Bits and bobs…

We’ve been hanging around Anderton for the last few days. Yesterday we went north for Mags to make the first of her annual two visits to the doctor for her MOT, and it’s handy here for getting a hire car and parking it overnight.

Mooring under trees is a bad idea at the best of times, but at this time of year it’s a very bad idea!


But there are some compensations in the amazing colours…

Crosses but no noughts in the sky


We moved down to the services to top up the water tank on Monday, before turning around to head for the moorings this side of Barnton Tunnel. Contractors were out cutting the reeds back, using a couple of purpose designed craft for the job. One had horizontal cutting blades on the front, the other had a wire basket scoop.


Both were driven by tracks with paddle blades attached which struck me as an inefficient method… until it comes to disposing of the collected cuttings.

Up he goes…


…and higher still!


Coming past again this morning though, it didn’t seem they’d made much impression.

Heading back towards Anderton


Through Marbury Wood


Although I’ve still not got my chainsaw chains back from the sharpeners, I’ve still being collecting wood. Three more good sized logs joined those on the roof that I’d picked up near Sutton Bridge on the Weaver.

We wound up mooring near the Salt Barge again, in a sunny spot that allowed the solar panels to top off the batteries.

We’re heading down to Middlewich, then westward towards the Langollen. There’s a month-long stoppage on the Hurleston Locks that we need to get past before the 20th of November. After that, onward to Wales for Christmas.

Mags has got another visit up north for the second half of her medical review, but we’ll be on the Welsh Ditch by then.

Since last post, Locks 0, miles 4.