LLangollen and back

On Wednesday as arranged we met Jane & Paul at Frankton Junction.  It wasn't without incident, Jane & Paul got lost and finally ended up in the car park at the bottom of the locks (they needed to be in the one at the top), they asked a boat if they had seen us and fortunately they had, at the top, so the chap on the boat got out a map and showed them how to get to the top.  There were a few boats at the top so we moored on the offside and as the boats started to move down the locks we pulled across onto the 48 hour moorings.  Hire boats came and went, then a private boat came, hit us hard and then told us it was a stupid place to moor, as you can imagine we did explain we were on a recognised mooring, what is wrong with some of these boaters, no apology for hitting us, just yelled at us that we were in a stupid place, nothing to do with his inability to manoeuvre his boat in front of a number of hirers (who incidentally had no problem getting past us and mooring up).

Just as we were about to leave Frankton the heavens opened so we waited for it to abate and then we set off heading towards Llangollen.  We had a couple of boats in front of us at New Marton Locks but there were boats coming down so it was an easy passage through and we did remember to lift our fenders at the top lock, as we got stuck coming out of it last year.  We cruised along as far as Poachers Pocket enjoying the lovely countryside, where we moored for the night.

On Thursday we set off for Llangollen, passing over Chirk Aqueduct with the impressive railway viaduct alongside, and then Chirk Tunnel, then onto the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, crossing the River Dee, appropriately described as the 'stream in the sky', a sharp left turn and the last few miles into the basin, with lovely views across the Dee valley.  The boat in front of us let us pass before the narrows as their walky talkys were not working, I walked the narrows and we had no problem at the first section but the second section we had to wait for a boat who was on the way through.  We spend the afternoon wandering around Llangollen.

Chirk

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct 

Llangollen

Friday we decided to go on the Llangollen Railway to Carrog, the train follows the River Dee up the valley, its really scenic and we enjoyed our trip, in a compartment carriage on the way up and a standard coach on the way back.

We returned to Triskaideka and after lunch set off on our return journey.  We had a pleasant cruise, the weather wasn't too bad.  Straight over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct but we had to wait at Chirk Tunnel for about 6 boats coming through.  We continued through the locks and moored up at Hindford.

Saturday morning we had a short cruise back to Frankton Junction and dropped Jane & Paul off before cruising to Ellesmere so John could pick up a parcel at the Post Office.  He has bought a fishing rod and equipment.  We stayed in the arm overnight and moved on this morning just to the moorings at Hampton Bank.  We don't normally worry about a tv signal, but we are trying to moor so we have one at the moment so we can keep up to date with the Olympics, we have managed to watch all the events that we have wanted to, and aren't Team GB doing well!

First fish

Getting bigger

& bigger

41.5 miles, 4 locks, 1357 yards of tunnels, 2 lift bridges