On the Trent and skerps

We really wanted to get moving again on Monday so went for a walk both ways up the canal to check on ice and water levels.  We walked west to start with and after a mile the ice was really quite thick so we didn’t want to be the first to go through.  We decided to leave it until one o’clock and if no boats went through and broke the ice then we would head in the opposite direction down to the River Trent, turn round and start coming back west down the Trent and Mersey.  We knew it would be OK down to the River Trent as the canal is flowing at this point and therefore only icy in parts.

We continued our walk and collected a few more logs in a novel way:

Before we joined the River Trent we had to go through lock number one on the Trent & Mersey – Derwent Mouth lock.

Karen was trying out her canera’s panoramic features and got this unusual shot of the lock – I’m glad they’re not really bent like this:

At the lock is the first mile marker and this plaque explaining a bit about the canal.  Built in 1777 it is the oldest canal we have been on.

On the river side of the lock the stream warning marker is clearly showing green now.

We cruised into the River Trent and turned round to head back up the Trent & Mersey.  This shot was taken as we joined the river.

Karen also took this weird panorama showing, from the left: River Trent downstream; River Trent upstream; Trent & Mersey canal; River Derwent upstream.

And this is where we moored up for the night.  Karen made a great goats' cheese quiche and cooked a ratatouille while Buddy and I cut some logs.  We spent some time refreshing our memories on how to play canasta.

Here are some of our spring bulbs and winter pansies that seem to have survived the wind and frost so far.

And here is a photo of two skerps in bee boles.