Wednesday, it must be Chirk.

It feels like I am hurrying through this last section of the Llangollen and I guess I am a bit in my hunt for a Wi-Fi signal, it’s not just so that I can post on this blog, I need online access for other things.

Wednesday 20^th January

It was a chilly frosty start but a bright beautiful day this was the scene at 7:30am.

As the boat was quite icy on the roof and I had a couple of locks facing me I waited for a thaw and set off at 11:30.

The first of the two New Marton locks was not too far ahead and I was soon emptying that in preparation.

More beautiful scenery as I wandered along and as seems to be the norm for this time of year hardly anyone else moving.

The second of the two locks was just ahead and on walking up to it a couple stopped with their cameras at the ready and took a series of pictures throughout the proceedings with me explaining how it all worked, the lady was from England but had never actually seen a boat go through a lock and the man was visiting from Canada so it was a bit of a mystery to him as well. At the cottage alongside the lock a chap was tending his garden, so as I was finishing off he offered to close the top gate for me, very nice of him, and as I left the lock he began chatting to the couple as well.

Views of the Welsh hills or mountains ? I’m not sure without my measuring stick J

A lovely day to cruise and apart from squeaking noise as I passed a moored boat on tick-over, which sounded like fanbelt but wasn’t, I stopped and checked, nothing much happened.

On the outskirts of Chirk I passed this wishing well.

It had some coins on the capping stones, I wonder if the owner put them there to start the ball rolling or if passing boaters were actually throwing money at it.

I intended to stop at Chirk before the aqueduct but the moorings were in heavy shade and not realising quite how much further there was I carried on and just around the bend you are faced with probably the second most famous aqueduct in the UK along with a beautiful viaduct carrying the railway immediately followed by the Welsh border and Chirk tunnel, it is quite a sight and quite a welcome to Wales.

The rail Viaduct runs higher up than the Aqueduct and gives splendid views between the arches as you cross.

Viaduct, Aqueduct and Tunnel in the distance

Looking across the valley between the viaduct arches

The Aqueduct is 70ft above the valley and the river Ceirog and was opened in 1801, impressive stuff but you cannot see the Aqueduct structure as you pass over it so I will hopefully stop on the return leg and take a look at it from below, fortunately the viaduct makes up for that lack of view.

Looking out and down over the valley and river.

Now I know where I am 

Just before the Tunnel at the end of the aqueduct .

I still cannot get my camera flash to operate in tunnels but here’s me leaving it, this tunnel is single working again, only one boat wide, and is 459 yards long built by Telford and has a towpath running through as Telford thought ‘legging’ was dangerous and  undignified.

Legging was how the boatmen used to propel the boat through tunnels without towpaths, two men lying on their backs across the roof of the boat their heads side by side and their feet on the tunnel sides, they would effectively walk along the tunnel sides pushing the boat through with their legs and feet, doing the work of the horse who has gone off for a coffee, on the longer tunnels ‘leggers’ were employed by the canal company to do this work and speed up passage.

Once out of the tunnel I carried on through woodland and moored for the night opposite Chirk Marina.

Still no Internet!

Tonights mooring

Totals Today: 6 miles : 2 locks : 1 aqueduct : 1 tunnel

Thursday 21^st

I set off at 10am into very cold misty weather  heading for Froncysyllte intending to stop there and see if I could get internet and if not move on to Llangollen.

First I had to negotiate Whitehouse tunnel at 191 yards long and single working it wasn’t going to be a problem.

All was going as normal as I began to enter, bow just inside when suddenly a grinding noise from beneath the boat and the stern slid sideways towards the left (non towpath) side of the portal and I ground to a halt, I had hit something beneath the water and wasn’t sure what, I tired gentle reverse but that did not work, I was about ¾ in and ¼ out so I walked along the gunnel taking my centre line and clambered off onto the towpath, I tried to pull the boat across but it wasn’t having that either, I got back on board and walked along the other side of the boat until I could get some purchase on the brickwork and leaning into it I managed to push the boat away from its jammed position back to the centre of the channel where it seemed to be ok again, back at the stern and with a slight sense of trepidation I applied gentle forward throttle and off I went as if nothing had happened.

Onwards through very cold damp misty woodland I was soon arriving at Froncysyllte but as I passed a moored boat the chap shouted ‘the aqueduct (Pontcysyllte) is frozen over, you may not be able to go over it, there’s a winding hole after the bridge’. Well that threw a spanner in the works, I wasn’t sure how to proceed but went through the lift bridge and when I got to the winding hole there was broken ice floating all over it, with the aqueduct just ahead but not quite visible and no further moorings marked on my guide book I decided I’d better wind (turn around) and head back to where the visitor moorings were. So I winded and headed back through the lift bridge, they take some winding up and down especially when you’ve only been through it a few minutes before!

Once moored I tried the internet, no hope!

I was now in a bit of a quandary, I had to continue running the engine for another couple of hours to charge the batteries and I was facing the wrong way to go over the aqueduct and into Llangollen with the nearest winding hole back further than where I had originally left from this morning, it was cold and misty and I was a bit fed up, say........ahhhhh.

TEA!

After tea I thought ok, I’ll go on my bike into Llangollen take my laptop, find a signal and all will be well with the world for today! I hadn’t used the bike for a while so I began to check the tires and get it ready when it started raining; I was a little more fed up, say...... ahhhhh..... poor Alan.

So the batteries charged the bike ready the rain stopped, I picked up my mobile wi-fi thingy to take with me and saw 4G available at one bar strength!!! as soon as I moved it went back to 2G which is worthless, I hovered it around and high up by the top of the cabin window in the left corner the 4G signal re-appeared, just there, nowhere else! I rigged up a support for it and powered up the laptop, amazingly it was a good signal, I downloaded the stuff I needed myself and checked out a few things and then thought I’d try to post on the blog, it was great all worked, pictures uploaded quickly I could not believe it.

So with some of the stress gone I thought I would walk up to the Pontcysyllte and have a look around, the advantage of being on foot meaning I could take some pictures without worrying about steering the boat, so here are a few!

View of the aqueduct across the misty valley from my mooring

Thats it! Looking along it on foot, tomorrow (hopefully) on the boat

Dee Valley

River Dee flowing under the aqueduct

Looking up at it from the steps leading down to the river Dee

It's known as 'The Stream in the Sky'

View of one of the arches that form the aqueduct

Misty view in the distance

Trevor basin and all the Anglo Welsh hire boats

The other end of Trevor basin, along on the left is 'Jones the Boats' how very  Welsh!

Friday I intend to cross the aqueduct, weather permitting, and continue into Llangollen.

Travel today:  2 miles : 1 Lift bridge (twice) : 1 Tunnel

Catching up Again

Friday 15^th January:

A cold start today, winter seems to be struggling to raise its head properly but a smattering of snow on the towpath and boat informed me that it was making an effort.

At 10am I decided to move on and having started the engine I then went back inside to put my body warmer and boots on,  by the time I had done that the rain had started to fall, not just rain but that horrible sloppy sleety rain, so I thought I’d review it in an hour or so. It kept stopping and starting again so I gave up, no point in moving if you don’t really need to (or want to), at 12 the sun broke out for a while but by 3pm it was horrid again.

Saturday 16^th:

If yesterday was cold this morning was freezing, literally

The ground, the boat, the ropes, everything, but I wanted to move and the forecast was bright with rain later in the afternoon, so at 10:30 I started the engine and began to sort myself out, it went downhill from this point onwards.

Firstly as I fitted the tiller in place (its brass so has to be taken inside to prevent theft) and swung it around to be central the rudder, once again, caught on my rear button, inspecting it I found my earlier alterations had not been tight enough and the outer button had slid down fouling on the rudder.  So I spent the next hour grunting and groaning trying to refit the shackles on the next link of the chain, freezing button, freezing chain, freezing fingers, but I prevailed, success, and hopefully it won’t slip down again.

So off I went, now about 11:45, the first lift bridge (31) just in front of my mooring was no problem.

Passing ABC boat hire they had kindly left me a couple of inches either side to pass their moored 3 abreast boats,

but as they were quite loosely moored they moved out as I passed so there was a slight amount of contact, maybe tie them a bit tighter lads!

The next lift bridge (33) was frozen to the ground plate and no amount of winding the handle would shift it, eventually I tried pushing and pulling the support chains, and jumping up and down on the bridge and suddenly it came free, exhausted and hot and bothered (I was wrapped up warm, 5 layers) I moved through and carried on.

The next lift bridge (34) was just ahead and after winding the windlass 20 or so turns I assumed it was the same problem and tried my chain and jumping technique, it made no difference, by now I was wondering why I had bothered to move on such a cold frosty day! Frustrated I decided to try my small jemmy and see if that would shift it but I did not hold out much hope, these bridges are heavy and my brain knew it would be fruitless, however as I was about to try I noticed a wodge of mud about 9” long between the bridge and the road, ah ha, problem found, the mud had frozen and was jamming the bridge, so big hammer and chisel, mud removed (eventually) and the bridge opened, another thing to store in the old problem solving for boaters memory.

Mostly farmland and not much too see apart from sheep and misty hills.

And this chap who looked warm if wet.

The next lift bridge was a small one and a chap was about to get into his car parked by the bridge when he called out to me, I thought he said he would open it for me so I held out my windlass for him and then he said, ‘No, I said don’t open it I want to drive across it!’ Oh well not everyone you meet is helpful J

The weather was getting worse and the rain started so I moored up just before Prees Junction, the branch was originally four miles long falling short of Prees by a couple of miles, but now only the first mile remains, I doubt I will bother to cruise it, there are two lift bridges and then a winding hole and  Whixall Marina at the far end, doesn’t look worth the effort but I might wander down there on my return journey.

Junction to the left, I'm heading right

Tonights mooring

Total Today: 5.5 miles : 5 Lift Bridges

Sunday 17^th:

With no internet and no phone signal I really wanted to move on again today, it was cold and damp, some snow flurries had fallen earlier but I thought I’d be ok.

So I set off around 11am, past the entrance to the Prees arm.

Not too far ahead you wander briefly into Wales, I was expecting a sign and there was a small wooden post which I never noticed in time to take a picture but it had ‘Wales’ written on it to confirm the change of country, I then stopped at Bettisfield to take on some Welsh water and give them some English rubbish, and then another ¼ mile or so ahead and you are back in England (Shropshire).

The journey was mostly tree lined farmland with lots of Mere’s as you approach Ellesmere, I think this one was Cole Mere, a nice spot for the owner of the house.

And this thatched cottage had a great view across the mere as well, shame about the mole problem.

This one is Cole Mere, plenty of lovely moorings all the way along it, ideal for a summers day walk with the dog and a lunch break, but not very nice today, muddy, cold and damp, I don’t have a dog and wasn’t hungry enough so I carried on.

Not long after Cole Mere comes Ellesmere tunnel, only 87yards long and single working (one boat wide) but the view through is obscured

A bit blurry

so you are warned to check before entering it, as I hadn’t passed any boats on the move today I chanced heading straight in and was relieved to find it clear.

Not a lot of spare room, obviously the entrance has been bashed a few times

Nice rolling hillside

Entrance to Blackwater Meadow Marina

Shortly after the tunnel you arrive at the Junction to the Ellesmere basin, Llangollen left, basin more or less straight on, and this is where I went.

It was busy and I was following a boat who had turned into the basin ahead of me from the Llangollen direction, it didn’t look like I’d be lucky to find a mooring but as we reached the end and they began to wind I could see there was room for two more boats, so while they were winding I nipped into the first space and they took the final one.

 I am moored behind a boat that was moored with me at Gnosall and we had a quick chat while I was sorting things out.

Tonights mooring

Totals today: 7miles : 1 Tunnel

Tuesday 19^th

Once I got myself sorted at Ellesmere I was disappointed to find once again no internet, phone was reasonable but couldn’t use that for internet either. I stayed put Monday and wandered into town to use the launderette, I recognised the pub hotel I had stayed here in on one of my motorcycling holidays a number of years ago.
Tesco has a large store at the end of the arm so with only 100yards to walk I took advantage and loaded up a bit with non-perishables (read beer and wine here).

This morning was a lovely bright day, so I was on the move again by 10:30, turning right at the end of the arm and stopping on the service point for a quick fill and empty.

Canal and river trust have a yard with workshops and offices here.

C&RT Yard

Looking back at services

 It was then off again through beautiful farmland with lovely views, it was a bit misty in the distance and the camera does not do justice but here are a few tasters.

Heading straight for the next Bridge hole, I hope those sheep move!

After bridge 60 you pass the entrance to the Montgomery canal and the Frankton locks, the canal is under restoration but has 7 miles currently navigable, the Frankton locks are only accessible between 12 and 2 and you have to book in advance,  and there is only ‘limited’ overnight moorings available, I believe there are still problems with water depth on this canal and the recent floods have done damage so I won’t be venturing up it on this occasion, but hopefully sometime in the future.

At this point the bridge numbers change starting afresh at 1W, I assume the W stands for Wales although I think I am still actually in England, with no internet I cannot Google a map to be sure.

Passing next the Narrowboat Inn and Maestermyn Mid-Wales Welsh Lady hire boats

 I have moored up for tonight just past the small village of Hindford in open farmland with lovely, although misty, views of the Welsh hills in the distance. Sadly still no internet, this is going to be a long post if I ever get it uploaded!

Tonights mooring

Totals today: 5miles