Change of canal...

 We spent a couple of nights moored above Cholmondeston Lock, then pulled pins and set off down to the water point and lock on Thursday morning. I'd kept an eye on the boat movements and we were able to get moored next to a boat filling up his water tank.

 Unfortunately by the time he'd filled, then I'd filled, several boats had passed and were queuing to drop down the lock. The water tap is slow, and the lock has only one top ground paddle  working, so the combined operation took over an hour. Still, with queues going both ways and a volunteer on I didn't have to do a lot!

Half an hour on and we approached Minshull Lock, no queues here thankfully, so we were in and through fairly quickly.

Prospective parent at Aqueduct Marina.

We knew that Brian and Diane on Harnser were heading our way, of course it was inevitable that we'd meet them at a blind bridge!

Although it was a bit grey, cruising along between Barbridge and Middlewich is always pleasant, Cheshire countryside at it's best.

We pulled in between Bridges 17 and 18 overnight, then set off again on Friday morning.

Looking down on the Weaver Valley towards Winsford.

From here it's only 1½ miles to the head of the River Weaver Navigation, but there's the small matter of 80-odd feet difference in elevation to complicate any plans for a link...

There was a short queue at Stanthorne Lock, another slow one with the bottom gate paddles restricted to reduce the flow down the canal when they're opened.

CRT reckon this was the reason for the breach four years ago.

In fact we moored on the rebuilt towpath where the breach occurred. There's a short length of rings here. 

A visit to town topped up the fresh groceries, then on Saturday we headed down to the last lock, Wardle Lock, to turn onto the Trent and Mersey.

Wardle Lock at a quarter past nine, and we beat the traffic again.

Under Bridge 168 (T&M numbering, they did build this and Wardle Lock after all...) and a right turn to Kings Lock.

We toddled our way along above Kings, through Rumps Lock, the two Booth Lane Locks and Crow's Nest Lock, meeting boats at most of them. Easy work for us.

Booth Lane Locks.

We didn't go far above Crow's Nest, we pulled in at the end of the long straight above Rookery Railway Bridges. Mooring rings here and it's pleasantly open with a wide dry towpath, but doesn't seem very popular. In fact we've been the only boat here these three nights.

We'll be moving on in the morning, services at Wheelock then making a start on the Cheshire Locks, 26 of them up to the summit level at Harecastle.

Locks 8, miles 13¼