To Langollen

[john6767]

This is our main trip this summer, which will take place basically in 3 parts. The ultimate destination being Llangollen. We have done the Llangollen canal in a hire boat before, but this will be the first time on our own boat. We hope to meet up with relatives who live near Llangollen and take them for a trip over the aqueduct. We decided on Llangollen earlier in the year largely because of the expected issues with water shortage in the Midlands, how a few months can change things, but we decided to stick with the plan.

 

The first stage of the trip is to Swanley Marina, where we will leave the boat for 3 weeks, then spend 11 days going to Llangollen and back to Swanley with hopefully a side trip on the Montgomery. The final part will be from Swanley back to our home marina at Calcutt, arriving back on August Bank Holiday Monday.

 

Saturday 7 July

 

We actually left Calcutt some 6 weeks ago, when we started the move to Birmingham for the BCN Challenge on the Jubilee weekend. Since the Challenge the boat has been around the Lapworth area, so our son dropped me off at the boat for me to move it the hour or so to Dickens Heath where we live so that we can load it up. The canal round Dickens Heath is my usual dog walking area, so it is always nice to be there on the boat, and there were quite a few boats moored there this morning.

 

<Blatant plug> Dickens Heath always seems to get bad press from people who don't like modern developments, and certainly as you approach from the South the large apartment blocks facing the canal are not to everyone's taste. The centre is about 5 mins walk from this point, and has a reasonable range of shops, a couple of bars and restaurants (but don't expect cheap, this is Solihull). For most people this is the last point you want to stop before the centre of Birmingham, and you could do worse! </Blatant Plug>

 

We spend the next hour or so by bridge 11 loading up with a huge amount of food and beer, how long are we going for!

 

About 11:30 we move off following 2 boats that have just passed us. We stop as one of the boats turns round, and then just before Shirley Drawbridge the other boat moors up. So on our own now we stop the traffic (always satisfying) and go through the drawbridge. The rest of the way up the North Stratford is a straight run in a mix of sun and heavy showers, and we are soon at Kings Norton. I quite like the urban run up the Worcester & Birmingham, and it is good going. We arrive at Salvage turn in about 3 ½ hours from leaving Dickens Heath.

 

At this point we are undecided about stopping in the centre of Birmingham or not, we had stopped here a month ago anyway. The moorings are rather full so we decide to carry on and the sun is shining as we motor out on the New Main Line. The tail end "runners" of the Birmingham and Black Country Half Marathon (along the main line from Wolverhampton to Birmingham) are approaching and one of them caught my eye; a rather large gentleman who was smoking as he walked the last half mile. Perhaps not the image the organisers would want to portray!

 

It is now gone 3 on a Saturday afternoon, so would be about 7 by the time we got to the Black Country Museum (our planned overnight stop),so we decide to revisit one of our BCN Challenge destinations, and use the visitor mooring at the end of the Engine Arm.

Edited July 8, 2012 by john6767

[Alan de Enfield]

Saturday 7 June

 

We actually left Calcutt some 6 weeks ago,.............

 

 

So - did you make the trip to the Llangollen and get home within the last month ?

Edited July 8, 2012 by Alan de Enfield

[john6767]

Nope, we started on this trip yesterday, but we left the marina 6 weeks ago for the BCN Challenge, and have had the boat near home until this trip, as it was not worth 43 locks and a weekend each way to go back to the marina.

[Alan de Enfield]

Nope, we started on this trip yesterday, but we left the marina 6 weeks ago for the BCN Challenge, and have had the boat near home until this trip, as it was not worth 43 locks and a weekend each way to go back to the marina.

 

 

Sorry - just trying to be 'clever' and it didnt work !!!

 

Your trip report is dated 7th June (yesterday was 7th July)

[john6767]

That was true! Thanks for that

[Argey_bargey]

How u getting on then?

 

How u getting on then?

[Ange]

I'm wondering if we'll pass at some point. We're on the Llangollen at Ellesmere at the moment - expecting to do the Ponty wotsit tomorrow. The rest is quite vague but we're planning to go into Llangollen and then on our return head up the Montgomery. We've got Frankton pencilled in for the 19th as we need to visit Kent for a few days in between. It'd be great if we could meet up - we definitely owe you a beer!

 

Like you we last visited the Llangollen on a hire boat - it's been great visiting on our own boat without the time constraints of a hire holiday.

[john6767]

Ange, because of work the trip is being broken up, and this week will take us just to Swanley Marina, where the boat gets left. The trip from there to Llangollen and back will be 2nd to 12th August, so I expect you will be long gone by then?

[john6767]

Sunday 8 July

 

Not much boating today. I took the dog for what turned out a rather long walk through the Galton valley on both the Old and New Main Lines. We eventually left the Engine Arm moorings at 1PM, with the destination of the Black Country Museum.

 

So a quick trip around the Old Mail Line and no locks then? Why do it the simple way, I like the New Main Line, so we went back down Smethwick locks onto the New Main Line. We did not see a single boat until one appeared out of the Netherton Tunnel Branch ahead of us. Around this point the canal started to have a lot of floating weed, and large pieces to plant root. This started to get quite bad and by the time we got to the bottom of Factory Locks it was hard going keeping the prop clear.

 

A boat was just coming out of the bottom lock and they tell us that the pound below the top lock is empty, a hire boat had been stuck and did not know what to do as these were their first locks. That seemed strange, but makes sense now. It is the boat from Alvechurch which is moored opposite us at the Black Country Museum now, and of course Factory Locks are the first ones you get to from there!

 

The second lock, is leaking from the top gate very badly, which looks like the issue, and sure enough the pound above is just mud. We manage to get "up" the lock, although we are perhaps 3 feet lower then we should be, so we run water down. The reason for the problem is clear, it is all the plant roots that are covering the water, and they are getting between the gate and the seal

 

Above the top lock are the dredging boats, and as we approach the Black Country Museum the canal has had all the reeds cleared from it, so that is all very positive, but is it not possible to prevent so much weed and root material floating off, and in this case causing issues with the locks.

Edited July 9, 2012 by john6767

[Ange]

Ange, because of work the trip is being broken up, and this week will take us just to Swanley Marina, where the boat gets left. The trip from there to Llangollen and back will be 2nd to 12th August, so I expect you will be long gone by then?

 

You never know! The only plans we have beyond next week's visit to the Montgomery is to be in Birmingham for a friend's wedding mid-August. Keep us posted on your travels and our paths may cross at some point early in August

[john6767]

Monday 9 July

 

A lazy start from the Black Country Museum, we were last of the visiting boats to leave. Two nights with excellent CART (trying to get used to that!) services on hand has spoiled us.

 

Back round to Factory Junction, and the Main Line to Wolverhampton, the floating weed soon left behind much to my relief. Weather is quite good, and before too long we arrive at Wolverhampton top lock. The incident the previous night at the nightclub means there are many police and much of the area is cordoned off, but no effect on passage through the canal.

 

Time to take a deep breath and off we go. Ahead of us is a boat that left the Black Country Museum before us, so we start off with all the locks against us, but at least they are close together to start with. About 6 locks down and we start to meet boats coming up, so we get a mix of for and against the rest of the way down.

 

Right at Aldersley Junction then left at Autherley Junction to join the Shropshire Union. An ice cream from the shop at the boat yard as a reward for all the hard work. This is new territory, and it is nice to be leaving the built up areas behind.

 

We were not going to go far, but actually end up at Wheaton Aston, a combination of cuttings and the concrete edge, making suitable stopping places rarer than normal, we shall have to watch out for that.

Edited July 11, 2012 by john6767

[Victor Vectis]

Around this point the canal started to have a lot of floating weed, and large pieces to plant root. This started to get quite bad and by the time we got to the bottom of Factory Locks it was hard going keeping the prop clear.

 

BWs ATTEMPT TO CAMOUFLAGE LOCK FAILS TO DISCOURAGE THE INTREPID BOATER

 

 

 

Was it anything like this? Ryders Green Top Lock on the monday following the BCN Challenge.

 

All being well we'll be heading north through Factory Locks on Red Wharf the weekend after next. With any luck the weed might have gone by then.

 

Thanks for the reports John, interesting reading. Keep 'em coming.

 

If you see the people in Marbury Lock Cottage as you pass through can you give them our regards? They were the previous owners of RW.

 

SAM

Ryde

IOW

[john6767]

Sam,

Not like that, but that's not good! This is the chopped up roots of the reeds. In thinking about it more, as you do, and I can't see why it would not be possible to remove much of this with a week cutter, like the one that was moored on the Walsall arm.

 

I did not get a good picture of it, this is the best that I have

 

 

[john6767]

Tuesday 10 July

 

Not at lot to say, we did not move, and are as I write this on Wednesday morning we are still at Wheaton Aston.

 

Annoyance for the day was that contractors cut the towpath grass in the morning, and in strimming they covered the side of our boat and all the others moored here with grass cuttings. I was not best pleased, and a strong email was sent to CART

 

The rest of the day was composed of taking the dog for a walk, got very wet and dog came back a very grey colour, and watching TV/DVD etc. We even ended up putting the central heating on, as it was feeling very damp, some summer.

 

Unfortunately Wheaton Aston does not offer much, and the pub does not allow dogs in. So the find of the day was the Indian restaurant on the A5 (www.cafeindiarestaurant.com) that does take-away deliveries. They were not phased at all by us being on a boat and 30 mins after ordering we had our hands on our treat for the day.

 

Here's hoping for a better day today (Wednesday).....

 

 

[john6767]

Wednesday 11 July

 

Much better weather today. Left Wheaton Aston at around 10, it was overcast and raining a bit, but soon cleared, and other than a few sharp showers as been quite a nice day.

 

I have to say the Shropshire Union is not really doing it for me, a bit boring much like the Tame Valley Canal (but minus the mattresses), not surprising I guess as they were both built as "bypasses". For anyone that does not know it, do not believe the stuff in Nicholson's about the embankments giving good views. The canal is mostly tree lined even on embankments. You may be 30 feet or so above the surrounding land, but you cannot tell that from the canal. Perhaps winter is would be a better time to visit.

 

Stopped at Gnosall at lunch time. There are a number of food shops for supplies here, and we had lunch in the Boat Inn (dogs accepted). I would certainly recommend the Boat Inn for food, although perhaps better suited to an evening rather than lunch, they do 2 courses for £8.99, and the portions are huge. Felt like just having a sleep in the afternoon, but we moved on.

 

Past long lines of permanent moorings, and eventually to Shebdon embankment where we stop for the night, "above" the Wharf Inn. We have a drink in the Wharf Inn, which is nothing special, and only open in the evenings. When we left at 9 we were the last there. Back at the boat it is a glorious evening, so we finish off a bottle of wine while the dog races up and down the towpath.

[dor]

I have to say the Shropshire Union is not really doing it for me,

 

Don't worry, the best bit is to come! North of Shebdon it gets much better, though there are still some fairly lengthy straights until you get to Nantwich.

 

If you have time, the Hack Green Nuclear Bunker is worth a visit. Good visitor moorings above the locks (bad shroppie shelf below!).

[Argey_bargey]

I live the Shroppie once u get to tryley locks you got Market Drayton adderley locks then the Audlem flight just beautiful

[john6767]

Thursday 12 July

 

Very nice weather for a change, so we enjoy the peaceful surroundings and don't set off until late morning. Then a pleasant trip as far as the Wharf Tavern at Goldstone Wharf, where we stop to fill up with water (water point not marked in Nicholsons). The day boat from Norbury that had passed us at Shebdon is moored there, they had been lucky with the weather, and we resist the temptation to join them in the pub garden.

 

Then just a couple of miles to Tyrley locks, the first locks we have had for what seems a very long time. We use the services at the top of the locks, as an Anglo Welsh boat comes out of the top lock, it is that boat that we hired when we went to Llangollen before we had our own boat. So straight into the top lock after them, then the next lock has leaked badly in the short time since the Anglo Welsh boat came up. There is another boat in the third lock, and it turns out quite a queue coming up, so we have a very easy ride from then on, and are through the locks in no time.

 

We enter Market Drayton and moor up before bridge 63. We have been to Market Drayton once before so we were not expecting much, but we do walk into the town. It possibly has improved a bit with fewer of the shops empty, but perhaps it is mostly charity shops that have occupied them, there is still have a very down at heal feel to the town.

 

It is about 4PM when we get back to the boat and the weather is still nice, so we decide to move on. As we are about to set off a familiar boat approaches, it is our neighbour from Calcutt Marina! We have decided that we will do down the Adderley locks to reduce the number of locks to do tomorrow. The weather has broken now, and it is starting to rain as we enter the top lock. All the locks are against us, and no one around so more work to do than Tyrley were.

 

We moor at the bottom of the locks, a very nice location, who's only fault is there is no internet access (on 3).

[john6767]

Don't worry, the best bit is to come! North of Shebdon it gets much better, though there are still some fairly lengthy straights until you get to Nantwich.

 

If you have time, the Hack Green Nuclear Bunker is worth a visit. Good visitor moorings above the locks (bad shroppie shelf below!).

 

 

I live the Shroppie once u get to tryley locks you got Market Drayton adderley locks then the Audlem flight just beautiful

 

I agree better, in the end we liked the mooring a Shebdon by the Wharf Inn, the sun shining helps a lot!

 

We have just come down Audlem and are moored at the bottom. Beautiful is probably not the description you would use today though, its a bit wet; but busy, so not too hard work. Those by-washes are fun with the amount of water coming down at the moment.

[john6767]

Friday 13 July

 

We were certainly unlucky with the weather today!

 

Today basically all we do is go down Audlem locks. It is less that 2 miles from where we moored to the top lock. With a boat ahead of us and quite a few coming up, some are for and some against. There is a lot of water going down the by-washes, many of which exit across the tail of the locks, making it impossible to come out of the lock without being pushed over.

 

We stop by the Shroppie Fly and use the services there, and then finish the last 3 locks before mooring below the bottom lock just past the winding hole.

 

Early evening we walk back up to the Shroppie Fly for something to eat. Reasonable food and again in huge quantities. The Timothy Taylor Landlord is very nice too. We leave about 8PM before the band arrive, the loud music from the jukebox was bad enough, I must be getting old! Weather has cleared up a bit, well it has stoped raining at least.

[dor]

We leave about 8PM before the band arrive, the loud music from the jukebox was bad enough

 

The volume of the music puts me off going there. Now I've done my time in very loud rock concerts and I'm not afraid of loud music, but the volume they play at in a small room just makes the whole thing unpleasant. Some of the bands are very good, but you need to be about 200 yards up the cut to appreciate them, otherwise it is just painful. I can't understand why they think that turning it up to 11 improves it.

[Tuscan]

A couple of Saturdays ago we had a very good night in there , old local band playing old rock classics , which after a couple of bottles of wine definitely improved towards the end Mrs T even was driven to have a bop with a couple of other boaters wives. Needless to say everything ached in the morning.

[john6767]

Saturday 14 July

 

Another day with not much boating. It is a nice morning and we don't do much really. The small trip boat is buzzing back and forth from Overwater Marina to the bottom lock, and lots of people out walking. At lunch time we walk up into Audlem, and very nice it is. Not as well equipped with shops as Gnosall, but there is a Co-op for the basics. Having explored we have just got back to the canal at the bridge by the Shroppie Fly when it starts to rain, there is nothing else for it, into the pub for a drink while the rain passes, it's a hard life. The pub is busy, and with no loud music is very pleasant.

 

Eventually back to the boat at about 4PM, and we make the decision to move a bit for a change of scene. We go as far as the picnic area just north of Overwater Marina. I have to as this a fantastic spot. It is a shame the evening is not a bit warmer or else we could have broken out a disposable bbq and used the facilities. I am starting to like this canal much more now!

[john6767]

Sunday 15 July

 

Phase 1 comes to an end. We leave the picnic area to the north of Overwater Marina at about 11 and then down the two Hack Green Locks. There is a queue of boats coming up, but lucky for us no queue going down. Nantwich is one long line of moored boats, probably a mile of them I would have thought, but once cleared its a quick run to Hurleston Junction. It is just boats going up at Hurleston, and we arrive just behind a hotel boat, but once we get into the bottom lock, it is simple going and we get help from the lock keeper, who is taking careful notes of the registration numbers of all the boats going up.

 

We have just 2 miles to do on the Llangollen as the boat is being left at Swanley Bridge Marina. They wanted us there by 3 and we are in plenty of time. It takes a while to sort out all the paperwork, electric cards, access cards etc, and eventually we move onto our pier for the next 3 weeks. We had phoned our son from Hurleston and told him to set off to pick us up, and he arrives shortly and we walk down to let him in. Then just a case of packing up what is coming home, fill up that water tank, empty the toilet (always my job). If feels strange to be leaving Firefly here, and I decide that I will probably have a trip up there one evening to check everything is OK.

 

So we are now back home in Solihull, family visits to do for the next 2 weekends and then resume the trip on the 2 August, so watch this space......

[Ange]

I've followed this thread with interest John as you've followed a route we passed through in the last few weeks. Thanks for keeping us updated and look forward to your trip resuming!