Dutton to Paddys Wood.

We had a nice weekend moored at Dutton and the weather was kind.

We set off this morning at 8.30 am ready to do the tunnels.

We arrived early so had to wait for 9.30 am to go through the tunnel.

Having done Saltersford and Barnton tunnels it on was onward past the Anderton Lift.

We stopped at Anderton to take on water, empty the toilet and get rid of rubbish and whilst there I sold a bottle of Toilet Blue, to a boater who had been following us. We left him to fill up with water and we carried on.

It was lovely to see Martin on Halsall off on his deliveries no doubt.

The trees are all now well in leaf and the Bluebells are dying back, but the scent from the wild Garlic was pungent on the breeze.

Bramble Cutting was empty, so we could have stopped, but it was still early, so we decided to carry on. It is looking lovely, someone has been putting in a lot of work to get it looking tidy.

First lock of the day was Big Lock at Middlewich.

By the time we got to the Middlewich 3 locks we were in a queue of 3 boats. So I walked up to help the other boats through. The lock keeper on duty came and helped us through locks 2 and 3.

Up through Kings lock and a further four locks to do before we stopped at Paddys Wood at 5.30 pm.

We have not named the wood after our Paddy, it is already named Paddy in the Canal guide, so it is fitting for us to stop here on the ringed mooring.