Fantastic weather and on to Audlem.

The weather today has just been amazing, very hot and sunny all day, so we have had a very enjoyable journey from Goldstone Wharf where we parted company this morning with nb Amethyst as they had to return to Wheaton Aston for Monday morning. We continued on to the five locks at Tyrley then stopped at Market Drayton for lunch and to get a Sunday paper.

Woodseaves Cutting on the way to Tyrley Locks.

High bridges in Woodseaves Cutting!
In the afternoon we continued through the Adderley flight of  5 locks. We were lucky to meet a boat coming out of the next lock each time which made the flight very easy!   We met  Alison of the Adderley Wharf Farm Shop at Lock 1 and brought some cakes and provisions and Doug made friends with her pet lamb!

When we arrived at the Audlem flight of 15 locks there wasn’t a boat insight -  very unusual for a fine weekend afternoon in July. Then we realised that perhaps everyone was watching the tennis?  So we had the flight to ourselves save for one boat half way up.
Doug steering and James doing the locks for a change!  The pink of the Rosebay Willowherb is stunning just now (and contrasts well with our blue!).  Another pleasure right now is the smell of new mown hay.  Nature is at her fullest.

Just to show a rare sight – James doing the locks!
The Shroppie Fly at the bottom of the flight was full of gongoozlers as usual and we had some help on the bottom two locks nearest it by a couple of the gongoozling families.  After a short distance we rid ourselves of the masses and  moored up just past Overwater Marina at 5pm (all on our own) and sat out on the deck with a glass of wine!
 
12 miles and 25 locks today!