We spent a while in Audlem then headed off towards Nantwich stopping at Bridge 80 and Coole Pilate on the way.
We then spent a few days in Nantwich shopping and doing some trading. There was a pub we wanted to try called The Bench who do small plates which they call English Tapas and they serve it on mini picnic benches. We went for lunch there and was not disappointed, it was delicious and served so uniquely, the service was very good as well. They do afternoon tea served that way as well so when we are back in Nantwich, we will be trying that as well.
We moved on from Nantwich, passing Hurleston Junction which is the entrance to the Llangollen canal and moored at Barbridge as we intended to get the bus from here to Chester but we found out when we were walking up the road to get the bus that as the road up ahead was closed, the bus was not running at the moment which was a pity so we decided to move on.
We left Barbridge and turned up the Middlewich arm of the Shropshire Union Canal. There are lots of moored boats at the start of this arm so its slow going. After a couple of miles we moored above Cholmondeston lock and Venetian Marina as there was a nice cafe at the marina and we had planned to have lunch but just our luck, the cafe had gone, it was all cleared out, so we had to go back to the boat and make our own lunch!!
We had a couple of days here then headed off. There were volunteers on the lock, this was their last day until next year so we were lucky to get help from them.
Just as we were coming out of the lock, an alarm went off indicating our engine was overheating so we pulled into the marina. They were so helpful and helped us to a pontoon where we could tie up and see what was going on. There was no water in it so we filled it up. Kev noticed that the cap was very loose.
A couple of weeks ago we had trouble turning our engine off one night and Kev was clambering about on the hot engine and we think he may have knocked the cap and since then when we have been running the engine, the water has been leaking out, hopefully that is what has happened. Once we had filled it back up, we let it run for a while and no alarms went off so we went on our way.
We went a couple more miles and came to Church Minshull lock, these locks are quite deep on this section, this one is about 11ft. We had to fill it it up then Kev brought the boat in and we opened the paddles and down we went.
We went on past the entrance to Aqueduct Marina and moored by the picnic tables in a nice open spot not far past there. The next morning we walked into the marina where there is a nice cafe and hurray it was open. We had breakfast sandwiches and very nice they were too and plenty of filling.
We then headed off up the canal going under a few bridges. We passed some chaps cutting all the sides of the canal making it tidy for the Winter. We are now moored in a nice spot overlooking the flashes of the River Weaver. We are staying here for a couple of days then heading onto Middlewich which is where this arm meets the Trent & Mersey canal.
We shall have a few days there then turn around and head back down the arm again.
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