2 Miles A Day .... Out the Side Hatch

It is a bit difficult finding good mooring spots along a lesser used canal.  In order to be able to moor we need to bring the boat in to the bank, preferably by some metal armco which helps to make mooring easier.  The problem on the quiet canals is that the banksides are way to shallow with accumulated debris and silt.  This prevents the boat from getting close enough in to allow me with the short legs to hop onto the bank.  So as a result the 2 miles a day limit has already been broken twice!  We ended up doing 5.6 miles today and missed a few photo opportunities, mainly because I had the telephoto lens on.  Not good for landscapes.  Not to worry, I thought, I will go back once moored, well that was 2.5 miles ago.  Oh well, another time  but I did get some of the fox we saw at the start of today and the little Wren when I was in a lock :)

Yesterday we traveled in to Hyde, to do some more shopping and then turned around and went back to moor up near a nature reserve.

Magpie

Common Spotted Orchid

Naturally I went for a walk while Andrew did all the jobs that he does when we moor up.

This is the result of my latest nature walk.

Female Blackbird

Avid fisherman on my return:

Today we planned on mooring in Portland Basin but there were no empty moorings there, so we turned into the Huddersfield Narrow.  Very industrial to start with and no 'nice' mooring spots.  Surprisingly enough, just after the tunnel under Asda (see following pics) there was a short section of towpath full of the common spotted orchid and the early purple orchid.  Unfortunately there was no place to stop and photograph them and no way of getting back to that section of the towpath between two industrial buildings.  That probably explains why they were able to flourish with no interference.

After 6 locks we are now in the center of Stalybridge.  It has been a while since we moored in a town environment.  Takes a bit of getting used to the traffic, buses and people.  On the bright side we are right by a Tesco superstore and the cupboards are bare :)

Fox in case you did not know :)

He looks like he has been woken from a sleep :(

Under Asda

Over the River Tame

Looking back from the River Tame aqueduct

Wren

Today's Lockie

There does seem to be a proliferation of flora and fauna images rather than scenery, but then that is what I prefer :)

On the plus side, since my wool purchase in Coventry, I have completed a baby blanket, cap and jacket to put into my baby trousseau :)  You never know when it might come in handy :)  And 3/4 way through a shawl for myself.