Marple for visitors tomorrow!

0 Locks, 4½ Miles, 1 swing bridge and 2 Lift bridges.

After saying our goodbyes to Paul and Lynne on Piston Broke who we will possibly meet up with again at Rugby in the winter, it was time to head off. Today’s journey was far more enjoyable than the journey to Bugsworth Basin nearly a week ago. On that day it was misty and cloudy and we couldn’t see a thing. Today was fine and clear and the scenery and views across the hill’s and dales was magnificent. For anybody who hasn’t visited this part of part Britain we can personally recommend it.

Moorhen alongside it's nest. The chicks have already fledged.

While talking to Paul and Lynne an elderly gentleman hobbled past us, I say hobbled because he looked as if he had leg and hip deformities probably since birth. He had a hikers pole with a ‘V’ on the top and all down the pole were little shields of places he had visited. By the small amount of pole not covered by these shields it appeared that he had done a lot of hiking. Any way by the time we cast off he would have had a half hour head start on us. After a while we again sighted him but due to having to stop for the lift and swing bridges it took us quite a while to catch up to him. Eventually after about 3 or more miles he finally stopped and sat down for a rest. As we passed him we congratulated him on his effort because he probably still had several miles to go before he would find a bus or train to take him home or heaven forbid retrace his steps. 

1671 locks, 3533 miles, 62 Tunnels, 50 swing bridges and 51 lift bridges since Nov 2006