Tuesday July 24th, Upper Basin, Bugsworth - Marple Junction

We have had a lovely relaxing few days at Bugsworth, revelling in the glorious, hot sunshine that has finally made an appearance. It appears summer has been declared, at least for a few days.

Our decision to get to the basins early on Friday paid off as by Saturday evening, the extensive moorings throughout the site were full. The good weather (and the start of the school holidays) meant that Bugsworth became a family day out; not just boaters but also car visitors, walkers, cyclists and horse riders. The Navigation Inn did a roaring trade!

It was lovely to see Kathryn, Bob & Freddie and Emma & Ellie on Sunday, helped enormously by the sunshine. Another good meal in the pub (our second in three days) followed by ice-creams for all made it a good day.

Alton arriving in the Upper Basin, Bugsworth

It made Ellie & Freddie’s day when ‘Alton’, the former working boat (and now plying a coal & diesel run on the Peak Forest/Macclesfield Canals) arrived to service the many requests for services. We admired Ann-Marie wind the 70’ boat single handed in a tight space (the UpperBasin was, like everywhere else, full of boats) before coming alongside to top up our fuel tank and then watched three other boats from the basin come alongside for pump-outs or fuel.

And so to today – and a rain free, sunny and hot day it has been, and all the more welcome as it is the first day for we don’t know how long that we have been able to cruise without full wet-weather gear mode. It has been simply glorious.

Entering the Middle Basin at Bugsworth

Middle Basin Arm, Bugsworth

Lower Basin, Bugsworth

Roving Bridges at Bugsworth

After creeping round to the sanitary station (most boats still had their curtains drawn) and emptying our loos, filling up with water and getting rid of the rubbish, we set off to retrace our steps from Friday.

One notable difference was that we could see and appreciate fully the glories of the surroundings with magnificent views to the east and south of high moors, in glorious technicolour today rather than Friday’s grey shrouded mist.



Swizzlers-Matlow sweet factory at New Mills

We were glad of the trees that line the canal for much of its length on both sides. Rather than being Friday’s raindrop inducing hindrance (always seeming to drip straight down your neck), today they provided welcome shade.

As we passed the sweet factory at New Mills, more delightful niffs assaulted our nostrils and we both breathed deeply of sherbet and raspberry. Yum!

Mooring at Marple Junction

All too soon we were back at Marple Junction where we turned into the Macclesfield Canal. We had intended to go on a bit, as far as Bridge 8 where we have moored before, but to our surprise found plenty of room immediately beyond the old stop lock narrows and decided to pull in here where we knew we would get a deep mooring and with mooring rings.

After all the grotty days we have had over the last couple of months, it has been great to be able to recharge our batteries at Bugsworth, and now to, we hope, look forward to some relaxing cruising in good weather.