Thursday 16th July

We left Middlewich about 8.30am and cruised up to the Anderton lift. The route passes several large 'flashes' or shallow lakes where the land sank due to salt mining. When we came past here 2 years ago there were wrecks of old working boats to be seen as they were left here to rot in the 60's. They seem to have disappeared now so someone maybe thought that it was worth salvaging them for scrap.

You also pass large chemical works and canal bridges with an unusual flat top ( as opposed to the normal arch). They were built this way so that if they subsided the bridge could be raised by adding a bit underneath.

We were very lucky when we arrived at the lift as we were given a slot only 40mins. later. The structure is enormous and is basically 2 troughs of water which raise and lower boats to the River Weaver. The photos show us following another boat in and looking down on the boats about to rise.

The lift itself doesn't take long but there is a wait while water levels are balanced between lift caisson and canal/river. Once down we sailed to Northwich where there were no free moorings and I managed to nip to Waitrose whilst Graham was on a British Waterways workboat mooring. 

We then passed upstream through 2 manned river locks and onto some very pleasant countryside moorings at a place called Royal Vale. Tomorrow we will head to the top of the navigable River Weaver before retracing our path to the lift.