Liverpool on foot with the girls!

Friday 16th July when we ‘hopped-off’ the open top tour bus …

click on any of the pictures for a better view!

Liverpool Anglican Cathedral … unfortunately and disappointingly closed to visitors as it was being used for the university’s graduation ceremony.

Opposite the Anglican Cathedral stand these absolutely beautiful buildings but no matter how hard I’ve tried I can’t find anything out about them - if you know what they are ... I would love to know!

Whilst waiting to get on another tour bust we walked down Duke Street to China Town …

… where the street signs are in English and Chinese ...

… and there are lions and lovelys!

 Hopped off the bus once more at Mathew Street where the girls met a very young John! ...

... by the wall of fame ...

… opposite The Cavern … home to those 4 young men!

 As it used to be a long time ago - I wish I could have been one of those lucky girls!

Instead these lucky girls got to see it today!

 The Cavern today is further underground today than the original was but ...

 … it was fantastic!  The atmosphere, the noise, the colours, the music were great.  Joanne absolutely loved all of it!  Me? I had a lump in my throat just being there!

The Beatles look out over the street at The Hard Day’s Night Hotel in the centre of Liverpool

I wonder how many shoppers realise that the site of Liverpool's Old Dock is at the entrance to the Liverpool One shopping area and is laid out to resemble what the old dock area was all about ...

 …and what two beautiful girls are all about too!

A view from the steps at the entrance of Liverpool’s Maritime museum - isn’t it amazing!!?

We’ve been at Great Haywood Marina since Sunday ...

 From our mooring at Sandon way over in the trees we can see Sandon Hall which has been the ancestral home of the Harrowby family since 1776.

 Margaret and Geoff arrived on their shiny new boat and we got together on the towpath for a ...

 … yes, you’ve guessed it … a bbq! This was the sunset as we were packing stuff away after a lovely evening together catching up ...

 … and the view in the morning as the sun came rose ...

 … and lit up the sky.

 Wow - isn’t she lovely? Note the CRT logo too!

 Saying ta-ra for now ...

 See you at Great Haywood in a few days time!

 You boaters know know the feeling … you always meet the boat coming in the opposite direction at a narrow bridge or a bend … this one at Salt Bridge 

 Looking back at Brinepit Bridge and Weston Lock … they could tell some stories ... if only they could speak!

 Hoo Mill Lock ...

 … waiting for working boat Empress No 168 to pass

Yesterday (Wednesday) morning at 05:45.

George is busy digging trenches and levelling the ground at our son’s house whilst I stay on Rock n Roll catching up with numerous tasks … you know the ones … those that you always leave … for another day!

Nearly there!

10 minuets to 7 ready to leave Westport Lake on Thursday morning ...

… and the sun striking the water as we round the corner

Arriving at Etruria and the top lock of the Stoke flight at 8 ...

… where a notice warns boaters to close the side hatches!!

Heading towards Stoke station ...

The tower of Stoke Parish Church where my mum and dad got wed in 1946

Rock and Roll Lady on the Whelden Road stretch of canal in Stoke

Had lots of good time in the Plume of Feathers at Barlaston with family

Towpath maintenance as we approach ...

… the Meaford Flight of locks where things started to get a bit busier!

Coming into Stone now ...

Just after 1pm waiting for the lock at what I refer to as the Stone’s Ginger boat yard - a certain boat is in the building behind the boat ...

George sets Star Lock for me ...

… and we quickly moor up and walk back up to say hello to Margaret and Geoff

Leaving Stone after filling the water tank and are currently moored on a nice stretch near bridge 85 at Sandon.
Our plans have changed slightly as we were not sure when our son was collecting George from the marina and we’ve now had a phone call to say it will be on Monday so we can stay put here for today and enjoy the sunshine hopefully and a bbq with the Seyella crew, then travel to Great Haywood tomorrow (Sunday).

Two long, busy days ...

Tuesday 6th August (Happy Birthday to my twin brothers Garry and Alan xx)

 Up early today at Billinge Green Flash ...

 … so peaceful at 6 am!  We were ready to rock n roll at 8.

 The meandering Trent and Mersey canal is a stark contrast indeed to the wide reaches of the Bridgwater and the Leeds and Liverpool

 8 am and we spy a Great Crested Grebe as pass through Crofton Flash

After stopping above the Big Lock to do a quick shop at Tesco’s and up the next 4 locks, it's half past 11 when we arrive at the busy junction with the Middlewich Canal.

We pulled over above Kings Lock to pop into the Chandlery and of course to collect a bag of chips to eat with our sandwiches for lunch .. lovely!  We continued on, no pictures I’m afraid as I’m busy at the tiller as George walks ahead to set the next four locks and arrive at Wheelock just before three.

 Another early start on Wednesday morning 6:15 saw us reversing from our mooring spot onto the water point ...

 … and by 20 past 7 we were in the first lock of the day - only 25 more to come!

 8am and the sun is hot already!

Most of the locks on this stretch are paired so there was usually a choice of which one to choose - of course it was always the one that was already set for us or the easiest on for me to enter if they both needed changing.

 Coming up the Wheelock Flight

 Lock 57 at Hassel Green is where we’d planned to moor up but its only 10 past 9 so we decide to carry on ...

 Sheila and Bruce relax in the sunshine again after we’d said a quick ‘hello' and ‘how are you’ as we passed them at Church Lawton at 10:50.

 The obligatory picture of Mow Cop at 12:40...

… and Poole Aqueduct which carries the Macclesfield Canal over the Trent and Mersey as I approach lock 42 towards Hardingswood Junction.

We arrived at Harecastle Tunnel at 2pm but were unable to travel through until 3:30 with 5 other boats eventually mooring up at 10 to 5 at Westport Lake where by 8:45 we were both asleep in front of the telly!

A long (9.5 hours), busy day but most rewarding.  I quite like the early starts so long as I can have early nights too!