Llangollen to Whitchurch

Monday 23rd June 2009

Good morning and welcome to a new blog where we are moored at Llangollen.

There’s one in every walk of life, yes, even in the boating fraternity. The boat moored in front of us is an ex-holiday boat of about 60 foot in length. The owner of that boat is, in my considered opinion, a bit of a pillock, and this is why.

As you may remember me mentioning many blogs ago, the official times for the running of engines, especially when closely moored by other boats, is between the hours of 08.00 and 20.00. In English money that’s between 8 am and 8 pm. Last night this idiot chose to light his fire at 8.45 pm. Despite totally blanking me when I asked him, very politely, to turn it off, he did so within a few minutes.

Hallelujah, we thought, he’s got the message. Wrong! This morning at 04.45, yes, a quarter to five in the morning, he switched the damn thing on again. After quickly dressing and going out to thump on his back dooe a few times, he turned it off.

It’s now 09.15 and, so far, he’s not bothered to run his engine and, more importantly from our point of view, shows no signs of moving on. So, I have two choices here, I can have a word with the BW man and hope he can persuade this twerp to abide by the rules, or, more sensibly, move our boat down to the basin. I’ll let you know later what we decide.

Meanwhile I’ve now decided to stop adding recipes to my book. At the last count I’d covered 41 counties and have 338 recipes. I think that’s probably enough to be getting on with. However, before I go ahead and publish it online, I think I should probably take legal advice regarding copyright issues. I have already discovered that recipe ingredients cannot be copyrighted. But, and it’s a big but, there is some question regarding the method by which the dish is put together. So, if anyone reading this can make any suggestions, perhaps you could get in touch via my Yahoo address at sparkyvox@yahoo.co.uk.

Wednesday 24th June 2009

What a day! As is usual for us, we thought we’d try to make an early start this morning. But, there we were, at 6 o/clock, still in bed, and already there had been nine boat movements. No doubt some had come past us from the basin, but others had come from behind us and simply gone down to the basin to turn around.

At this point then it seemed pointless trying to get ahead of the crowd, they’d already beaten us to it. By 7.30 we had the engine running and were ready to go, but other boaters had other ideas. Queuing up on a canal is no different than queuing up at a bus stop, you simply have to wait your turn.

Now, in addition to the two narrow stretches of 300 metres and 500 metres, which lead down to the wharf, there’s another, much shorter stretch that leads down to the basin, and this is what causes all the hold ups when trying to leave. By the time we had finally made it down to the basin and back again it was 8 30 am.

With the two aforementioned narrow sections still to negotiate, we finally made it to the Pontsycyllte Aqueduct, which is when our second problem began. We now found ourselves behind not one but two slow going boats. Both were holiday boats, one of which was a day boat, and they are never in much of a hurry. We eventually made the six miles to our moorings, just before Whitehouse Tunnel, in three and a half hours, by which time we were suffering a severe lack of patience with all forms of holiday makers.

However, as with yesterday, it’s been a glorious day for cruising. In my misspent youth I really enjoyed the hot weather. Whilst serving with the RAF in the late 60’s I spent two years on the Mediterranean Island of Malta and, as anybody who’s spent any time there will tell you, not a cloud blots the sky from April to October. I’d only been there a couple of months before being spoken to in Maltese, because my tan was so dark I was taken for a local. Sadly I no longer enjoy the heat as much. I would guess that this is probably because I’m well overweight. In mitigation I have to fall back on the dodgy knees, which restrict my efforts at any kind of exercise. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it, so there!

Tomorrow we have Whitehouse Tunnel, Chirk Tunnel and Chirk Aqueduct to negotiate before we moor up by Gledrig Bridge and lunch at The Poachers Pocket pub.

Sunday 28 June 2009

Good morning to you all from Maesbury Marsh on the Montgomery Canal on this, our 29th wedding anniversary and Wifey’s birthday, which we intend celebrating at the Navigation Inn, which is just across the bridge. Actually the full name of this pub is The Navigation Inn and Warehouse and that’s because part of it was once a canal-side warehouse, the pub being 18th C, whilst the warehouse dates from 1796. This is quite a big pub, with tall ceilings that you would expect from the Victorian period and, in fact, part of it is also a cottage, which was knocked through to complete the job. Quite impressive, I have to say, having enjoyed a lunchtime snack there yesterday whilst we booked our lunch for today.

Now, I’ve written nothing to this blog since last Wednesday, so I’d better catch up.

Well, according to my diary and my text messages to you lot, we were at St. Martins Moor on the Llangollen. On the towpath side of the canal is a large area of grassland, which is the moor itself and which is accessed through a steel gate. About a half mile beyond the canal is the town after which the moor is named. We pulled in to the moorings which; like all moorings along this canal, are proper ones with mooring rings; about 09.30 when it was absolutely deserted and peaceful. However, as you would expect, it didn’t take long for other boats to join us. I’m pleased to say they weren’t all rowdy holiday makers.

On Friday morning, bright and early, we made our way to the Montgomery Canal. Unfortunately, due in part to continuing restoration work being carried out further along the canal, only six boats are allowed to pass through the Frankton Locks on any one day, and they have to be booked in before 10.00 am. Once again we were the first to arrive and, just like those who followed, we then had to kick our heels until midday, which is when the nice BW man comes along and unlocks the locks. He also oversees the operation of the locks so as to ensure only the minimum amount of water runs through them. It seems that, whilst restoration work is still ongoing, there is a serious risk of disruption to local wildlife should the flow of water become excessive.

The rules concerning the number of boats allowed through are very strictly enforced, as one pair of holiday boaters were to discover. No amount of wheedling or cajoling, either to the lock operator or by mobile phone to his office, was going to change that. So, they were sent packing until next year, at which time I’m pretty sure they would be bringing along a new addition to the family.

About half a mile below the locks is a water point and mooring area called the Weston Branch, which is where we pulled in for the rest of the day and night. The total run to Maesbury Marsh is just six miles, plus another mile to the turning point at Crofts Mill Lift Bridge and, having been warned that, due to speed restrictions along certain stretches of the canal, the journey would take a further 4 ½ hours, we decided to leave it until Saturday morning. This had a dual effect in that we would be able to undertake most of the trip without meeting other boats along the way.

And so it came to pass that the good ship Shiralee set sail at 08.00 on Saturday morning. But first we had to top up with water. As predicted by Mr. BW, it took us just about 4 ½ hours, including the turn around and return to Maesbury Marsh. Certain parts of the canal have lower speed restrictions than other canals, some of which are down to 3 mph, whilst others are set at 2 mph.

The total length down to Newtown is not far short of 35 miles, and there are two other sections that have now been restored. Now, since most, if not all of the canal is designated a wildlife sanctuary, the conservationists are, quite rightly, concerned about keeping the disruption to a minimum whilst restoration work is carried out. Hence the speed restrictions and the sheer wildness of the seven mile stretch to Maesbury Marsh. When we first travelled down the Aylesbury Arm of the GUC, we were amazed to find a stretch of about a mile that appeared to be very narrow due to canal side reed growth, but that has nothing on this stretch of the Montgomery, and it’s virtually the same length.

Once the canal is fully restored, which could take a few years yet and uses volunteer labour for much of the work, it will certainly be worth another visit. Hopefully the speed restrictions will be lifted by then.
Tomorrow morning, hopefully as early as seven o/clock, we’ll be making our way back to Frankton Locks and the Llangollen Canal. We would hope to be first in line, as we were on the way down, but we have no idea how many boats are ahead of us at Queens Head, which is about two miles ahead. Even so, whatever happens, we won’t be out of this canal until well past midday, so we’ll be pulling in as soon as we can.

Wednesday 1st July 2009

On Monday we did indeed leave Maesbury Marsh early, at 06.45, so as to be one of the first to arrive at the bottom of Frankton Locks. It can take a while to pass through the four locks because the top two are in a staircase arrangement and the bottom two only have a short pound between them. If the water level is not controlled properly then those pounds can become very shallow and boats can ground. Which is why a lock keeper takes care of procedings.

As expected and despite our early departure, there was already another boat waiting to go through, but that had been there all night. Under normal circumstances only six boats are allowed through in any one day, but there are only moorings at the bottom to accommodate three, which makes little sense to me. Anyway, between 2 pm the previous day and 12 noon the current day, the water level still has to be controlled and that control is apparent by the bubbling and gurgling water at the bottom. This bubbling and gurgling is not very loud, at least not during the daytime when there is plenty of other sound around to muffle it somewhat. However, during the night, as the overnight boater will confirm, it’s a different story. He and his wife were more than happy when the locks finally opened.

We stayed at the top lock on Monday night and moved down to Ellesmere on Tuesday morning, for the most part in the rain. This was not unwelcome because, much like the rest of the UK, we’ve had some pretty hot and stifling weather, which I do not enjoy. However, even though the rain has a cooling effect, albeit temporarily, it’s no fun cruising in it. And besides, my so-called shower-proof jacket is not up to the job and never has been. Just how these outdoor clothing suppliers get away with selling these things, at such exorbitant prices, is beyond me.

Yesterday we again paid a visit to the town of Ellesmere for shopping. It was still raining but, what the heck, we took a brolly with us, so there! It wasn’t my intention to visit any of the pubs there but, needs must when the devil drives, as they say. As a fully registered diabetic I am well aware of the dangers of hot weather. During such time the body uses Insulin much faster but, as I’m never prepared for such eventualities, and as I started feeling a little peculiar just as we arrived opposite the Black Lion pub, I left Wifey to continue shopping whilst I popped in for a bite to eat. Naturally this was accompanied by a packet of Bacon Fries and a packet of crisps. This combination did the trick, but it took several minutes for me to cool down and feel normal. The Stella Artois, which accompanied the snacks was, I felt, absolutely essential because, although I thought it was a problem with Insulin, I could have been wrong as it may well have been a touch of heat exhaustion. Covering both bases seemed perfectly logical to me.

Today we’re leaving a little later than normal because we have to call in at the marina next door for a pump-out, diesel and a gas bottle. I’m not sure where we’re stopping for the night but, as usual, you’ll know just as soon as I do.

Friday 3rd July 2009

Thankfully the weather has changed, well, thankfully from my point of view. As a young man, serving Queen and Country, I thoroughly enjoyed the hot weather and, believe me, for the two years I spent in Malta with the RAF, the summers were pretty hot. Today though is cloudy, somewhat cooler, although still humid, and it’s raining. Wifey has gone shopping and the nearest shop here at Whichurch, without going into town, is a good walk away, so she’ll probably come back looking like a drowned rat. We bought a couple of so-called “shower-proof” jackets in Aylesbury some time ago. What a joke! In any kind of sustained rain, even if it’s light, the water soon finds its way underneath.

Anyway, having spent Wednesday night besides Blakes Mere, which is just outside Ellesmere, we moved on to Port Whixall on Thursday morning. Although it’s not shown on the map, this is between bridges 43 and 44 and is a designated mooring spot. The attraction for boaters is the Shop in the Garden, which borders onto the canal towpath. Part of the house has been turned over to a small grocery store and sells cakes and pies along with bread, milk and other such things. The gardens are quite extensive and well cared for and it’s one of the prettiest places along the Llangollen.

Now, having managed at last to get online, which I haven’t been able to do for quite some time, I’ll post this blog.

Have a good weekend folks.

Until next time.

Luv and stuff from Dave, Sheila and Rusty, our trusty hound.