Salt towns

From Market Drayton we dropped down through a group of locks at Adderley and two at the flight down to Audlem where we stopped. Mo and Vanessa on Balmaha came by and stopped for a drink and chat. Last seen back at Braunston they were returning from Bugsworth. Next day we continued on down to Hack Green. It was here that we caught up with No Problem and arranged a Supermarket delivery using the internet.
The stretch of canal between Audlem and Nantwich being mainly through open countryside with undulating hills. The canal staying level on concrete lined embankments flying across the lower levels. The water was quite shallow forcing us to travel in the centre, passing boats made difficult by running aground and being exposed to the wind. No Problem and Moore 2 Life once again travelling together and arriving at Nantwich. The first available space being just past the aqueduct after passing a mile of moored boats. Telford, the Engineer, was forced to build the canal round Dorfold Park, preferring to follow the high ground and join up with the existing Chester Canal. This was not to be and the resulting long curved embankment and iron aqueduct proved difficult and expensive to build.


We all walked the half mile into Nantwich. 'A fine old town, prosperous since Roman times because of its salt springs, which made it the countries main salt mining centre until the 19th century. The town was devastated by fire in 1583 but rebuilt in fine Tudor style'. There are many of these buildings with their chunky black wood structure to be seen, distorted by subsidence but still standing. We enjoyed sitting out in sunshine to drink, eat and admire the view. Northwich, Nantwich and Middlewich are all salt towns in this Cheshire Cat county and have canals passing by them.