Summer Cruise Days 7 & 8 Stop over in Bollington.

Sunday morning was bright sunny one for a change, the day set to be a good one.  We decided we would have breakfast in the Clarence Mill cafe.  As it was pleasant for a change so we ate Al Fresco in the warming sun.

Not long after we had breakfast a well known face with two very well known little doggies appeared on the foot bridge.  Paul, Brombo and Sam of The Manly Ferry blog (click) had come to visit.  Paul is camping in Macclesfield as Elaine his wife is very poorly in hospital.  We have been in contact and so we invited Paul to come see us.

We whiled away the morning talking boats and things and tried to keep things as light as possible.  Paul is thinking of coming back onto the canals some day and we talked a bit about that too.  We then gave Paul the guided tour of AmyJo and he left to visit Elaine.  Our prayers are with them in this most difficult of times.  Hopefully we'll see Paul again for a drink and maybe a visit to Elaine if possible on our return as we make our way back to the Trent and Mersey canal.

Paul and the doggies.  Sorry I could not get them in without chopping some heads off.....  That sounded so wrong.

 In the afternoon and on Paul's advice we took ourselves off for a climb up to Bollington's monument, the White Nancy.  The trip took us through the delightful stone bricked terraced streets of the town.  I can see why Paul likes it here.  I could quite happily live here too.  Its such a pleasant quiet town and the folk are so friendly, stopping to chat as you pass.

High Street and location of many of the towns restaurants.

 There are several routes up to the Nancy and some quite steep but the climb is well worth it.  The views are out of this world and photos do not do them justice.

Clarence mill nestling in the trees.

Look very carefully at the horizon and you'll just make out Blackpool Tower in the centre

Beyond these hill one can just see Manchester and Bollington is below us.

Chris and I at the white Nancy

According to Wikipedia White Nancy was built in 1817 by John Gaskell junior of North End Farm to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Waterloo.  John Gaskell was a member of the Gaskell family who lived nearby at Ingersley Hall.   It originally had an entrance to a single room which was furnished with stone benches and a central round stone table, but the entrance is now blocked. It has been described as a summer house or a folly.

In the mid-1940s, the Royal Signal Corps Trials Unit based at Catterick would drive a truck-mounted dish-shaped transmitter/receiver up to White Nancy. Here they tested cathode-ray tube transmission and reception (data-based, not images), to a mobile receiving station on another truck. The receiver would be driven further and further south over time, until eventually the lads at White Nancy were sending a signal to the south coast of the country. Locals told the signallers that the landmark was named after the lead horse that had transported all the materials for the building of White Nancy.

More views from White Nancy

Could not resist this Arty shot of the Nancy

White Nancy viewed from our mooring on the canal

Yesterday was spent looking for somewhere to have a meal for our friend's 60th birthday.  Vicki would be visiting and we wanted to celebrate her birthday with a surprise.  Trouble is hubby Derek is quite fussy in what he eats so our quest ended up being a some what of a pub crawl round the town to find a suitable menu.

After trying several pubs we stumbled (almost literally) across the Church House Inn.  A quiet unassuming little pub with plain decor but don't be fooled, the landlord keeps an excellent pint of ale and the food is some of the best we've had in awhile.  Its also good value for money too so a bonus!  Its well worth the 10 minute walk for the moorings believe me.

The meal was a great success and a great evening was had by all.  The walk back to AmyJo a little un-steadier than going to say the least

Birthday girl Vicki on the left, hubby Derek to Chris's right and daughter Claire (bear) behind me.

The Church house Inn, Chapel Street.  A must when you visit Bollington

The rest of the evening was still quite warm so we sat out on the towpath to let our dinner go down.

Replete and relaxed after diner party 

 Claire thoroughly enjoyed being on AmyJo and even made a friend she named Doris Duck.  Doris seemed to take to Claire and Claire to Doris.  After a while Doris would not leave Claire's side.  So much so Doris hopped up onto AmyJo and remained until Claire and the others left for home.  Poor Doris even jumped onto the roof and called desperately for Claire through the open Houdini hatch after she had gone before finally giving up and flying off dejected.  She was the first duck to appear by AmyJo in the morning and seemed miffed Claire did not show. Sulking away we her little quacks.
  

Little Doris Duck makes friends with Claire.

Both quakers alright

So with our obligations now over we are free to continue our cruise.  Its forecast 29 degrees tomorrow so should be quite pleasant to get moving again.  We're continuing North and will decide whether to carry on up the 28 locks to Dukinfield or turn right for Bugsworth.  We did here an Anglo Welsh hire boat was ambushed by 15 youths up there the other week.  They stripped the boat of anything valuable before the police arrived so its put us off somewhat.  Either way we will have to retrace our steps as we cannot get through the locks on the Huddersfield broad canal anyway.  The Cheshire ring will have to wait for another time I think perhaps out of school holidays too.