Welsh waters: Day 1

We are going to head up to Llangollen, as we haven’t been all the way to the end this year, and it’s one of the few places still left open to us!  But it looks as though we’ll take our time getting there.  We set off at about 9.30, and because of all the moored boats the first mile is all on tickover.  When we got to Hurleston Junction, we should really have gone up the locks — but took a diversion instead.  A few weeks ago, we ordered some new covers for the porthole bungs at the stern of the boat, as the currrent ones are disintegrating, from Nik at Venitian Marina.  We thought we’d collect them on the way back from the Bridgewater, but last week it turned out he was on holiday, due back today.  We left a message this morning, and then phoned again later, but only got voicemail.  So we thought we’d pop along and see if they were ready.  So we carried on to Barbridge Junction, took the right hand turn onto the Middlewich Arm, carried on the Bridge 4, and turned around at the winding hole.  Then I reversed to the moorings, and we tied up.  Then it rained really quite heavily for a couple of hours, during which time we had lunch.  When the sun came out, we walked along past the lock to the marina, and found the Cover & Canvas office all shut up.  So we walked back to the boat and set off again, retracing our steps.  Initially, it was quite pleasant.

Before we got to the junction it had started to rain again, though.  As I approached the junction, a boat sped across it on the main line, and the steerer looked behind him, and made some sort of gesture.  I took this to mean there was another boat behind him, so edged out of the junction very cautiously.  There was another boat, but it was a good way back — although coming out so slowly meant I had to use a blast of reverse to get round the corner.  Moments later it absolutely chucked it down.

All the way to Hurleston Junction it rained on and off, and when it was on it really went for it.  Our favourite spot was free on the northern moorings, so we tied up.  I thought we’d timed it right for a dry spell, but in fact some of the heaviest rain of the afternoon came on just as we were trying to moor.  There was no point in us both getting soaked, and I was already wet, so Adrian went back inside.  When I went in, I needed a change of clothes.

So we’re not quite even on the Llangollen Canal yet, but we will be tomorrow.

7 miles, 0 locks.