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!