Repatriation: Day 1

I worked a night shift last night, while Adrian stayed in a hotel in Milton Keynes.  We met at our marina at 8.30 and continued in one car to Nantwich.  There we saw Bill, paid our dues, and thanked him for looking after BR for 108 days!  It’s been good knowing he’s been keeping an eye on her.  As the turn south out of the arm is very tight, we spun around in the basin and reversed out.  We were soon going under the junction bridge.

At Hack Green locks there was a boat going up and another waiting.  He said they’d been waiting an hour, having been fifth in the queue.  There were also boats waiting in the middle pound to come down.  By the time we were up, another boat had come down meaning we could go straight into the top lock.

We had lunch on the move, crossing the Cheshire plain, with great views each side.  Before long we got to the bottom of Audlem locks.  We had a boat in front so had to turn the bottom lock, but they emptied the next one for us, then stopped at the water point.  From then on we met boats at many locks, meaning we had to turn just one more.  At the third lock my sister and family arrived for a visit.  Strangely, we were the last visit they made before lockdown (at Dunham Massey) and this was the first since the easing.  Audlem locks are very pretty; one of my favourite flights.

We were aiming for the Coxbank moorings above lock 3, and there was a BR sized gap that we slotted into perfectly.  The kettle went on, and we enjoyed chocolate brownies made by Emily this morning (while Rachel was at a friend’s birthday party).  I walked back down the flight with the family for more chatting time.  We have made good progress on day one of our repatriation trip; it’s been a really enjoyable day and the views here are great.

7 miles, 15 lock