What a start to the season

WELL, the paddle at Swanley Lock is now fixed, and a notice issued telling us that the navigation is now open, writes Linda Andrews.

However, just before that happened we have another notice telling us that the Llangollen is closed between Bridges 3 and 4 due to a culvert problem. As there is no winding hole between Hurleston and Bridge 3, that effectively closes the waterway from the junction.

Can't go

So now we can't go to Llangollen, we can't go to Chester, we can't go round the Cheshire Ring, and we can't go up the Caldon or the Macclesfield canals. We can go onto the Weaver, but only in one direction.

And this is day one of our already shortened season.

(Linda Andrews operates Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Holidays)