Some days it’s better to not do anything.

Yesterday began with a very heavy frost, I had already decided to move and was in good spirits when I got ready, the sun was shining and it looked like it was going to be a lovely cruising day down to and through the six locks at Grindley Brook and then three more locks to arrive at Marbury, a total journey time of roughly four hours.

Something was out of kilter though, I think it was me, I was definitely tired and soon lots of silly little things began to go wrong and everything annoyed me changing my mood to one of frustration, only little things, forgetting to pick up my windlass before walking to the lock, getting my centre line tangled around my feet, leaving a paddle up! it just wasn’t going well, having got down the staircase of three locks at Grindley Brook without killing myself or anyone else things did not improve but I soldiered on and eventually arrived at my intended stop, the final straw was a really muddy towpath, boy was I glad to get moored up and put the kettle on, a day to forget J

No pictures, I wasn’t going to risk dropping my camera in the cut.

Total that day! : 5.5 miles : 9 Locks

Today was a cold damp misty start, I was in two minds about what to do but decided to walk into the small village of Marbury and have a look around, it’s about 10 minutes along a country lane and I was pleased I did.

There is not much there, the mandatory church, another huge one given the size of the village and of course the pub.

At the back of the church is ‘Big Mere’ and a smaller one which I assume is ‘Little Mere’ a few pics of the big mere and St Michaels Church.

Big Mere

The church viewed from the mere.

And up close

The lych gate is a memorial to those from the parish who gave their lives in the 1914-1919 war and on the church side has these words carved into the horizontal member “Ye who live on mid English pastures green, remember us and think what might have been”.

The village green with its seat around the tree and the Swan Inn public house beyond.

The Village hall, not huge but I would imagine at one time the centre of activity, 1929 over the entrance.

A delightful little out of the way quiet English village.

Back at the boat I got myself ready and set off, for I hoped, a better trip, and it was, although the weather was not wonderful all was right with Quinquireme and me, back to normal, if there is such a thing. Just ahead was the first lock of the day, Marbury lock and then I was off and away.

I mis-timed my approach to the electric lift bridge at Wrenbury, I could see the Red traffic lights showing someone was coming through it as I approached but I was too far away to slip through with them and I thought ..... 'here we go again'........,but no, having tied up at the bridge I thought I’d pop in the chandlers first and buy some fender rope, as I was coming out I saw a fitter and asked if he could check my batteries, he said yes, reverse your boat in and I will take a look, he then offered to operate the bridge for me, so it was all good, I reversed in between the other boats without hitting them and he confirmed my batteries need replacing, it wasn’t a shock, I have suspected for some time that they were on the way out.

I left there and had a pleasant cruise through the three Baddiley Locks