Shropshire Union

 A reclusive cruiser

The river was busy with other boats when we woke up this morning. The start of the school holidays heralds a dramatic increase in the number of boats on the canals and a corrseponding decrease in the experience of the average captain! Yesterday we met a boat approaching round a bend flat out. There was a girl with a frightened look on her face at the front, shouting to her dad who, on seeing us, turned hard to starboard(!) and shot into the reeds! We are going to see a lot more of this...

 Beautiful scenery on the Shropshire Union Canal

We passed through Middlewich and up several locks with other boats constantly around us. The good thing about the number of boats is that most of the narrow locks were set for us and shared with other crews coming in the other direction. In Middlewich we turned right, leaving the Trent & Mersey canal behind and joining the Shropshire Union Canal. As we cleared Middlewich, the scenery turned to rolling farmland with fabulous views over the Weaver Valley.

 The clouds gathering

The sunshine we had set off in started to disappear and more and more black clouds built up, leading to a prolonged downpour. Kagouls and wet feet yet again.

 The cow rush hour

The weather improved  by late afternoon, so that the cows were able to enjoy sunshine as they headed for the milking shed.

 Angela sheltering from the rain

 Barbridge Marina

We stopped at this marina to fill up with water and diesel. It was a massive place and we were on best behaviour as we sailed up to the quay where the diesel pump was - whereupon I selected forward instead of reverse and we ploughed into the quayside! A guy watching whilst on a mobile phone just turned and walked away - I'd like to have heard the conversation!

Todays cute creature- a horse modelling this season's outfit -for Clare.

 Tonight's mooring

We are moored in the country just beyond some permanent moorings with views across open farmland.

 Beautiful light between downpours

Once the rain stopped this evening, the light changed and the scene above appeared from the galley window, looking like something you might see in a gallery.

 Sunset from Banjo

Banjo's fairy lights

We have a set of solar powered fairy lights on the front of Banjo which are much admired and help us to find our way back if we go to the pub....
Thanks to Lorraine and Andy whose comments about the blog are more random and bizarre than the our ramblings.