Llangollen trip day'#19

Wednesday 31st May 2023

OMG! – last day of May. That is why an adjacent bush has dumped all it’s pink flowers all over Jannock last night – May’s out. Roof looks like there’s been a wedding.

 

We awoke to a grey sky and a chilly wind which has stayed with us most of the day – except in Harecastle tunnel. We set off and ascended three locks before mooring up at Red Bull to refill the water tank and dump our rubbish. Unfortunately, although these locks are paired, a couple of the towpath side ones appear to have broken ground paddles and so were very slow to fill. Better to use offside ones if you are in a hurry.

As we untied from Red Bull, there was a boat already waiting to go in the lock and so we pulled in behind him and Graham held Jannock on the centre rope. The boat departing the lock came out at great speed and Graham asked him to slow down as he was struggling to keep the boat under control. He replied “What?” so Graham asked again in a louder voice. The torrent of verbal abuse received back was totally un-necessary and even the volunteer lockie that had just arrived was shocked. He came over to ask if everything was all right and did we get the boat name or number. unfortunately we didn’t.

When our turn came, we then moved up a couple more locks to moor up and visit Lidl to replenish our store cupboard. Back on board with still 90 minutes to go before our tunnel booking, we ascended the last lock and made our way to the tunnel mouth so we could have our lunch while waiting.

 

On arrival at the tunnel we were greeted, given our H&S briefing and sent straight in as the 12 o’clock flotilla of boats were only about 10 mins in front of us. Out the south portal in 34 minutes and then had lunch on the move past West Port lake and Middleport.

 

Brenda wanted to visit the Wedgewood group reject shop at bridge 119 so we pulled over and she went off while Graham cleared the prop and emptied the prop shaft drip bucket.

 

finally moored for the night just before Festival Park marina. Toby Carvery followed by a visit to the Holy Inadequate tonight – another of Graham’s favourite pubs (complete with in-house brewery)

Llangollen trip day#18

Tuesday 30th May 2023

Disappointment of the trip – whatever happened to Caramac? It used to be creamy and taste of pure caramel. Shan’t be buying that for ‘old times’ sake again! (She didn’t, I did. Ed)

 

We started with just under an hours cruise to our first lock, of twenty in total today, at Wheelock. We found ourselves another boat but the dual locks initially allowed the two lock crew to share tasks. The lady off the other boat went ahead and set the locks while Graham worked both boats through the locks – brilliant until we came to the first single lock after Malkins bank. Then the system went awry.

This is one of our favourite stretches of canal and we were blessed with nice sunny weather to do it in – we are being spoiled. Task of the day was to find somewhere to purchase two 1st class stamps and post a card.

 

At Hassall Green we remembered when there was a shop and post office next to the lock and a pub, the Romping Donkey, was open. Now all domestic properties although there was a canal side sign for the pub about half a mile the other side of the M6 – which today was all clogged up Southbound. 

 

Graham got a picture of ‘Saint Barbies’ – not really it’s name but it is an old corrugated iron chapel that is painted pink as they did in the Victorian times. We christened it St Barbies many years ago when we stopped for the night and found it during our evening constitutional.

On to Rode Heath where we could see there was a Post Office on the map. Graham reckoned he spotted it from the lock and so Brenda went off and found it was a Bargain Booze store. However, they did sell 1st class stamps (and oatcakes and fruited pikelets) but Brenda then had to yomp along the road for the post box – which was outside the Post Office near bridge 140 ;^) Card posted, post box photographed, as it had been yarn-bombed, and a quick phone call meant that Jannock picked her up at the bridge.

 

Another six locks and we moored for the night near the church before bridge 135. One of our favourite quiet moorings before the hustle and bustle of Kidsgrove encroaches.

G&B

Llangollen trip day#17

Monday 29th Mat 2023

What better way to spend a morning than with good friends. After breakfast we walked down to bridge 30 and crossed to visit John and Gillian for a couple of hours catching up. Sitting in a sunny garden, with roses, paeonies, so many more lovely plants, a pot of tea and a family of swans – nesting peacefully. Thanks so much for a sunny patio experience that we couldn’t have had any better in the Med!

 

After saying our goodbyes, we returned to Jannock for a quick sandwich and off towards Wardle lock where we were 2nd in the queue, in glorious sunshine. We have been so lucky with the weather and haven’t been at all jealous as we watch jets approaching and leaving Manchester airport.

 

Out of the Wardle canal and turn left onto the Trent and Mersey and straight into Kings Lock that was being vacated by a Northbound boat. Then on up through 4 more locks until we moored for the night in a nice sunny spot just before Elton Moss bridge (160)

 

Tonight’s dinner was the left-overs from last nights superb Chinese meal followed by rice pudding – excellent!

Twenty locks of Heartbreak Hill tomorrow, ready for our tunnel booking on Wednesday afternoon.

G&B

Llangollen trip day#16

Sunday 28th May 2023

We had a late start this morning to allow for a cooked breakfast. We then descended the two Swanley locks and made our way to Hurleston where we filled the water tank and dumped our rubbish before joining the chaos at the four locks.

 

Whilst waiting above the top lock, Brenda observed a chap who got out of his van and came to the lock-side. He then returned to his van and extracted a suitcase (with airline luggage tags on it) and lugged it across the lock bridge to the cottage opposite. He went through the gate and knocked the door. A few minutes later he dragged his case back across the lock again, loaded it into his van and drove off. It must have been the most complicated ‘wrong address’ we’ve ever seen.

 

Locking down the four locks was difficult due to low water levels in the pounds and the fact that one ascending hire crew had actually ‘turned’ a lock in front of a descending boat. This meant that there were two ascending boats in the same pound at the same time.

 

Onto the Shropshire Union canal and heading North to Barbridge junction we followed a very slow boat who eventually pulled over to visit The Barbridge Inn. We then turned right at the junction onto the Middlewich branch .

Graham spotted this Crow taking a bath just below Cholmondeston lock - never seen that before!

We finally arrived in Middlewich about 5pm and moored, after a bit of reversing, just before bridge 28 as all other spaces nearer the junction were taken. With stocks low until tomorrow we decided on a Chinese take-away from the @Paragon Cantonese take-away’. Their bargain box 2 was sufficient food for the two of us and included complimentary prawn crackers. We also purchased another two main dishes to have tomorrow as well. Very good quality and excellent portion sizes – all at prices much cheaper than us ‘Southerners’ are used to. Recommended!

G&B

Llangollen trip day#15

Saturday 27th May 2023

Bank Holiday Numpties Day – and that’s allowing for inexperience!

We left our lovely overnight mooring at Blake Mere at 9am and set off southbound (with the flow). We didn’t spot many moving boats for the first hour and then started meeting all the Northbound boats that obviously started from their bases yesterday. Brenda took this time to get a shower before the lift bridges started.

 

At Morris lift bridge, another boater had opened it and G told them to get on their boat, he then got off Jannock as we passed through and then held it open for another boat following the first one. Once closed he caught up and got back on Jannock. Then he went and had his shower.

 

We found ourselves following a day boat that was celebrating Mum’s birthday. At Sparks bridge (near Whitchurch) they went aground on the offside immediately after the bridge. We tried to pull them off backwards but that didn’t work so we passed them and then pulled them off forwards. We then set off ahead of them now. At the next (permanently open) lift bridge they seemed to do the same thing again but we were too far ahead to assist so we warned a hire boat going the other way.

 

When we arrived at Grindley Brook staircase locks, there was one boat already two locks down and we were ushered straight into the top lock without waiting. A very quick transit of all six locks with no-one coming the other way.

 

As Brenda steered Jannock under the main road bridge at the bottom of the staircase she was being watched by a little boy and his parents/grandparents. As Jannock emerged from the bridge he exclaimed “it’s a lady!” as he spotted who was steering. Most surprised, Brenda could only smile and replied “girls can and girls do”. His Mum and Nanna grinned.

 

We then had a steady run down through locks and lift bridges to Wrenbury meeting lots of hire boats coming the opposite way.  At one of the locks, Brenda managed to catch her watch on the cabin roof overhang which snapped the strap and sent it spiralling into the cut. A moored boater heard her swear and offered to get a sea-searcher magnet to recover it but the offer was declined. Even if it could be located, the strong magnetism would upset the mechanism as it was an electro-mechanical watch. Luckily it was very old with a very scratched glass so time for a new one – that’s the second item she has lost in the cut this trip.

 

Graham spotted this female hen harrier sat on a fence post by bridge 13. We moored for the night between bridges 13 and 12 on the SUCS 48 hour mooring. After dinner (slow cooked for 4 hours) we took a walk from bridge 12, across the field and up a lane to the village of Ravensmoor where we found the Farmers Arms is still open and serving beers from Ossett Brewery as well as offering a good food menu. The walk back to bridge 13 involved a length of busy road and crossing two fields full of cows so the bridge 12 route was the better one.

G&B

Llangollen trip day#14

Friday 26th May 2023

In recent times we have noticed that boaters tend to leave gaps between their boat when mooring for the night. This can be very annoying as the gaps are generally too short to find a mooring spot between. However – last night we ended up mooring immediately behind a Black Prince boat that had a very noisy Eberspatcher that stayed on until nearly 11 pm and was going again at 7am. We guess they all wanted warmth or showers before setting off today.

 

We made good progress with the exception of waiting to enter Whitehouse tunnel. First one boat emerged, and then a second whose steerer told us there was another boat coming through his cloud of acrid exhaust smoke. We waited and when it all cleared we could see that there was no other boat following him.

 

Then through Chirk tunnel and across the aqueduct onto New Marton locks where we were 6th in line when we arrived. As we finally passed through the top lock, the lady who lives in the cottage remembered selling us a small radiator last time we visited. That radiator is still doing sterling service in our kitchen at home and she still has an assortment of items for sale along the top of her wall. Brenda purchased a classical CD.

 

Then on past Hindford where the Jack Mitton Inn is in a very sorry state considering what an excellent pub/restaurant it used to be – must have been a casualty of Covid as it was family owned rather than part of a chain. Next was the junction with the Montgomery canal but not for us this time.

 

Graham had rung Whittington wharf earlier to enquire whether they had a starter battery they could sell us. He has had to jump start Jannock’s engine for the last couple of mornings. A check has shown that the battery is not well and needs replacing. They told him that they didn’t sell batteries or diesel – just Calor gas.

 

Onto Ellesmere where Brenda was dropped at the end of the arm to visit Tesco while Graham took Jannock into Blackwater marina for a diesel fill (140L) and a new starter battery. Brenda arrived whilst some boat manoeuvring was happening so that Jannock could get out, a hire boat could also leave and another boat could go in for a pump-out. 

 

Once collected, we moved down to Blake Mere where we found the moorings completely empty to took our choice of prime spot. Shortly afterwards two other boats arrived and tied up.

G&B

Llangollen Trip day#13

Thursday 25th May 2023

Most of the day off from boating today – tourism calls.We’d decided on a train ride along the banks of the Dee, through the hills, to Carrog. Unfortunately the full length run to Corwen doesn’t open until later in the year. We quite fancied the route 199 picturesque bus service that runs a circular route all around the local villages but were disappointed to find it only runs on Saturdays – shame. So, short train ride with the spring weather at it’s spring best, there could be no disappointment here.

 

The countryside is world class beauty. There were fly-fishermen to watch as we passed by and made our way to Carrog. Due to the timetable allowing for the future Corwen service, we had 30 mins at Carrog station before returning. Time for a wander round to experience the wonderful countryside ‘silence’ and a cup of tea before setting off back to Llangollen.

 

Our tummies were starting to complain so we decided to return to the Old Corn Mill for lunch. Our meals there last night were so good and the beer selection was excellent. Five stars from Graham especially for the best faggots he’d ever tasted, for lunch today. The beer selection was different as well so he got to try another two ‘never tried before’ beers with his lunch.

 

On leaving the pub we found the riverside walk alongside Llangollen park which was a nice stroll – shame we hadn’t found that last visit, Although we didn’t have so much time to spare then. If you want to visit Aldi then this path is the most direct route from the town centre.

 

We then did a bit of shopping visiting a brilliant craft centre (opposite the Old Corn Mill, plus Brenda’s essential charity shops as well as getting some post cards. Back to the boat to write postcards while Graham gave the boat a wash in the ‘relatively’ clean water fresh from the Dee.

 

Just before 5pm a group of boats set off downstream and so we tagged on the end. On the way up yesterday we found that our two way radios were not working properly and so when we noticed another boat had sent a radio equipped walker ahead we followed them. It was a slow procession down to Trevor but with all the ‘view’ any-one could want, it was perfect. We even spotted a trio of paragliders pootling around a hilltop on the opposite bank of the valley.

 

 

Onto the Pontcysyllte aqueduct to cross the valley whilst taking some photo’s looking down – a special request from a blood-biking colleague. Once across we stopped and tied up for the night on the approach embankment.

 

G&B

Llangollen trip day#12

Wednesday 24th May 2023

A stop and start sort of a day today. Graham had planned to meet up with his ex-work colleague Paul at the Fron’ end of the aqueduct. He is a skilled drone pilot & photographer who offered to come and get some footage of Jannock crossing from the vantage point of the boat.

 

As we approached Chirk bank we found ourselves behind an annoyingly slow ABC hire boat. When all was OK he set a good speed but as soon and he came to a bridge, on-coming boat or tunnel he slowed right down to an almost stop.

 

Once across Chirk aqueduct and through the tunnel (very slowly) we then caught up with two more boats that were travelling equally slowly. At the two bridges after Whitehouse tunnel we all ground to a halt to allow flotillas of southbound boats to come through. We finally arrived at Fron’ at 11:45 and moored up on the aqueduct approach alongside two Roving Traders.

 

 

Paul arrived at 12:30 as promised and we had lunch on Jannock before he set up his drone on the roof ready for the crossing. His skills controlling it were apparent as there was quite a strong wind to contend with coming down the Dee valley. The walkers on the aqueduct were quite impressed and several were filming the drone as it went about it’s business.

 

 

At the Trevor end a long trip boat was emerging from the canal bridge and so we went straight into the entrance to Trevor basin and sat waiting while it went onto the aqueduct and the two boats following us got themselves sorted, one winding and the other turning up towards Llangollen. Jannock then reversed out of the basin, dropped Paul off to walk back to his car, and we went through the bridge and continued upstream.

 

On along the valley edge above the river Dee in sunshine. All of the moorings on the Llangollen side of the second narrows are now pay mooring unless you are staying less than 4 hours. We winded in the basin and then returned to a bankside mooring back towards Trevor.

Once tied up, Graham went and purchased an overnight ticket so that we could go out for a meal at the Old Corn Mill this evening and go for a train trip tomorrow.

G&B

Llangollen trip day#11

Tuesday 23rd May 2023

After a peaceful night punctuated by the beautiful ‘dawn chorus from hell’ at about 4am, we set off into Ellesmere for shopping and the services. Tuesday is Market day so we set off hoping to find half a dozen stalls selling usual market stuff. Instead we found a small collection of indoor gazebos selling craft bits and stuff, a chap selling pies, another selling Hornby railway items and a charity tea stall. Back to Tesco then.

 

The town looks rather sad, obviously Covid and rising prices have taken their toll. Even with Tesco on the old cheese-factory site there should be enough passing trade for commerce to revive. Saddest of all was the dilapidation of the old warehouse in the basin and the canal company building up by the junction. Prime development sites perhaps when funds are available.

 

We then moved up the the CaRT yard and tied up on the water point for a fill of the tank and to dump our rubbish. There are a lot more recycling facilities at CaRT sites up here than down home. Luckily we have been separating re-cyclable items on Jannock.

We carried on towards Frankton junction but soon noticed we were being followed by a cruiser so we slowed down and pulled over towards the side to let him past. Shortly afterwards we found ourselves following them, both behind a dawdling narrowboat. 

 

The steerer was oblivious to either following boats presence behind her and stayed steadfastly in the centre without looking behind at all. The cruiser tried to pass at Frankton junction but failed. When the husband emerged from the cabin, he indicated the procession behind their boat and she pulled over, but didn’t slow down, to allow the cruiser to pass.

Meanwhile we were still there following them until we got through Maestemyn bridge where she moved across towards the services wharf to let us past. She then put her boat into full reverse and the bows swung across our path. Mega-reverse and contact avoided.

 

We then continued on at a better rate past the now defunct ‘The Poachers’ at Hindford and on through both New Marton locks and finally moored for the night just after Sarn Bridge (No14). Another rural location before Chirk.

G&B