Designed by Telford, and opened in 1831, the Macclesfield Canal joins the Trent and Mersey and High Peak canals. Telford’s skill with natural land contours, embankments and aqueducts created a canal that runs the 12 miles from Macclesfield to Marple without any locks. Some of the overbridges carrying footpaths and country lanes are Grade II listed structures, but not those along “my” stretch. Some of the bridges and “pinch points” narrow the canal to only 7 feet wide, so it is for narrow boats only. Some go through these places so carefully, I could almost sketch them live. Bridge 15 in my painting is one of the unlisted, ordinary, bridges but it has great importance to me, as it is where I access the canal, and is close to the car park, loo block and snack kiosk. More importantly, down the lane to the left is the Boar’s Head, where my Tuesday morning painting pals and I always finished our outdoor sessions before the coronavirus pandemic, and I had a small display of local paintings for sale. If I can forgo all those temptations, the path to the right leads up into the hills and moors of Lyme Park.