Now we have moved on a little more around the city walls , the canal passes along a deep ravine with a rock face topped with houses at one side and the city walls at the other ,at the end of which we drop down a staircase lock, that is three locks all joined end to end if you get the operating  sequence wrong water overflows down the adjacent foot path we did see someone do that .
Last nights  mooring was in the basin opposite Telfords warehouse now a pub /restaurant , noisy early on but all was quiet later.
Despite rumours of excessive weed and pollution further on I was talking to a guy who had just travelled from Ellesmere port this morning and he said not really a problem so I think we will try  it either today or tomorrow
Yesterday morning spent shopping in Chester and in the afternoon we happened upon a Sealed Knot reconstruction of  the siege of Chester , Roundheads v Cavaliers , very good they really put some effort into their fighting.
Sunday night ,moored near the village of Stoak a rural setting no passersby or lights apart from a gas flare in the distance probably in Ellesmere Port the only  sound is wind and the hum of traffic on the M53 although as I type the rain has started again hammering on the roof .We are still warm and cosy , the heating has not been yet nor the stove lit but it may not be too long before we do there was not really a problem with weed on the way up nothing we couldn't manoeuvre round.

Access  to the Rows via this stone staircase 

The Rows are shops on a first floor walkway

supposedly to allow ladies to shop without walking in the dirty streets

Pikemen preparing for battle

The Rows run nearly the full length of the street

Carvings above the choir stall in the cathederal