Day 23 now south of Middlewich

Cappuccinos to date now 4 ( latest at Lock 57 brasserie at Hassall Green)

Today 12 locks and 3 miles - we have now completed the 26 locks of Heartbreak Hill since we left Stoke on Trent.



Total to date- 6 lift bridges, 88 locks and 178 miles.



We have decided to add one more heading which is "Memorable Events" which to date are 4- they are;-



1. Due to high winds and a very shallow area on the Caldon it took 20 minutes to get through bridge 29.

2. Hitting the submerged rock near the Boat Inn on the Caldon.

3. Moored overnight near Engine Lock on the Caldon we had a chair and our rotary washing line nicked from the cratch whilst we were on the boat. There were some lads fishing nearby who we think became opportunists - the washing line was in a black bag that looked like fishing equipment- we need to be more proactive in how we store things around the boat.

4.Going down lock 58 on the T&M the boat hung in the chamber and listed to one side by about 30degrees not very nice , luckily I had only opened one gate paddle so could quickly close it to level the boat out again. Most of the items came off the shelves but only one thing broken.



The Trent & Mersey north of Stoke on Trent is very lovely as we drop down onto the Cheshire Plain but the red water ( ironstone) does take some getting used to as you reappear from the darkness of Harecastle tunnel.



We moored up the other night at Red Bull near Harding Wood where Reginald Mitchell was born -the father of the Spitfire.



We are now heading for one of the wonders of the waterways the Anderton Boat Lift designed by Edward Williams and opened in 1875 originally hydraulically powered by steam but then converted to electrical power in the early 1900's and closed in 1980 but recently completely refurbished and now working.