Most locks in a day so far on this trip.

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Alan)

About to leave our very rural overnight mooring spot.

Our overnight mooring place didn't really have an identifiable name on the map.  It was nearest to Hassall Green which looks to be a very small place, but was still 3 locks further on, and somewhat more distant from Thurlwood, which we had already passed.  It was actually idyllic, but anybody walking past the boat when I let an oil filter full of used oil slip from my hands last evening, and spread its contents into inaccessible places under the engine might have thought otherwise, given my language!

The borrowed solar panel that David and I had lashed up, professional installed, the previous evening was tried before we left, and even with the sun very low was producing enough charge to be of some use - it was obviously going to perform far better if used in the middle of a sunny day, so is looking quite promising.

My constant compaions whilst working the locks.

We have deliberately planned this trip such that whilst we have to work reasonably hard each day to be sufficiently far ahead, we don't want to be doing very long days.  However this morning we realised that supermarket supplies were getting fairly low, and really needed topping up today.  That was only going to be achievable if we pressed on into Middlewich - not a lot of miles, but at least 17 locks, and possibly 20, to find a suitable mooring, if by any chance it were busy.

 

Apart from the approaches to Middlewich it is all very attractive.

Cath and I agreed very firmly that we both need to do stuff to increase fitness levels, (particularly if we are about to work locks right over the Pennines in both directions), and should alternate  between steering and lock work.  We have been fairly true to that, but Cath was again starting to work more locks, whilst I was spending rather too long at the tiller.  So today I set off with the dogs, doing the locks, and particularly going ahead on foot to set them up.

Locks like these are surprisingly deep.

For much of today's journey they come thick and fast, particularly the Wheelock flight of 8 locks.  Many are surprisingly deep - not really an issued going downhill, but some care is needed on the paddles with uphill boats, if they are not to get cannoned around in these fast filling locks.

In the end I lock wheeled for I think a dozen locks, before taking up the tiller again, with Cath taking over on lock (and dog) duties.  On arrival at the "top end" of Middlewich, we found it far quieter than we have ever seen it before, and had no problem finding a mooring without having to descend the flight of three Middlewich locks.  Those could wait until the morning, as the next day would involve very few locks at all.

Steerer's view of the lock wheeler.

The one issue with not going down these locks was that the walk to Morrisons, (which we have not used before), proved longer than expected.  It was not too bad going there, but by the time I had carried two fairly heavy bags back to the boat, I knew I had worked harder this day than I had in a while.
 







Near Pierpopint Locks to Middlewich
Miles 8.9, Locks: 17
Total Miles 115.7, Total Locks: 84