Santiago's art

Our mooring here is a delight- quiet, rural, Canada geese mowing the grass- the pic taken from our dining window.

We move off today, heading to the Peak Forest canal, the short arm of 6 miles, a turn east at Marple Junction. Will moor overnight half way along, to meet up with cousins by marriage who live here, in the foothills of the Pennines.

Yesterday JJ hung the delightful painting of Cornish farmland, with the artist himself coming aboard later this week, for a few days.  So there was a rush on to frame and hang it.
Nick's collage hangs nearby, a reminder of Symi. The small print gives a glimpse of David Hockney's perspective of the Yorkshire Dales. And the paintings on the hatch were done by the boat builder from photos provided by the original owner. On a small boat we feel lucky to have so much art.

Yesterday evening after dinner we walked part of the Middlewood Way, an old rail trail running to Macclesfield, back along the towpath. About 6 miles, only a few dog walkers out, the sun setting as we returned to the boat. The canal runs along the western flank of the Pennines,  farmland replacing the 70+ coal mines that were in the area, the last closing in the 50s. Then the rail line and canal would have been a hive of industrial activity, with incline planes and loading points between the boats and trains. Now it is a peaceful place, populated by sheep and geese!

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