Bollington to Billinge

We left Little Bollington and Badger Sett yesterday (Sunday) morning; we need to keep going to reach our destination - Great Haywood before 12th August.

We would normally stop for at least one night at Lymm ...

… it is such a pretty town and canal side ...

… and the fish and chips from this shop are delicious!

A large swan family

Not sure what’s going on here - the boat being filmed is called Rif Raft.

When we came through this way in Sept 2010 Thorne Marine had been under the threat of closure by Peel Holding over 6 years and today they’re still on a recurring 3-month licence!

We had planned to do some shopping at Midland Chandlers in Preston Brook, but it doesn’t open on Sundays!

The heavens opened as we moored up here. 

I was surprised that the mooring rings did not extend along the whole of the wharf, I bet when the rings are taken boaters will spoil the hard-standing by knocking in mooring pins - I wonder whose idea that was?

A very pretty patch of wild flowers brightens the area ...

… and sluices …

… and Dutton Aqueduct can also be seen over on the River Weaver...

… and you can see for miles and miles ...

The weather forecast for today looked horrendous but it brightened up about 10 o’clock so we decided to make a run for it ...

Signs of recent subsidence along the way ...

… and the trees on the off-side desperately need to be cut back - some trees looked just about ready to fall across the canal!

 We need to wait 15 minuets before we could ...

… cruise through Saltersford Tunnel and there's an idiot behind us with no lights on banging about on the walls!

When we came out of there it was to a fine mess with boats all over the place!

 This is the idiot steering an old boat behind us with no lights at all!  There were boats waiting to travel through the other way when we exited and when we told them there was a boat behind us with no lights on, we were asked how far behind us they were - we had no idea - we couldn’t see them!

 A peaceful scene though as we look back ...

 … and another fine mess in front!

The Anderton Lift was not busy at all  as we passed by ...

… but the weir was very busy with the excess water from all the rain overnight and today ...

The Anderton Services were chock-a-block so we decided we could manage without the facilities.
It was soon after that the rain came down, and it rained and rained and rained ...

… and 6 miles (approx 2.5 hours) later George decided to call it a day and we’ve put in the pins at Billinge Green Flash with a view of the sunken boat.  Let’s hope for a much better day tomorrow!