Blake Mere to Whitchurch.

Travelled 11.2 miles, worked 5 lift bridges in a time of 4 hours 5 minutes.

I was awake on and off most of the darn night, I have no idea why, because I was tired when I went to bed. Maybe it is my age ;0).

Keith got up just after 6.30am, so I followed on by folding up the bed and putting it back into the cupboard. I laid up the breakfast and made a cup of tea before taking Paddy off to have his walk. Blake Mere looked stunning with the early morning mist rolling across it towards us.

Sights like that do not happen everyday.

I got the boat ready for the off, which was a little later than planned, we left the over night mooring at 7.45am with the mist rolling across from the mere and on to the canal.

Just as we pulled away from the mooring a boat appeared behind us, so having got a couple of hundred yards along the canal, we pulled in and let NoSam come past, as he was clearly quicker than us, or maybe he was just in a hurry, anyway we let him go.

We arrived at the Prees Branch turning by 9.55am and although we had thought of mooring up after the lift bridge, we decided we would carry on to Whitchurch.

First lift bridge of the day was hard to wind up, thankfully the second one was much easier.

I am sure this horse was smiling at me.

We past by Whitchurch Marina, wow diesel prices have gone up, I am so glad we filled up at Turner's in February.

Everywhere you look farmers are busy cutting their grass, for silage or hay. It will not be long before they will be harvesting their wheat and barley crops the way this year is flying by.

I worked the two Hassell lift bridges, walking to the 2nd one was it was close by, after that it was just the Whitchurch, New Mills lift bridge to tackle and that would be it if there was a mooring. We managed to get Hadar on the end of the mooring, which was a little on the bend, but if any of the boats already moored up moved off we would move into their spot. With that thought in my mind, the couple on the hire boat in front of us had come back from the town and said they were moving off, so having enjoyed a lovely natter with them about their boating holidays and about our life afloat they duly moved off their mooring and we pulled Hadar forward, so we were on to the rings properly.

Whilst mooring up, I noticed we had a hitch hiker clinging to the side of the boat.

After what was a dull and misty start, the sun is now out and blazing down, so I am glad we stopped when we did. Marmite is now laying out on the bank and Paddy has just come in from out on the back counter, which is very hot. I had no major plans for the rest of the day, but we did decide to take a walk into Whitchurch, because Keith wants some sandwich spread, I forgot to get it in Tesco grrrrrrrrr.

We had just left the boat and had got to the lift bridge when Steve and his wife on Bootes came through, it was nice to see Bootes on the water, because when we saw her last she was out on the bank at Froncysyllte. I am sure we will see them further along the canal tomorrow.

As we walked up the Whitchurch Arm, I spotted a shoal of fish in the winding hole. Not sure what they were, but there were a lot of them along the arm.

Rather than walking through the park, we went along the road, which is in fact quicker.

Whitchurch is ready for the Jubilee with all the bunting up, even the shops have Jubilee memorabilia in their windows, it is looking very festive. Whitchurch is having a party in the park on the 2nd June. We got Keith's sandwich spread from Tesco, had a coffee in one of the coffee shops and then did the charity shops, which is always the norm for us.

On our way back to the boat, we got sprinkled with rain. No sooner I opened the doors and galley doors the rain stopped, so the air is feeling a little fresher now. TV aerial is up and we have a signal yayyy, so after a cold salad dinner we will put our feet up and watch a bit of TV.

Have a lovely day.