Cribblog 2018

No boating news from Cribbit as she is still well stuck on the hard at Aldermaston. The underwater work has now been completed by Tom who has also started on the new water tank, though that is just a large hole at the moment.

We have been able to do some boating though, with Terry and John on nb Wolf. Our trip this year was from John's mooring at Henhull, near Nantwich, up to the mighty metropolis of Market Drayton. Plenty of locks on this trip though and the lock slaves were only kept going by the promise of a decent pint at the Joules brewery in Market Drayton. CanalPlan tells me that the round trip is 27 miles with 44 locks.
Market Drayton 2 links

10 May 2018
Leaving Henhull on nb Wolf.

Leaving Henhull and then no more pics until we arrive at
Market Drayton 2 links the next day.

When we do arrive, we head straight to the Joules brewery tap and their
'mouse man' 2 links lounge.

  Jane

Back to Wolf for South African   Bobity.

Next day we leave our visitor mooring, go through the bridge to the winding hole and use the facilities.

Then tie back up on the visitor moorings again to await visitors Pat and Tom.

Time for some on-board maintenance by John.

A wander on the opposite bank for Terry and I.

A swan sitting on her nest in the hedge.

The swan's mate patrols beyond.

This house meter box has caught canalside mania and is painted with 'Clayton's cabbages'.

Pat and Tom arrive laden with bubbly and we put out a few snacks.

Gongoozler and dog.

In the evening we wandered down to the Brewery Tap again then back for Terry's   LaVraie Quiche Lorraine.

Next morning.

John hand-crafts our morning muesli.

A wonder to behold.

...and eat.

We watched a mother duck bring her brood down to the canal for their morning swim, the cob threatening them to stay away ...

...but mum prevailed. The ducklings had their swim and the swan was vanquished. All happened too quickly for our camera man.

Started on our descent back to Audlem and came across this ram swimming forlornly in the canal.

Managed to maneuver him back to his side of the cut and then put down crew to grab him. With a soaking fleece he was far too heavy to lift so had to be rolled onto the bank where he just stood dripping looking sorry for himself.

Waiting at Audlem for Allan and Pam to join us

Their arrival heralded by Swiper.

Evening meal at the Lord Combermere in Audlem.

Next day we had an easy drop down the rest of the flight passing Nantwich Marina on our way back to Henhull.