Weaver Aqueduct to Lion Salt Works

Wednesday 22 May

Our overnight mooring was equipped with picnic tables and a barbeque stand and the towpath grass had been recently mown – this section is beautifully looked after by the group which has adopted it.

Steve made an early start at 7.30 (in the rain!) leaving me to get up in a more leisurely fashion. We wanted to get to Middlewich to spend some time with friends who are moored there for a few days. I managed to be ready for the first lock, Stanthorne, followed by Wardle Lock as we arrived in Middlewich. By this time, the weather had considerably improved and it was warm and bright.

We turned left on to the Shropshire Union, and almost straightaway arrived at the three Middlewich Locks where we had a bit of help from a volunteer lockie. We moored in front of our friends’ boat and joined them for coffee. Then we ladies went shopping and left the men to chat.

We moved on after lunch; just one more lock, Middlewich Big Lock – big in that it is a broad lock, though it is not very deep.

The next few miles were through the green flat Cheshire countryside until we reached the outskirts of Northwich and an enormous soda ash works. A little further in is the Lion Salt Works Museum and we found a space to moor alongside the works. 

We will visit there properly tomorrow, but for today we just had a brief look around their shop. We then went for a walk around some of the woodland and lakes of the Northwich Woodlands before having a meal at The Salt Barge.

We were pleased to see three more swan families today including one belonging to the pair we saw sitting near Wardle Lock (see entry for 30 April).

The Wardle Lock Swan Family

Another family.

Locks 6   Miles 14.50                                        Total Locks 144   Total Miles 217.50