2nd time lucky….

We made it back to Anderton today, after letting the ice thaw for another couple of days. It was still over 2” thick in some places, though.

I’d been shopping yesterday and picked up some “proper” feeders for the birds, as well as some more seed and peanuts. By this morning the squirrels had chewed through the side of the peanut feeder, and had started on the one full of seeds.
I’m glad this chap didn’t join in the feast.
Although maybe it would have kept the squirrels away, it certainly looks mean.
It’s been perched in the same spot for the last 24 hours. I’m not sure, but it could be a ratty looking female peacock (peahen?). Any other suggestions?

We moved off this morning, covering the first 100 yards we’d already broken easily. Then we hit thick ice and had to work at it a bit. Coming out of the trees, the thickness dropped to around an inch, and it was pretty much the same over the mile back to Anderton; thick bits, then thin bits.

I was pleased to see the service block, after about 40 minutes.

Anderton services
We could only fill with water and dump the rubbish; the rest of the facilities are out of action following frost damage. They don’t expect to have them up and running again till next Monday.

After filling the water tank (hurray, no more trips along the towpath with 3 gallons of water on my back…) we turned into Uphill Basin and filled with diesel and solid fuel.
Saying goodbye to Dave, we pulled out onto the canal, turned left and moored. Quite enough excitement for one day!

There’s very little ice along this stretch, and now it’s been broken up it will thaw pretty rapidly. If we’d have waited another hour we’d have been able to follow a couple of boats coming up from Wincham. Sod’s Law, isn’t it. These were the first boats we’ve seen moving since January 2nd!

There’s a couple of exceptional boats for sale with London moorings at the moment. The first, on a prime mooring on Cadogan Pier, is a bit rich for my taste, featuring a sunken?? pool screened by a hedge! It’s also a bit out of our budget, at £1m.

The second is more my style, still luxuriously fitted out but still a boat, rather than a floating apartment. And she’s also got an illustrious history having been one of the “little ships” that evacuated the BEF from Dunkirk in 1940. A bit closer to affordability, as well, at £350k. I did say a bit closer….

Locks 0, miles 1 (at last!)