Montgomery: Navigation Inn, Maesbury -> Llangollen: Bridge 21W Chirk Bank 20/7/2020

Engine start 566.2 07:20

Engine stop 574.3 15:15 = 8 hours

Miles: 12.5 Locks: 10 Lock miles: 22.5

Spent Sunday at rest at Maesbury. AJS walked to St Winifreds Well - a beautiful spot and worth dodging the cows for it. Then Sunday lunch at the Navigation Inn - lovely. Siesta to sleep it off and to prepare for a late night comet spotting. Managed to see Comet Neowise around 23:30 - clear sky at last!

Early start on Monday with alarm at 07:00 and on our way by 07:20 to get to Frankton locks. Passage up booked for 09:00-12:00. Breakfast of bacon butties once we had done the Aston locks and passed the Queens Head. A kayaker took off right in front of us but was moving fast so soon got out of our way.

We were last in a queue of 4 going up the Frankton locks including Dawn and David again who were going to be heading east towards Ellesmere.

We headed west and were soon caught up to a very slow hire boat which kindly let us overtake - running aground in the process - only for them to join us at the queue for the New Marton locks. Soup and brie baguette on the move for lunch.

Moored at Chirk Bank in intermittent sunshine, chill wind on occasion. Immediately a succession of boats came by - where did they all spring from?

Walked into Chirk via the Chirk Bank footpath. ADS troubled by undergrowth of nettles and brambles due to wearing shorts... Got groceries at the Spar and returned to the boat via the Chirk Tunnel and Aqueduct - some good photos.

Back to boat by beer o'clock and entertained by jousting narrowboats - better than a play.

Settled down quite early due to long day. Woken about 22:00 by a hire boat hitting us. Crew said they had "only just picked her up and don't know what we are doing!". Hmmmm....

Montgomery Canal: Queens Head -> Maesbury 18/7/2020

Engine start 561.6 13:00

Engine stop 564.2 15:30 = 2.5 hours

Miles: 3.5 Locks: 3 Lock miles: 6.5 plus 1 lift bridge twice!

After our massive dinner at the Queens Head yesterday, we felt the need to walk it off so set off to the end of the canal. Relieved to find that the mooring situation is much better further down so walked back to retrieve the boat. On the way, we encountered Dawn and David Aylwin from our IWA branch at Aston Lock 2.

Completed the navigation in moderate to light drizzle without problems. Went all the way to Gronwen Wharf where ADS winded and took some photos to record our first Silver Propellor location (only 19 to go!).

Saw Dawn and David again - their turn for a walk. They offered to let us breast up if space was short near the Navigation Inn at Maesbury but not required - plenty of room.

Takeaway beers from the Navigation and table booked for Sunday lunch tomorrow!

Blakemere -> Queens Head (Montgomery canal) 17/7/2020

Engine start 556.4 08:15

Engine stop 561.6 13:30 = 5.25 hours

Miles: 7 Locks: 5 Lock miles: 12

At last, a clear blue sky!

Paused at the water and elsan points at Ellesmere then a journey frequently slowed by moored boats - not many moving though.

At Frankton by 11:00, the last of the day's bookings. At the moorings there was a launch style boat: very beautiful more about shiny brass than boats - certainly had a LOT of fenders deployed to stop any nasty scratches...

A stately procession down the locks with CRT lockkeeper very much in charge. Fantastic views over countryside then down onto the Monty for the first time. Have never seen so many damsel and dragon flies, water boatmen, skimmers, all sorts.

Canal sides overgrown the whole way for the first part of the canal so lunch on the move and stopped in the last available space by the Queens Head - a quite noisy mooring by a busy road but the only one available since the service point below the locks. ADS quite tired as not able to sit all day due to drying varnish on the steerer's seat.

Second coat of varnish applied at the end of the afternoon then table booked for meal at the Queens Head - our first pub visit since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown. Very nice meal (ADS: pizza and AJS: paella as recommended by the Frankton lockkeeper). Staff very well organised for social distancing, contact tracing etc so felt pretty safe. Still weird to be among other people though...