Having to become narrow minded.

We have been hindered in posting with lack of single. I wonder if it is the weather?

On the hill above our moorings above Beeston Stone Lock was Beeston Towers. This was built in 1886 by a John Naylor a timber merchant from Warrington. In 1871 he and his brother walked from Lands End to John O'Groats which was the first recorded such trek. They actually just walked from place of interest to the next interesting place rather than the shortest route. They covered 1300 in nine weeks. He died in 1923 and in the 1930's it was used as a school until 1946 and then became the Wild Boar Hotel. To the left of the photo are many new buildings that were added to make it into a motel. That bit seems to be boarded up now.

As we got to Bunbury staircase lock the farmer was just moving the cattle to new grazing. I have often wondered that if the wall painted Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Co. Carriers is protected and whether it would be allowed to repaint it?

At the top of the lock, where we crossed with a pair coming down, is the former stables. The size of them shows how busy a place it was as there were plenty of horses kept here.

It wasn't long before we were stopping at the former transhipment wharf that is close to the railway. It was nice to have a small time in the shade while we filled up with water and dumped the gash. I was disappointed to see the red and black currants near the tap were not ready for picking.

We went a little further and just pulled over near the garage on the road above to buy some milk as we aren't really passing through any where for the next day or so.

A boat pulled out of the Middlewich Branch at Barbridge Junction and went straight on the water point. You can just see there is a boat coming from the opposite direction and I waited for him. Eventually he turned into the Middlewich Branch. In the past there was a straddle warehouse over the canal where the canal narrows and then there would have been not chance to see him coming.

I was surprised to see there was nobody waiting at the bottom of Hurleston Locks at the start of the Llangollen Canal so we started up immediately. A volunteer Lockie arrived too. We were soon up and they told us that it had been very quiet today. I like the sound of that

This is our first narrow lock, other than the paiir of Whitby Locks in the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port since May last year. They do look small, but they are so quick to work through. I like being back in the land of the smaller locks.

We were soon at the top and off into the country. Neither of us could really remember the eastern end of the Llangollen Canal, maybe as the big ticket items like Chirk and 'THE Aqueduct, and Llangollen are at the other end. However the countryside is very pleasant indeed and it was nice to cruise gently through it in the sun.

We were enjoying ourselves so much we kept on going up the Swanley Locks and further into the countryside.

It was a lovely quiet spot with hardly anybody passing us. It was a while before the sun sank enough to allow the air to cool down a little. Macy the cat hasn't stirred much over the last few days.