Cleveleys again

Hurrah a high has at last arrived and they are forecasting 2 days of sun, followed by... yup... another low. Good old British summers eh. Peter, I think we will probably be watching Farnborough in the rain on Sunday, just like you did.
We pick up the hire car tomorrow and are planning to go to Morecambe for the day with B and J. Then Friday we leave for our next adventure. If you don't hear from us it's due to dodgy wifi.

Full circle back at Middlewich

Only one more full day to go before our canal boat adventure ends. Despite the mixed weather we have had a wonderful time, had lots of great pub meals and seen some beautiful English countryside. Today started off wet (an improvement on the downpour during the night) so we holed up till 11 then set sail when the sky looked a tad brighter. As there are only 2 sets of top to toe waterproofs we nominated Bryan and John to man the decks, which worked a treat. Tomorrow we head towards Anderton and if there is time we may go down (and up) the boat lift.

Here we are in Middlewich
Narrowboaters in a ditch
Where we're going we don't care
Anywhere, here or there

20 locks in 1 day - world record for the Thomas McDowell team!

There are two canals in this count-er-ee
One was made in the eighteenth cent-ur -ee
The second, I fear
I have filled up with beer
As Sherlock said, it's elementary

Anon

Amazing poetry and after only half a pint!

Yesterday we did 20 locks, a set of five (a warm up) followed by 15 more. Fortunately most of the locks were full, so we didn't have to waste time filling them. Tonight we are in a lovely old pub in Barbridge, waiting for a herb crusted salmon dinner. Yum! We've forgotten what an oven looks like. :-)

Sunny Market Drayton

Market Drayton
With a plate on
The table in a pub.

The canal is a pox
Cos tomorrow the locks
Are fifteen in number

The sun is shining
Nobody is whining
We are all getting fat as the frog

On the sign
Which we did not design
And did not understand at all.

BLT Anon

Brewood to Norbury

An exciting day today featuring a pump out of our twin bogs and a fill up of our water tank. This time it wasn't pouring down when we filled up. We had a quick look round the quaint village of Brewood this morning and came acoss a little junk and bric a brac shop. While looking in the window the shop keeper came out, a wonderful old character who within two minutes had coaxed us all into the shop. We even bought some stuff. He was just like Arkwright from Open All Hours.
It looks like the weather is improving now but we are still wearing mutiple layers of clothes.
Onky 1 lock today but there was a queue of boats so it took us quite a while to get through.
In the Junction Pub now, waiting for our meals. Tomorrow evening we need to find a pub with a tv so we can watch Wales.
x x

Anniversary day!

The sun is shining, it hasn't rained, we are feasting like royalty and we are all having the most wondrful time. Tonight we are in Brewood, pronounced Brood.
Todays journey took us south 4 steps, left one step, and north 4 steps so we are almost back where we started. Heyho!
With all these locks we have renamed the boat "oponopov" - work that one out!
About to enjoy a nice pub meal and glass of wine. Note the blue sky on the photo below!
x x x

Stone village 45 locks down 57 to go

Spent the night in Stone which is in pottery country. We had a tour of Wedgwood factory yesterday afternoon - very enjoyable. They do hand painting of the expensive pieces and some pieces have 7 firings. That's why they are a tad pricey. Had a lovely 2 course meal in a pub last night. Food over here is really cheap. The canals are very quiet which is good. Looks like narrowboating has lost some of its popularity. Had a scary trip through the Harecastle Tunnel which is very low and very long and has diesel fumes to boot. Just as well osh isn't around. I took a turn driving yesterday and am a star at getting into locks but parking is definitely not my forte.
Wifi is not working too well on the boat so expect some silences.
A few pics.....