Time to move on from Ellesmere.. its been 3 days of rain here, with some hail mixed in – but that’s because Anna got woken up by someone on a boat banging and clanking about – waking her up.. Funnily enough.. the weather report is stating sun with mixed showers now.. but that’s because she’s in a better mood! 🙂 If I want to know what mood Anna is in, just check the weather report!
The plan for today.. get to and go over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, moor up for the night and come back on Sunday!
Left Ellesmere after listening to this chap squawking for days.. waking up to peacocks is a new one.. but not a bad one 🙂
The hillside may be flat at the moment.. but that will change as we get further into Wales!
Past the entrance to the Montgomery Canal (known as “The Monty”).. Were not going down this arm today.. possibly on the way back.. we will see..
Past the hire base for Maestermyn Cruisers & Mid Wales Narrowboats.. with a group of pirates ready to set sail.. although.. I thought piracy was the name of the game for this rowdy lot.. not hiring.. 😀
I’m pretty sure were going to see a lot of these hire boats on this canal.. so far.. it seems that the Llangolen is the realm of the hire boat.. with them seriously out-numbering owned boats that are moving..
Arrived at New Marton Bottom Lock (one of two locks to get through on the way to the Aqueduct).. Looked behind and there was a pirate boat coming up.. and let them through.. along with the 3 other boats that were with them.. its not a pirate boat.. its a fleet of them!
And getting them up through the lock took everyone helping them – even though they had a knowledgeable person with them (known as “The captain”) – they were 3 sheels to the wind!.. Anna and the kids assisted (if not to get them out the way.. but to ensure nothing disastrous happened – like jamming a boat in the lock which would put it out of commission).. but all told, they got through OK. 🙂
Got to the second lock.. and not the pirates – they were through.. it was us that got stuck!
Just as the boat got to the top of the lock.. the fenders jammed between two new bits of brickwork on each side slightly narrowing the width of the lock, jamming the boat in fast.. and with the water still rising.. time to shut the paddles and stop the water coming in, open the bottom paddles to let some back out again and free’d the boat, lifted the fenders up and clear, re-opened the top paddles to let the rest of the water in.. and were up and out the lock..
Got through to Glendrid and went past the pirate fleet moored (in the winding hole 🙂 ) with them all in the pub! 😀
On and over the Chirk aqueduct..
And into wales!
.. and what awaits upon getting into wales.. the Chirk tunnel – a 1/2 km one way tunnel.. and I didn’t judge the entrance to very well and scraped the boat!
Out of there eventually.. and past Chirk marina.. another place where the hire boats are coming from..
And into Froncycstllte.. its getting late.. so were not doing the aqueduct today.. we will do that tomorrow!
But you can see it from here :
I wont mention that Anna slipped on the edge and went in.. partly.. so after a good day, we have bad things! She’s OK, but has a badly scraped leg on the concrete, and a twisted knee (it was a suspected broken leg at the start.. but thankfully not!)
A small run over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct today (known as the waterway in the sky for obvious reasons!), and to moor on the other side (with luck).. what with the accident yesterday, Anna’s up and ready for the trip over the aqueduct – but no doubt will be resting for a while once were there!
Set off from the moorings, past some very nice canal side houses and residential mooring locations..
Managed to get over it without anyone falling off!! 😀
And there is another boat base right on the other end.. so down the “Trevor Arm” and hope that there is room to turn round.. and there is somewhere to moor up..
There was a spot.. right at the end of the arm.. and its shallow down there – so turn the boat and back it in, checking the prop depth as we go..
But it’s all good.. were in, moored and set for a day or two here.
The tour boat going across the aqueduct.
