Wednesday 11^th July 2018

We left the moorings about 10am, although would have easily stayed, and cruised towards Anderton. Here we winded in the entrance to the marina and then waited almost an hour to take on water, empty the toilet and dump rubbish.

The rubbish disposal is supposed to be for the use of boats but the site was overflowing. In the time we were here there were no fewer than five cars arrived and dumped rubbish out of their boots.

After taking on the water we then retraced what is becoming well beaten ground back to Middlewich. Here we did not want to go beyond the Big Lock because of all the reports of the lack of water and so winded around the bend from the Big Lock and reversed. Using the bow thruster might well be considered cheating but it makes reversing so much easier. If you’ve got it, use it.

I walked up to see Kenny and Sue on Ayup, moored at the old Middlewich Narrowboats site and on up to Kings Lock Chandlery. The pound at Middlewich Narrowboats was low and the pound between the top and middle lock was only about a foot deep. There was a boat locking through but she had to drag herself from one lock to another.

The day, once again, has been very hot, as it has been for weeks. The horseflies are evil buggars. They virtually commit suicide, landing on you and then waiting to be swatted. There are a dozen and often lots more around your feet by the end of the day. The afternoon saw the skies turning dark and it became even hotter, promising to storm, but it came to nothing.

Brenda stayed on the boat in the evening and I went to the Golden Lion, my old local, to watch the England match.

They were beaten by Croatia 2-1. Gutted. The nation thought we were going all the way.

Day Total: 0 locks; 11 miles; 0 Tunnels; engine running hours 3.8

Overall Total: 99 locks; 183 miles; 8 tunnels; engine running hours 105.4