Staying put at Middlewich.

The weather has dictated what we are doing today, it is blowing as hard as ever with lots of rain mixed in. The weekend is here again!.

This scene was coming to the end of the branch and is in the middle of the town itself. All very nice and peaceful.

The last lock, then the left turn just under that bridge. You can clearly see the gap for the horses rope in the walkway over this lock. The woman talking to D lives in the lock cottage and was moaning that BW haven't cut those trees you can see in front of the boat. I think they look ok but you can't please everyone.

Every canal seems to have its own style of paddle gear and the Trent & Mersey is no different with this slightly slanted model. I suppose they are playing along with the subsidence theme that is the norm in this area as all the old salt mines are collapsing in on themselves.
We have only done three locks so far but they are in a terrible condition and are extremely heavy to work. This set had been renewed in 2002 but it looked like it could have been 1902.

I think that this canal must get very busy indeed.

"This Dry dock for hire" boasts the sign, the telephone number was 2740. On the green door was written "Abandon hope all ye who enter here". I think we might just give that a miss.

Hope we will be on the move by tomorrow

so until then.........................