Partings and welcomes.

Nantwich is a bit of a magnet as we always find it difficult leaving the place. We seem to find excuses to linger just a little longer when we stop here. This morning it was a bit of shopping and for Helen to have a nose about some of the independent dress shops as there is a nephew's wedding coming up. She did try some stuff on but eventually left them on the hangers. After we had got back and had a cup of tea we set off about 1200.

Last night a man from the hire boat that was moored stern to stern with us called out at just about 2100 that he HAD to run his engine. I of course said yes, fine, but I was mightly puzzled as to why. The couple had been sitting on the back deck of their boat since we returned to our boat at 1700! I was going to run our engine a while but as they were on their back deck didn't. Oh well. It only ran for about an hour and didn't disturb us, but why?

Once clear of the moorings and passing under a bridge I was wishing that a cyclist was coming past and then the photo would have walkers, anglers and boaters and cyclists in it.

The contryside is well parched around here, but the hills still roll along the skyline like ocean swells. The trees are still green but not quite the emerald green of the spring.

As we approached Hack Green locks a boat coming from the lock suddenly veered across the cut and into the winding hole. He rammed the wall at quite a pace and came upstanding! We waited for him to get round but he waved us through. There was a queue of three boats and things were going slowly so I managed to do a couple of little jobs whilst I waited.

The boat that winded spoke to Helen and told her that they were going to the Llangollen?? They also had a 'walkie talkie' and couldn't make contact with each other. I hope they got through in the end.

At the end of the Coole Pilate moorings this heifer had got out of the field behind it and didn't seem to want to leave the area. The boaters moored nearby were in a bit of a quandary as to how to proceed. I just proceeded!

And we later passed a green boat moored up and I had the feeling it was Jaq Biggs and the 'Valerie'. We roused her out of her stupor in the heat and after a brief chat moored up ahead of her for a long chat. Despite her illnesses she looks very well and it was great to catch up with her again as we don't see her very often.

Since passing through Chester we have seen the Pizza Boat several times. He was moored in Overwater Marina and looked to be doing a good trade.

Just before the Audlem Locks the River Weaver is crossed via an aqueduct. There still seems to be plenty of water in the Weaver as it passes through Nantwich. The fields by the river were full of sheep and geese.

We thought we were quids in as we approached the bottom lock as a boat had just left. We just entered and off we went. The second lock was also our well, but when it came to the third a boat was coming down. I thought we could take water whilst we waited but a boat was moored right across the water point. When we finally got up the lock a hire boat was moored on the water point too. We managed to get the bow in and started taking water when they decided to leave! They were not very fast at the lock processes so I was dreading having to follow them up the locks.

There is the transport festival in Audlem at the weekend and moorings were reserved. There are plenty of boats already here and apparently there are many cars and other vehicles arriving too. I didn't think that there would be any moorings along the pounds available so set to for a long trip to the top.

It looks like the 'Shroppie Fly' has been taken over again. Last time we passed this way it was empty. I was hoping to sample it this evening.

The Old Mill Shop was closed, obviously, so Helen never got to have a look round as we always do.

We got through Lock 4 and lo and behold there was a mooring vacant so we dived in. Hopefully there wont be too many folk up and down the locks tonight so the pound should stay filled and we will stay upright too.

Archer's finished, washing up done, now off for a pint after all.