Going down

In the morning, Chris had made great progress for a few hours painting

I am amazed at the way he can paint freehand, and still have room for all the letters.  More amazing is that the boat is in the water and bobbing up and down as he paints.  What a skill!

I got the train to Wigan to pick the car up (having remembered where I had left it), then headed over to Burton-on-Trent for the evening as it was Charlies leaving do.  A great evening, and great food.


When I returned to the boat in the morning,  the basic lettering was done.

By afternoon the highlighting was also done.

Both sides

I had to move out of the marina for the weekend, as it was mad busy with all the hire boat changeovers.  I decided that I would go down the Anderton lift.  I went into the offices, and simply booked on the next passage down.  Free of charge to license holders.
  I entered the lift, side by side with another narrowboat.

You can appreciate the vertical lift once you are in the caisson.

 Then the barriers close...

  ..then you start the descent...

..passing the rising boats at half way...

..and then you are at the bottom!

  I was now on the River Weaver, and turned east to head towards Northwich.

You enter Northwich under an old iron bridge which is quite impressive.

And there are a lot of new flats at the side of the canal

However, Northwich seems to be closed down pubs and fast food, so I decided to turn around and head towards Acton Bridge.

Passing Anderton again.

 

 

   ..and some huge industrial mammoths...

 

 ..and some idyllic moorings.

 Having exhausted the phone battery, I couldn't take any pictures of the immense Salterford Lock, where I felt completely dwarved, or the lock keeper jumping up and down because England had just got Australia all out for 60!
I pulled up at Acton Bridge and walked 200 yards up the road to find the Trent & Mersey, which I followed back to Anderton to pick the car up before a couple of pints in the Leigh Arms

What! No Marshmallows!