Solace Day 8

I'm getting confused! I have failed to write up the boat's diary first thing every day and I cannot always find time or a signal to put up a blip. So today may well have been the day we did 14 locks. That would have taken us more or less the full morning to get through them.

The time taken to do locks depends on factors such as how busy the canal is, how deep the lock is, whether the lock is for us or against us and how many crew members are out to help other boaters get through smoothly, and prep the next lock ready for us. When the 5 of us travel together we are a formidable team (well, not me, I only make bacon butties and supply cups of tea). The Mate drives and The Man, katkatkat and Greig go on ahead to prepare the way.

After all this work we were turning onto the Macclesfield canal just after 1pm.

The Maccy was the last canal built, opening in 1831 but very nearly became a railway instead. After the 1960s it fell into disuse but has been restored and gives lovely views over Cheshire from the embankments. I'm torn between blipping the lovely country scene and the herd of Highland cattle. Cattle have won!