Return to Chester

From Ellsemere Port we head east,  a chilly but sunny day. Only 8 miles, about 2 hours, no locks, an easy cruise, time to absorb landscape, fauna, and to make the Cap'n a proper coffee, using the Johnstone's beaut coffee pot.

At the basin below the city, abutting the Roman walls, we top up our water tank, have lunch, then tackle the 3 staircase locks taking the canal 33ft up to the level of the city.

One of the thousands of cheerful volunteers on the canal network is on hand, kindly filling the top 2 locks while the Cap'n empties the bottom one. The 1st mate is on the boat, keeping Santiago back from the uphill gate, with its cascades, and forward from the rear gate, as getting the rudder jammed is not desirable. Also an eye on gongoozling children, in case one takes a dip.

With bottom lock empty, in we go, deep, stone walls towering, pigeons roosting inside the gates. The gates close  behind, the water from the middle lock is released, slowly, into the bottom lock. 300 tonnes of water, floating Santiago to the top of the 1st lock.
These steps are repeated until the top lock level, and out we cruise, 40 minutes or so after starting.

Moored near the city centre, we walk the 2 miles of  walls. The famous 19th C clock, the falconry display on a field below the wall- a buzzard and handler waiting to release in the demonstration. Further round we come to the R Dee, flowing over the weir, down to the sea. The salmon race lies on the far side, with a house on the river's edge by the medieval bridge formerly the Salmon Fisherman's home- which in 1991 we rented for a week, giving the 3 sons and parents some peace and sanity. So we had to take a photo. We also refect on being high in the Welsh hills, above Llangollen, where the Dee is a fast new river, in 2014.

JJ found an old grey fergie, I found a grey duffel, so 2 shots attached of old greys!