Leaving Monty

We pulled the pins or rather untied the ropes and tiptoed off the moorings.  We had to go about half a mile through a narrow section all overgrown both sides with grasses to a lift bridge.  30 turns for some poor crew member to raise the bridge, 
Oh that would be me.  

The winding hole is past the lift bridge and David took about 10 minutes to go further to the winding hole and return to go under the bridge again....  I was dreading a car coming so that I would have to drop the bridge for the car and then raise it again for David, luckily no cars coming on this country lane at 7am.

Some of the interesting buildings down here at Maesbury Marsh

The Navigation Pub on the left and former warehouse on the right.

Look at the windows....

It didn't say so but I thought this might just be Sycamore House, a copy of the building company offices at Ellesmere.  It having a bit of a facelift just now;

Side view of the same house, I like the stone on the bottom half and yes windows again....

Another side view of the warehouse

I hope this lime kiln has a preservation order on it

Here I stood at the lift bridge, more old converted buildings formerly using the canal

Here he comes back about ten minutes later

A pretty uneventful run back.  
I would highly recommend a trip down here.  Its very pretty, but don't come with an empty fridge if you intend to stay a few days.

This isn't one of my New Zealand photos that got mixed up, whatever it is it grows here.

So this was the turning sky as we reversed to fill up on that super speedy water tap.  Yes yes there is that boat still, you know the one, tonight will be its 6th night on the 48 hr moorings and not showing any signs of moving.
Now you will have to take my word for this, but as the seven of us were waiting for the locks to open, the sky turned really black and all the drivers uploaded their wet weather gear hurriedly, at this point I was inside but I heard the crack and sizzle of lightening come down to earth very close, then the thunder directly overhead almost made me fall off the sofa from a reading position, I ran out and several drivers had seen it strike in the next field.....  I remained a bit twitchy, after all there wasn't much choice but to stand there holding the ropes in the open.  

Its a two hour window to get through these Frankton Locks, we got through at 14:10, with three boats remaining.   
Raining now good and proper.  

We turned left and headed for the Jack Myttens Pub along the canal.  I had my wellies on so had dry feet and I have to say my new rainproofs are holding out wonderfully but being rained on for 90minutes without let up is boring and cold.  Water was torrenting down the the wheel marks in the fields and pouring in the canal all along, the towpath disappeared in places and thank goodness I had wellies as the mooring up was done in 7" puddles. 
Moored up finally, HEATING ON, hot showers and to the pub for Burgers for supper.