Friday 14^th February 2020

Being the soppy pair we are, the day started with Valentine’s cards and gifts. After40 years of marriage we still keep the tradition. We had fresh fruit for breakfast including a Chinese Pomelo. We had never seen these before and it turned out to be like a large, pithy grapefruit.

With Storm Dennis pending, and the route ahead to Nantwich blocked until 28^th February and the route to Chester blocked until 21^st, we have decided to stay on this mooring until the storm has passed and time our arrival at Bunbury for the lifting of the stoppage at Tilstone Lock.

We went for a walk in the morning along the muddy towpath to the Weaver Aqueduct a mile away, which I have always wanted to inspect.

As with most canal features, they are not appreciated from the canal itself and indeed, most people would hardly think they were there at all. To fully appreciate them, it is necessary to take the time to climb down and get up close.

The aqueduct comprises of 3 arches and the two smaller side ones were dry of water, the river surging through the larger central arch. I was able to walk through one of the sides arches to the other side, a distance of about 50 yards, width 12 feet and 8 feet high in the centre, an eerie walk through.  

     

River Weaver Aqueduct

The brickwork of the aqueduct itself is interesting and quite decorative, typical of these structures, especially when it is considered, few people will ever see them. While the scale of the aqueduct itself is not overly big, the embankment above is and I wondered how the whole thing was constructed. The brickwork must have been finished and then the embankment built up above it, rather than the embankment first, then tunnelling through it.

On the return, we crossed over a culvert at bridge 12. There are many culverts along the canal, where a small stream will pass beneath, the canal being elevated on an embankment or level with the fields and the stream flowing through a siphon type culvert.

     

Culvert at Bridge 12

I had always wanted to inspect one of these closely and so took the opportunity to climb down. The culvert is such a minor, insignificant thing, but the engineering something else. This culvert runs as straight as a die with a few kinks and bulges, below another small embankment and obviously, runs the width of the canal. It was about 2-foot-wide and 18 inches high, but lined with bricks for the full length. Surely this would not have been tunnelled through, with somebody laying the bricks as the bore was dug through. The culvert must have been made and then the embankment built over as with the Weaver Aqueduct. Similarly, with syphon type culverts, they must be constructed first and then the canal built over. Interesting. It would be some task should it ever collapse.

At the boat, the starboard side hull was rubbed down where required and then primed ready for blackening when the opportunity arises. Until then, the boat looks poorly with grey spots.

The remainder of the day was spent with Brenda reading and myself working on family history. The canal is quiet with few boats passing with the stoppages ahead and, apart from one abandoned boat that has been here for months, we have the moorings to ourselves.

After any long walk, Harvey always manages to burrow himself into one of the chairs and cover himself with a shawl. We took the opportunity to have a drink in the front cratch with our jackets on. The cratch becomes a storage area in the winter and we don’t use it very often, but sometimes, it’s nice to sit there and enjoy the view.

Weather: a cold but dry day.