Tuesday 25^th September. The start of the day turned out to be much better than forecast. There was a decent sunrise and no rain at all.

We set to and emptied the rubbish, topped up the water and set sail. Well, you don’t actually set sail on a narrowboat but I’m sure you know what I am getting at.

We had a last look at Norbury junction and then set off as fast as we could to get as far as we could before the rain set in for the day.

Within a few miles the weather changed and it started to drizzle which wasn’t too bad for a while.

As we travelled along, swallows would fly alongside the boat in great swathes. I’ve never seen so many at one time. We passed through Gnosall

and Wheaton Aston with the drizzle gradually changing into serious rain.

I was all for pushing on regardless but when my shoes started taking on water I realised that enough was enough.

So, we moored up for lunch at Stretton Aqueduct, which crosses over Watling Street, had some homemade soup, crisps, nectarines and a cup of coffee (Brigid had lemon and honey to nurse a dodgy froat). After that, when the rain had eased a little, it was a case of wellies on and we charged on (at 4 m.p.h.) into Brewood (pronounced Brood) and tied up for the night. Just after we moored we saw a kingfisher darting back and forth right outside the window. Sorry but we couldn’t get a picture of it. Even when sitting still, it was so well camouflaged that you had to know exactly where to look to see it. Brigid still reckons she was looking at a leaf instead of the kingfisher. Ah well, crumpets for tea and cauliflower cheese for supper. Comfort food in plenty today!

Monday 24^th September. Cats & Dogs don’t even come near to it! We decided that today we would stay put, batten down the hatches, stoke up the fire and stay put. Having said that, with all this free water about I decided to get up on the roof and scrub away all the dirt that had accumulated over the weeks. Found out that my 20 year old waterproof trousers aren’t! At lunch time we did venture out to Norbury Wharf Tea Shop for sandwiches and tea and a potter round the chandlery. I thought that they might have a replacement part for the grill on the cooker, so in the afternoon I took the cooker apart but unfortunately the parts they have are for other models. Not to worry, we’ve got the toaster and fried or oven cooked chops are quite as good as grilled ones. Mooched around the outside of the boat smearing Vaseline into all the seams and joints that showed the tiniest signs of leaking. The only real problem areas are the sewn seams on the cover at the front (which always let in water after a time) and a window at the back where I think the seal may have gone. Happily, now not a drip in sight – except me with my soggy trousers. Sausages in cider tonight.

Sorry, no photos today – rain doesn't come out too well in pictures!

Sunday 23^rd September. Today we decided to push on and try to get to Norbury Junction before the threatened rain from the remnants of hurricane ‘Thingy’ arrived sometime in the afternoon. We only had five locks today but they were fairly busy with a queue of six boats, luckily all behind us.

Even so, the locks were slow filling and it all took time. As we came to the top lock, even though there was no other boat coming our way, the gates swung open for us and we were able to sail straight in. Two gentlemen were standing there working the lock. I asked if they were volunteers for the newly formed Canal & Rivers Trust but they said: ‘No, if you volunteer you get put on a rota. We just like to turn up where we want to help out. It’s our way of keeping fit!’ What a lovely way to spend a Sunday morning. On this part of the Shroppie there are some wonderful high arch bridges.

But, because of the steepness of the sides, there are also slippages which have to be managed. The canal was closed recently because of one such landslide.

Looking to our right we could see in the murky distance The Wrekin

and then we passed the old Cadbury wharf where barges would transport chocolate to Bournville. The factory is still working but now produces dried milk.

Later we passed Shebdon wharf complete with canal side crane.

And yet another of the high bridges but this one with a telegraph pole right in the middle. No one seems to know what the pole was used for –ideas on a postcard please!

Well, we got to Norbury just as the rain set in and we nabbed the last mooring where we can stay for 5 days if we need to. Let’s hope the weather lets up a bit before that although the forecast is still a bit woolly! Roast Beef tonight – who cares if it’s raining?

Saturday 22^nd September. We woke up to a slightly chilly start to the day with the canal shrouded in mist.

Very soon, the sun appeared and burned off the mist and hardly a cloud in the sky.

We set off across the aqueduct and, for once, I’ve got a big smile on my face.

It’s still chilly but it’s not raining! Like the Middlewich branch, the Shropshire Union Canal is also a favourite of ours.

It turned out to be a gloriously sunny short-sleeved day and we had plenty of help with the locks. Don’t tell anyone but at Hack Green we passed close by to their Secret Nuclear Bunker!

And I don’t think it was anything to do with the bunker but close by were loads of ducks and swans all gathered in one small place.

Soon after that we passed another new marina which wasn’t even on the drawing board last time we passed this way.

As we worked our way up through the locks we came across a stall selling vegetables and meat

and, in the middle of the Audlem flight we stopped near to The Shroppie Fly, a well-known pub in this area.

No, we didn’t go in but we did walk round Audlem and visited the church instead.

We also visited the mill and Brigid spent more money in the craft shop. On the canal side Brigid met up with Ian who was ordained at the same time as her in 1999. They recognised each other because Brigid was wearing her Retreat House T-shirt. He is now vicar in Kidsgrove. Every now and again we have passed official moorings kitted out with benches and barbecue stand.

What a wonderful idea! Most folk on the canals like a barbecue and to have everything set out for you is a great idea. My favourite lock of the day had this small stall in the gateway.

As the lock was filling, Brigid rushed across asking if I’d got any money. Now, those of you who know me know that this is the sort of question I don’t like, especially after the craft shop episode. However, I soon changed my mind!

Yummee, cream tea – well worth all the hard work on the locks. In the evening we stopped at Betton Wood bridge near Adderley and, joy of joys, we had a barbecue!

Not at one of the sites provided but on the side of the canal. Pork chops and sausages – what a splendid end to a splendid day.

Oh, before I finish, just a last picture of one of the iron rails there to protect the bridge’s stonework.

The grooves in the iron have been caused by thousands of tow ropes dragging against the metal. I know how long it takes to cut through mild steel but that’s impressive!

Friday 21^st September. Sorry I didn’t update the blog yesterday but when we got to Barbridge the connection was so slow that I decided to wait until today to see if it was any better – which it is! But that’s because we have moved on to Nantwich, all of 3 miles further on our journey. We passed the start of the Llangollen Canal and one day we hope to explore further that way, but not this year. Today we have achieved a first for us. We have spent time walking around Nantwich. In the past we have always pootled past but today we stopped here for lunch and a bit of shopping. And am I glad we did! Here you can see a view of the aqueduct that carries the canal over one of the main roads into the town.

Nantwich has many old buildings and much of the town was rebuilt in the time of Elizabeth 1 after The Great Fire of Nantwich. This is what gives Nantwich its atmosphere of ‘an Elizabethan town’.

Down one of the back allies we came across this chimney which is all that remains of a forge used for making wheels for a carriage maker in an adjacent building.

In front of it stands the Millennium clock.

We had been looking out for a butcher and came across A. T. Welch, Pork Butcher.

And so, we wandered in.

For those of you who watch Dr. Who then you will understand what I mean when I say that this shop was a bit like the Tardis. It was so much larger on the inside that on the out. We went from a standard butchers shop through a speciality food section into a delicatessen, sideways into a coffee shop where they had preserved an original shop, complete with Robertson’s Gollies, Grape Nuts, boxes of broken biscuits, a tin of National Dried Babies Milk, blocks of Fairy soap, etc.

We had lunch there and were so glad that we didn’t just pick up fish and chips (which was my original suggestion). After that, back to the boat where I fitted a new horn that I picked up in Barbridge at the marina, cleaned a bit of brass and oiled the hinges on the back doors. One of those little jobs that is so satisfying once it is done – no more squeaking. Now we’re sitting on the boat listening to the rain, about to light the fire while the casserole cooks in the oven.

P.S. Looking back over the weeks I have wondered why I seem to be so obsessed with the weather. Perhaps it’s because I am standing out in it for about 7 hours a day whereas before I was sitting at a desk just looking out the window. Amazing how a change of lifestyle makes such a difference to your priorities!

Thursday 20^th September. Today, the weather forecast was correct. We awoke to low cloud and constant drizzle. Ah well, we thought, work the first lock, fill up with water, work the second lock and then snuggle down into the wet weather gear and off we go towards Barbridge Junction, Polgara’s former home mooring. But then, whilst having breakfast, skies cleared, sun came out and it stopped raining until lunch time. One or two dark clouds passed close by but missed us entirely.

And I’m glad of that because the canal we have now turned on to is one of my favourites and is part of the Shropshire Union Canal – Middlewich Branch. There are some lovely buildings alongside the canal, one of them being an old stable block, now converted into a private house.

The stables would have been where horses were changed over to ensure faster transport times. Another old farm house had a beautifully shaped gable end to the property.

At Church Minshull there is a little shop in one of the farm buildings which has been selling candles, flowers and gifts for as long as I can remember.

One day, I promise myself, we will stop and go and have a look. A little further on you look down on a farm and when there are cows in the field, it looks just like a toy farm.

And Church Minshull itself looks so pretty tucked away in the trees.

The canal winds its way through beautiful countryside,

over the River Weaver and past a new marina which, last time we came in 2008, was only just being dug out.

How permanent it now looks.

Wednesday 19^th September. What a day this has been … complete the well-known song in your own words! It rained all morning and so we have travelled only 6 miles today but it only took around 3 hours (remember yesterday, 7½ miles in 7 hours). As you can see, we’re really moving along BUT in the rain! Also, we only had to work 6 locks today. Working the locks does slow you down considerably, especially if they are all against you and you have to fill them with water first before you can go in just to empty all the water out again. As we cast off this morning, a passing boater advised us to use the right-hand lock at the next pair of locks since the bottom gates of the left-hand lock wouldn’t open. He shouted across to us that he didn’t want us to fill the lock, empty it, find that the gates wouldn’t work and then have to fill the lock again, reverse out and repeat the whole procedure with the right-hand lock. If that had happened I would not have been a happy bunny! Anyway, after our 3 hours travelling we arrived at Middlewich and to console ourselves had lunch in The Kings Lock pub. One of their specials was 2 sirloin steaks for £12.95. Well, being fed up with the rain – did I mention the rain? – we went for the steaks and they were delicious. Whilst sitting inside for lunch, the sun decided to appear outside and has stayed out all afternoon.

This has meant that we could do some shopping, rub down bits of the boat ready for painting, have a general clean round and have a break for an hour or two.

Made the mistake of looking at e‑mails but no one need know, eh? I can reply in a day or two … or three … or …