Nantwich to Middlewich; a canalside pub in all but location

I was expecting the knock on the side hatch. It was Graham, come for the hat he'd left behind last night. Before setting off I had a look round the chandlers at Nantwich Basin. It seems very well stocked, but all I bought was an April issue of Waterways World for an article about Edwin Fasham and his narrowboat Ferrous.

The sun shone for most of the day, but there was a fierce cold wind. We and most other boaters were in winter gear.

Between Hurleston Junction and Barbridge Junction we saw what looked like a scrapyard to the west.

But, on closer inspection, the cars seem to be arranged deliberately in a line. Is this an artwork? It's in the same area as previous constructions of straw. I remember seeing the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster there a few years ago.

The views across to the Weaver valley from the Middlewich Branch were very good.

Is this the radio telescope dish of Jodrell Bank?

Also in the photo was this bird of prey.

From Bridge 14 we walked into Church Minshull. There's a church, a pub next door, a village hall and the rest is houses. These include some very fine dwellings indeed.

We got talking to a local who invited us to look at his house, a former watermill complete with all the workings. I will have to do a separate post about this some time.

Meanwhile, here's one way to get out of having to repaint your boat...

... cover it with shiplap timber.

We tied up in Middlewich just before Wardle Lock, and have eaten at the Narrowboat pub. This has plenty of canal ware, including a cratch board, but is curiously located away from the canals. We had good rump steaks, it was a real shame the plates they were on were cold.

Tomorrow we're hoping that our postal votes will arrive at the post office after being forwarded from Wolverton.