on our way again, with Clarence Mill in view at the end of the aquaduct
A sunny day and lovely views over surrounding woods and hills
These two enormous cotton mills must have employed hundreds of people
Both now are home to local businesses, a cafe and community groups
One of several part sunken boats we passed on our travels
Canal and River Trust works to improve the bankside and towpath
Jacob's sheep and a cool spot on a warm day
A Dutch barge style - same dimensions as other narrowboats but a different look
More bank improvements, this time dredging and replacing Armco metal piling. We always look for Armco, as it's so much easier to use our mooring chains to attach to it rather than drive in pins
Tightish squeeze to get past the workboats
The folly just visible in the distance was built as a ruin to improve the view
Beautiful dappled light under the trees here
Mooring for the night and it's obviously been a bad hair day
...but the peaceful scene more than compensates
...and this inquisitive drake makes our acquaintance
At Higher Poynton is Bailey's Trading Post with a chandlery and cafe...
...the adjacent Lord Vernon's Wharf is home to Braidbar Boats, who build top of the range narrowboats - we've seen many locally, not surprisingly
The marina opposite and ranks of colourful cabins
The name and pictured vessel must have a history
A private mooring overflowing with flowers
It's quite busy today, so attention needed approaching bridges and corners particularly
Passing an elegant old bridge, which once provided access to a local coal pit...
...but now is home to the North Cheshire Cruising Club one of the organisations which campaigned in the 1940s to keep the Canal open
It's ages since we went to a pub! It would be so nice to sit in the garden in the sun...
Macclesfield Canal Society volunteers restoring and maintaining the towpath
Looks like a good show of pumpkins in this private garden
The huge Goyt Mill just before Marple. We're here for a laundry collection - when we're boating we use laundrettes if possible, but there haven't been any handy and we're running out of clean clothes so we're using a local company which collects and delivers
Mooring before Marple, we walk up to look at the junction with the Peak Forest Canal. This is the view down the Marple locks (we'll be exiting the bridge and turning right, so going the other way)
The long and narrow exit to the junction
Not sure how this one got in - but it's a plume moth (we now know, having looked it up)
More canalside buildings at the junction
Views over hills - they're beginning to feel like proper hills, too
Pretty stone cottage at the start of the Peak Forest
Old working boats, some more than 100 years old and in various stages of repair and restoration
Jan walked a little way down Marple lock flight - and found this 'horse tunnel' allowing the horse pulling your boat to cross under the road
Below one of the locks
Warehouse built by Samuel Oldknow 'the man who made Marple' - now converted to offices
