Ferret at Heartbreak Hill!

12 Locks, 2 ½ Miles. Now moored near bridge 144 Trent and Mersey Canal.

Yesterday afternoon we went for a walk up into the village hoping to find a very unique truck/lorry which we had seen earlier but had no camera. Our luck held out as we found this beautifully restored Foden tractor unit with no other vehicles obscuring it. I believe that it one that would have been seen around circuses or fairgrounds. After talking to a neighbour it transpires that the guy that owns it used to work for Foden who had a factory in the area. He also has another one under restoration we were told.

The weather forecast for the end of the week is not looking brilliant so this morning we set off with the intention of going as far as Hassle Green and mooring up there but the noise from the M6 motorway would drive you mad so we carried on further to our present position which is only marginally quieter.

We had quite a surprise at the fourth lock because after Dot had closed the gates behind me I was eyeball to eyeball with a ferret sitting on the ledge half way down the wall behind the gate. I knew they could swim so as the lock filled I just had to keep on eye on him to see where he went and not to squash him against the lock wall. Eventually he swam the full length of the lock and climbed in behind the steel rubbing plate on the top gate above water level.

As we had 2 boats following us this created quite a bit of interest among the crews. As he appeared determined not to come out of hiding we left the others crews to it. I suspect that they may have spent some time at this lock because it took them quite a while to pass us after we had moored up for the day.

This boat opposite us caught our eye with the name Stobbs on it as Dot's family has an association with that name.

1535 locks, 3229 miles, 51 Tunnels, 42 swing bridges and 39 lift bridges since Nov 2006