Marple Junction

Clarence Mill, Bollington to Marple Junction : 8 miles, 0 locks
To date : 1045 miles, 740 locks 

Today's destination was Marple Junction.  We passed Lyme View Marina on the way which is in a lovely setting.   In fact, we passed through very pretty countryside much of the way.

Having missed the water point at Macclesfield, and our book showing that the water point at Marple Junction was beyond the visitor moorings, we really did need to fill up at Higher Poynton.  We passed a very long line of moored boats and then as we reached the bridge immediately before the water point we saw there was only space for one boat and there was a boat with a very shiny paint job already there.  Being extremely windy we decided we'd lurk in the bridge hole.  There was simply nowhere else to go.  The couple on the boat watering up were chatty which helped fill the long wait.  It was a slow filler and we had nothing to tie the boat to.  The bitterly cold wind was howling through the bridge hole and kept pushing the boat through.  We had to keep pulling it back as we stood there looking left and right to make sure another boat wasn't coming.  We took turns waiting so each had a walk to look over at Braidbar Boats.

There's not yet been a time that we've wished so much to not see nb Winton's Folly come around the corner behind us.  My phone rang and it was Carol.  They'd broken down.  Canal and River Rescue were on their way so they'd meet up with us at Marple.  Fingers crossed it's nothing serious.  We must have spent a good hour at the water point between us and the shiny boat.

There were some really nice moorings just beyond Higher Poynton.  A boat that passed us just as we were leaving the water point called out that he'd be turning into his mooring further up and that's where we saw him.  We also recognized the name of a boat moored against the bank there.  It was nb Penny Peace that features in a DVD we have at home about living on a narrowboat.  They were an elderly couple then so it seems they no longer continually cruise and have taken a mooring.

When we reached Marple, we followed the instructions of the boater at the water point and pulled in to the first available space after the winding hole.  I walked on to see what else was available.  There were rings along the stretch before the bridge but it was a little muddy and quite shaded.   Just beyond the turnover bridge there was a vacant space.  I thought at first it was private moorings but closer investigation showed it to be a visitor mooring.  Perfect!  Nice clean edge and out in the sunshine.    Later in the afternoon the on and off rain turned to hail for a time but that didn't last too long.

The boat at the back of this little stretch moved on just in time for Barry and Carol to take their place. RCR had resolved their problem which turned out to be the fuel filter.  This must be one of the loveliest views we've had from our bow doors.  We look straight at the Marple Junction.  A pretty bridge... a lovely old building.... some flowers through the bridge hole.  The water tank is full.  The batteries are full.  All good in our world.