What's that smell....?

 Please start at the bottom and work up!

Finally coming into the lock.

A lady arrived at the first lock on the Middlewich Arm as I waited for David to bring WaL around, she looked expectant of me closing the gates so that she could fill it for her own boat coming down.  Then I pointed out that David was on his way.  it was a bit hard to see him...

Getting into a better position

WaL's nose appearing, David had to wiggle about to get in position to make the 90 degree turn

This cormorant was had to capture as it was only on the surface for a few seconds then dived, appearing on the other side of the basin

A Cormorant whizzing about the basin.

This is Middlewich Basin, the waterpoint is right on the junction that we wanted to make to turn for.

The yellow flag Irises are going over now and I very much liked the stretches of yellow and white along the way, sometimes with a spot of purple too.

Very lovely orchid today, Amanda will know the name.

This is Albion Lock and over the road there is the recently built Albion Lock development.  I've mentioned on here before that I took photos years ago of the salt piles or mountains here when I was crewing with Amanda but can I find them... I cannot. 

I would like to see this but I can't find it online.  If you can Reader then do send me the link.

Our mooring last night, as per usual the other boats have departed tout suite and we didn't.  But this is where we had the Barbie Queue, so a tad narrow for six OAP's, three dogs, tables and six chairs...

Now it's not at all annoying but these photos above have loaded themselves from oldest to newest.

I tried deleting them and re posting to no avail.  I'm now having a sense of humour failure so just for today I simple ask you to start at the bottom and work upwards.

I was walking along and after the first lock we did where I chatted to a nice lady.  They had no map of where they were, but simply were following their noses, stopping where they pleased.  She looked at me askance when I mentioned that I really liked Heartbreak Hill, for that is where you are, thirty one locks here..

Anyway after the lock I was changing the podcast on my phone when I 

A) Almost fell in

and 
B) Almost broke my ankle

you will sympathise when you look at the second to last photo.



So when we arrived in Middlewich we actually moored up above Kings Lock, right by the fish and chip shop but on this visit we didn't partake.  Very close to here is a 'Morrisons Daily' from which tomorrow we were to collect two Amazon parcels.  David is going to do some Boat Maintenance!!!!!

Yes Reader he is.  He'd been spoon fed advice and instruction by David Lewis, in addition Darling Lewis had found the required tubing on-line which would be arriving.

The other Team Players had already turned onto The Middlewich Arm (or if we are being picky The Wardle Canal for 60 odd feet) and had moored up but we stuck out on the other section.

Tonight the Team are having  A Last Supper together and a fond farewell.  NB Hogarth and NB Caxton are departing for pastures new, well actually David Lewis is being taken by his two sons to Le Mans 24 hour Race for Father's Day and his Birthday and is being met above Audlem by my godson Max.  Joe is taking the opportunity to be taken to his own car goodness knows where, he's off home to mow the lawns, open the post, feed the two wild cats they adopted and I think do the laundry.  So they had deadlines and NB WaL does not.  I feel some lingering and loitering coming on.

That night we all walked to the White Bear in the centre of Middlewich, we had no idea it was there but the food was lovely and so were the staff.  I would definitely go back again.

So with a tear or two in my eye we exchanged bear hugs and kisses 

it was Au Revoir.

Its been a lot of fun all being together for this trip, Gloucester we had to pass on but we'll try again next year.

So all alone and crying the next morning we went down Kings Lock and watered up at the ridiculously positioned water point, but for gods sake don't complain, CART will take it out and not replace it. 

It was a delightfully sunny day and we continued through Middlewich and went up one lock.

This gorgeous Lock Cottage is in a sad looking state, I presumed it is rented but that's a guess. The sky looks threatening here, I might have taken this the previous day.

I walked up to the first lock and met these ladies.  I told them how delighted to se women on the back relaxing and the men doing the locks.  I asked them if I could include this photo on my blog, so memorable to see.

So this is where we rocked up.  South facing, on armco, a tree to sit under if it gets too hot, just perfect.

Until that is, until we heard a familiar sound.....

It was the pump which collects the slurry into a huge tank on the back of a tractor, in turn it will be taken to a field recently mowed and the silege collected.  A field everso everso like the one oppersite out boat!

Anyway the sound was on and off, later David noticed that the tractor had towed the zonking great pipe across the field.....

I said we might have to move on but still nothing happened.

About 4pm this happened.

Supper was chickpea, chicken, courgette surprise, only 500 calories.