Saturday 25 July 2020

Llangollen: Wrenbury -> Nantwich Basin 25/7/2020

Engine start 598.1
Engine stop 603.2 = 5 hours

Miles: 7 Locks: 9 Lock miles: 16

Leisurely trip back to base today. ADS keen to get home to his big bed! Also gives a free day on Sunday before AJS return to work on Monday.

Noticed that Baddiley Lock 3 top gate was leaking quite baddiley(!).



Had a chat with Mike Butler, one of the volunteer lockkeepers who maintains the Hurleston Volunteers Facebook page and has provided material for the Shroppie Fly Paper.

Noted the temporary repair on one of the Hurleston flight where the beam has split and been bolted together.




AJS drove back to base and managed the spin in the basin and reversing into our mooring spot with no problems (just a bit of coaching for the reverse!).

Lunch on board then packed up the car for the return home.

Excellent trip and very good to have finally done all of the Llangollen on our own boat. The Montgomery was an added bonus and it will be great when they manage to link the top end to the quite long navigable stretch further south!

Friday 24 July 2020

Llangollen: Whitchurch -> Wrenbury 24/7/2020

Engine start 593.7 09:00
Engine stop 598.1 13:18 = 4.5 hours

Miles: 7.5 Locks: 10 Lock miles: 17.5

Weather mild and looking to be a bit sunnier. Short cruise to Grindley Brook. Emptied toilet and rubbish. Lockkeeper in situ so quickly through the staircase.

Met three boats going the other way with vast crews so an easy ride through the rest of Grindley Brook locks.

Noted again the reed growth on the towpath side affecting navigation between Grindley Railway bridge and Bridge 26.



Pleasant boating - hot in the sunny intervals - following 2 other boats. Mid morning fruit for breakfast: coffee and 2nd breakfast at 11:30.



Boat ahead had problem at Marbury Lock with lock not filling. Some problem with downhill gates not closed properly - no problem for us.

A shady mooring spot with wide towpath alongside - let's hope the church bells are not too noisy tonight.

ADS did a bit of guitar. Salmon pasta for the good of our joints and a glass or two of booze.

Thursday 23 July 2020

Llangollen: Blakemere -> Whitchurch Offside Visitor Moorings 23/7/2020

Engine start 588.8 09:30
Engine stop 593.7 14:45 = 5.25 hours
Miles: 11 Locks: 0 Lock miles: 11 & 4 lift bridges

A false start today when we lost propulsion almost straightaway when moving over to let another boat past. A trip down the weed-hatch revealed - nothing... Whatever it was must have dropped off...

Properly underway again by 10:30 following 2 other boats in a companionable if slow convoy.

Made better progress when they stopped at Bettisfield. Rain failed to stop play and, beyond the Mosses, we caught up with another hire boat - a variety of steerers with a variety of skill levels but all happy and willing. Went through the Hassall's lift bridges in convoy and letting through a 3rd boat coming the other way (after some careful maneuvering round a moored boat with engine failure).

Soon after mooring the rain settled in steadily so we switched on the mifi router and got up to speed with accounts, emails, Facebook etc.


Wednesday 22 July 2020

Llangollen: Basin -> Blakemere 22/7/2020

Engine start 579.4 07:10
Engine stop 588.8 16:36 = 9.4 hours

Miles: 19 Locks: 2 Lock miles: 21

Long day today. Given how busy canal was yesterday we wanted to make an early start to avoid queues in the narrows. AJS driving today. ADS walked ahead to check for oncoming traffic.

We ended up 2nd in a convoy of 5 boats which made life easier. Noticeably faster progress downstream. ADS ended up walking all the way to Trevor Basin.

A day boat was just going onto the Pontcysyllte aqueduct as AJS arrived so she was able to follow it straight on. We ended up following them all the way to Chirk. Day boat skipper also skippers a charity boat and is familiar with this canal so no hold-ups.

AJS could not be pried from the tiller all day apart from 5 minutes to scoff a bacon and egg sarne around 12! She did 2 aqueducts, 3 tunnels and a tricky turn in Ellesmere Basin. A far cry from the couple you see where the husband does all the driving!

As before, noticed that the afternoon was noticeably busier than the morning. Stopped briefly at Ellesmere to empty the toilet and shop for essentials (olives and beer mainly) before pushing on a final mile to find a nice mooring at Blakesmere again. Longest day for ages - 9 hours instead of usual 4-5 but avoided the afternoon rush and puts us in a good position for the remainder of the trip.

Tuesday 21 July 2020

Llangollen: Chirk Bank -> Llangollen Basin 21/7/2020

Engine start 574.3 07:50
Engine stop 579.4 13:10 = 5.25 hours
Miles: 8.5 Locks: 0 Lock miles: 8.5

Spectacular day's boating although hard work on shallow and narrow stretches of canal - we were lucky there not to meet oncoming but were following a hire boat which steered, apparently, like an aircraft hangar. So we were on tickover most of the way.

Chirk and Pontcysyllte aqueducts were spectacular of course. AJS glad not to be driving!





Weed cutting by CRT upstream gave ADS problems with clogged propellor and loss of propulsion - very glad to arrive. Got a nice mooring in the basin at Llangollen. Costs £6 per night but worth it. Could have plugged into shoreline but didn't.

After a short rest we walked up to the Horseshoe Falls  - a lovely setting and a good walk. Then went into town to pick up a few groceries and check out a chippy to help with the burgers on the menu for tonight.



Topped up with water before refreshing our fibres with a beer. AJS went back onto town to pick up some chips.


Monday 20 July 2020

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....

Saturday 18 July 2020

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!

Friday 17 July 2020

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...

Thursday 16 July 2020

Whitchurch -> Blakemere 16/7/2020

Engine start 549.5 08:00
Engine stop 556.4 13:15 = 5.25 hours
Miles: 11 Locks: 0 Lock miles: 11

A grey, slightly damp morning. Off in good time hoping for a spot at Blakemere. Two lift bridges almost straightaway and canal all but blocked by moored hire boats at Whitchurch Wharf - the only real excitement in a calm day's boating. Navigation note: winding mechanism at lift bridge 42 is set very high - not easy for self confessed hobbits like AJS.

While cruising ADS did tremendous work prepping the bow doors and windows and the steerer's seat ready for revarnishing (the previous treatment was in very poor condition though not so much on the rear door which is obviously not as exposed to the weather). Once moored he also did more work on restoring the paintwork - the difference in the paintwork's condition was notable on the side which normally faces north at our mooring).

AJS went to explore around Colemere which is a country park with trails all around the mere - from our mooring it was a round trip of about 4 miles.

Dinner: burgers and onions, veg and BBQ sauce. Sweeties for pudding. Been a busy day - don't judge! Plus AJS forgot to take foraging box on Colemere walk so we missed out on one of our 5 a day...

Wednesday 15 July 2020

Whitchurch Arm 15/7/2020

Quiet day with no cruising.

ADS went to Aldi. The store is right next to the canal but totally inaccessible from there. Needed to go to end of the arm, across a bridge, through a housing estate and onto the main road!

Weather was wet and windy so concentrated in inside jobs notably fitting the new tap to the galley sink. This went very smoothly and the new tap is a great improvement on the old one. The tap is much taller and will even fit a bucket under it - useful for washing the boat!

With a decent 4G signal we were able to hold our regular Weds night quiz. Included discussion of the new star signs : astonished to find that ADS is now a Capricorn (was Aquarius) and AJS has moved from the cusp to become a full Pisces... Both offspring have also changed signs. ADS not happy at first but AJS found some spookily apt descriptions. Still don't understand how there are now 13 signs in the year when there had been 12 for all that time. It's almost like astrology is not a real science...

Tuesday 14 July 2020

Wrenbury -> Whitchurch Arm 14/7/2020

Engine start 544.2 07:45
Engine stop 549.5 13:00

Decided to either wait till after 09:00 to go through Wrenbury Lift Bridge to avoid holding up rush hour traffic or make an early start - which we did with only a coffee for breakfast.

Cloudy day with occasional showers. AJS turn to drive - first since last summer? Trouble-free cruise, soon catching up to a single hander (Lindy Lou) with a hire boat closing up on us. Their crew very keen and excited on their first day so played tag team with all three all the way up to Grindley Brook.



Passed Fran from Floating Our Boat YouTube channel walking the dogs on the approach to Grindley Brook. Had an enjoyable short chat with her. She came across exactly as she does on the vlogs - lovely. She said to give Rich a toot as we went past Constanze but we didn't as it all looked very quiet...

Paused at top of Grindley Brook locks for loo and rubbish then pushed on for Whitchurch arriving at the Arm around 13:00. Very ready for lunch!

Sole excitement was a very overgrown section just beyond Povey's Lock (Land of Canaan) where an oncoming boat and a moored boat were completely obscured by vegetation until the last moment. Our little boat so manoeuvrable that no problem ensued. Had we been longer, possibly another story…



ADS noticed that the DIY shop he was targeting for a replacement tap for the galley was not open the next day so we headed straight into town. Unfortunately the DIY store had virtually no taps available but recommended the Travis Perkins store on the other side of town. AJS headed back to the boat while ADS headed off on a tap hunt - successfully as it turned out. Got back to boat quite footsore as the diversion to Travis Perkins added quite a few steps to the journey!

Dinner of lamb pasta and Eccles cakes (which AJS had got in town) for pudding. Followed up with a Poirot DVD. Quiet day in prospect for tomorrow - apart from the galley plumbing!

Monday 13 July 2020

Llangollen Canal Bridge 2 -> Wrenbury 13/7/20

Engine start 540.7 10:45
Engine stop 544.2 14:15

3.5 hours / 5 miles / 5 locks

Greyer start. Rain overnght. Wind picking up but still mild. Scattered showers.

Ready to start but found batteries not charging. Stopped engine again while ADS tried tightening the alternator belt. Moved quite a bit. Restarted engine and all OK - fridge can be switched back on!

Bridge 5 offside vegetation starting to obscure sight line through bridge.

We were followed up the hill by a single hander so we helped each other out at locks. He overtook us at Wrenbury Church lift Bridge just before we moored for the night.

AJS went to Spar for groceries. ADS to chandlery to look for varnish. No luck with that but did find some surface restorer to try on our very tired looking paintwork. Took a while to get served as the assistant was giving a very detailed briefing to some new hirers. Good to hear them getting some comprehensive information.

ADS tried out the surface restorer on the port side and it seems to work well. Must make sure to find moorings on the starboard side later!

Sunday 12 July 2020

Nantwich -> Llangollen Canal nr Bridge 2 12/7/2020


Engine start 538.7 12:15
Engine stop 540.7 14:13

2 hours / 3 miles / 4 locks


First trip out since Covid-19 pandemic started (or even earlier due to moving into new flat).

Arrived at Nantwich Basin around 11:00. First long drive for AJS since start of lockdown. Got everything on board, had lunch then set off about 12:15.

Hot sunshine. Quite a few boats but no queue at Hurleston flight. We obviously hit the lunchtime lull.



Boat in front of us could not get into Lock 2 so we were waved through and they had to reverse back down the first lock.

Filled up with water at the services then moved along to the good mooring between Bridges 2 & 3 which has a nice view of a farmhouse.

Went for a walk around Hurleston reservoir in the evening.