Improving weather...

 We set off yesterday with no clear idea of how far we'd get, with the windy, showery forecast. In fact we did really well, doing three locks and three miles in not much more than an hour. 

Poveys Lock, the first of the day.

Willeymoor and Quoisley Locks follow, all three in about a mile, then it's another couple before Marbury Lock.

At this point I'd decided we would head for Wrenbury, but the overcast skies had other ideas.

We just got through Steer Bridge when the wind picked up and the heavens opened. Now I'm not what I would call a fair-weather boater, but the cold horizontal rain was enough. Luckily there are mooring rings just beyond the bridge so I pulled in there.

I'd thought to wait until it cleared then push on, but another couple of heavy showers caused a rethink so we stayed put.

This morning was different again. Blue skies, a gentle breeze but cool after overnight frost. We untied and set off at around a quarter past nine.

The recent winds have damaged several of the tall larches (I think) along here. Most of them seem to be completely rotten in the centre, I wonder if that's why they're weak?

Marbury Lock was just 20 minutes away from where we'd moored.

 Unusually it has railings along the one edge of the chamber.

Wrenbury is the next point of interest as we headed down. Three lift bridges to deal with here, the first Wrenbury Frith, is alongside a plant nursery.

I lifted it and the lady who runs the nursery volunteered to close it for me.

The next and the one I like least is the mechanised one next to the hire base, carrying the main road through through the village. A local angler cleared his tackle away so I could get on the landing, then offered to operate it for me.

Two down, one to go!

Church Lift Bridge, this one with just a footpath, was next and a boat was coming through, so I shouted to the crew to leave the bridge and get back aboard and I would shut it. I hadn't realised that another was behind me and they told me to carry on. Three bridges done and I'd barely got off the boat! Result!

We pulled in for a half hour so I could nip up to the village shop, and had an early lunch while we were there, then toddled on again. 

Two short flights of locks have to be dealt with before the final descent to the main line at Hurleston. Baddiley has three locks...

Baddiley Top Lock.

The middle one has a top ground paddle out of action. In fact it's been out of action for months. It took over half an hour to almost fill, then I had to struggle to open it against the last inch or two. By this time another boat had arrived so I gave them the full lock so they could get on. I had a plan...

With no-one coming up I started the lock filling (slowly) again, and meanwhile bought Seyella up to the gate and tied a rope from the bow stud to the end of the gate. By this time it had got to within an inch or two of full again so with the tiller locked straight, prop in reverse and me pushing as well the gate came open a lot easier than before! 

That was the last bit of drama for the day, the bottom lock was easy, it was a pleasant cruise to the top of the Swanley pair of locks and there was a boat just leaving as we got there.

Oh yes, and I spotted our first ducklings of the year below the lower lock!

Not a good photo, I'd passed before I saw them.

We passed Jellicoe moored at Burland Wharf and gave a toot but Ruth must have been out. Richard on Mountbatten is still delivering fuel up the canal of course. 

We moored around the corner between Bridges 3 & 4 after a very long day by our standards. Another fine but chilly day again tomorrow, so we'll drop down Hurleston Locks and head for Nantwich.

Locks 9, miles 11 (2 days)