After a couple of days at Ellesmere we moved on towards Whitchurch, bridge 42 which failed last week had been strapped up in the open position pending repair although how the occupants of the house it serves are managing I’ve no idea. 
Maybe they have to use the tradesman’s entrance?
We spent another couple of days in the Whitchurch Arm where Catty enjoyed roaming the nature reserve and last night the little toad didn’t come in until 10 pm as she was too busy hunting, not that she caught anything.
Yesterday we caught the bus up to town again with the same helpful bus driver who seems to be able to drop his passengers right outside their houses. We had lunch at The Anchor where Joy had a bacon & brie sandwich and I had a very generous cheese selection.
Unfortunately, this morning the fuel boat was still a day behind us so we headed off for Grindley Brook and completed the six locks so easily we decided to carry on back to Wrenbury and were moored up before 2 pm. A total of 7 miles and 10 locks and despite a wait to go down the Grindley Staircase our average speed was 1.57 mph or 3.82 lock/mph. That was due to slick lock operation and co-operation with other boaters, not speeding! 
Coming into Wrenbury we passed through the penultimate signature lift bridge on this canal, this one is usually open and the next one is electrically operated.
I was delighted to see this farm too with some classic tractors and a Austin Cambridge in the yard; Joy used to drive one of those when I first met her.
This evening we re-visited The Dusty Miller pub and enjoyed another of their fabulous meals. Tomorrow should see us back on the Shropshire Union and off to pastures new, well not quite, but for that we will have to think back to 1987; more of that in due course.