Middlewich or bust!

OK, off the Weaver this morning. 8.45am passage up with Geoff. and Chris - fresh coffee and doughnuts as the lift rose; the only way to travel! Just after the lift, we parted company as Chris wanted to use the launderette allowing us the onward passage towards King's Lock. Little traffic enabled a swift run through the locks and a good right turn onto the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. We had planned to moor up at Church Mistral on the embankment overlooking the valley but a very scruffy liveaboard boat had beaten us to the only mooring where you can get near to the bank and emptied the contents of their boat all over the bank! Needless to say we, along with everyone else, passed swiftly by and found a nice sheltered spot further on where I am enjoying 4 bars of GPRS signal using only my card and not even the external aerial. I am sitting ont he bank typing this in the sunshine with the dog asleep at my feet!

This picture was taken passing by the sunken boat at Croxfords flash on the Trent & Mersey.

It also prompted me to look at my camera and decide to conduct a feasibility study as to the purchase of a new one! In May, Simba knocked the camera off a rock and broke the battery compartment lid and during this holiday I managed to snap the strap. I have decided I want a good hybrid camera which allows for long zooming without having to change the lenses. My father has a Panasonic which seems excellent so I think that may be a starting point.

Here, my father is deeply engrossed in his magazine - or is it his cup of tea??

Tomorrow we hope to make the turn at the end of the Middlewich Branch and break into new territory on the Shroppie Mainline towards Ellesmere Port and the Boat museum. I have some video footage of our ascent of the Anderton Boat lift this morning and will hopefully add it to my main Khayamanzi website under the 'Trip Reports' link as soon as I return home or get the chance so keep checking that page for any additions!