Two days in one

Because I want to call in at the pharmacy to see if my script has turned up, we needed to be back at Middlewich by Saturday, especially as this is a Bank Holiday weekend. That in turn meant doing a long day today, from Moore back to Bramble Cutting, a trip that would normally have taken at least two days.

Sheila set off at seven whilst I got up and breakfasted, then I took over so that she could get herself fed. It meant that we got to the north portal of Preston Brook a bit early for the entry slot on the half hour, but better that than a bit late and losing an hour. Thaxted looked as if she'd been there all night, but her crew kindly invited us to precede them so that we wouldn't be breathing their exhaust smoke.

As we waited, Greenfinch emerged and, recognising Sanity Again, called across that it was about time Sally did another of her dog to dog blogs. It seems that they are members of the Sally fan club. They also warned us that the hire boat behind them was struggling with the stop lock, and indeed they didn't emerge from the tunnel until just into our time slot.

We got going quickly, and made it through in 15 minutes.

There followed a very pleasant morning's boating, only slightly complicated by the fact that the yard crew at Acton Bridge had lost control of one of their Black Prince boats, and were stood on the bank shouting to the cleaner inside to throw them a line. It was no big deal for us – Sheila was barely creeping past the lines of moored boats and was able to hold back no bother – but the staff had a bit of trouble meeting our eyes as we called a merry "Good morning" to them.

By steady boating, we got to Saltersford just on half ten, and so could go straight in. Round and through the pool, and then hold back hard because I could hear a boat in Barnton. Sheila hopped off and held Sanity Again on the towpath until they emerged, and off we go again. I was standing on the bow, and saw in the tunnel light beam what looked like a very big moth fluttering along. As we got closer, it became apparent that this was no moth, but a pipistrelle bat.

Sheila was by now reasonably weary, so I took over for a bit until it was time for lunch. I ate first and then took the helm back for the rest of the run. As we went along, the sky clouded steadily, but the promised rain has not yet arrived. Indeed, it was sunny enough to tempt the butterflies out, and for a while I had a speckled wood perched on the stern line coiled on the slide in front of me.

Our wildlife guide says it's not very common here in the North West, but does occur in patches.

We arrived at Bramble Cutting at half two, seven and a half hours after setting off; anyone would think we were planning to do the Four Counties in a week…

/wahaha

I've topped up the batteries, and we're now winding down for a quiet evening after our exertions.