Back on the Macc

Today we're heading back to the boatyard at Higher Poynton. Our solar panels have got water under their plastic covers and need replacing, however, they are picking up the rays beautifully which means we don't have to run the engine so often when we moored to charge the batteries. It's still & very frosty this morning, we didn't get the snow promised on the forecast yesterday.

We have been at Macclesfield the last three days on their lovely pontoon moorings. I needed to get some cotton knitting yarn from the market as there are a few babies on the way. Also stock up with provisions.

We are noticing a lot more boats out now, especially hire boats over the Easter period. We passed loads of marinas and hire companies on the Shropshire Union Canal.

Nikita came to stay last week and we only played dominoes twice, mainly as we were so busy and it's staying light later. We picked her up at Congleton, which was one of the nicest little towns we've

stopped at. From there we had to go up Bosley flight of 12 locks. Nikita was such an amazing help as she was able to open and close the tiny lock gates all by her self. She's grown so much since she helped grandad at Soulbury a couple of years ago push the huge
gates on the Grand Union. She really enjoyed helping to clean the
boat and her own boots when she declined our advice to watch were she walked and trooped through the middle of a puddle in Dane Moss, a peat bog on our way to the Co-op.

The boat moored in front of us at Congleton had a bird feeder on the tow path next to their boat and I 'just had to have one too'. We got a nice one at Poundstretchers and it's being used by mainly robins and several varieties of tits.

I'm glad I'm keeping a diary as I just can't recall everywhere we've stayed. Since I last blogged we've moored at:- Beeston Castle, Middlewich, Wheelock, Church Lawton and Kidsgrove. We've been to some lovely pubs and some very sad ones too. Our favourite pubs have been The Wharf & Waters Green Tavern in Macclesfield, The Beartown Tap and The Counting House an excellent Wetherspoons pub where we sat in the old safe in Congleton.

We're looking forward to Edmund visiting next week to give us a hand to go down the Marple flight of 16 locks. Hopefully we'll be finally on our way to Tarleton, the village where Nikita goes to school.