Since we got back to the boat and ate dinner at a reasonable time last night, we were up a bit earlier today. We showered, ate breakfast, and were underway just before 8:30 AM. With the set of six Grindley Brook Locks behind us, we only have two more sets that can delay us if other boats are there, and one of those sets are at the end of todays motor. I guess we will worry about it when the time comes. For now we will enjoy this beautiful day on the canal.
There are many bridges and locks today, so we decided to share the task. Now is Tim's turn. I don't know if you have noticed, but by many of the locks there is a house that the lock master used to live in, Now many are abandoned or redone into very nice residential houses.
Just putting along.
Every bridge out here seems unique in its own way.
With me driving the boat, Tim got ahold of the phone and starting taking photos of just about everything. Here ar some of his "masterpieces."
Here we are in Wrenbury. The bridge behind us is an electric draw bridge that Tim got to do today. He held up 3 cars and "felt the power." There are a couple of pub right by this bridge, but they don't open until noon, so we had lunch in the boat and then headed up to Cotton Arms and Dusty Miller for a few half pints before heading back out on the canal around 12:30 PM.
I guess it is Tim's turn again. Crank Tim Crank.
Three hours and five locks after our lunch / pub break in Wrenbury, we arrived at the Hurleston Locks, a set of four locks very closely spaced. Wait...is that Tim again working the locks...maybe we didn't take turns and Tim did all the work today? Anyway....this is a pretty cool photo showing we are in lock 2 of 4 and you can see locks 3 & 4 below us.
Here I am exiting a lock with another lock right in front of me.
We made it to the bottom about one hour after entering lock 1, which is expected since each lock takes about 15 minutes to fill / empty as needed; enter the lock; empty / fill as needed; exit the lock.
We have just completed the out and back of the Llangollen Canal, and are now back on the Shropshire Union Canal, the canal that we started on in Middlewich 20 days ago.
We have just completed the out and back of the Llangollen Canal, and are now back on the Shropshire Union Canal, the canal that we started on in Middlewich 20 days ago.
Well...look at that...tonight we are moored right in front of The Olde Barbridge Inn...how convenient.
After mooring up for the night, we relaxed in the boat a bit, then headed to the pub for a couple of half pints. Tim liked the look of our sitting area in the pub.
We then returned to the boat for dinner, shrimp quesadillas with onions, peppers, & sour cream, blogged some, watched some TV, and went to sleep. Tomorrow is our last day on the canal, but we will have time to take our time and enjoy the canal.