Oakgrove to between Red Bull aqueduct and Poole aqueduct, Kidsgrove.

Travelled 11.95 miles, worked 13 locks and 2 swing bridges in a time of 6 hours 40 minutes.

We were awake very early at 5.30am arghhhh, so there was nothing for it but to have a cup of tea and some toast whilst we watched some TV on for a bit. Once we were up and Paddy was walked, it was time to ready the boat for the off at 8am. My first swing bridge was key operated and easy peasy. We crept past Brian and Ann Maria, hoping not to wake them.

It was onward to Bosley Locks, we got there at 8.50am and Keith wanted to check the propeller, because he reckoned we had something on it.

The offending item turned out to be an Ikea sack, which was tightly wound round the propeller and shaft. Eventually Keith managed to cut it free and we were ready for the off again at 9.15am. I went to set the first lock and found the bottom gate paddles had been left up, this was the same at locks 2,3 and 4, where we met a two British Waterways boys coming up the flight. The one working the locks told me they had caught up with two men on a boat who had been leaving the paddles up, they had had a stern word with them, so we had to hope that had worked and I would not have to do all the extra work involved. Because they had left paddles up the pound in which they had their boat was very low, so we sent down a lock of water to help them out and we carried on our way, wishing them a good day.

The view across to Bosley Cloud was fantastic in the morning sunshine. We got to the bottom of Bosley Locks at 11.05 am, which was not bad. When the sun came out it was lovely and warm, I was just in my short sleeves and a waistcoat.

At Buglawton, we got surprised by a Sparrow Hawk which flew through the hedgerow and downed a Blackbird right beside us. The Sparrow Hawk pinned the poor old Blackbird to the ground and did not bat an eyelid as we cruised past, which allowed me to get this photograph.

According to nature it is officially Spring and this display of Daffodils certainly proved the point.

As did these very cute Lambs.

We were back in Congleton, but we had no plans to stop, so I went and made us some lunch on the move, which consisted of hot cross buns and some homemade victoria sandwich, with a coffee.

Mow Cop was not back in view.

Loved this Squirrel, who was determined to get the seed out of the feeder.

At Scholars Green, this swing bridge was not for budging, no amount of pushing and shoving by me was going to move it, so I had to tie the bow rope to it and Keith pulled it open using the boat. I managed to partly close it behind us. Usually it is left open, perhaps that is why because you cannot operate the darn thing. We passed by Ramsdell Hall, which I wrote about in a previous posting.

We arrived at Hall Green Lock and I stepped off of the boat near the footbridge. A gentleman from one of the cottages had heard us coming and came down to the lock for a chat, he also very kindly shut the gate behind us, so we could go on our way.

We arrived at the aqueduct at 2.40pm and have sort of moored up. We are over a foot from the bank, so Paddy will be doing his leap of faith tonight when he goes for his walk. Poor boy is somewhat of a coward when it comes to jumping gaps, so he will need a lot of encouragement by Keith or be lifted off. Dinner tonight will be the 2nd half of last nights curry. We have no TV signal here, so the DVD collection maybe coming out. Since being moored up, I have cleaned the brass inside and out, so it is gleaming for tomorrows descent down the Cheshire locks. I am just hoping my back holds out, because it has been complaining a bit today.

Chat soon xx