Monday 21st May
Ooops! Sorry, forgot to include photos in last blog. However, since the weather looks set to improve over the next few days, perhaps I’ll be able to take a few new ones.
Tuesday 22nd May
Fine weather all day yesterday and, just to get the ball rolling, we moved on another mile to Whitchurch, walked into town, found the bolts I needed for the TV aerial framework, did some shopping and bussed back. The weather looks set to be good again for today, so perhaps we’ll get some more work done.
Of course, being a hot and sunny day yesterday, and being as how we had to go into town first, I didn’t start on the aerial thingy until early afternoon. Bad mistake! By the time we’d finished - I still haven’t rewired the aerial – I was hot and sticky and completely knackered. Needless to say, that after rewiring the aerial this morning, I have no plans for exerting myself this afternoon.
Wednesday 23rd May
I thought my foot slogging days were over when I finished RAF basic training at Swinderby back in 1965. Not so. It seems that every time we moor up anywhere near a town of any size, there I go again. Monday was no different. We arrived here at Whitchurch and off we went. Of course we missed the bus. Can’t complain though, found the bolts I needed for the aerial and enjoyed a coffee whilst waiting at the bus stop. Well, you didn’t think I’d walk back, did you?
Yesterday, after sorting out the aerial on Monday afternoon, in the blazing heat of the hottest day of the year so far, we then folded back the cratch cover, removed the windows, rubbed the frame and windows down, gave it all a good undercoat and first topcoat. Again, all in the blazing heat of the hottest day of the year so far.
Today started out real well. Up at 05.10, washed and kettle on by 05.20. Dressed and struggling to change the empty gas cylinder over at 05.25. Finally, by 05.35 I am wrapping my laughing gear around my first cuppa of the day.
Later this morning, depending upon when Lady Ann decide to arise from her pit, we’ll move on to one of our favourite mooring spots along here, where I’m pretty sure I’ll be getting stuck in to some more painting. At the moment the front of the cratch is looking a bit ‘in your face’, because it’s glaringly bright magnolia. Later, assuming I’m not expected to sweat my cobs off in yet another hottest day of the year so far, it will be transformed into a beautiful deep maroon called Bounty by the manufacturers.
The longest and most delicate part of this operation will be the coloured diamonds down the middle, which I have yet to mark out. This design is quite popular with boaters and we have been thinking about it for quite some time now.
We still have lots of paintwork repairs to do, and I have yet to design the castles and roses for the back doors, but we’ll get there eventually and Shiralee will look as good as new. Well, almost.
Thursday 24th May
Yesterday morning we left Whitchurch and made our way to a short stretch of moorings at Whixall. Once upon a time there was a small shop here selling gifts and groceries, but it closed about two years ago. Even so, many boaters still stop here, only to leave disappointed. It also used to be that the grass here was kept short, but that too has ceased to be. Such a shame really because, despite the fact that there’s no mobile or Internet access here, this is a really peaceful spot and one of our favourites along the Llangollen.
Once again we put the fine weather to good use and finished the main paint job on the cratch. We are now left with the layout of the diamonds which, once we get to the Preese Branch, about half a mile away, I’ll be able to get stuck into.
The Preese Branch is a short stretch off to the left of us that leads down to a BW marina and chandlery, where we can pick up a new gas bottle and other odds and sods. If we stay for a couple of days we might even get some repair work done to the rest of the paintwork.
For the weekend we hope to be at Ellesmere.
Friday 25th May
Yesterday was HOT! VERY HOT!
We moored on the Prees Branch as expected and took a walk down to the BW marina and Chandlery. Would you believe it, they only open for one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon? What is more, they also have a credit card system for purchasing diesel. This means that you only have three options when paying, either 100% domestic, 60/40 propulsion/domestic, or 100% propulsion. Knowing full well that we use far more diesel for domestic purposes than we do for propulsion, we won’t be topping up at this place, or anywhere else offering the same deal.
Having completed the base coats on the front of the cratch, we finally got around to marking out the diamonds. All that’s left is to fill in the colours. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us over the next few days, when we’ll complete the job.
Today we’ll visit the local chandlery although, having peeked through the window yesterday, it’s unlikely they’ll have much of what we need then it will be back to the main Llangollen.
Saturday 26th May
We didn’t bother with the chandlery yesterday, preferring instead to be on our way whilst it was still cool. Only four miles to bridge 50, one of our usual stopping off places. However, despite the trees on both sides of the canal here, there was no escaping the heat. We did manage to fit the new tunnel light that we purchased back at Wrenbury, but that was all. No painting possible after that. Too darn hot, as the saying goes.
Today we’re off to Ellesmere and will probably stay for the weekend.
Sunday 27th May
Just for a change we moored outside the marina here at Ellesmere yesterday, where normally we would go down the arm towards the shops and town centre. Being outside the marina would make it easier for lugging back stuff we need from the chandlery. Not that we found much of what we needed there, just oil and a light bulb, the rest will be ordered for us on Monday.
Walking into town from here is a slightly different route than usual, in that we take the road alongside the marina and past the cricket pitch. It also took us past a pub that doesn’t appear in the Nicholson’s Guide, called the White Hart and being the oldest pub in town. We might just be tempted to pay it a visit later today, if the weather is not too hot.
From Monday morning we’ll be heading towards the Montgomery Canal, where we’ll spend a week or so and then return to Ellesmere for shopping and prescriptions.
Monday 28th May
Yesterday we trotted off to do some shopping at Tesco. Nothing odd there, you might say but, in this instance definitely different. We bumped into Bill and Babs from Keksy’s Farm in Sawbridgeworth. Apart from a few days ago when I mentioned seeing them, we hadn’t met up for about three years.
Anyway, we spent some time going over recent events, as you do and, just as we were about to part company and complete our shopping, Babs had a bit of an accident and knocked over a case of bottled beer; Grolsch I think. It was then left to a member of staff to stand by until a cleaner could be found to clear up the mess.
You remember me telling you about the Whie Hart pub, the oldest in the town, well, it’s the oldest in Shropshire and doesn’t open until 13.00 on Sunday, which is not a lot of good to us people who like to get in early. So, we instead wandered along to the middle of town and found The Swan, a one bar pub which seemed to cater for just a small section of locals. Still, with the lager at £2.90 I wasn’t about to complain about lack of customers. Much too hot yesterday, even for a cold Guinness.
Today, before leaving here, we have to take another walk into town, this time to visit the local DIY store and to buy Wifey a birthday present.
Tuesday 29th May
We finally left Ellesmere yesterday morning at about 09.30, stopped off to pick up a gas bottle, stopped off again to fill up with water, and made our way to our current moorings at Bridge 63 where, I wasn’t surprised to discover, that we have no phone or Internet. Which meant I couldn’t let you all know where we were.
Some time ago we swapped Sheila’s phone for an 02 and tucked her old Orange away in the cupboard. Having dug the wretched thing out yesterday afternoon, we put the Orange SIM in but, for some odd reason, the phone wouldn’t recognise it and kept asking for the SIM. It was OK with the 02, but not Orange. I can only assume that we used that phone with the 02 SIM at some point and it has locked up to 02, and I have no idea how to unlock it. The chances of finding a shop that does such things, is pretty remote around here.
Sitting here in the wild and woolly Shropshire countryside, at 05.30, the outside view is of thick fog and nothing much else. All we need now is an early rising holiday boater to come by and give us a nudge. We’ve had enough of them doing so in high winds but, with this fog we could be in for a right bashing.
Hopefully, later this morning, if we can find a spot where the phone has a signal, we’ll be able to book passage down the Montgomery Canal today. We have to phone before 10.00 and the lock keeper starts boats moving at about midday. Apparently, in order to preserve the natural balance of this stretch of waterway, only a certain number of boats are allowed on the canal at any one time.
Just a short way down, after the four locks, is a mooring called the Weston Arm, which also has water and waste disposal facilities. We are hoping for two things today, that the weather stays dry and that we can get some painting done.
Wednesday 30th May, crumpet day!
Another thick, foggy morning, which means no work on boat until it dries off. Shame!
We are now on the Montgomery canal, moored for a couple of days on the Weston Arm, hoping to get some badly needed paintwork done. We managed a small amount yesterday after noon, despite the heat. The problem here is that, once the sun is up we have no shelter from surrounding trees or buildings, the whole area here is completely open.
Tomorrow we’ll head off to Maesbury, which is as far as this canal currently goes, about seven miles and four locks in total. The rest of the canal is being worked on by volunteers and, eventually, but who knows how long ‘eventually’ is, it will extend all the way to Newtown, which is a total of about 30 miles. Remember, volunteers only have so many free hours that they can work, and the Droitwich Canals took 38 years of hard work before they were finally re-opened, all from volunteer labour.
Thursday 31st may
Summer has now departed and we have rain by the bucket load. It actually started yesterday afternoon, thankfully after we had finished painting. It’s raining right now, at 05.30 and we should be moving on to Maesbury this morning, where we were intending to paint the other side of the boat. Maesbury is about seven miles and four locks away, and it is where the pub was charging £3.60 for a pint of Guinness last year.
I phoned Sandy yesterday; she’s the friend whose husband is looking after the car until they leave Mercia at the end of June. She tells me that all three pubs in Willington are holding a Beer Festival this Bank Holiday weekend. I can just imagine the chaos that will cause, especially as both Monday and Tuesday are Bank Holidays.
Now, back at Audlem, on the Shropshire Union, I took some photos of old plaques in a shop window; what you might call latter day bumper stickers; and I thought I might include a couple to round off this blog.
So, since we have a reasonable strong signal here on the Weston arm of the Montgomery Canal, let’s post, and the best of health to all.
Dave, Sheila and Rusty.
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