Nothing stirring at 5.15 am except me

.... I was itching to get going, literally. I have two horsefly bites on my neck of all places, like Dracula these dammed Horse flies. They woke me at 5.15 itching like crazy, we were due an early start to get up the Hack Green and Audlem flight of locks before it got too hot so having done the engine lubing the night before I pulled the boat a little forward of out neighbour and started the engine and we slipped away into a beautiful summer early morning.

The nearby church bells signalled 6am and we were off. A beautiful morning cruise to Hack Green locks.

Even with our early start we still met a boat coming down the second lock and noted a boat coming up to the locks as we went up. 

Then it was the slow cruising to the lovely Audlem flight. We were turning  the first few locks which gave us (me) the opportunity to empty the cassette at the services near the Shroppie Fly.

We arrived at the bottom lock at just 8.30 am and emerged at lock 15 just after 11.30am so not too shabby especially as we turned quite a few locks and I helped a very competent single hander in front of us. 

We moored up with just three boats about but now all the moorings are taken and some ! 

The view from the bow 

We went for a walk to Adderley this is not the sign you want to see when you exit a field full of heifers who were taking a keen interest in Leia 

There has been a lot less boat traffic today certainly after we moored up. Tomorrow it’s 10 locks and home to Shebdon. I’ll be pleased to be back moored up for the next couple of months as no doubt the school holidays will see many many hire and private boats out. 

It’s looking like out sailing holiday in Greece will not happen but the silver lining to that black cloud is we may well have a two week trip up the Llangollen in mid September now !