Visitors

For many schools it was half term last week and we noticed an increase in the number of hire  boats on the canal.   For us the week was special because we had some visitors.

Sarah joined us at Nantwich and we enjoyed walking round the town with it's old timbered buildings and a look round St Mary's Church.  This church has a magnificent modern stained glass window, The Creation Window, in memory of a local farmer.  It also has an active tapestry group and fine examples of their work is found on the kneelers, altar cloth and wall hangings.  Sarah stopped overnight so we had time for a good chinwag!

The beautiful Creation Window in St Mary's Church.

    From Nantwich we moved onto Barbridge Junction where the Middlewich branch connects the Shropshire Union to the Trent and Mersey Canal.  We were accompanied for a while by a kingfisher, a flash of electric blue skimming the water and perching on branches until we were almost level, then off he'd go again.

On Friday Nic, Gaz and the kids drove down to see us bringing some logs to replenish our stock.  We enjoyed seeing them and having a good chat to catch up with all their news.  

Bunbury Locks are the first wide locks we've seen since Burton on Trent and are also staircase locks.  The top and bottom lock share the middle lock gate so as we came down the top lock emptied straight into the bottom lock.  

As we approached Tilstone Lock we could see there was a problem.  Various Canal & River Trust staff were on the banks and a work boat was in the lock attempting to lift out a large piece of ironwork.   Apparently this was the buffer bar which had been damaged.  We chatted to the staff while the bar was manoeuvred  precariously onto the work boat.  The staff were very apologetic for the delay but we were soon on our way. 

On Sunday we approached our winter moorings at Tattenhall Marina.  We were early but we decided we would moor up rather than continue on to Chester to turn round and come back.     

Bess enjoys sitting on the front step by the stove in cold weather.

Our journey from Coole Lane to Tattenhall Marina.  Since leaving Viking Marina we have travelled 308 miles and come through 94 locks.