We stopped off in Lymm and popped into one of the pubs where we had a great laugh with some of the locals.

Set off cruising again when we heard a cry for help as we got down the canal a little further we saw two young lads had fallen off their bikes into the canal.

Once we had lent them some towels and rescued their bikes we went on our way again.

Today would have been Dads birthday and it was the anniversary of Mums death.

They will never be forgotten

Today we needed provisions so we moored at Stockton Heath.

We had to walk over the Manchester Shipping Canal to get to Morrisons.

Today we travelled to Preston Brook and as we required water we had to go on to the Runcorn Arm.

After filling up we decided to travel down the arm to discovered two great things about the place one was the flowers canalside and the cruise out.

The Acton Swing Bridge is controlled from the building on the left of the picture and is rotated by a steel cable from the building on the right to the centre pivot of the bridge.

As it was a lovely evening we walked Cassie along the banks of the River Weaver and to take a look at the Acton Swing Bridge.

Yesterday we only made short journey to bridge 210.

We had to travel through the Barnton and Saltersford tunnels which only allows one boat at a time, at these tunnels as we were traveling north we could only enter the tunnels on the hour and anytime up 20minutes later.

After we took Cassie for a walk around the Anderton nature reserve.

As the sun shone today The Maisibert got a wash and the mushrooms got a long awaited polish.

Today we decided to stay at Anderton and take a look around the boat lift.

We decided not to take The Maisibert down the lift to the River Weaver but instead took an organised boat trip.

Today we passed the wonderful sight of the chemical works at Wincham.

The site covers the canal and surrounding area with steam from the process.

As The Maisibert sits in lock 57 at Hassall Green the traffic on the M6 travels at high speed just in front.

As we leave the tunnel, on the right of the picture you can see one of the doors that tunnel keepers shut as you enter.

We await our turn at the Harecastle Tunnel. The entrance is covered by a building that houses the extractor fans that remove the diesel fumes.

We have not had a signal for the last couple of days so I am few days behind.
As we left Stoke on Trent on Monday we saw the legacy of potteries industries.

Andy proved to be a good helmsman.

As Nicky, Andy and family left for their trip back home, Maria and Paul moored up for a quick brew as they cruised their latest completed boat to star in the Crick Show next weekend.

Today we had Nicky,Andy,Max and Louis visited us and we travelled from Hem Heath to the Britannia Stadium, stopping off for a picnic on the way back.

Today we travelled to Stone where we met Maria and Paul from Heartwood Narrowboats who built ours and we hope they have a successful time at Crick.

Thanks to Jo from Hadar we had a greal meal at the Thai Restaurant in Town.

Thanks to the quick response of the R.C.R. breakdown service who replaced the cable on the Morse control.

We were able to carry on with our journey late into the evening.

Today started with a walk around a lake at Fradley Junction.

Sadly things got worse with the boat getting stuck in reverse and having to use a moored boat as a brake.

This is the bridge as we passed through.

I think this is one of the smallest bridge holes that I have ever had to negotiate.

As we left Burton on Trent at the lock, workmen were protecting a murial depicting the story of brewing on one of the bridges

Today we visited Burton on Trent the home of beer brewing.

Did not have time to visit the Coors visitor centre, but have agreed to re visit on our return journey.

Today we said our goodbyes to Richard and Kath at Sawley Junction as they set off to Nottingham.

When we travelled to Heartwood Narrowboats we used these cooling towers as landmark.

The towers are near the M1 at Junction 23a, today we saw them from canal side.

This afternoon we picked a lovely quiet mooring ,

practically at the end of the runway of East Midlands Airport.

On our travels today we saw some fantastic river side properties.

It was such a lovely afternoon we decided to have our first B.B.Q. of the year on the quay side.

Cassie enjoying her chew in the sun shine in Loughborough

Wharf.

We have moored up for the night and another member of the Heartwood family was moored opposite

Y-KNOT was the eighth boat built by Heartwood Narrowboats.

The National Space Centre from the canal.

Today we set off from Leicester and the fish population is thriving along this stretch of water by the number of herons we saw.

We are currently at Castle Park at Leicester.

Today we passed Leicester football ground and had a guided tour around the Castle.

What was left of it !!!!!

We are currently travelling up the Leicester Arm with Kath and Richard.

As we are cruising on new waters to us,we are using Kath and Richards experiance of this area.

Monday Hilary returned the car to Braintree and thanks to James and Caroline who brought Hilary back to the boat from Newmarket.

This gave us a chance to show them around Foxton Locks.

This weekend with the help of Dave and Sue we managed to cruise the boat to bridge 80 on the Leicester Arm.

Ray took the boat through Foxton Locks and we ended the day with a meal in the Foxton Lock Inn.

Craig and Hilary cruise The Maisibert through Watford Locks.

Bank Holiday weekend Ray,Tara,Sacha and Craig helped us to cruise to Market Harborough.

This was the first step of our trip to the Leeds and Liverpool.

The work was broken up with weekends on the boat with Chris and Terry also Ray,Tara, Sacha and Craig.

Photographs show Ray and Craig taking the boat through Blisworth Tunnel.

Due to over running winter works our start for this years trip has been delayed.
With the help of brother Ray and son Craig we completed a complete factory layout.