Although the forecast promised a shower between 11 and 12, the rest of the day was supposed to be sunny spells. Whilst it was pleasant initially, by 12 the rain arrived, drizzle at times but also some heavier showers. This continued until we moored up!
We had moored where we did so that we could go to the church in the village for their service at 10:15. We last came here in 2009 and, although then we went to the early service, we were made very welcome.
We set off in what for the boat passes as our glad rags despite the towpath looking rather muddy after the overnight rain. Still, we thought, thew map showed the route as being a track before joining a road. The first half of the track turned out to be now only a narrow and muddy footpath, the rest being overgrown. Part way it opened out to a farm track width but some parts were decidedly wet.
We could see here we were heading, across the fields.
In fact we took rather less than the 35 minutes we had allowed - more like 20 minutes from the boat. As we were looking at some of the gravestones alongside the road, one of the congregation (a former churchwarden) came and spoke to us, asking if we were looking for something. He was a bit surprised to learn that we were actually there for the service.
Again, we found this to be a welcoming place with around 40 people altogether. A very new ordination student preached the sermon and the Rector led the service.
The former churchwarden also spoke to us afterwards and pointed out one or two things of interest. We spotted a memorial to a former Duke of Westminster - much of the village is land owned by the current Duke.
Back at the boat it was not quite time for lunch so we set off after getting changed. As we did so, the rain arrived and stayed with us all day. Looking back we could see how murky is was to be!
We opted for lunch on the go but before we made much progress with it we arrived at a water point just above the first lock of the day. We managed to make the refilling task stretch out long enough to eat slowly enough! Just after we untied and were pushing away from the bank, another boat turned the previous corner and we shared the locks with them down to Chester. As a result, we did not manage too many photos - it is more complicated to find the space when sharing. In any event, the rain meant that nothing would look too great.
However we did manage a quick shot of Tarvin Lock looking back after we had descended.
We also spotted a point where it was possible to capture both historic industrial towers - the large water tower in the foreground and a little further away the former shot tower. At one time ammunition shot was made by pouring molten lead through a sieve at the top and the tiny droplets formed regular properly spherical shot as they fell, landing on a pool of water to cool them instantly into the right shape. The Chester tower was built for the Napoleonic Wars and only ceased production in 2001. After much planning discussion, most of the site has been flatted and is shortly to be covered with upmarket apartments.
We took a photo of one particular terrace of workers' cottages as they looked a bit as if they might have been weavers cottages - the upstairs windows are larger than other terraces nearby of a similar vintage.
However, an information board alongside the next, and our last lock of the day, which said that the cottages are called Tollemache Terrace and were built by an early social housing landlord, the Chester Cottage Improvement Company, formed in 1892 by the Duke of Westminster amongst other local worthies. Were noted yesterday that the Peckforton estate was bought in Victorian times by John Tollemache who, finding that Beeston Castle lacked a suitable residence, ordered the Peckfortion Castle (a replica of a medieval castle that looks as if it might house either a damsel in distress or a knight in shining armour - it is now a hotel). John Tollemache later became the 1st Lord Tollemache of Helmingham. At some point the family seat moved to Helmingham Hall in Suffolk.
4.5 Miles - 5 Locks
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