The heart of the Macclesfield

It was a nice morning for boating, so we went shopping in Macclesfield. Well, we needed a few things, which turned into more things, but at least we won't starve for the next few days. As in Congleton, the worst / best / most energetic part was climbing back out from the town to where the canal sits in serene splendour above it, alongside the old Hovis manufactory (though the bread-maker on Erin Mae now turns out more bread than this building).

Coming into Macclesfield, there are reminders of the work that went into constructing the canal.

Apart from the Bosley locks, it runs along a contour through this hilly landscape, often with the help of a cutting or an embankment. So sometimes you're looking down on the neighbours…

 and sometimes you're looking up to them.

It makes for a view that is always interesting, even if large swathes of green countryside are about the hardest things to capture properly with a camera.

Along the way you meet the milestones, re-set in place by the canal society.

You meet the snake bridges where the towpath crosses to the other side…

though this particular snake has a rather sharp bend at one point. And you encounter signs of industry past and present.

 In the end you tie up for the night, once again, in a beautiful spot. We're promised rain, but we'll be snug. And I can hear some accordion music from a boat 50 yards back, so I might go and investigate.