Bosley to the end of the canal - or the start ?

A couple of things didn't go to plan today, the weather* and time ! Neither easy to control and nor should they be.  The weather app said rain stopping at ten so our plan was ten to twelve Bosley bottom lock to Congleton. Twelve to two  shopping.  Two  till four  Congleton to just past the stop lock bridge 95 moorings I lined up for us when we came up a week ago. The rain did stop at ten  I set off it started raining again until 12 ! We were gifted a new umbrella when visiting our son Callum on Sunday in Chinley as our plastic Buxton purchased one was way past its sell by date so the cruising was easy. A BW tug boat came up behind me quite quickly so I let him pass otherwise another day of very little boat movements.

We never saw the tug again 

A rare straight on this canal 

The town moorings were well used so we moored just beofre and despite being on armco could not get in  - its a shallow canal 

Rachel wanted certain flour so we walked to Tesco's in Congleton which it the other side from the canal and yep they didn't have it. We topped up and took lunch in a nice deli in the town where I consumed a pork pie salad - different and nice.

These flats looks very nice overlooking the large winding hole 

This stately home always looks nice and there is one mooring by the winding hole thats worth stopping at... maybe next time ?

Drying the rope !

Back on the boat we left just after three and arrive at the bottom of the Macclesfield just after five. Its given cold for the next two days so we'll be well wrapped up. We are close to the Harecastle tunnel which is 2,926 yards long or 1.66 miles. We've been through a few times now on different boats but its always a bit exciting. We aim to get to the tunnel entrance a bit after 8.30  - more on that hopefully tomorrow.

Today we felt the extra depth on the Macclesfield not there on the upper stretches. It'll be interesting to feel how different the Trent and Mersey is as we rejoin it. 

Not the best days cruing due to the weather but its autumn and we should be expecting it now. 

I treated myself to a whisky on coming into the boat to 'warm up' It came on to the boat on my retirement it was a gift from a colleague can't recall if it was Dave Durham or Stan 'the man' can't recall his surname now, they both gifted me a bottle of single malt !! It sits alongside a bottle of blended  that goes into tea or coffee as needed ! Curry for tea and an early night as I need to be up early for a longish day tomorrow. 

*weather - nothing we ever have comes close to what the Florida people are about to be exposed to. Fingers crossed for them, when will we learn global warming is compounding much more than even the experts thought !!