Audlem (Below Shroppie Fly) to Audlem, Between Locks 3 and 2 - Shropshire Union Canal

 Tuesday 25^th May

We moved up from the bottom of the locks on Saturday to the moorings below lock 13 and the Shroppie Fly pub, we only had to do two locks so didn’t take too long and we managed to do it in between showers.  John and Sharon moved up as well but they moored above lock 13.  They were going to go on but it kept raining, so they decided to stay another night.  In the evening we all went to The Lord Combermere for a meal and the food was so good, it really is an excellent place to eat, we had a lovely evening.

                                                                        

Sunday – we had breakfast at the cafe in the marina with Jane, Malcolm, Sheila and Tony, it was great to be all together again as we haven’t been able to do that since last year and the breakfast was delicious as always.  Jane and Malcolm dropped us back at the boat and we just chilled out for the rest of the day.  Our friend Bill and his little dog Peanut were moored further up the locks and came to see us in the afternoon for a cuppa and a catchup, it was nice to see them as we haven’t met up since last year.  Peanut came and sat on my lap and had a cuddle for a while then he went and had a cuddle with Kev so as not to leave him out!

                                                                               

Yesterday (Monday), we were going for lunch with Jane at the Shroppie Fly but decided to do the washing before we went but that didn’t happen as when we switched on the inverter and the engine alarms started going off and the batteries wouldn’t charge.  We thought the alternator had died so we rang the marina and a chap whose number we were given but they couldn’t help.  We were then given the number of another electrical engineer who lived not far away and he said he would come out Tuesday morning.  We were lucky the sun came out in the evening so the solar panels charged up the batteries and kept the fridge going.

                                                                                          

      

This morning before 10am Barney turned up and had a look and at first thought it was the alternator and ordered us a new one but when he went to remove the old one something didn’t seem quite right so he tested something else and found his hunch was correct, it wasn’t the alternator at all it was the isolator switch that goes to the batteries it had overheated over time and melted and so wasn’t working.  Luckily he had a new one in his van so after a while it was all fixed and we were up and running again.  He was a really nice friendly chap and certainly knew his stuff so glad we found him as you never know when we may need help again and we would definitely recommend him.

                                                                     

                                                     

The sun was actually shining for a change so we decided to go up 11 locks and moor before lock 2.  We untied and went up one lock then moored outside the Shroppie Fly to use the services.  Bill and Peanut were just coming down so we left the lock open for them.  We said our goodbyes as Bill was going the opposite way to us and making his way to Llangollen so our paths won’t cross again for a while but I expect we will see him in a couple of months when he is on his way back.

Once all that was done, we set off up the locks.  A boat has just come out of the next lock and left the gates open for us.  The by-wash was very strong today at the entrance to the lock so Kev had to run the gauntlet to get in the lock, but he managed it okay.

                                                  

We worked our way up the locks and we were lucky today in that all the locks were in our favour and a few boats were coming down so that always helps. 

It was a lovely sunny afternoon and we worked our way up the locks, we like these locks as they are close together, not very deep and set in lovely countryside.

We were about three locks from lock 3 and I said to Kev we need two more boats to come down one in each lock to make it easy for us and guess what there was a boat in those two locks coming down so that made our passage even easier and before we knew it, we were in lock no. 3. 

                       

                                                                 

Once through that lock, we moored up in the moorings before lock no. 2. 

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow as in the morning we are off to Telford with Jane for our second Covid vaccinations, then shopping and lunch.  It will be good to get our second jabs and get that out of the way.

Then on Thursday we will be making our way to Market Drayton to attend the floating market there over the bank holiday weekend so we are looking forward to that and also going back to Market Drayton to see the people we made friends with during our lockdown stay there.

Nantwich to Moss Hall, Audlem - Shropshire Union Canal

 Thursday 20^th May

John, Sharon and Smugs turned up yesterday, it was lovely to see them and for once it was a nice sunny afternoon, so we sat outside and had a few drinkkies and a catchup.

 

Today, we are on the move back to Audlem.  The forecast wasn’t too good so we decided to set off early, so just  8.30am we set off.  We went past John and Sharon who were just getting ready to set off behind us.

We went over Nantwich Aqueduct and on along the canal.  It wasn’t a very nice day, a bit rainy and gusty winds.

We went under a couple of bridges then was approaching Hack Green locks.  I got off the boat and went up to the lock, a boat had just come down and the lock was empty so I opened one gate and John opened the other one.  Kev brought the boat in and we filled the lock.

Kev went on to the next lock and I stayed and helped John with the lock.  We emptied it and opened the gates and Sharon brought the boat in.

                                                    

I then left John to finish filling the lock and I walked up to the next lock to help Kev.  We were soon up the lock and there was a boat coming so we left the gate open for them and went on our way.

                                                                                                                                                         

We went under a few more bridges and then went past Coole Pilate moorings where there was only a couple of boats moored.

                                             

                                                          

John and Sharon came along shortly after and moored up behind us.  We were lucky with the rain as it waited until we were all moored up before it came down heavy.

                                      

We all decided to have lunch in the Shroppie Fly pub so just after 1pm we walked up to the pub in between the showers.

                                 

We had a really nice lunch, the food was excellent and presented really well and good company as well.  We managed to get back to the boats in the dry as well.                                  

We are staying here for a couple of days then probably on Saturday weather permitting we shall move up two locks to the moorings just below the Shroppie Fly pub and a bit nearer to the village.

Calveley to Nantwich - Shropshire Union Canal

 Tuesday 18^th May

We were glad to see the sun shining when we got up.  We untied about 9.15am and headed under the bridge, past the services and moored up outside Calveley Mill.

                                  

We walked into the car park and after a few minutes Jane drove in.  It was great she could join us for breakfast and we even had a hug as we are allowed now, first one in over a year!

We went into the cafe and found a table next to their pet Gorilla who we were pleased to see was wearing his mask!

                                         

We all had the cooked breakfast and it was really good and nice and hot.

After breakfast, we had a look around the shop and we bought some more cheese, local milk and butter. We then waved Jane goodbye and walked back to the boat, untied and went on our way.

    

We chugged under a few bridges then went through Barbridge, the canal runs alongside a busy road and there was lots of traffic whizzing past.

We went on along the canal and came to Hurleston Reservoir and the junction with the Llangollen canal where there is a finger post direction sign.

                                           

It was a dry morning and the sun was out although a big black cloud seemed to be following us!

There were quite a few duck families and swans around.

                                          

We were then approaching Nantwich.  It was quite busy with moored boats but we found a space okay where we moored up.

In the afternoon, we went to town to get some shopping.  We had a coffee and a toasted teacake at our favourite cafe, the bookshop, which we call the library, as when you sit inside, it’s like being in a library with all those books!

                 

We then went back to the boat and it started to rain so just as well we were on our way back.

We are staying here tonight and tomorrow then heading back to Audlem on Thursday.  Our friends John, Sharon and Smuggler are on their way to here and should arrive tomorrow morning so looking forward to seeing them as we haven’t met up since last year.