Despite the weather forecast indicating quite a bit of sunny spells with limited rain, the morning was very cloudy with a chilling wind.
Mike set off early to walk to Morrisons in Market Drayton - he followed a route suggested by Google Maps which, unexpectedly, started with walking away from town along the footpath for two bridges. It estimated 17 minutes which was just about correct.
The supermarket is opposite the former Rogers and Son Corn and Flour Mills. Much of the building has found new uses but generally rather low grade adaptations. Rogers and Son began over 150 years ago and provided a service to farmers right across the county who came here for their feed supplies. The milling of animal feed ceased production in the early 1990s. The company name still exists but it seems that it no longer manufactures the products it sells.
After finding all of the items that were on his list Mike returned to the boat via the town centre, a slightly longer route.
By 10 o'clock we were ready to cast off and before long passed under the bridge at Victoria Wharf where Mike had earlier turned off the towpath towards town.
The first part of today's canal was frequently tree lined, much like the past couple of days but without the massive cuttings and embankments.
The sky became gradually ever darker until real rain arrived which was at times able to get us quite wet!
After about an hour we arrived at the top of Adderley Locks, a compact flight of five reasonably easy locks. As we arrived the rain stopped and sunshine burst through (occasionally!) shining on the wet ground.
If you look very closely at the above photo of us leaving the first lock you will spot that nb Ellis (who had moored overnight just a little further back than us at Market Drayton) had caught up with us and gave a hand closing up these gates. However we then kept ahead of them for the rest of the flight.
Just under an hour after starting we left the bottom of the flight. More rain as we made our way to the start of the Audlem Flight, a famous set of 15 locks.
When we passed this way two years ago, work was underway in converting and extending the top lock cottage. It seems that this work is now complete although there is still work to be done on the grounds.
Before long some bright blue patches appeared amongst the clouds and when they did it was rather pleasant.
Mark and Andy caught up with us but said that they were mooring up after two locks gto wait for visitors joining them tomorrow to go down the flight. Suddenly, as we were going down Lock 3 they arrived, windlasses in hand, offering to help us down the locks! Mark went ahead to set the locks - handy as they were all against us - whilst Andy and Christine worked the gates to see Mike and boat through the bottom gates. They were obviously full of conversation even if at times they had to conduct it seven feet apart!
All this help meant the Mike could spend the time whilst the lock was emptying, starting to prepare a beef casserole for tonight. He had to keep a close eye on how the bricks were passing the window so that he could emerge just in time, as the gates were opened, to take the boat on to the next lock which was already open and waiting.
It was now rather late for lunch so we opted to moor in the long pound below Lock 11. Tanks to the help we reached there much quicker (and with dinner prepared) than we would otherwise have managed. Thanks chaps!
After lunch we continued, pausing briefly at the Shroppie Fly to use the boater facilities alongside in order to empty the elsan. We did not need to fill with water. The first photo of the day with really blue sky!
The small garden alongside the bottom lock, which has long been cultivated, is still being used.
Just below the flight is a former wharf, now just a mooring and winding hole - but the picture does give a chance to show how changeable the weather was today.
And yet again, not much further on, blue patches. However, by now the wind was very definitely cold.
There are just two locks at Hack Green which we passed through readily, helped by a boat coming up and leaving the first gate open for us.
We noticed how the grass cutters had carefully mown around the irregular shapes of wild flowers.
The landscape now was very different, much flatter and more open. Nothing to protect us from the strengthening wind! We made a few attempts to moor but, defeated by the Shroppie Shelf wee reconciled ourselves to having to press on late into Nantwich and hope that there would be space on the official moorings at the embankment. This usually gets very full. However, just after passing the railway bridge we saw a couple of boats moored on a length of armco piling and we managed to find a place where we could come alongside. We were rather grateful and Christine immediately lit the fire!
11.4 Miles - 22 Locks
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