This time next week, we'll be in the process of starting our September cruise. We'll be heading from Norbury Junction up to Llangollen, somewhere we haven't been since our very first narrowboat holiday more than ten years ago. On that occasion, we started from Trevor, got as far as Wrenbury where we turned, then went up to Llangollen itslef before returning to Trevor. Llangollen will look very different this time, as the basin has been built since then.
Next Friday won't be a typical start day, though. Adrian will arrive back from a work trip to New York first thing in the morning, and is planning to get a hire car to drive to Birmingham Airport, where I'll pick him up. Then, because we've got some friends with us for the first week, we'll do a car shuffle, depositing their car ready to be picked up at the halfway point.
I notice that the finalised winter stoppage programme was published yesterday, after several months of consultation. British Waterways seem to have gone to much greater lengths this year to ensure that us winter boaters still have somewhere to go. we've got a fortnight planned in late November, and our idea of doing the Black Country Ring slowly looks to be completely clear of stoppages.
6 hours ago
3 comments:
So looking froward to your cruising posts - our first hire was from Trevor so we'll enjoy your account of the trip. Hope you get the good weather.
Thanks for posting the link to the winter stoppages - useful information.
Sue, Indigo Dream
Adam
If you are going to Llangollen and have 10 mins to spare follow this link:
http://zzzdocs.com/Boats/WCHC.aspx
It gives an account of a chap called Ted Smout who ran a hire business in Llangollen in the 1950's and 60's / early 70's - and my connection was that we hired one of his boats the Lindy Helen in 1970 - a beautiful craft made of mahogany on an oak frame. A google search for Lindy Helen will reveal that she has ben restored and is now in London.
When are you planning your Black Country ring trip? - it would be great to meet up for more than 30 seconds!
Andy
Sue -- I'm looking forward to writing them. We remember very little about the trip ten years ago, so it will be interesting to see how much comes back to us.
Andy -- thanks for the link, fascinating. The Black Country trip will be at the back end of November. I'll keep you informed!
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