Friday 5th October

I seem to have managed to get a bout of vertigo.  I noticed it yesterday but today it’s much worse.  It is something I suffer from but could do without it this weekend with my gadding about!

Our first lock was another built by Thomas Telford but this one has a stone chamber.  The next lock was Tilstone Mill Lock where the canal was bubbling away and looked as if it was about to erupt!

Bunbury Staircase Locks were next on the list and as I went to fill the top lock another boat was coming down so they went into the top lock and we went into the bottom lock.  We then let the water out of the top lock and we rose up and they went down – seemples!!  We have never done a staircase like this before but it was such an easy way of doing it but it was a bit strange having two boats in one lock facing in opposite directions!

It wasn’t very far to Calveley where we were able to empty the toilet cassettes and get rid of rubbish, we also topped up with water.  Richard said afterwards that it always gave him a nice feeling when all that was done – it’s definitely time we went home!!!!

We pulled over for lunch just after Barbridge Junction and realized that we were back on the main line again L it was amazing how many boats went passed us – it is October after all!  I remember reading in Epiphany’s blog how they felt when they got onto the main line Trent and Mersey a few weeks ago after the Lancaster Canal – Fiona I know just how you felt!!

It was only a few miles to Nantwich where Mary H will stay for the weekend.  Richard and I are both catching an early train to Crewe tomorrow.  He will go up to Tewitfield to pick up the car and I will head to Bristol for the hen night.

There won’t be a blog over the weekend but I will be back on line on Tuesday J