Lock flight where windlass not required

We went to a good service at Holy Trinity, Hurdsfield, this morning; after coffee we left our mooring on the floating pontoons (why floating? This is a canal, and a very long pound) and headed for the Bosley Locks. We had sandwiches on the way, intending to eat out this evening.

At the locks we were astounded to find that every one of the twelve was manned by members of the Macclesfield Canal Society. I had already got my bike out for lockwheeling purposes, but I put it back on board at the second lock down as it was not needed. The HALOS (Have A Lock On Us) scheme is run by the Macclesfield Canal Society every year on the Sunday before the late August Bank Holiday. Today they were busy from 0930 to 1730 with a lull around lunchtime, and the volunteers were pleased that the weather stayed fine.

I was slightly miffed that my windlass wielding, paddle winding arm was redundant. I love doing locks and the Bosley flight is particularly fine. Neverless I enjoyed steering into the locks for a change.

At Buglawton we tied up expecting to go to the Robin Hood pub for a meal, but we ended up at the Church House pub by mistake (misreading of Nicholson on my part) and they had just stopped serving. We asked some drinkers outside where the Robin Hood was and they strongly suggested that we go instead to the Railway Inn in Congleton. As we walked back to the boat we phoned the Railway Inn and booked a table. We moved the boat and tied up at the last space on the piling before Bridge 73, which was just as well because there was nowhere else to moor before the pub. And there's a fine view from here.

The food was very good, not the cheapest, but I'd go back again.