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Llangollen (almost)


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We had an autumn trip out from Anglo Welsh at Bunbury last week.

 

Monday

 

We were able to collect the boat slightly earlier than the advertised time as she hadn't been out the previous week. After we had turned the boat, we were at the bottom of the stair case for 1200. We passed one boat coming down in the middle of the stair case (the base staff seem to keep order at the stair case!). We made good time down to Hurleston, despite the wind being determined to blow me into moored boats at Barbridge (without success)!

Hurleston was quite busy, there was 1 waiting to go up as we arrived, with one coming out, and we worked one up, one down all the way up the flight, which was handy, although the wind again making it tricky passing in the short pounds.

We made good progress to Wrenbury, mooring between the lift bridges approx 1700.

After another of the party arrived on the train, we dined in the Cotton Arms, which was ok. The beer was fine, but I thought the food was a bit pricey for what it was, although there was no compaints. The Dusty Miller was written off purely for being a Robinson's house I'm afraid!

 

Tuesday

 

We set off around 0930, and made good time to Grindley Brook. There was 2 in front waiting to go up the first lock, but once the queue cleared, we had a good run up the locks, and staircase. We tied up at the top of the staircase for lunch and water at 1300. After a break there, we made our way to Whitchurch, where we moored on the arm for the night. Important lesson learnt - you cannot turn into the arm from the Grindley Brook direction without going past and winding. Unfortunately, you don't see the sign until too late, and you are committed to looking a fool infront of the onlookers :blush:

 

Wednesday

 

We set off from Whitchurch at 1000, and motored right through to Jack Mytton's at Hindford, arriving there a little before 1700. Some distance before the lakes before Ellesmere we caught up to a day boat from Maestermyn, which was going painfully slow, despite making much noise and smoke. We were in neutral/tickover for some time behind them, and indeed we waited a while outside Ellesmere Tunnel for their smoke to clear!

Thankfully, as short distance after the tunnel, they asked if we wanted to overtake, which (for the first time) I did. I know it has been discussed here before, and it wasn't something I particularly enjoyed doing, but I was starting to get a little frustrated following them quite so slowly!

We had dinner in the pub, and must say the food was excellent. The landlord is certainly.... unique? Very friendly, and it was a pleasure to dine there. The beer was good too :cheers:

 

Thursday

 

We set off quite sharpish at 0830, keen to get to the locks before the other dozen or so boats moored at the pub also had the same idea. Stopped at the top of New Marton locks for water, and a brew, and then headed off towards Chirk. The wind was quite strong, and was making it difficult to steer (in a straight line!) in the open stretches. Typically, we passed about 8 or so boats in the twisty narrow parts approaching Chirk, and also spotted Dr Bradley's Linctus moored up there, but with no signs of life to say hi! We made it over the aquaduct fine, but as we entered the tunnel, I noticed progress slowing, I initially put this down to the current, but we slowed further. At one point we were practically stopped, and I was beginning to fear we were going to be spat back out backwards, and only then did it dawn on me that the prop might have been fouled with leaves. A quick burst of reverse, and we were off again, but it must have taken another 3 drops of reverse before we made it out! We tied up at the north end of the tunnel around 1130, and one of our crew left on the train. Another was coming later in the day, so we went into the (very nice) town for supplies. On our return one of our pins had been pulled out - the ground there is very soft - so we resecured both ropes with pins in a cross, which held us tight.

 

Once our next crew member arrived, we returned to the boat to find the Canal Time that had been in front of us, about half way down our length, with no one on board, all their pins pulled, so we resecured her as best we could, and left, as the cutting there is very dark. We moored up just after Whitehouses tunnel, with 3 other boats.

 

 

Friday

We were woken just after 0630 by the CanalTime behind running their engine. I did contemplate going out and complaining, but decided that I'd just be grumpy and stay put!

 

We headed off just after 0900, and having decided there wasn't time to get to Llangollen anymore (as we had spent most of the day waiting about at Chirk), we decided we would go over Pontcy-whatever, and then head for home. The leaves caused up lots of problems, and we were having to reverse the engine around every half mile to clear the prop. Still, we had a clear run up, and made the aquaduct just before 1000, thankful to have got there before the exodus from Llangollen, a clear run over, and I winded the boat in the junction, which drew a few staff members from the base out, and a couple of others, who seemed disappointed that I didn't make a completer pigs ear of it, and we headed off back. Stopped for water just off the aquaduct, and then made our way down to Ellesmere, arriving at the end of the arm for sometime after 1600. I was amazed to see that someone winding there has managed to punch a hole in the wall of the old wharehouse!

 

We dined at the Black Lion - the Red Lion was packed out, so gave it a miss - food and beer were both good, though I sent my meal back, as what appeared in front of me was nothing at all like what was described on the specials list that I had ordered, and was covered in mushrooms, which I have a particular dislkike of! Staff were very pleasant none the less, and my replacement meal was very good.

 

SAturday

 

We were off around 0915, and again, had a pretty clear run down to Grindley Brook, where we topped up with water. We waited for another hire boat to come up the locks, but they'd managed to get jammed on the cill between bottom and middle chambers, as they hadn't filled the top two chambers before trying to come up. Thankfully the lockie appeared, just as we were deciding we should go and help, and he got them off and up the flight, and helped us down, while his dog distracted the rest of our crew!

After the first single lock, there was a gang of fisherman right outside the lock mouth, opposite the outlet of the bywash, and unfortuntately, that, and the wind collected me, and took me sideways towards them. They aimed a few grumpy words at me, and I tried to point out that they weren't fishing at the easiest place for boaters. We waited above the middle lock for an Alvechurch boat to come up. They got their front caught by wind and bywash also, but unfortunately in a panic, went for full power forwards, and gave the bank a right clout right by the fisherman!

Once clear of the locks, we continued, and moored up just below Willeymoor Lock around 1545. We dined on board, but had a few pints in the pub after, and the food looked good, and the beer was very good.

 

Sunday

 

We were off again around 0915, and had a clear run again right through to Hurleston. Stopped for water at the top, and then headed down the locks. We were pretty much one up, one down again, until the last lock. We were almost ready to come out of the last but one, as the boat coming up the bottom lock started to come out. A family on a hire boat turned the bottom lock in our face, despite a holler from us, which meant a shuffle in the pound to let the tied up boat into the lock, and then for us to tie up waiting for the bottom lock. Sadly, none of us noticed that they'd left the bottom paddles open, and they dropped a good 18 inches to two feet out of the pound before it was realised. None the less they came and went, and we dropped down the bottom lock.

After collecting the crew, the wind caught me turning the junction and I managed to get the front well aground around a boat length past the junction. (Sometimes I think a bow thruster would be rather handy!). As I was struggling to reverse off and battle with the wind, another boat came up behind, just as I was abiout 45 degrees across the width of the canal in full "making a pigs ear of it" :help:

Rather than holding back in the bridge hole, or offering help, they went motoring past at great speed, missing my stern by inches. Thanks :angry2:

That little mishap over with, we moored up at Barbridge by the Olde Barbridge Inn for dinner - arriving again, around 1600 The food was in massive servings, but was decidedly average, and many things were "sold out" off the menu. Also despite having a row of many hand pumps, the only real ale available was Speckled Hen, which was not fantastic. The barman seemed more interested in chatting up the waitress than serving anyone, and we left rather disappointed.

 

Monday

Not much to say really, we were the "annoying so and so going past early in the morning", setting off from Barbridge around 0730, and we were back at Bunbury unloading for just after 0830.

 

 

 

All in all,a good week. I was disappointed we didn't make Llangollen, but we had a fun all the same :boat:

Edited by lostnortherner
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Sounds like you had as much fun on your trip as we had on the Black Country Ring lol.

Yes we had trouble with the wind as well.

Great canal is the Llangollen though, we did something simular at the Trevor end of the Ponty last year.

Only difference as we where returning to the Anglo Welsh base there we not only winded at the junction but reverse into the base as well, like you we never made a pigs ear of it either got it perfect with at least 10 people watching

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Yeah, though I'm not sure it deserves all the hype it gets. A few bits of the way between Whitchurch and Chirk I was getting a bit bored. There's only so much rolling green with no bridges or locks you can take! Chirk up to Ponty is fantastic though, and the aquaduct is amazing!

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The thing about the Llangollen is that it really needs more time so you can stop at varous places and walk a little bit away from the canal, but hirers often don't have time allowed for this and just whizz up and down.

The Monty is also well worth the detour.

You must have chugged past me at some point..

Casp'

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Ooo. Now you mention it, yes. Twice infact! :lol:

 

I can agree about the needing more time do it. Another time will do it more leisurely, and I'll definately include the Monty, it had that 'come hither' call as we passed (in the rain!). It will have to wait for now though :unsure:

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You must have passed me twice; I was at bridge 3ish on Monday and had made it all the way to above Poveys lock when you came back last weekend. It was a windy week

 

 

The thing about the Llangollen is that it really needs more time so you can stop at varous places and walk a little bit away from the canal, but hirers often don't have time allowed for this and just whizz up and down.

The Monty is also well worth the detour.

You must have chugged past me at some point..

Casp'

 

You are so right. I saw some unexpected things on my wanders, i'll put pics up

 

I chugged past you on Friday Casp & left you a present

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Important lesson learnt - you cannot turn into the arm from the Grindley Brook direction without going past and winding. Unfortunately, you don't see the sign until too late, and you are committed to looking a fool infront of the onlookers :blush:

 

We did exactly the same!

 

Almost managed the left turn into the arm, reckon we'd have made it it we were a wee bit shorter than our 50'9".

 

Went back to look later..........there was a pole just short of the junction but no sign on top :huh:

 

SAM

Ryde

IOW

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