Previous Year : 2002 The Bona Boater's Trips Following Year : 2004

2003 - The Cheshire Ring & Anderton.

Crew : Pete, Dave, John & Chris, Ernie & Jennifer (until Monday evening) & Stan.

Boat : Fjord Contessa

Route : Middlewich > Marston > Anderton Lift [down to River Weaver] > Vale Royal Lock [w] > Northwich > Anderton Lift [back up to Trent & Mersey Canal] > Acton Bridge > Lymm > Manchester > Guide Bridge > Stalybridge [w] > Marple > Bollington > Congleton > Harding's Wood > Wheelock > Middlewich.

Coverage : 104 Locks and 106 Miles.

Notes : This year Colin could not join us, so rather than attempt to recruit a new Bona Boater, we decided to go ahead with a crew of just seven. Unbeknown to us at the time, this would also be Jennifer's final trip with us. She was taken ill on Sunday evening and decided that she would go straight home from Manchester when we got there on the Monday evening. She did not attend any further Bona Boaters trips, although Ernie did. This trip included a trip down the Anderton Lift on to The River Weaver, and up The Weaver to Vale Royal Locks before returning to Northwich and ascending The Anderton Lift again.

Saturday 17th May

Lunch : Middlewich. We arrived at the boatyard at around noon, but as the boat was not ready, we adjourned to The Boar's Head where we all eventually met up. When we eventually got on to the boat, it was pointing the wrong way. We were advised by the boatyard that the best solution was to go up the three locks, wind at The Junction then come back down the three locks again... but not wanting to waste the best part of an hour winding, Stan decided not to do this. Instead he reversed some 250 yards back to a winding hole where he winded the boat. While Stan was doing this, Pete had walked on ahead to Middlewich Big Lock (75) and had set it. As it took a little longer to reverse and wind than Pete was expecting, he also managed to get a quick pint in The Big Lock while he was waiting for the boat to arrive.

Evening : Marston. As the afternoon went on, it began to rain, light at first but it got heavier as the day wore on. We pushed on through the increasingly heavy rain, and eventually moored up by The Lion Saltworks at Marston. We went to The Salt Barge for a meal and some beer, but mostly just to dry out.

Sunday 18th May

Lunch : Northwich. After a bit of a quick look round the Lion Salt Works, we eventually set off for Anderton and The Anderton Lift. We obtained our ticket and eventually descended The Anderton Lift. We then travelled up The Weaver to a point just short of Vale Royal Locks, turned and returned to Northwich for lunch. We spent some time walking round Northwich looking for a pub, but most were either shut or unsuitable, in having no real ale. Eventually, we found The Penny Black, a Wetherspoons pub which had a superb mild on. In fact the Mild was so good that no one can remember which one it was.

We arrived at Anderton and Stan went off to book our passage on The Anderton Lift.

The lift basin and approach aqueduct.

The Anderton Lift and its new landscaped visitor centre.

It's a bit different now to how it looked in back in 1995

Descending on The Anderton Lift.

Hunt's Lock on The River Weaver.

Note the railway-style semaphore signals - sadly not now used

The Anderton Lift from The River Weaver

Evening : Acton Bridge. We returned to Anderton, and while we waited to ascend the lift, we had time for a good look round the site and the new visitor centre. Eventually, we ascended the lift and continued on to Acton Bridge, where we moored up and went to The Hollybush. It was here that Jennifer suddenly became unwell, and she decided that she would get the train back to York from Manchester the following evening.

Monday 19th May

Lunch : Lymm. We stopped at Lymm for lunch and went to The Spread Eagle . Here, Pete W committed a serious Token Crime - he forgot to bring the Token. Consequently, and in accordance with OFTOC regulations, he was duly made to buy the round and then sent back to the boat to get The Token.

Evening : Manchester. We left Lymm and continued on to Manchester, where we moored in Castlefields Basin. We took Jennifer to Piccadilly Station and saw her on to the York train. We then went to the Jolly Angler on Ducie Street for some Hydes, and then on for a Chinese meal in Chinatown.

Tuesday 20th May

Morning : Manchester. There was a broken gate on The Rochdale flight which was passable only with BW assistance, so the flight was locked until 08:00 when BW should have opened it. It was nearer 08:30 when they finally arrived. We were first up the flight having left the boat moored with it's 'nose' to the bottom gate since about 07:45. We climbed both The Rochdale 9 and The Ashton flights without stopping for a lunchtime pub.

Mid Afternoon : Guide Bridge. . We took on water at Fairfield Junction and finally decided to stop at Guide Bridge mid afternoon. After quite a long walk trying to find a way to get off the towpath, we eventually found a couple of pubs. We tried The Corporation Arms first, but it had just one handpump dispensing sour-ish beer, so we left after only one pint. The next pub was called The Boundary which was fine. It actually turned out to be canalside - and there were even some steps from the pub car park down to the towpath to almost the exact point where we'd left the boat.

Evening : Stalybridge. We left Guide Bridge and pushed on to Stalybridge for the evening where we moored at Staly Wharf. There was rain and nowhere decent to eat. Most folks had chips or some other sort of take-away thing on the street, but Pete & Stan went straight to The Station Buffet where they got hot pie & peas for just £1.50 - oh, and a load of decent beer as well.. Eventually, everyone else made their way there and realised that maybe they too should have had the pie & peas instead of cold damp chips in the rain.

Wednesday 21st May

Lunch : Marple. We moored for lunch/early afternoon at Marple and went to The Hatter's for some Robinson's Mild and another famous curry pie from the local butcher.

Evening : Bollington. After leaving Marple, we pushed on to Bollington for the evening where we went to The Church House again. For once, we didn't meet John Portlock.

Thursday 22nd May

Lunch : Congleton. No one can remember name of the pub, but it had some superb Tetley's Dark Mild - Perhaps that's why no one can remember the name. Chris had to go shopping for some eggs. Don't know why we can remember the eggs but not the name of the pub. That's most unlike us.

Evening : Hardings Wood. We left Congleton, negotiated Harding's Wood Junction and went to The Red Bull at Harding's Wood for the evening.

Friday 23rd May

Lunch : Wheelock. We left Harding's Wood, descended what's known as 'The Cheshire Locks' (..also known as 'Heartbreak Hill'..) - until we stopped for lunch at Wheelock. Pete & Dave were quick off the mark, and managed to get a quick pint in The Cheshire Cheese before we all met up in The Commercial Hotel, sadly now gone.

Evening : Middlewich. We returned to Middlewich for the final evening where we had to endure a lock-in at The Boar's Head.

Saturday 24th May

Morning : Curry at The Karachi, shopping at the Al Halal and home.

Previous Year : 2002 The Bona Boater's Trips Following Year : 2004