September Cruise - Day 6

The most Septemberish morning of the trip so far:  misty, with the sun breaking through.  We set off at 8am through beautiful countryside.  We started meeting boats coming the other way almost immediately, but by the time we got to the New Marton Locks, they were coming thick and fast.  There were three waiting at the top of the second lock, and three more were just approaching.  Fortunately, we didn't meet any in the narrow sections at Chirk Bank, immediately before the aqueduct.  When we reached the aqueduct it was clear so we went straight across.

It was a different story in the short pound between the aqueduct and the tunnel, both of which are one-way working.  There was one boat moored and two ahead of us waiting for the tunnel.  A boat emerged coming the other way, but another couple of boats had already started coming through behind it.  By the time they emerged, a boat was coming across the aqueduct, so they had nowhere to go.  There was a bit of chaos for a few moments much to the amusement of the gongoozlers.

Once through the tunnel, we had our first encounter with a hire boat from Maestermyn.  It appeared the boat was going to leave its moorings right in front of us, but the crew thought better of it, and decided to drift out from the bank instead.  The woman at the helm was standing on the rear deck tugging furiously on a rope -- which was attached to the roof.  She seemed surprised the boat wasn't responding.

We stopped for lunch at the moorings just before the lift bridge at Froncycllte.   While we were eating on the front deck, the Maestermyn boat came past, weaving all over the canal and crashing into a narrow.  Unfortunately several boats were coming the other way, all of whom were confused by its antics. 

Then it was time for the main event, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.  It took ages to get across, as the Maestermyn boat was in the lead, and seemed to have trouble steering, even though the trough is wide enough for only one boat.  But we enjoyed the crossing in the sunshine, talking to loads of people on the towpath, all of whom were enjoying the view.

We were dismayed to see the Maestermyn boat trying to make the turn to Llangollen.  But after a fair section on tickover while it veered back and forth across the canal, the crew let us pass.  The views of the mountains, one of which has the ruins of Dinas Bran Castle on top, were great.

The narrow sections were hard work against the flow, but at least nothing was coming the other way.  We stopped at the BW portacabin to pay for our moorings (the first time we've ever paid to stop anywhere), and went into the basin.  It was quite busy with boats, but Adrian did an excellent spin and reversed onto a pontoon.  Rain had begun to fall, but we took a walk into town (where the shops were just closing, it being 5pm).  We had a drink at the Bridge End Hotel before returning to the boat.  It's now raining hard, but at least tomorrow's forecast isn't as bad as it was earlier.

15 miles, 2 locks  (71 miles, 48 locks)

September Cruise - Day 5

A lovely sunny morning, which turned into a warm day.  We set off at 8.30, and soon had three lift bridges to work near Whitchurch, which was just as well as we had a lock-free day in prospect.  There was another lift bridge just before Prees Junction, where we turned right onto the embankment across the mosses nature reserve.  We stopped at a lovely mooring at Blake Mere, and had lunch at a picnic table overlooking the lake.  It was then just a short journey to Ellesmere, where we turned up the town arm, winded in the basin at the end, and slotted into a vacant space.  Ellesmere was busy with boats, and the junction is very attractive, overlooked by the former canal company headquarters.

We shopped and did a circular walk taking in the town centre, The Mere, and the canal.  On the way back to the boat, I stopped to talk to Jan and Dai, the bloggers from Jandai.  We set off again, stopping for water at the BW yard, before continuing until just beyond Frankton Junction where we moored for the night, and went for a walk around the junction.

17 miles, 0 locks.  (56 miles, 46 locks)

September Cruise - Day 4

We woke to leaden skies and some drizzle, but it soon brightened up.  The Baddiley Locks were just around the corner from our mooring, and they were all in our favour thanks to an enthusiastic hire boat coming down.  The next notable features were two lift bridges.  The first was lifted by windlass, but the second was the electrically operated one at Wrenbury, which has flashing lights and stops traffic.

The next section of canal is long and fairly straight, through rolling countryside.  The Shropshire Union Canal Society has put in excellent moorings in several places, all of which look like great places to stop.  Four isolated locks followed, and we met boats at each one, some of which were returning from the canal weekend at Whitchurch.

Then it was on to Grindley Brook, where there are three individual locks followed by a staircase of three.  We were lucky in following a boat up, and being allowed straight into the staircase with no waiting at all.

At the top, we filled with water, then moved down to the moorings and tied up for lunch.  Afterwards, we had a visit from my sister and her husband, and their daughter Rachel, who's 18 months old.  She enjoyed feeding the ducks and waving (very seriously) at passing boats.  She got quite excited as she spotted boats approaching, and fortunately every boater waved back!

8 miles, 13 locks  (39 miles, 46 locks)

September Cruise - Day 3

It rained on and off overnight, and was still raining when we set off down the rest of the Audlem locks at 9am.  There were a few boats coming up, which helped.  There were more boats at the Hack Green locks.  When we got to Nantwich, we squeezed onto the end of the water point, in front of another boat.  While the tank was filling, Adrian went to the Nantwich Canal Centre shop to buy a new kettle.  We then moved through the bridge and immediately moored up for lunch.  The whole time we were in Nantwich, there were non-stop boats in both directions.

After lunch, we made the short journey to Hurleston Junction, to join the melee trying to get onto the Llangollen.  We waited short of the bridge, while Brian and I went to find out what was going on.  There were three boats in front of us, so we helped them all up the bottom lock.  One of the boats was an old 70 footer with a vintage engine and a completely incompetent crew who didn't seem to have any idea what to do.  It took them ages to get into each lock, and another age to get out again.  It was quite windy across the pounds, which are very short, and their slowness caused all sorts of problems for the people coming down.  At the top lock, the lock keeper gave them a right talking to, for allowing their children on the roof of the boat, among other things.

In all, it took more than an hour and a half from arriving at the junction, to leaving the top lock.  Still, in spite of the frustrations of the boat in front, it was all good humoured, and even the weather had visibly cleared up, with even some blue sky appearing.

Once out of the top lock, we quickly caught up with the slow boat, which seemed incapable of going any faster than 1mph.  Our tickover was too fast for them.  Eventually, they let us and the following hire boat past.

We continued up the two Swanley Locks, then moored for the night in a lovely spot between bridges 12 and 13, on some Shropshire Union Canal Society moorings.  We had a lovely roast chicken for dinner.

13 miles, 12 locks  (31 miles, 33 locks)

September Cruise - Day Two

We set off at 8.30 on a lovely sunny morning.  The Shroppie was looking at its best, with the contrasts of the Shebdon Embankment, and the Woodseaves Cutting.  There were very few boats coming the other way, although we met a hotel boat in a fairly narrow part of Woodseaves.  It was only at Tyrley Locks that we started meeting boats coming up.

We stopped for water at Market Drayton, and Brian and Mike walked into town.  It sounds as though it hasn't improved any, with plenty of closed shops.  The majority of the others are charity shops.  We carried on once the tank was filled, and they caught us up for lunch just beyond Bridge 66.

There was a rain shower while we were stopped, and a few more once we'd set off down the Adderley Locks.  There's a stand at the top lock selling eggs and cakes, and we came away with some cup cakes.  By the time we reached the top of the Audlem flight the rain was more persistent.  There were a few boats coming up to start with, then we were at the back of a procession of boats going down.

We took the last mooring space below Lock 11.  We're some way out thanks to the Shroppie shelf under the water.  We had a walk round Audlem, then went to the Shroppie Fly for a drink before eating on board.  It's been raining most of the evening, so we're hoping it will have passed through by the morning.

14.5 miles, 21 locks.  (18 miles, 21 locks)

September Cruise - Day One

A day dominated by a drive which at times I thought would never end.  It started with a trip to Heathrow to pick up Adrian from his delayed flight.  Our friends Brian and Mike who are joining us for the first week agreed to go to Norbury as arranged to receive our Tesco delivery.  Then Brian drove to Trevor where we'd arranged parking for his car, and we went direct to there to pick him up.  It was 4.45 by the time we eventually got to Norbury Wharf, but we left in record time, just fifteen minutes later.

We moored up just after 6 at Shebdon Wharf, right on the aqueduct.  We retired to the Wharf Inn for a few drinks, before eating on board and having an early night.  On the way back from the pub I took a photo of the aqueduct (although it was getting dark, so not a great photo).

3.5 miles, 0 locks.

Delayed

By now, we should both be on the road.  Adrian should be driving a hire car from Heathrow to Birmingham Airport, and I should be driving from home to Birmingham to pick him up, from where we'd continue to Norbury Junction.  But a big storm in New York last night means his flight is four hours late, and instead of arriving at 7.40 this morning, it's now expected at 11.31.  So I'm going to go to Heathrow to meet him, and our friends who are spending the first week with us will go to Norbury Wharf to meet the Tesco delivery.  Once we've done the car shuffle, I'd be surprised if we get much beyond the junction bridge today!

Planning

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.

Hillmorton

To Hillmorton Locks today for a boat test.  As you might expect on a Sunday morning, it was very busy.  We were following boats down the top lock, but at the middle locks it was a case of one up one down.  For some reason, I took only one photo, and even that has very little in it.

We moored up below the locks, by which time it was raining, so David could do the interior photos, and I could have a closer look at the boat.  Then it was a walk back up the locks, in the hope of lunch.

Arriving at Badsey's Cafe Bistro at approximately 30 seconds past 2, we were informed in no uncertain terms that food stopped at 2, and we were too late.  Apparently a party of four for lunch isn't worth staying open for.  We instead went to the Royal Oak, just along the canal next to Blue Haven Marina.  And I didn't take any photos there, either.