Llangollen trip day#8

Saturday 20th May 2023

Today ‘Springter’ turned into summer, but for how long? A beautiful day to be in beautiful countryside.

Graham untied and we set off from our very quiet overnight mooring just after 9:15. Twenty five minutes later we arrived at Adderley top lock and found ourselves second in-line to descend. He couldn’t believe what some considerate dog owner had left by the lock landing mooring bollard. 

 

We were being followed down by a single-hander and so whenever there was no boat waiting to ascend, G back-set the empty lock for her after Jannock had moved out.

Audlem flight descent from lock 1 to 11 was very slow due to a single hander being in front of a queue of 3 other boats with no-one coming up initially. Most descending boats were double crewed and so there was no-one free to go ahead and assist. Once ascending boats were met then things sped up.

 

Yesterday, Brenda bought two short dated Meatball subs for our lunch today so they were heated in the oven whilst we were stuck in a lock – waiting. Good for the 24p we paid but not worth the original ticket price of £2.38p each. A crisp roll, a small skinless sausage and some ‘pasta’ tomato sauce – but not enough of that! She’s decided she’ll make her own – one day! The banana that accompanied them was more filling.

Graham got chatting to a couple from OZ, visiting the old country. They had chatted to several boaters whilst locks were being waited for. We invited them aboard to travel through a lock as they seemed so interested in the canals.

Finally through the top half and with most of the other descending boats moored up for their lunch in the long pound between 11 and 12, we proceeded on with no-one in front of us. As we approached lock 12 it looked as though a squadron of fairies had landed. There were half a dozen girls and a couple of boys, all dressed in their finery, who had escaped from a wedding reception that was happening in the Bridge Inn.

 

Graham took charge and explained the locking process and let them open one of the bottom gates. As we left they had all scrambled across the gate and were investigating the by-wash race and so Graham let the adults at the reception know about the danger they were in. We had already witnessed one multi-layered frilly dress being trampled on whilst opening the gate and one lass had lost her footing and fallen off the lock surround. The chance to fall in the by-wash didn’t bear thinking about. Luckily their mothers came out and took charge – last seen being marched back to the pub.

 

Down through the last three locks, which were all in our favour, at a much better speed. Then out, past the floating market below the bottom lock, and onto Hack Green locks where we met boats coming up through each lock as we arrived – magic!

We were passed at several times going down the flight by paddle-boarders sans boards. There is a weekend event occurring involving about 50k paddle-boarding over two days. The boards were transported down from lock 1 to lock 13 but the contestants had to walk down the flight.

We moored for the night half way between the locks and bridge 88 where a decrepit picnic table on the bank gave Graham the impression that there was not a ‘Shroppie shelf’ at that location – Bingo!

G&B