Barge Dog

No rain today, so I decided to go and discover a path off the Canal tow path towards Altofts.

The 'Ladyteal' was passing through Birkwood lock and this little chap was 'guarding' it.

Boutique Hotel Barge with 5 stars!

We passed on and found the path, but Tess found a way through a fence, she shouldn't have, and nearly got stuck down a rabbit hole!

I had a nice chat with the owner of a lovely Springer Spaniel about the lack of birds, he said that the partridges had been severely hit as many of their local breeding fields had been inundated meaning the loss of most of the youngsters. He had seen a female duck with an adopted family of 15!

Anyway, I had given up on the path I was discovering and retraced my steps finding the only small tortoiseshell I have 'caught' this year.

We arrived home very wet and dirty, the washlands are awash, with some of our usual paths a foot under water.