Off to the Lockwind

A gentle start on Tuesday. It's the 9th, and we are due at Cholmondeston Lock for Thursday afternoon.

I went for a look around Audlem and was pleased to see repairs had been made: a new wall to the waste compound to hide it from view :

And a repair to the gate leading up from the towpath:

Both had been visible eyesores in a village that prides itself on its tidy appearance and community ethos. 

I also had a look see at the nature reserve opposite our mooring. A pretty spot,

with some wildlife in evidence: a Common Blue.

but also this:

??

An early lunch and away in the heat of the day. We were in a queue of several boats so all four locks out of town were against us. But they are small and fill quickly, and the mechanisms are in good condition,  so not that much of a chore. The garden at the last one is looking lovely.

We were soon at Overwater Marina, for pump out, diesel, ice creams and water top up. I got the bullace into a pan to start the jam process,

but the main boiling will happen later. Not when the boat is 33 degrees c!

 We stopped well before Nantwich: the boat in front was erratic and slow: the view is lovely: and it's too hot!

Jam made as dusk fell; delicious!

On Wednesday we were heading for Nantwich, pause for a few supplies, then moor up under the tall hedge at Barbridge. However, we saw an equally tall hedge on the approach to Nantwich, and stopped there instead. With a bench!

A siesta ensued, then a walk to the shop, then a call in at fave craft beer Ebenezer's:

then dinner at Mexican place Loco. Lots of gf options. 

Thursday  and we thought we would get moving before it got too hot although we only have a couple of hour's cruising to do. Seems everyone else had the same idea:

and a joker entertaining passers-by with his monkey.

Much entertainment at the Barbridge Junction, no phone to hand for pics. There are narrows approaching the junction, so we waited for an oncoming boat to turn out of the branch and through the narrows, then came forward to find a loose boat right under the bridge being pulled back into the side, and a hireboat further down the channel. We started our manoeuvre but the hire boat continued ahead instead of waiting,  so we were forced to reverse out of the turn and into the bushes on the far side of the canal to give them room to turn. They were 70 foot long so struggled to make the turn but managed in the end. Had they waited, we would have been out of their way and they would have found things much easier, but hey.

And onto our reserved mooring, such VIP treatment!, for lunch. Waiting for the crew to turn up so we can erect our stall for the weekend's fundraising. Crew swiftly decided we would wait until the cool of the evening to do that whole our barbecues are settling into readiness.

Arena of operations:

Good golly it's hot! We decided to wait until the evening to wrestle with the tent, and also to eat outdoors but cook indoors. BBQs are not safe in this weather!

The lockwind itself started at 7am to catch the early birds dodging the heat of the day and finished at 5pm, both Friday and Saturday.  There were long lulls

sat waiting for customers, and then bursts of activity.

and then all quiet again.

but we had a good team with enough coverage to allow a proportion to have breaks.

I love the top of nb Rosie emerging out of the lock.

They even had rhubarb growing in a pot on top!

The weekend flew by and Saturday early evening we were away to Nantwich. Andrew is keen to get home.

We passed this wonderfully named boat:

and noted how very stressed some of the trees are looking. We really need rain!

Also, here's the world's smallest bar of soap, Yale keys for reference.

So just like that, the main cruise is over!