Cruising from Middlewich, turning around and heading back to Venetian - Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal

Thursday 4th November to Saturday 6th November

We had a few days in Middlewich and got the bus to Northwich, a nice town on the River Weaver where are lots of shops and we found a nice cafe/bar for lunch.  We are turning around here and going back the way we have come.

                                                                           

We set off from our mooring the lock.  We went through Wardle Lock and out onto the Trent & Mersey Canal, turned around and went back into the Branch and back through the lock.

                                                                                  

                                                                                         

We then headed off leaving Middlewich behind us.  We went through Stanthorne lock and chugged on for a few miles and moored up again overlooking the flashes of the River Weaver where we moored on the way up as it is such a nice spot.

                                                  

We had one night there and then moved on a few miles going under a few bridges and we were lucky enough to see several Kingfishers as we chugged along.  I did manage to get a few photos but it is quite hard when we are moving and so are they, as they usually fly in front and then perch on a branch but as soon as you get close off they go again.

                                                    

                                                                                          

We moored up near Aqueduct marina and walked up there to go to the cafe for a bit of lunch.  In the afternoon we did a few jobs around the boat then just chilled out.

                                                 

                                                                                                       

Today (Saturday) we are on the move again just a few miles to near Venetian marina.

It has been dry the last few days and we were glad to see it was the same as we set off.

                                      

                                                                                                

We went past Aqueduct marina,under a bridge and then came to Church Minshull lock.  I got off the boat and walked up to the lock, it was full so I opened the paddles and emptied the lock.

                     

                                                                                    

Kev then brought the boat in, I shut the gates and opened the other paddles and up we went.

A boat turned up as we were going up the lock so the lady said I could get on and she would shut the gate.  We chugged on along the canal and after a short while we were approaching Venetian marina.

                                                                              

We moored up in a nice open spot before the marina.

We will stay here for a couple days now then move on a bit further.