Out of Chester.

Last night was a good evening. The theatre was in the park and held about 300 or so. The seating has just a couple of tiers of blocks and others where on deck chairs or just on rugs. There was minimal scenery and it was all in the round. I can't really remember going to see Shakespeare before but I may have done when I was a lot younger. I don't think I have deliberately avoided it but opportunities have been limited. I must say that Othello was gripping and made me think of a soap opera due to the stupid things that were done when most would have taken a different course. We took a picnic and scoffed more cake than was strictly necessary and washed it all down with Prosecco. It was a lovely warm evening and not even a shower. It was a great night and just 10 mins back to the boat.

The theatre in Grosvenor Park, Chester.

Before we got underway I popped to Tesco just round the corner for some milk and then we were off. We had waited for a while but nobody seemed to be making moves to leave and join us in the lock. Just past out mooring is the winding hole and then a corner under a bridge and then you are straight into the 'moat'. This was the moat in the past and is through solid rock. You could see several places where the tow lines had gouged out the sandstone as it rubbed round the slight bends.

The 'Bridge of Sighs' Upper Northgate Street Bridge.

This is the same part of the City Wall as taken yesterday but from the canal level. You can see the Roman Wall top left.

Lock No.2, or the middle of a staircase of three locks at Northgate Staircase Lock. 

The locks were cut through the solid sandstone. There were five locks originally. There are only single paddles to fill the locks so takes a while. There were plenty of Gongozzlers passing and their explanations of how ,locks worked seemed to be very varied and often impossible! I liked the Lock Keepers shelter on the right. The rubbish disposal is at the top lock and we had a fair bit to get rid of. Once the locks had been set it didn't take too long to pen down. A passer by told me that there was somebody waiting at the bottom as nobody had come up from them. Once out of the lock there is railway bridge to pass under, a little waiting area and then a sharp turn under a road bridge and then you enter Tower Wharf. The first thing you come to is the Telford Warehouse with it's undercroft for unloading boats. It is now a pub.

Telford's Warehouse, Tower Wharf, Chester.

There is an arm that descends through three locks to the River Dee. I think it is closed at the moment due to silting etc, but it is funny to see narrow boats at a lower level right next to you. It must have been a hive of activity when in its heyday. There was another small basin that had been filled in but has been re-dug and is in water with new flats etc around it. I'm not sure whether it will be permanent moorings or what. There is a metal turn over bridge next to a dry dock and then there is Taylor's Boat yard that was once busy building and repairing the Shropshire Unions fleet.

Taylor's Boat yard with canal workers cottages adjacent. Tower Wharf, Chester.

The Covered dry dock with Holderness taking water taken from the turn over bridge. There is a memorial to L.T.C. Rolt who was born in Chester on the bridge.

Helen enjoying the sunshine and checking up where we have been, or maybe where we are going

We had had the washing on as we went and as it was such a good drying day we decided to do two loads and then moor up near to the Chester Zoo and get it dry. It will also let Macy have a roam about as she has been confined to the boat with the Chester moorings right next to a road and very busy too.