More than expected

First thing we were down Middlewich's Wardle Lock to moor up at the Kings Lock Chandlery. Our Webasto diesel heater has so far done us very well, and it was time for a service.

It was duly removed and taken away to the workshop for a good checking over. Meanwhile Mick used some lower tech procedures to drain and flush the radiators, calorifier coil and associated pipework.

Everything got a clean bill of health, and I got a bill for a considerable amount of 5-year rated antifreeze! Meanwhile our friends Adrian and Chris Dann appeared – they're moored just above Kings Lock. So they came in for coffee while the Webasto service was proceeding.

I'd also asked Mick to check some electrical things in the engine control area – the rev counter had stopped working, various warning buzzers and lights have been on duty only intermittently, and the control panel's voltmeter's readings have seemed rather odd. Steve the owner suggested from experience that there could be a problem with the ignition switch, and we decided to change it.

That sorted out the warning lights and buzzers (yes!), but not the rev counter and voltmeter (groan!). Looks as though I may have to change them myself at some future date. So, for the moment, it was farewell to the good folk at Kings Lock, farewell to a sizeable amount of cash, and farewell to Tilly the dog, whose life's mission is to take away the pain.

As we started our journey south, the sun came out and it's been a very pleasant early evening.

We encountered our usual quota of unexpected things we didn't remember from last time we were here,

and the clouds made patterns in the sky.

We decided it would not be a good idea to get as far as Wheelock and find it chockablock with boats, because from there it's straight onto the locks of Heartbreak Hill, so we've tied up in the middle of a very rural stretch somewhere on the outskirts of Sandbach. The sky is red, so hopefully there'll be more of the same tomorrow.