Retirement with No Problem

Hassall Green to Elworth, Trent & Mersey Canal, 2.25 miles 8 locks

It was suppose to be a slow start this morning until I found out that the Post Office at Wheelock was only open in the mornings until one o’clock… there were a lot of locks between us and them!

Leaving in a hurry at 10.15, if all went well we should be there in time, just 10 lock miles, but a lot of ice to have to shift to make the lock gates open so cold had it been last night!  Gosh those locks were heavy, well the paddle gear was, I was almost into the ‘big box’ to retrieve Alex’s ratchet windlass.. but I was on a roll, going ahead to set the next lock ready while the previous one emptied.. some were quite close together you see.

Easy…… just two hours and we were within 5 minutes of the Post Office to collect a parcel that I had arranged to be sent there.  There are plenty of pubs around here, one called the Cheshire Cheese.. I have always wondered why they call pubs ‘something’ Cheese.  From my childhood I remembered going to the New Forest on most weekends passing the Angry Cheese and the Happy Cheese on opposite sides of the road at Ashurst close to Lyndhurst.. Unfortunately The Angry Cheese burnt down in 1989…. makes you wonder why doesn’t it?

The wind was so cold in the early afternoon we decided to stop for a late lunch close to the very small Paddy’s Wood and put the pins in for the night.. Mmmm it’s nice and cosy inside No Problem..