Preston Brook

Saturday morning dawned damp & grey with showery rain but this didn't deter us from a 7.30am start, before long the landscape becomes heavily industrialised for a while,

 

this is part of the ICI site, 

a drop or two of vactan (rust converter, to the uninitiated) maybe a good idea.

A Willow greening up in front of Anderton Marina, 

by 9.30am we were on their diesel point, 87ppl domestic which is pretty average I think. We had already stopped off at the services so with loo cassettes & bins empty, water & fuel tank full we headed for Barnton Tunnel, not very long at 572 yds

 Emerging into the light from Barnton Tunnel, 

   Then less than half a mile to Saltersford tunnel, by now in warm sunshine, it's not as long as Barnton at 424 yds but entry is in time slots, on the hour till 10 past west to east due to a bend in the tunnel meaning you can't see if any boats are approaching from the other end. We only had about 30 minutes to wait before our turn. Another couple of miles & we moored up in a favourite spot, overlooking the River Weaver just in time for lunch. 

 Entering Preston Brook Tunnel

Another day, another tunnel & look at that sunshine  :)  though we have had (much needed) heavy rain over night meaning the towpaths are very muddy & I was slithering about in it whist doing the only lock of the day, Dutton Stop Lock  which may not be deep, inches rather than feet but the top gate is a pig to open, not helped by muddy boots slipping off the bricks as I'm pushing, phew...
We timed it just right for the tunnel as the slot is on the hour till 10 past & we went in at 8 minutes past, once out of the tunnel....

 

& it's onto the Bridgewater Canal, passing on the left, some of Claymoore Navigation hire boats, behind is Midland Chandlers, closed today so no temptation to spend, ahead is the M56 motorway bridge & just beyond the bridge on the left is the entrance to the Runcorn Arm.

Another mile or so & our mooring spot,  this field of oil seed rape is turning yellow already, it seems early?  We moored up just a little further along so that we weren't directly under the pylons. As it was only 10 am when we moored up I did the washing which has been blowing in the sunshine (& cold wind!) all afternoon.

Tomorrow we shall head for Lymm, we are pacing our cruising so we get to Stretford on Thursday where we have booked into the Marina for a few nights.

If there is a patch of sunshine Soona will lie in it, it doesn't look very comfy but she's happy.