At the beginning and the end of the day

A beautiful start to the day, sunlight filtering through the trees diffusing the early morning light.

We didn’t go far today, only to Whitchurch via an ABC marina to take on water, collect some replacement cutlery and enquire about a new mattress. A spring in Susan’s mattress went boing when she got in. We had to turn it to make it comfortable. A new mattress was duly delivered to the boat this afternoon.

After mooring up we walked from the canal to the town of Whitchurch, a town that grew on us as we walked around in the oppressive heat. He had a good lunch and coffee accompanied by a tiny ice cream cone! Although I’m a Shropshire lad I can’t remember ever visiting the town. I had been to the sports ground to play cricket and rugby.

The church is spectacular, huge and airy. A class of primary pupils were visiting and having various lessons in different parts of the church.

Back to the boat and then we walked on to the 3 lock staircase at Grindley Brook. Sadly we decided not to go through these locks and the three beyond as the next turning point was several miles further on meaning it would be a rush to get back for Friday.

The heat continued to build throughout the late afternoon. By six o’clock there were rumbles and muttering of thunder, the clouds roiled and swirled above our heads and rain fell torrentially, as shown in the extra. As clickychick said, we were smug and snug in the boat. No so the occupants of the boat in the extra which arrived as the rain began. Within moments everyone on board was soaked as they moored alongside.

Our third night of thunder and rain in a row.

In an amazing coincidence it turns out that I went past blipper Ian Wright while out running on Saturday morning and he has posted a shot of our boat, the Happy Wren moored up by the Ellesmere Tunnel