After decades of boating, but only 5 years as a live aboard boater - I fell in! Yes I know, it apparently makes me ‘a proper boater’, I rather think it makes me careless! On the Macclesfield canal, by bridge 36 (in photograph) - it was unsurprisingly unpleasant and dirty - but I did laugh.

The Peak Forest canal is stunning, like everywhere on the network struggling with the lack of rain. But hopefully things are starting to look up (7mm of rain last night), this morning it's looking stunning. #NarrowboatCommunity #photography #ukcanals #narrowboat #KeepCanalsAlive #wildflowers

A lovely walk along the towpath of the Peak Forest canal, spotted these two. #flower #flowerphotography #nature #photography #UKnativeflowers #wildflowers

Today is Buster the Boat Dog’s 7th birthday - he’s somehow successfully muddling through life with two old codgers on a boat! Here he is this morning with a brand new, soon to be demolished, birthday ball! #dogsofbluesky #dogs #birthday

Just for the uninitiated - Paddington Bear was named after Paddington Railway Station

What a difference a day makes! Currently moored on the beautiful Peak Forest canal - near Strines. Today we’ve got this weird wet stuff coming out of the sky - thank goodness. Photograph: River Goyt, a short, albeit steep walk from our mooring. Nikon 780 + Nikon 50mm f/1.8D f22 1/3sec ISO100

We’ve now travelled the length of the lovely Macclesfield canal - only 29.44 miles long, and has 96 bridges! We’re now on the Peak Forest canal - narrowboat Eliza is now the furthest north we’ve ever taken her. #photography #ukcanals #KeepCanalsAlive

St Michael and All Angels Church in Macclesfield is lovely, beautifully maintained, with some superb stained glass windows. Macclesfield is proving to be a lovely welcoming town. D780 + 50mm f1.8 1/800sec f4 ISO1600

It’s just past 7am and Buster the Boat Dog is relaxing after a frenetic night of……..sleeping soundly! Busy day yesterday travelling up the Boseley locks - Buster did his best to help but it was warm! #dogs #blueskydogs

After all the exciting happenings of the very early morning in Mexico - this is our view from out galley window, liking the Maccey! #boatlife #canal #narrowboat #KeepCanalsAlive

This is the house where I spent the first decade of my life - home. It was built in the 13th Century - no other reason for posting this than to point out that 250 years really isn’t that old. Happy July 4th to my US friends. #IndependenceDay #USA #July4th #USIndependenceDay

Moral of the story, be very careful what you wish for 😂😂

These ferns are opposite us where we were moored, very near the Harecastle tunnel, on the Trent and Mersey canal. The extraordinary water discolouration is a natural result of iron oxide leeching into the water. D7200 + Sigma C 150-600mm f5 1/160sec 225mm ISO500

Biting Stonecrop (Sedum Acre), growing in a crack in the concrete which is part of the towpath bank on the Trent & Mersey canal, near Sandbach. #flower #flowerphotography #nature #photography #UKnativeflowers #wildflowers

Believe it or not, we’re moored near Middlewich on the Trent and Mersey canal. #boatlife #canal #narrowboat #KeepCanalsAlive

I’d love to take Narrowboat Eliza on this! The extraordinary Anderton Boat Lift, built in 1875, it transports boats the 15.2metres between the Trent & Mersey canal and River Weaver. Unfortunately currently closed, let’s hope it’ll open again soon. #boatlife #canal #narrowboat #KeepCanalsAlive

On this day, 82 years ago my father was the First Officer on board ML185, off Juno beach minesweeping. His memory of that morning: “when the naval barrage started it was as though the horizon was on fire, and that the sea was full of ships and they were all ours” #D-DayAnniversary

Any parent knows having a little one is hard work, even if they are the easiest ever - imagine looking after this lot! #nature #photography #Birds

Walking along any towpath on our lovely waterways, you never know what you'll see around the next corner. On the Shropshire Union canal near Nantwich. D780 + Nikon 50mm f1.8d #NarrowboatCommunity #photography #ukcanals #Nikon

A pair of Mandarin Ducks, spotted on the Shropshire Union canal (top - male below - female) #photography #birds #ukcanals #wildlife #wildlifephotography #nature

Currently moored in Chester, but with Buster the Boat Dog being his gorgeous self - I was going to post lots of lovely pictures of Chester - but I know my audience 😂😂😂 #DogsofBluesky #Dogs

The leaves of suffolk lungwort (Pulmonaria obscura), like other Pulmonaria species, have silvery spots and resemble lungs, giving rise to both its scientific and common names. Spotted today by the towpath of the Shropshire Union canal near Chester. #flower #nature #photography #wildflowers

I am absolutely sure I’m not the only one to notice that the bluebells are absolutely spectacular this spring. I saw this today by the towpath of the Llangollen canal. #flower #flowerphotography #nature #photography #UKnativeflowers #wildflowers

Only posting this as I’m having a reminiscing moment - a blast from the past, 7 years ago in Bolivia, a photograph I’m proud of! #photography #birds #wildlife #wildlifephotography #nature

Busy morning on NB Eliza, a short journey through lift bridges, and turning around at a crucial winding hole. If we'd missed Thomason's Winding Hole, we'd be stuck on the Llangollen canal until the breach at Grindley Brook is repaired. #boatlife #ukcanals #NarrowboatCommunity #KeepCanalsAlive

Good morning! Chilly start to the morning, but it promises to be a good day. Not a bad view while enjoying a coffee - on the Llangollen canal. #boatlife #ukcanals #NarrowboatCommunity #canal #narrowboat #KeepCanalsAlive

All taken this morning during Buster the Boat Dog's walk, on the towpath of the lovely Llangollen canal: 1. Forget-Me-Not 2. Red Catchfly 3. Dandelion #flower #flowerphotography #nature #photography #UKnativeflowers #wildflowers

It's great to be travelling on a 'new' canal - currently on the very restricted Llangollen canal. We're only able to travel down to Bridge 22, due to the dreadful problems near Whitchurch. But it's lovely. #boatlife #ukcanals #NarrowboatCommunity #canal #narrowboat #KeepCanalsAlive

I genuinely love this time of year, lovely wildflowers heralding in summer. Greater Stitchwort - It has many other common names, including 'wedding cakes', 'Star-of-Bethlehem', 'daddy's-shirt-buttons' and 'snapdragon' #flower #flowerphotography #nature #photography #wildflowers