Rode Heath

Stayed put and went by bus to see NT's Little Moreton Hall. Weather mixed, but SG (50% overnight + 1 hour engine for charging), was reading 87 when we returned. Decided not to run a further charging period and see.

0 miles, 1 engine hour

Wheelock to Rode Heath

Very windy today, but mostly good sunshine. Tied up in Rode Heath 100 yards before Bridge 140 –excellent ringed moorings.

3.8 miles, 14 locks, 4 engine hours

Ettiley Heath to Wheelock

Cruised into Wheelock, found a good place on the almost empty 48 hour moorings, and caught the bus into Sandbach for a visit.

1 mile, 0 locks, 1 engine hour

Middlewich to Ettiley Heath

Came down Wardle Lock to Kings Lock Chandlery to get the Webasto serviced and the heating system antifreeze changed. Mick also looked at the warning buzzer (etc) problem, to no avail until Steve suggested changing the ignition switch. That resolved all the warning lights / buzzer issues. Still no tachometer, and a lower than expected reading on the analogue voltmeter on the control panel. Bought their Sikaflex substitute to seal up the control panel when I do the remaining jobs back in the marina.

Then pushed on towards Wheelock, but stopped short in case, at this late hour, there was no space to moor. Beautiful late afternoon for cruising.

5 miles, 6 locks, 3 engine hours

Middlewich

Drizzly day – stayed put. Arranged with Steve at Kings Lock for the Webasto service tomorrow. Ran the engine in the afternoon for hot water and to top up the SOC.

0 miles, 2 engine hours

Middlewich

Moved Erin Mae further towards the junction before church, and again in the afternoon, to get slightly better TV reception. Went to St Michael's Family service in the morning, and to the Churches Together event at the Methodist in the evening, to hear Fiona Bruce speak.

0.2 miles

Bridge 21 to Middlewich

Just a short trip, but we need to stay in Middlewich over the weekend. Tied up on the visitor moorings but quit4e a long way back from Wardle lock. Went down to Kings Lock chandlery to arrange for the Webasto service and anti-freeze, but need to leave finalising till Monday, when Steve is back after breaking his collarbone. Bought some proper Morso fire-rope and glued that in place. Took a lot of force to close the door, but managed it.

2.4 miles, 1 lock, 1.7 engine hours

Barbridge to Bridge 21

First place we'd thought about stopping had a severe shelf in spite of being a nominated visitor mooring, so we moved on to the moorings overlooking the Winford flashes – really nice spot to stay. Shortly after Adrian and Dawn on NB Chalico came from behind and stopped just in front. Adrian got a great photo of a kingfisher on Erin Mae's bow.

6 miles, 2 locks, 2.8 engine hours

Nantwich to Barbridge

Ran the engine first thing to get the charging started. Got a pump-out mid-morning at Nantwich marina and bought some rope for the Squirrel ash-pan door. Would have had to wait too long for water, so went on and got it at Barbridge junction. Turned down the Middlewich arm and tied up a few hundred yards before Cholmondeston Lock.

4.5 miles, 0 locks, 5 engine hours

Nantwich

Went shopping in Nantwich and then back in the evening to the J John event at the parish church. relied on just solar.

0 miles, 0 engine hours

Hack Green to Nantwich

Ran the engine from 8.30 for both the batteries and hot water for a shower. Bright day for cruising, but not too hot. Tied up on the 48 hour moorings before reaching the aqueduct. Took bedding and towels to the launderette in Nantwich Marina basin. Found Rex and Margaret Wright moored up in front of us on our return, and they came for muffins and a drink in the evening

2.7 miles, 2 locks,  4.5 engine hours

Audlem to Hack Green

Dull but dry day, got sunny in the afternoon. Took on water before leaving. Paused at Hack Green to visit the bunker, and then decided to stay on these decent moorings. Got a first coat of varnish on the back and front doorsteps.

3.1 miles, 2 locks, 1.8 engine hours

Adderley to Audlem

Hot sunny day. Got cruising at about 10 and made very good progress down the Audlem flight. Water at the Shroppie Fly and mooring at the the end of the 48 hour moorings below the next lock. Dropped a windlass as we were tying up and couldn't find it with the magnet.

2.8 miles, 13 locks, 3.7 engine hours

The Wharf Tavern to Adderley

Promised early showers did not appear. Left mid-morning, down the Tyrley flight to Market Drayton. Stopped there for lunch and a bit of shopping. Pushed on mid-afternoon and thought about stopping above the Adderley flight. The shelf was too severe so we went down the flight to the visitor moorings below.  No Three or TV signal.

7.3 miles, 10 locks, 4.5 engine hours

Gnosall to the Wharf Tavern

Misty as we set out, but the sun came out in the afternoon, warm enough to dry the washing. Filled up with diesel at Norbury Junction, and checked their chandlery for tachometers, to no avail.

Came a bit further than CanalPlan suggested and tied up opposite the Wharf Tavern – first time we've stopped here.

70.77 litres at 59p/l & 30/70 split.

10.4 miles, 0 locks, 4.5 engine hours

Shropshire Union Bridge 7 to Gnosall

Hot, sunny day. Washing went out in the cratch and dried easily as we travelled. The only lock was at Wheaton Aston, going down, so no danger to the washing from that.

Could have gone on past Gnosall, but we've got a little time in hand to get to Audlem for Sunday. Tied up in our now usual spot before the first bridge. TV signal is odd. Seems strong, but no ITV, Channel 4 or 5. However, good signal for the HD versions of all of those.

10 miles, 1 lock, 4.3 engine hours

Shropshire Union Bridge 7

Stayed put intending to do some painting. Orphan Mable rang with a vast price for the tachometer, so we didn't go ahead. Spent a lot of time researching alternatives. Did a wash, but by the time it was ready there was a thunderstorm.

Ran the engine for charging while the washing machine was on.

0 miles, 2 engine hours

Pendeford to Shropshire Union Bridge 7

Got down to Oxley Marine for just after 9 for the 1000 hour service, though had to wait for over an hour for Philip to come back from a call-out. Service went fine – no tappet adjustment needed. Everything looked clean and in good condition – including the fuel.

He greased the drive seal with silicone grease, and topped up the antifreeze to bring its SG to the correct level.

Philip removed the control panel to see whether there was anything obviously causing a problem with the tachometer. In the process the warning buzzer was corrected – probably a loose connection. Tachometer looks as though it has failed and will need to be replaced. Philip sealed the panel again with silicone from a gun, but it's a bit messy.

Then we backed to the junction, took on water at the first point on the Shroppie and came up to the rings between bridges 7 and 8.

4 miles, 1 lock, 2.6 engine hours

Pendeford

Stayed put, and just enough sun not to need to run the engine. Went to church in St Paul's, Pendeford. Did some essentials shopping at Morrisons on the way back to Erin Mae.

0 miles

Deepmore Bridge to Pendeford

Followed a slowcoach to Cross Green, but this was a relatively short run. Nobody in the narrows. Tied up on the Armco at the end of the narrows.

4 miles, 0 locks, 1.5 engine hours

Deptmore lock to Deepmore Bridge

Decided there was no need to call in a Penkridge or Gailey, so came all the way through Hatherton to the good moorings following Deepmore Bridge.

9.8 miles, 10 locks, 6 engine hours

Great Haywood to Deptmore Lock

Left after the morning rain had stopped. By that time there was little traffic in our direction, in contrast with eight boats waiting to come down Great Haywood lock. Took on water at the junction, and then came without a stop to moor up just round the curve above Deptmore lock.

Windy day, just a fleck or two of rain, but a sunny late afternoon.

7 miles, 3 locks, 3.8 engine hours

Armitage to Great Haywood

Left the Ash Tree mid-morning and stopped in Rugeley for some shopping. Weather was fine and getting quite warm by the end. After lunch we cruised to the Taft and stopped to give the Thorns some left-over halyards from the Fazeley weekend, and to see if I could help with Julie's access to the website via her iPad.

Came through Colwich lock and tied up on the stretch before the ornamental bridge. Lots of boats around.

6.1 miles, 1 lock, 3.7 engine hours

Fradley to Armitage

Nice sunny day when we started out, though it got cloudier. Only short queues at Fradley and Wood End. Tied up outside the Ash Tree, and will eat there tonight.

7.6 miles, 3 locks, 1 swing bridge, 4.3 engine hours

Fazeley to Fradley

Cloudy day, but brightened up around 5 p.m. Got away from the mooring around 11.30 and went down to Fradley Mill Marina for a pump-out and a gas bottle. Then back up to Fazeley junction and turned left for Fradley. Took on water at the junction.

Tied up just before bridge 90 at Fradley, in the same spot as on the way down.

10.6 miles, 0 locks, 5 engine hours.

Fazeley

Batteries down to 52 overnight, so didn't run the Webasto in the morning. Ran the engine for an hour after the BCF communion service, as there wasn't much sign of sun. SG gave the SOC as 65 after that, and then some sunshine pushed it up to 70 by late afternoon.

Gas bottle ran out first thing. We'd noted that it was low as we got to Fazeley, and that the other bottle was also not full. We assumed that the Gibsons had switched bottles, without us registering it, so both would be empty. Consequence: no tea for breakfast. However, I looked at the other bottle when we got back after the service, and it appeared to have some gas. Perhaps the Gibsons had switched bottles before the old one was empty. So we had gas for today.

Waste tank light came on in the afternoon. We're told we can get gas and a pump-out in the morning at the marina just a few hundred on from our mooring.

Fazeley

Mostly rain and cloud, with a bit of sun in the afternoon. Batteries 65 to 55 during the day.

Fazeley

Dull day. Batteries from 90 to 76 during the day.

Fradley to Fazeley

Sunny day for cruising. Some hold ups for slow boats. Tied up just short of the footpath up to St Paul's church in Fazeley

10 miles, 0 locks, 3.5 engine hours