Llangollen homeward bound

 Wednesday 6 September Llangollen to Chirk (9 miles, 2 tunnels, 2 aqueducts, 0 locks)

People were stirring this sunny morning, and boats were setting off downstream. There is a half knot (0.5 mph) current on this canal, which feeds Cheshire’s Hurleston Reservoir from the River Dee.

With the boat sorted out, we set off, only to find five boats arriving early! We waited while they came past us into the marina, then Liana walked with Honeypie while John carried on with Annie through the narrows to the services, where we quickly emptied the loo cassettes. All those boats had been moored by the services, but needed to turn in the marina before following us downstream. Liana walked ahead through the narrows to check for oncoming boats. We were lucky!

We passed a few boats going down to Trevor, thankfully in wider places, mainly. There is a tighth S bend where the old railway bridge crosses the canal.h It’s tight for a sixty foot boat, so the seventy foot working boats must have squeezed through!

At Trevor, we had to wait for other boats to move a little before coming under the bridge into the basin. By breasting up with another boat, we managed to leave room for the boats coming towards us over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. It was another tight squeeze until our four boats were able to move off across that 12 foot wide, 120 foot high stone and iron structure.

Liana walked across with Honeypie and took pictures. At Froncysyllte, on the other side, the canal turns left and along a terrace high above the valley, passing through a lift bridge hand operated by Liana using a hydraulic system. 

Picking her and HP up, we continued through Whitehouses tunnel, past Chirk Marina, through the long cutting below the chocolate factory to Chirk Tunnel. We didn’t hoot and holler, as we have already found that Honeypie is petrified!

We had a gorgeous view crossing Chirk Aqueduct, and glimpsed the long stone railway viaduct through the trees as we passed along Chirk Bank, a terrace high above the River Ceiriog.

We soon arrived at The Poacher and moored using six pins and centre line, to minimise the chance of pins being pulled out as boats passed!

We had tasty fish & chips at The Poacher in the shade. Later we sat out on the towpath. We had a good chat with a local who was picking damson plums from the towpath trees. He knew our home town, and we laughed about various characters we all knew.

Friday 15 September Chirk to Ellesmere (11 miles, 2 locks)

We returned to Annie last night after a week or so away sorting out our home, then babysitting our lovely granddaughter Hope in Wales. We woke up and had tea during the night simply because it felt right - no idea why! Of course, then we woke up at 9am!! 

We have now booked passage down Frankton locks on Saturday, returning up on Monday, so we can see the new section to Crickheath Wharf, plus maybe walk a bit further.

 

Leaving the Poacher visitor moorings behind, we enjoyed a peaceful journey to New Marton locks. Liana washed the roof while I steered. We passed a few boats in the sunshine.

Lion Quays have been renovated, thankfully, so those rotting pontoons are now useable. Boaters are made welcome. Liana was told the pub gives boaters a free coffee! We found one boat coming up and one boat ahead of us at the locks, so we helped them through.

  

The hire boat in front was moving very slowly, so John slowed and didn’t hassle them. Eventually we were waved past, and moored in the Ellesmere arm. We had a very tasty late lunch at the Moolah cafe shop, sharing eight tapas dishes. Later we visited Tesco, washed clothes eg sheets etc in our washing machine. Liana dried them at the local laundrette while I fitted a nine led headlamp, as our fancy brass headlamp has given up. It looks bright!

TV reception is much better here than at The Poacher.

Pontcysyllte Viaduct to Llangollen

 Saturday 2 September Chirk to Llangollen (9 miles, 0 locks, 1 tunnel)

Leaving the Poachers you pass along Chirk Bank, then over the lovely Chirk Aqueduct, overlooked by an even higher railway viaduct. 

Then you pass through Chirk Tunnel, close by the castle.

Froncysyllte

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct 

A busy junction at Trevor. We turned left to Llangollen.

 It’s past Chirk Marina, then nearly four miles through the 191 yard Whitehouses (Whitehurst) Tunnel to the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, 120feet above the River Dee, with no barrier on the off side! Quite a spectacular view, appreciated even by John, who doesn’t like heights! 

We passed lots of canoeists between Trevor and Llangollen.

There are several narrows on the way, including 500 yards as you arrive at Llangollen.

Once over, it’s 4.5 miles along a narrow feeder canal to Llangollen Basin. We passed the horse boat just before arriving at the Marina/basin. It’s now £12 a day to stay there, payable at the horse boat shop. Once there, you can walk or take the horse boat the mile or so up the even narrower feeder to Horseshoe Falls, the weir where water is taken from the River Dee upstream of Llangollen, flowing down the canal to Hurleston Reservoir.

Sunday 3 September at Llangollen 

Today we chilled, chatted to fellow boaters and more of the bikers from the big Harley Davidson rally held here this weekend. Later, we walked up the feeder with Honeypie to the Horseshoe Falls, where we watched rubber dinghies launched. 

Their crews then set off over the weir and down the rapids.

Later we had coffee at the Chain Bridge Hotel and watched more canoeing.

John listened to Liverpool beating Aston Villa 3-0 on the radio with Honeypie , in the quiet surroundings of the Marina. Liana walked into town and the riverside park, and found an ice cream. John spoke to his sister Dianne, who has a birthday tomorrow. Later, we made spaghetti bolognaise together and chatted to Jo and Hope. There was a very noisy monster roaring loudly in their car!!

Monday 4 September at Llangollen 

This week is supposed to be hot with blue skies - today certainly is!

After a lazy start and bacon & eggs on board, we had a coffee at the wharf and paid for an extra night’s stay. We walked with Honeypie into town and down to the riverside, where we walked on the rocks upstream and looked in the rock pools while Honeypie paddled and swam. Later we popped into town for milk. John got a couple of dvds from a charity shop. Happy Birthday messages flew across the ether to John’s sister Dianne.

Back at the marina, we plugged into the mains and Liana put on a couple of loads of washing, as it is such a good drying day. We got the chairs and washing line out and sat outside in the shade, enjoying the lovely weather. Other boaters were doing the same.