Looking at Leek

God must have taken a shower yesterday morning and then I think he might have defrosted the heavenly freezer by the sound and sight of the hailstones raining down on us and all about us. When I thought He had got His tasks completed I took the dogs for a good walk and got caught by yet another very heavy soaking... There has so much rain that the Churnet River that accompanies the Cauldon Canal is in flood and much of the valley floor is now an aqua park with the cattle bellowing from the valley sides where they have taken refuge.
With the dogs exercised I walked into Leek in the company of Jill to have a proper look around the town. The centre of this small market town is a mix of building style and range from timber framed 15thC and 16thC Ale Houses through the elegant Georgian with the majority being Victorian. There are still many original cobbled streets, a Market Square, a Butter Market and a Cattle Market. Many of the shop frontages are original and there is a goodly mix of independent small retailers along with art galleries and antique dealers. It is a lovely little town and well worth the long tramp from our mooring to see it. Thumbs up for Leek.