Narrowboat Vegvisir

On Monday, post-gig, we roused ourselves, and moved the boat around the corner to moorings where the boat could stay for a few days. I went to check there was space at our planned spot before committing. Was entranced by the sight of Buckden motor and Saturn butty, both historic vessels, breasted up and turning in the winding hole before returning to their Ellesmere base for winter works. Beautifully done. They would then switch to fore and aft towing. And here they come  Once we were moored up again, we picked up a few bits for return home, and headed off back to North Wales. Come Thursday first thing, we were back to Cheshire in 2 cars: leaving one at Nantwich, then going together to Whitchurch: collect the boat and return to Nantwich, then whizz back to Whitchurch to collect the car at that end.. It was a lovely, trouble free cruise, except for the exuberant reed growth encroaching on the channel in quite a few places. You

The Trip Boat is here, the pagoda is up, the cards are ready for display. Friday's set up was swiftly done so, after a jaunt into town (White Bear sadly disappointing after our rose tinted memory), we took the Blue Hippo, aka nb Bala, for a training trip. All went smoothly despite my concerns about driving such an odd shaped vessel around two winding holes per trip. Definitely a feeling of the calm before the storm as traders settled in and started their set up  A gentle start on Saturday to what turned into a busy day. Time to chat with Sue and Jan on the SUCS (Shropshire Union canal society) stall and see what else was happening.  The trip boat can be seen above turning in the Arm. It was busy all day and for a free trip raised lots of money for the Arm. Alison had a 2 hour driving stint on Saturday, Andrew on Sunday, and both enjoyed the experience.  There were bands playing, a bar, and a busy towpath with lots of folk dropping off

Whitchurch Arm has a 48 hour time limit on mooring.  We need to be back for the festival but obviously can't stay put the whole week. So on Monday I went for a walk, down to Grindley Brook to check out the bookshop. and to explore the town a little. Some grand buildings next to the church: almshouses, infant school and grammar school, all end 17th/ early 18th century. The church was built at the same time, after the collapse of the medieval church's Tower, and consecrated 1713. It would have been a somewhat old-fashioned design by then, but that's what the architect and mason were comfortable doing, and no worse for that. Tuesday morning kicked off with blackberry foraging,  and then I got on the move. This meant spinning at the top of the Arm, cruising to the next winding hole as you can't just turn right, spinning again, and then operating the lift bridge, the first time I had tried this on my own. Took every