A much cooler day today, with quite a bit of wind and rain showers.

We turned around in the Middlewich branch and soon rejoined the Shropshire Union Canal.

It was slow progress up the canal with lots of moored boats, but eventually we reached the locks at Hack Green.

Unfortunately there was a bit of a queue at the locks, but we helped the other boats through and stopped for lunch.

From there, it was just a short run back to the marina and time to refuel and pump out the toilets.

10.5 miles on the canal today, and 2 locks.

And finally, Saturday morning, just before we left Rowington:

Another nice day on the canals, a bit grey to start, but really warm by the end of the day.

We turned up the Middlewich branch to find a quiet mooring.

11.5 miles on the canal today, with 6 locks.

Another nice day weather wise – it makes such a difference!

We headed back to Chester in the morning, and stopped for a stroll by the (disused) branch down to the River Dee.

We then went back up the Northgate Staircase locks and stopped just outside Waitrose to do some shopping.

Then 5 more locks climbing out of Chester and we’re currently moored in the middle of nowhere by Waverton.

8.5 miles on the canal today, with 8 locks.

We went through the triple staircase lock at Chester this morning:

Then followed the canal to Ellesmere Port. A dry day which was nice, but a bit windy at times. Duncan and I visited the canal museum there whilst Tina and Rocco watched nothing happening on the Manchester Ship Canal.

We struggled to moor the boat several times this afternoon, but eventually moored near to Chester Zoo.

13.5 miles today, with just 3 locks.

A damp start this morning, but again, it eventually dried out apart from the odd sprinkle.

We’re moored in Chester, quiet but close to the centre:

We had a wander around Chester this afternoon, a nice city!

We walked along part of the city walls (dogs allowed, unlike in York) and looked at the River Dee.

Then back to a canalside pub for a beer!

10 miles along the canal today, and 5 locks.

A drizzly start to the day, but before long, it dried up and the sun came out.The canal got more interesting once we left the Cheshire Plain. Our first lock of the day was a small staircase lock:This was followed by many more locks – most large enough for two boats to go down together, with a nice opportunity to chat to other boaters.Though we did do some on our own!

12.5 miles and 6 locks today.

A reasonable journey to Cheshire, then an hour or three unloading the luggage and buying some food and drink.

A nice marina but difficult to walk Rocco due to the non dog friendly stiles in Cheshire…

3 miles on the canal, and 2 locks.

Rocco was happy to be off the boat

Another persistently damp day, with gusts of wind at the most inconvenient times…

But we got the boat back into its mooring eventually, then spent a while pumping it out and refuelling with water and diesel.

7 miles and 10 locks today.

After lunch, we had a quick wander up to the tunnel mouth:

Then turned around and headed south through Stoke-on-Trent. Weather was rather showery all afternoon, and getting quite windy towards the end.

But we did have a few locks to give us some exercise!

15 miles and 8 locks today.

A rather cold and damp morning. We went back along the Caldon Canal, then headed north on the Trent and Mersey canal and have moored for lunch at the South entrance to the tunnel.