May Day Bank Holiday trip to Whitchurch (Saturday 30/4/2016)

Engine reading at end of day: 184.9hr Miles:7.5 Locks:10 Liftbridges: 2

Bright start to the day. Boat went by early. Next not till 07:45. Andrew up just after 07:00 as usual. Set off 08:10.

Through the manual Wrenbury Church Lift Bridge and the electric Wrenbury Lift Bridge without major problem. Miscalculated the flow on the Llangollen Canal while doing the manual lift bridge and boat drifted back under the bridge as I was about to lower it. Certain amount of swearing, pulling and re-tying soon sorted the problem. 

The electric bridge no longer has the loud sirens which were annoying the neighbours. Now a disembodied voice repeatedly says "Stand clear of the hatched area".

Through Marbury Lock then coffee stop 10:10 just below Quoisley Lock.


Through Quoisley, Willeymoor and Povey's Locks without incident.

Heavy hailstorm while negotiating the lower locks at Grindley Brook. As in the middle of the flight, just had to shelter under Tilley hat and carry on manfully! Slowed things down as ground got quite slippery and did not risk step across lower lock gates.

Luckily there was a lockkeeper working on the Grindley Brook staircase which made life a lot easier. Needed to let down some extra water as got a bit grounded in the middle lock of the staircase.

Arrived at the Whitchurch Arm by 13:55. Winded in basin and moored up facing the right way for the return journey.

Quiet afternoon / evening as rain came in again...