29/9. Devil's Garden to Vale Royal Pt3

We were into new territory now. Remnants of boatyards in Northwich. Besides being a centre for salt and chemical production, Northwich also had a thriving boat building industry spread over several different yards

Having gone under the Blue Bridge

A few hundred metres further on we went under a railway bridge built in 1873

Approaching our last lock of the day, Vale Royal. If the lockie is not there to indicate its a bit tricky knowing which chamber to head for

We moored up1/2 mile beyond the lock at about 4.00pm

And looking upstream

 The Lockkeepers on all four locks today have been very friendly, chatty and full of advice on good moorings, places to eat etc.  The Lockkeeper at Dutton Lock has lived in one of the lock cottages for over 30 years and she and her husband raised their children there. In 2008 the then Lockkeeper told her he was retiring, so she applied for the job and has been the Lockkeeper ever since and still loves it.  CRT should be commended upon their selection criteria for Lockkeepers.

After we settled in, I went for a walk. A little way down the towpath a small track led off into the trees. It looked very enticing so I followed it, within 20 metres it went up a steep embankment, thought I might have a heart attack, but worth it because I saw lots of squirrels. When I reached the top the woods ended at the edge of a field, I followed the track until it stopped at a farm track so I retraced my route back to the towpath and then walked along it until I reached some subsidence induced flashes beside the towpath that were chock full of bird life. I spent so long watching the waterfowl, and looking for watervoles, that it was nearly dark by the time I got back to AL and L. Is still shitty with me.

18 miles, 4 locks in 5 1/2 hours