We left Chester on a very wet, rainy Thursday. We had overstayed our moorings as we should have left on the Wednesday but since it had poured with rain every day since we'd arrived we thought one more day wouldn't hurt as there were very few boats moving anyway.

 

All the locks are cut out of stone and the lock keeper told me they'd had an open day when they had new lock gates fitted (£30,000 each gate and weighing 4 1/2 tonnes each) and people could walk on the bottom of the locks which was also made from stone.

It took us nearly an hour to get through the 3 Northgate Staircase Locks as they take a long time to fill and when we got to the top......It was still raining!!

Molly wasn't bothered -all she wanted to play with was her ball.

You can only just see the hills in the distance.

Friday seemed a bit brighter when we got up and set off but it didn't last long.

Look at the colour of that sky!!

Cottages at Wharton's Bridge, just opposite the Shady Oak.

Beeston Castle.

The bluebells were still lovely by these ruins in Beeston.

This is the Iron Lock Greg had just gone inside it when the hailstones fell and it started to thunder.

I saw this woodpecker sitting beautifully on a fence post..as soon as I got the camera he decided to fly onto the grass.

Greg's dream boat.

We saw a log cabin being built..until we looked a little closer and saw it was breeze block inside and wood on the outside.

At Barbridge Junction we turned left and started to head down the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union. We moored up just before the first lock where Molly found a new playmate...A border collie/springer spaniel cross called Monty who was 2. They had a fantastic time chasing each other up and down the towpath for well over an hour.

Saturday morning and the sun was shining ..Molly and Monty joined forces again!!

Time to say goodbye and we headed off, through the lock  and past Venetian Marina.

The Middlewich Branch is lovely all the way along.

I loved this house..it even had a gypsy caravan in the garden.

This used to be the old canal stables and has been converted into a lovely house.

We moored just before the locks at Middlewich..tomorrow we should be on the Trent and Mersey Canal where we re going to head towards the Anderton Boat Lift before turning round and heading back towards home.

Happy Days