Along the Shroppie, again.

I think I must be suffering from writers block, having real trouble getting round to updating the blog. I think it's because we seem to have been just going up and down since October and I've run out of things to say about the Shroppie.

Well we cleared the Middlewich Arm last Wednesday, that's me putting the world to rights with other boaters at Cholmondeston Lock. After a quick stop at Nantwich we headed off towards Hack Green. Friends of ours had broken down just above the locks and were running out of food so we took them some Red Cross parcels. Total collapse of gear box and miles from shops etc. Hopefully repairs will be done by tomorrow.

Saturday was an early start from Audlem. We were the first on the flight so had it in our favour most of the way up but we did meet a couple of boats coming down. The steerer of one was obviously unfamiliar with the etiquette of lock flights. First he turned the lock ahead of us and then, when he had descended he just sat in the lock, apparently he was expecting me to come out of my lock and go into the side and allow him to come down while I waited. He was quite disgruntled when I just waited out in the pound and he actually had to pass me while I was moving. I wonder if he expects every boat he meets to pull into the side to allow him to pass. And no, he wasn't a hire boater.

It was such a nice day and we had made good time up Audem that we kept going, up Adderley and stopped at Market Drayton.

Yesterday was Tyrley in the rain and with some rather boisterous by-washes. that's Jill trying a touch of white water boating.

Woodseaves is now looking verdant

and the towpath is, as usual, a quagmire.
Well the wind blew and the rain fell but we pushed on and, now here's a surprise, we fetched up at The Anchor, just in time for a convivial afternoon.
We are staying here for a couple of days and then leaving the boat at Norbury next weekend as we have a family party to go to.

Watch this space.........