Wednesday 25^th March 2020

We did a quick shop for bread, and more wine, then headed off. Above Hoole Lane Lock we attempted to water up, only to find there was no threaded tap connector. Knowing there is another water point at Christleton, we moved on.

Chemistry Lock gives the best view over Chester and we wondered how long it would be before we return. We had enjoyed our time in Chester but, despite not having visited the Cathedral, we feel we have explored all we wanted.

Chester from Chemistry Lock

We had numerous sightings of the ‘Beluga’ over the last few weeks, the Airbus A300-600ST Super Transporter airplane, converted to carry wings for the Airbus, manufactured at the BAE factory in Hawarden and flown to the assembly plant in Toulon, France. The Beluga flew over once again as we were leaving. It is some sight.

We watered at Christleton and, while waiting for another boat to water, we were treated to a weird spectacle. An elderly woman, in her mid-70's, fit and wearing jogging top and bottoms, was leaping around the towpath like a proverbial cat on a hot tin roof to avoid people, shouting rudely at them to keep their distance. The Corona Virus advice for the over 70's is to stay indoors. If this lady felt so frightened and vulnerable, why was she out at all?  

After leaving Waverton behind us, we entered countryside. The A41 runs right next to the canal for a short distance and a road sign indicated that Wolverhampton, at the end of the Shroppie, is 60 miles away.

The weather was very warm and still and it was lovely to see so many people and families, enjoying their gardens.

We intend to return as far as Christleton after the Corona Virus passes and continue exploring.

After passing the endless line of privately moored boats at Hargrave and Tattenhall Marina, we moored just before the bends at the River Gowy Aqueduct. We hadn’t seen a single boat moving all day.

As soon as the engine was switched off, the silence descended on us. It was a magical moment. We had been in built up areas, with the attendant noise, for over a month.

We were standing at the back end, with a glass of wine, relishing the peace and quiet when we spoke to a young guy, Reece, walking the towpath. Young people, we find, do not normally engage, but Reece did stop to speak. At just 16-years-old, he was a really nice lad but with an awful life story. He had been brought up in a foster home with 9 others, in the Dingle, Liverpool but had very recently moved to his own flat within a complex with their own warden. He had been accepted for the Army Foundation College at Harrogate but this had been deferred after a serious mountain biking accident and now postponed due to Corona. He had walked the 7½ miles from Chester without realising just how far he had come. We sent him off with a bottle of water and we wished him the best for his future. Lord knows, he deserves a break. He could quite easily, and understandably, have gone down a completely different route.

We later sat in the front cratch, with more wine, enjoying the warmth there for the first time this year. A beautiful day, when along came another guy, a real character but pissed as a pudding and with a bottle of whiskey and coke in his bag from which he was drinking continuously. He stopped and chatted for about an hour and was real entertaining.

Weather: a lovely warm, sunny day.

Day Total: 5 locks; 7 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Lift Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; Day’s running hours 3.8     

Overall Total: 899 locks; 1581 miles; 53 tunnels; 61 Swing Bridges; 17 Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; total engine running hours 1067.2