Castles in the air and holes in the ground.

We had an early start to get back to the boat, but all went well with a straight forward journey there and back. I had ten minutes at home before having to leave to catch the bus to get back to the boat. On the way home I used all Northern Trains and all went well. They are on strike today so rather than pay £15-50 I was paying over £30 so I was hoping all went well. Luckily it did, but only just as I got the platform at Piccadilly when the train for Chester was pulling in! The bus was on time too and I was back with Helen by 1915.

There was no post for a couple of days as for only the second or third time the 3 MIFI couldn't find a signal!

We were off by 0900 and it was a beautiful morning too. Tattenhall Marina is very quiet, despite the train line close by. It seemed there were no trains over night, or at least I never heard any.

The bus stop is close by the back door to the Marina and there is plenty of moorings on the tow path too.

Peckforton Castle stands in a wood on the Peckforton Hills and looks like a Medieval Castle but it was built between 1844 and 1850 to look Medieval by John Tollemarche who was a land owner and MP. The family held occasional family gatherings there and during WWII it was used to house handicapped children from the London area, but otherwise it was not lived in until 1969. After that it was rented to an American George Barrett and was used as a film sett form several things like Dr. Who and Robin Hood. In 1988 it was bought by Evelyn Graybill for £1 million, and she got planning permission to convert it to an hotel. In 2006 a Chris Naylor got married then and the bought the place. It is now an hotel, corporate and wedding venue. In 2011 it was severely damaged by fire during a wedding. Later the bridge groom was found guilty of arson! We could have just said 'I don't' and it would have saved a lot of trouble.

On a neighbouring outcrop sits Beeston Castle. This is a genuine old castle, so much so that it is in ruins! It was actually built around 1220's by the Earl of Chester when he got back from the Crusades. Henry III took it over a little while later, but by 16th Century it was allowed to fall into disrepair as it was thought to be no longer militarily useful. However  it was used in the Civil War and was partially demolished afterwards. It is now looked after by English Heritage and the walk to it and back, and up to the top is worth it as on a xclear day you can see eight counties.

The bottom gate at Wharton's Lock looked like somebody was descending, but when we got close it was just leaking like a fire hose! Somebody should invent a cost effective rubbing band as it is just where the boats rubbing band wears a groove in the mitre edge of the gates. hardly anybody opens both gates for a single boat and these locks seem narrower than normal so almost impossible to not touch the gate edges.

This length of canal is very nice to potter along and it is even nice to see a few boats moving. We are getting used to it a bit now, but me thinks that it will get busier.

On the hills by the canal area herd of red deer that are farmed so don't get too attached to Bambi.

The hills hide some large fuel tanks that were built underground during WWII, 1940/41 for Regent Oil. It was linked to the pipeline that ran up and down the country and from coast to coast, and still does. It stored refined oils and lubricating oil and could also load into rail wagons on the adjacent line and road tankers. You can see some of the ventilators and accesses on the hill side.

It was used until 1986 when apparently the fuel tanks were cleaned and the site sold. At Chas. Harden's they told me that a scrap metal dealer bought the site, demolished the tanks for the scrap and sold the site on.

This was taken in 2017 so I'm not sure if they are all gone!

www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/beeston-fuel-depot-tarporley-march-2017.107871/

As we approached Tilstone Lock we stopped off at Chas. Harden's and filled up with diesel at 70p base rate and a gas bottle for £29-75. 

The next thing is the Beeston Iron Lock. Due to loose sand in the era the ground was not stable enough to support the normal brick and stone lock so Telford used these iron plates. They have buckled over ther 200 odd years they have been there so it is recommended that boats use the lock on their own.

The next lock, Stone Lock, is built in the traditional way and at the top is the little round house that was not a toll house like at Tarvin Lock on the outskirts of Chester but was used as a store for tools etc by the lengthsmen. I love the central chimney and wonder what sort of stove it had inside.

We didn't go too much further as it was getting close to 1300. I had the aerial up and TV on right on kick off. It was worth watching as there were plenty of goals, but not quite a world champion's performance me thinks. If they keep improving though who knows what may be achieved. It was good to see the Rugby Union and Cricket and F1 British winners too.