Friday 17th June
Contrary to the forecast, which said Friday would be wet and windy, there has been very little rain and not very strong winds. In fact it didn’t start raining until about 7pm and then only lightly! With the forecast in mind we only came 3 miles today, to Preston Brook, where we moored up to wait for the weather to turn nasty. But it never did. We are a bit peeved because we could have probably gone down the boat lift on to the Weaver today. As it is we have booked for 12-50pm tomorrow, when it will probably be slashing down!
We didn’t waste our time here however, we spent it walking down to the Preston Brook Tunnel for a look and going to Midland Chandlers and buying a load of ‘essentials’. Why is it you don’t think you need anything until you walk into a chandlers? We didn’t buy a prop though because we have decided to claim for a new one on our insurance.
We also walked to the nearest (only) pub, as recommended by the chap in the chandlery, who told us it was only quarter of a mile away but it was up hill. It wasn’t a particularly steep hill but it was actually about a mile to The Preston Brook. Barbara looked hopefully at a bus timetable to see if she could get a bus back!
Our cratch cover zip is now critical I’m afraid and I can’t get it to shut at all. With all the rain we keep having (except today that is) it is a bloody nuisance. When we eventually come across a cratch cover mender and get it replaced it will be the 3rd zip on this side of the cover. We already had that one replaced before we left Thurmaston. And we had the other one replaced last year at Ellesmere, so that will be 5 zips in 2 years!! It really is a piece of shite!
So tomorrow we are going down the Anderton Boat Lift on to the River Weaver.
