Welsh waters: Day 6

Today had turned into a non moving day (thanks to some discussions last evening — of which more later) so we were in no rush this morning.  After breakfast we made a trip to Aldi for shopping -  walking along the canal a couple of bridges and up onto the main road to get there, and coming back the other way to make a circular trip.  Then we walked into Whitchurch, had lunch at a cafe, and went to Tesco to get the things Aldi didn’t have.

This afternoon, I have made some sage and sesame biscuits, as we have guests on the way.  Helen and Andy are coming to see us on the way back from lunch with friends (those were the discussions!).  Actually it’s not really on the way back, just a great excuse to drop in!

We’re planning a sort of snack-fest for later, with crackers, cheese, chutney etc, as well all have had decent sized lunches.

0 miles, 0 locks.  (21 miles, 19 locks)

Welsh waters: Day 5

After all the rain yesterday, today was totally different as we woke to bright sunshine.  We got some washing going after breakfast, and set off a bit before 9.

The first three locks are all individual ones.  We never seem to pass the pub at Willey Moor Lock when it’s open.

This lock also has one of the worst by-washes, and the single hander coming down had to reverse back in and have another go at leaving with a bit more power on, to avoid being pushed into the side of us.  The approach to the Grindley Brook Locks is through an old railway tunnel, which makes for very poor visibility, but spectacular brickwork.

There was a hire boat of Swedes coming down the bottom lock, and I held well back as it’s another lock that’s difficult to leave because of the by-wash.  However, they decided to stop to pick up crew, with all sorts of ropes being deployed, which meant there wasn’t a route for me to get into the lock, and they then had a struggle to get going again.  We were following two Andersen hire boats up, but there were also some boats coming down.  At the middle of the three individual locks, we swapped with a boat and the volunteer lock keeper complimented me on my entry — although as the boat ahead had ended up almost across the pound as he tried to get in, maybe the competition was a bit low.

We were able to go straight up the triple staircase, staffed by very chatty lock keepers, one of whom also volunteers at Bosley and Audlem.

At the top, we stopped on one of the many water points to fill the tank, and who should come down the towpath but Barry from Areandare.  We had a good old catch up and it was really nice to see him.  When we were ready to set off again, we found ourselves right behind the two Andersen boats, who were themselves behind a Whittington hire boat which had turned around above the lock, and seemed to be going very slowly — so it was a bit of a procession to Whitchurch.  We’d decided that if there was a space on the moorings before the lift bridge we’d take it, but the two Andersen boats both stopped there.  But there was room down the arm, and the Whittington boat still had the bridge up, so we went through, turned around, and came into the arm.  It has filled up since we arrived.

After lunch we walked into Whitchurch, which is about 20 minutes away, largely following the route of the arm which used to go much further, but now comes to an abrupt end.

There’s an impressive church and lots of cafes and pubs.  We came back through Jubilee Park, which has a bandstand.

Since we got back, the sound of a steam whistle has been echoing round.  There’s a boat called Tixall moored out on the main line, which is steam powered.  I did a boat test on the boat the previous owners bought next — which was an electric powered one.

I’ve put out an extra edition of the podcast today, a special about the water shortages and canal closures.  I’m also testing a new link, which detects whether you’re on an Apple or Android device (or on a web browser) and automatically sends you to the right place to listen.  It saves publishing separate links for Apple, Spotify, etc.  If you want to give it a go, it’s here.

5 miles 9 locks. (21 miles 19 locks)

Wending to Wales: Day 20

We had only a short hop planned for today, so there was time forAdrian to give me a haircut this morning. We set off in rather misty, murky conditions at about 8.45.  There had been quite a few boats up the branch, as its hire boat changeover day.  A private boat came past as we set off, having been up to the marina for a pumpout before the hire boats started arriving.  They did the lift bridge, but I was already walking down to do the next one along the mainline, so I could also get a shot of Adrian coming round the junction.

A single hander was in front of us, so was grateful for the next bridge being lifted for him, and someone had also arrived from the other direction, so I jumped on as we came through the bridge and they would close it.

The next section crosses the mosses, but then it’s into farmland and woodlands.  At the next lift bridge, a boat in front stopped to lift in  and a single hander was there saying she’d waited an hour for another boat to come through.  So four boats went through and somehow we were now in the lead.  We’ve noticed that many boaters up here want to stay longer than the 2 days permitted on all the SUCS moorings, so moor just off the end of them.  There is a reason they stop a bit before bridges though, as this boat demonstrates.

At the next lift bridge, it was our turn to lift it while all the others went past us.  The next one is now permanently open.  The first single hander moored up on the outskirts of Whitchurch, but even so, three boats getting round all the hire boats at Whitchurch Marina meant someone coming the other way had a bit of a wait.

The other two boats were going through the next lift bridge towards Grindley Brook, but we turned into the Whitchurch Arm.

We turned around in the winding hole and moored up on the straight section where it’s a bit more open.

This afternoon we walked into Whitchurch for lunch with my sister and family, who live about 40 minutes drive away.  We went to The Black Bear in the High Street, where the food was really good.  We all walked back to the boat afterwards, and my nieces Rachel and Emily had a go at winding the lift bridge over the mainline at the end of the arm, to see how difficult it was.  We had tea, and watched as a couple of hire boats came along the arm, turned around, and moored up.  It was lovely to see the family and spend some time together.

6 miles, 0 locks.  (238 miles, 134 locks)