Moored at Maesbury Marsh

Stayed on the mooring under the Navigation Inn. Ran the engine in the morning.

0 miles, 0 locks, 2 hours engine time.

Aston Locks to Maesbury Marsh

After a late start,  a very nice, gentle amble to Maesbury, and the run was just long enough to do a wash. Winded beyond Crofts Mill Lift Bridge, at Gronwen wharf, and stopped at the CaRT service wharf for water on the way back. Tied up opposite the Navigation Inn, and set up the whirligig clothes-line on the tow path.

3.5 miles, 2 locks, 2 lift bridges (same one, both ways!), 3 hours engine time.

Ellesmere to Aston Locks

Booked a passage through Lower Frankton locks, and got to the junction about 12.30. One boat going down in front, but three to come up, so we had to wait. Roger and Mirjana helped us and the lock keeper with the locking, and then we tied up at the Weston Branch for lunch and a natter.

Rang CaRT about broken lock on the services building at the Weston Branch, and booked a passage up the flight for Monday.

Made it slowly down past Queen's Head and tied up after the first of the Aston locks. Mixture of sunshine and hail.

8 miles, 6 locks, 3 hours engine time.

Chirk to Ellesmere

Went north for half a mile to wind, and then ambled to Ellesmere. All the central moorings were taken, so winded at the junction and tied up 400 yards back towards Frankton. Tesco shop. Checked the diesel prices at Blackwater Meadow – they were appalling, with domestic at £1.04.

12 miles, 2 locks, 6 hours engine time.

Staying put at Chirk

Visit to Chirk castle meant we stayed put in the cutting. Ran the engine to charge the batteries and heat the water. Rainy evening.

0 miles, 0 locks, 2.5 hours engine time.

Moreton to Chirk

Lazy lie-in after the business of the weekend. Walked up to Rhoswiel to get Mgt's veggies for tea, and found we had to go right through Weston Rhyn to get to the local stores. No veggies. About a 3 mile round trip.

Late afternoon we left Lyon Quays to go to Chirk, to facilitate an early start tomorrow when we visit the castle. Tied up at the north end of Chirk tunnel. Walked into Chirk for the veggies, thinking the shops would be at the near end of the town. They were at the north end, so we did another two miles overall, but got some veggies from the Co-op. Ran the engine to charge batteries.

2 miles, 0 locks, 2.5 hours engine time.

Moreton to Froncysyllte and back

Accompanied by Steve, Una, Joel and Ruth. Not bad for travelling, and Joel and Ruth did well on the tiller. One very bad tree-trunk across the cut that ran us sideways, unexpectedly, into the concrete canal wall. Had to leave it as I could not see what we could do about it.  Winded just after the Froncysyllte lift bridge.

Good pump-out for £15 at Chirk marina.

8.5 miles, 0 locks, 1 lift bridge, 5 hours engine time.

Moreton to Trevor and back

In the company of David, Jo, Lewis and Charis. Wet in parts and still very windy. Lost the rain hat in the canal on Chirk aqueduct.

Winded above the Anglo-Welsh moorings at Trevor, which were very crowded. Had to wait an age for   convey to come across the Pontcysyllte before our return crossing.

10.5 miles, 0 locks, 1 lift bridge, 6 hours engine time.

Llangollen to Moreton

Much drier day than Thursday. Walked to Horseshoe Falls and back. Then Ivan walked the narrows to check the way was clear for us. Not quite the difference in speed coming back that I had expected – it must be the shallowness as much as the current which limits the speed.

10 miles, 0 locks, 1 lift bridge, 5 hours engine time.

Moreton to Llangollen

Ran the engine to support the bread maker. Ivan and Irene joined us at coffee time. Appalling weather with high winds and rain, but the two aqueducts negotiated safely. Tunnels not scary after experiencing the Harecastle. Parts of the stretch from Trevor to Llangollen very shallow, but manageable. Virtually no other traffic.

Dry when we arrived at Llangollen. Marina in the basin is quite good, but the pontoons are very short, so we winded and tied up at the visitor moorings up from the wharf. £6 a night, but that includes an electric hookup and your own water tap. Evening meal at the Bridge End Hotel.

10 miles, 0 locks, 1 lift bridge (and 1 which is left up), 7 hours engine time.

Hindford to Moreton

Ran the engine early to allow kitchen activity. By the time we started, out after lunch, the weather was getting chilly and windy, and eventually a bit wet. Tied up at the Lyon Quays Spa / Hotel, where we've arranged to meet Ivan and Irene tomorrow. Friendly place, happy for boaters to moor up.

3.3 miles, 0 locks, 4 hours engine time.

Bettisfield to Hindford

Another hot, sunny day. The meres around Ellesmere were looking stunning as we passed. Stopped in Ellesmere for a Tesco shop and to fill the water tank. No locks today – the canal follows the contours and does considerable meandering, presumably as a result.

Tied up, as intended at the Jack Mytton pub in Hindford, only to find that they are closed today. Ah well, that means they can't really criticise us for using their moorings which are strictly for "today's" customers. A good spot, and very nice gardens to the pub. Seems a reasonable Three signal. Haven't tested the TV yet.

Ran the third wash in three days, this time doing towels. The Candy is generally working pretty well, though we haven't quite got the detergent level right.

9.2 miles, 0 locks, 5.5 hours engine time.

Bradeley Green to Bettisfield

Late start up through Grindley Brook locks. Difficulty in getting into the middle lock of the staircase because we hadn't let enough water in. After that, no locks, but 4 lift bridges which are harder work.

The canal shallow in places. Tied up between bridges 49 and 50 looking across the valley towards Welshampton on a lovely sunny evening.

10.3 miles,  6 locks (including the 3-lock Grindley Brook staircase),  4 lift bridges, 5.5 hours engine.

Hurleston to Bradeley Green

Some parts quite shallow, making it difficult in the wind. Other parts fine. Cloudy, windy, chilly morning, but no rain. Stop for lunch just short of Church Bridge at Marbury. Sunny afternoon. Not much traffic. Tied up just above Povey's lock. Good TV and Three OK.

10 miles, 9 locks, 2 lift bridges (+1 left permanently open, it seemed), 5.75 hours engine.

Audlem to Hurleston

Down through the remainder of the Audlem flight. George the butcher was rather understocked – no double-yolked eggs and no Stilton sausages. Very good speed from Audlem to Nantwich. Did a wash as we travelled, and filled up with water at Nantwich basin. Wind very difficult at the junction with the Llangollen, and crunched the rudder a couple of time on underwater concrete. Waited alongside a boat that would go up the Hurleston flight first. Tied up at the first rings along the pound. Very quiet and a great view across the fields. Good Three signal.

A day ahead of schedule.

9.2 miles,  9 locks,  6.5  hours

Market Drayton to Audlem

Morning in Market Drayton, sorting out bank payments. Lunch on the move to the Adderley flight. Very annoying side wind most of the time, blowing us onto the towpath side between locks, preventing slick transfers, and making getting into the locks more hazardous than usual. Tied up at first above lock 12 in Audlem, but the shelf was problematic, so we moved down and tied up for the night below lock 12, on the wharf.

7.5 miles, 17 locks, 5 hours engine time

Gnosall to Market Drayton

Good progress in the sun, so we were able to have a very nice peaceful break for lunch. Filled up with water at Norbury Junction – saw Bruce and Richard. Now probably two hours ahead of CanalPlanAC's schedule.

14.7 miles, 5 locks, 6 hours engine time.

S&W Bridge 67 to Gnosall

Started at 9.15 and picked up the stove door from Oxley Marine (just a fiver!). Reversed back up to Autherley junction and headed up the Shroppie. Stopped at Brewood for lunch. Bought new batteries for the NW card reader, but seems it is the reader itself which is faulty.

Held up at Wheaton Aston lock, because the boat in front was stuck on a large log someone had tossed into the entrance. But then we picked up diesel from Turner's garage – 20% declaration because of all the central heating we'd used in the Autumn and Spring. 73.9p / litre, with 49.2p surcharge for propulsion. Made very good time under generally sunny skies, with very little traffic. Tied up on the visitor moorings at Gnosall, just before the Boat Inn bridge. We're about an hour ahead of CanalPlanAC's 10 day, 5 hours per day schedule, in spite of yesterday's alternator trouble.

15.8 miles, 2 locks, 6 hours engine.

Gailey to Bridge 67

Overnight, the battery voltage had dropped to 10.5. Set out from Gailey at 9, but by the time we got to Hatherton (?40 minutes) it was only up to 10.6. Decided to turn around, go back to Gailey and ring engineering, since it was was possible they might do a home visit. John confirmed it was an alternator problem, because it was 10.6 even while the engine was running. Allan on NB Pengalanty was moored near, and recommended Oxley Marine. They sent Philip, who replaced the regulator on the domestic alternator. He also took away the fire door to complete the repair to the glass-holding-screw holes.

Ran down from Gailey to just short of Autherley junction – a beautiful spring evening. Didn't meet any boats coming the other way, and there was very little earlier.

Total distance: 14 miles, 0 locks. 5.5 hours engine time.

Great Haywood to Gailey Wharf

Very cloudy, windy, spots of rain, cold. But very good time – never come this far in one day before except, possibly, coming back from Middlewich last summer.

Most systems seem fine. Domestic batteries do not seem to have charged as much as they should during the long day's trip. Showing 12.6 volts.

Squirrel stove's repair not good. One of the new machine screws holding the glass seems to have sheared about half way down, and its hole appears to have been drilled out too far  at the top. Contacted  engineering to see what they say. Meanwhile, heating on this cold evening is courtesy of Webasto.

14 miles, 12 locks, 7 hours engine time.