Llangollen Basin

With the tracking number sent from Australia, I only had to read out four digits before Paul pushed the parcel through the enquiry office window for me. He apologised again about not letting me have it yesterday, but I was grateful that he wouldn’t be giving away my Christmas and more importantly Birthday present to any Tom, Dick or Henrietta. This is the first office I’ve visited at this time of year where there hasn’t been a long queue waiting to pick up parcels, not one other person on three occasions, it’s felt like our own personal parcel service.

A check next door at Stans for anything else, one small packet today, the bumper parcel from my brother hadn’t arrived yet.

I took the opportunity of not having Mick with me to have a wander around the tourist tat shops, but that was exactly what they were. Not one thing either useful or beautiful in there worth buying, though that wasn’t stopping other people.

Back at Oleanna I had a forage for greenery. Around the bin store was some very suitable ivy, long trailing bits and then a holly tree had new growth with few spiky bits. Our garden shears did the chopping and I came back to the boat with a couple of bags full to make a wreath. Watkins and Williams had sold me some waterproof cloth tape which I used  to bind the lengths together to get a good base. Then I joined these round into a circle and added more pieces to fill it out. Most shop bought wreaths would have looked a bit small on our cratch, mine is about 2ft diameter and a bit flamboyant, but what would you expect from a Theatre Designer. Many hours of my professional life have been spent fixing fake ivy onto scenery, so it’s nice to be able to use the real thing and it have cost just about nothing.

A message this evening came through from Richard on NB Mountbatten (the coal boat). Mick had let him know that we wouldn’t be able to make it out to Trevor today and nobody else had made the journey, preferring to keep their space and get coal delivered  from town. Richard said he would come to the basin by van should anybody want anything. If we’d known he’d be doing this we’d have waited to get coal from him, we have however ordered some diesel to top up our tank. Come the new year he will mostly be doing deliveries by van around the stoppages, so we shall have to be around certain places to be able to meet up with him.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 parcels, 4.5m waterproof tape, £1.85 for a giant wreath, 1 clean fridge, 2.5 stool covers completed, 1 knitted waistcoat top to make, 200gms  wool on order, 1 tree full of bite sized tasty neighbours.

Llangollen Basin

Today we had a better look around some of the shops. Tilly has a favourite wet food of the pink variety in gravy, this is proving to be a rare thing in Wales along with a few other bits and bobs. So we walked to the Co-Op to see if they would help fill the gaps, they had gluten free bread at nearly a pound cheaper than the wholefood shop, but that was the only thing to cross of the list, so maybe not worth the walk. We bought a loaf for the freezer and it will do nicely for stuffing and bread sauce next week.

Stan’s was checked out next, here they do a meat version of pink cat food (other cat foods are available in abundance) in gravy which Tilly will have to cope with, at least half the box is the same as her preferred box! In the cleaning section we spotted tubs of Pink Stuff, which should be in every boaters stocking. The Post Office is in Stan’s but I decided to leave asking if anything had arrived for us as we are due our next known parcel there tomorrow, so instead we headed to the Enquiry Office next door.

My bestest friend Emma in Australia had ordered something from Amazon which was due to be delivered yesterday, it hadn’t arrived then (or so we thought!) so today it was worth checking. We climbed the steps, rang the bell at the counter and waited. The same cheery face greeted us that we’d seen yesterday. One parcel I’d ordered had arrived by Hermes (not taken by the PO), it had however been signed for but no-one could find it originally. It turned out that my Post Restante had all been beavered away in a high up cupboard in Stan’s that only one member of staff knew about. This chap, Paul, asked f we’d managed to find it as he’d had a check through his parcels too. Today we were only expecting one parcel, from Emma. I showed my driving license, but no nothing here, ‘Sorry’.

Paul then went through the few parcels under the counter that had come from Amazon and read out who they were for. ‘Bevan’, ‘Jones’, ‘Snowden’, ‘Rhydderch’. Hang on did he just say Snowden? Would that be Emma Snowden? Well yes it was. We all agreed that this parcel was almost certainly for me, maybe Emma was planning a trip over from Australia to deliver it herself. Or somehow she’d forgotten to put my name on the address. Some form of proof was needed for Paul to be able to hand it over to me. He went off to scan the bar code to see if it came up with her home address, which I could tell him, sadly this didn’t work. If I could get the tracking number then he’d happily hand it over. But despite a text and a messenger, Emma was sound asleep in the southern hemisphere. It would have to wait for tomorrow, at least nobody else would be able to pick it up!

Another couple of pet shops were checked for pink food, but none came up trumps. Everyone was very helpful, if we called before Friday Carol would get us some in next week. Tilly will be making do with what we can get and certainly not moving onto the more expensive foods that Houdini was allowed in her last few months! Porters deli came up trumps with a few bits we’d not managed to find elsewhere, so I can do my usual stuffing and a slightly healthier version of bread sauce. The array of cheeses was vast, we’ll definitely be returning later this week for a few bits of Christmas treat cheese.

Two pairs of glasses were mended whilst we waited at the opticians at no cost. A very productive trip into town, apart from the parcel!

Back at the basin more boats have arrived. Tilly spent much of the afternoon running around like a loon and declaring the basin hers. Mick got on with adding to our Christmas lights. The new set nearly do down both sides of the roof and the shorter set are now wound around inside the pram cover. Oleanna most definitely has the best lights in the basin. Tomorrow I’ll see if I can make us a wreath for the cratch window as the huge expanse of glass is crying out for one. I think I’ve spotted just what I need along the track behind the basin.

Mick also spent a bit of time today playing with our TV aerial. Moving it along the cabin roof, gently twisting it’s orientation and we now have some TV. ITV is good, BBC not quite so, but we may be able to watch Dr Who on Christmas Day, fingers crossed.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 more boats, 0 parcels, 0 pink poultry food, 20m lights added, 1 cheese shortlist, 1 parcel wrapped, 2 pairs of glasses, 1 Paul, 1 Carol, 2 boaters feeling like locals, 1 tracking code, 1 basin claimed from the woofers!

Llangollen Basin

Mick had a trip to Wrexham whilst I beavered away doing secret things yesterday and Tilly well she just spent the day being outside. This outside is quite good. There are trees, plenty of friendly cover and just out of sight from the boats there are bouncing friends! I’ve been warned not to use this outside all up too quickly as they won’t be changing it for a while.

On Monday morning our nearest neighbours moved off, a chap who’d turned up on Sunday quickly moved over into one of their spaces so he could plug in and yesterday afternoon NB Mariah arrived, we’d been neighbours at the start of the snow in Ellesmere, they were soon kept company by a hire boat joining them on the far side.

This morning we were woken by an engine being turned on, before 8am. This did mean we got to enjoy the stunning sunrise. Here running your engine is limited to between 8am and 6pm, this must have been part of the planning stipulations when they built the basin as several houses overlook it. The next boat along despite looking like your average narrowboat has a C&RT number and this was the one with it’s engine running! Two chaps with life jackets took their time before the boat finally moved off. They were soon followed by another. So all our original neighbours had gone.

We considered moving into a corner, so that Tilly could come and go from stern and bow, but our current position meant we could access the yellow water tank easier.

Two trips into town for us today, first to collect parcels, the second for some food from Aldi. We walked along the river footpath, a very pleasant walk. The store is almost opposite the basin, but there is just the small matter of crossing the canal, railway and river to get there, so the walk is quite a lengthy one. A new bridge wouldn’t go amiss for boaters. We’ll be taking a bike with us to act as a mule later in the week. A set of new Christmas lights was purchased, the ones we have are fine on the cratch, but don’t quite do the job on the roof. Now we may have more than enough lights.

When we returned there were another two boats winding and mooring up. The corner near us was getting quite busy, especially with dogs. We quickly decided to change our mooring so as to be able to keep some distance between dogs and Tilly, not sure who’d be worse off if there was a confrontation! A quick chat to the new boats explaining why we were moving was in order, so that we could reassure them that they didn’t smell.

So we pulled out and nudged up to where we’d originally planned to moor. Now we can get on and off the boat at both ends. TV reception hasn’t improved, we are gradually working our way through recorded programmes. I suspect by the time we leave our PVR will be almost empty.

Whilst we’d been in town our coal delivery had arrived. Five 25kg bags of coal had been added to the roof and a new red gas bottle sat in the well deck. We’d hoped to have been in when they came so as to give them the empty gas bottle, but that was still in the locker. Gas bottles have a deposit paid on them when you first  buy them, then when you buy a new bottle you swap it for an empty one, the deposit moving onto the new bottle. So now we have four bottles, where to put the fourth the gas locker will only hold three?!

Mick spent much of the afternoon moving coal bags around and gas bottles. When we first got a third bottle the new full one went in at the top of the triangle in the locker. This has to be moved to get at the other two bottles, meaning that to get rid of an empty bottle a full one would have to be lifted out of the locker and then swapped with an empty one. Anybody who has moved a full 13kg bottle knows how heavy they are. So after a bit of thought Mick has changed over how the bottles will work in the locker.

The three bottles sit in a triangle. The top one (A) will now be connected to supply the boat along with the right hand one (C for connected). The third (B for backup). A will be used first and foremost, when it runs out C will then be turned on until we have a new A, the supply will return to A. This means that on average use only one bottle will need to be lifted in and out of the locker, A. C will every now and then need replacing but B should only come into play should we be iced in somewhere away from gas supplies. This all makes sense to us. But right now we have a forth empty bottle getting in the way. The shop may want it back, or we may have just gained  means of getting a deposit returned, except it isn’t a Calor Gas Bottle! After consulting with Brian from NB Alton, we now know we can’t swap it for a Calor Gas bottle, oh well.

So they think they fooled me, but they only moved the outside  that was just outside the boat. The rest was exactly the same! It’s a big shame she won’t let me bring friends home, she squealed with joy when I brought a bouncing one back a year or so ago. I so hope she doesn’t get bored here, or worse go beyond being bored and venture further afield than normal.

0 locks, 4 pontoons away, 5 boats gone, 6 boats arrived, 125kgs coal, 13kg gas, 0 phone call, 400 LEDs, 5 parcels, 1 envelope, 1 outside (they are not fooling me!), 3 bouncing friends, 0 pine nuts, 11 perfectly cooked chestnuts in the ash pan, 1 exploded chestnut in the ash pan!

Llangollen Basin

It must have been the canal basins Christmas do last night. The comedian was obviously very funny as all the Mallards were splitting their sides well into the early hours.

As we had breakfast Tilly set off to explore the basin surroundings, it being a wet morning she was well in her element. Only I can get through my flap.

Mick headed into town for a couple of things and I stayed in the warm. Our Alde boiler has now been programmed to come on first thing, no need to patter across a chilly floor to press the on button. Being plugged into the electric has it’s advantages, our boiler can work off electric as well as gas. So whilst we are here the central heating will be working during the day and we’ll only light the stove on an evening for extra cosiness and atmosphere. This also has an extra advantage, we can get the chimney swept and give the stove a good clear out.

Whilst out Mick had been into Watkin and Williams to see if they might be able to deliver us some coal and gas before Christmas. NB Mountbatten is currently on a coal run, but they doubted that they’d be able to make it right to the basin this time. Too much weight on board to get through the narrows most probably. With stoppages starting soon after New Year we’re not sure what NB Mountbatten is planning on doing, so we thought it best to stock up rather than run out a week into the new year. Mick was told to phone in the morning but there shouldn’t be a problem with a delivery.

It was now time to start making Oleanna Christmassy. Mick set about putting lights around the outside of the cratch, but ran out of time to do the stern whilst it was still light outside. Indoors I dismantled the top shelf of one of the cupboards so as to get the Christmas hamper out. The hamper was a present from Finesse when we moved on board, all the contents have long since been consumed, but the wicker basket has become our Christmas hamper, full of stockings and decorations.

My 3D patchwork stars came out along with thin tinsel and baubles. Ikea the other week had provided us with a few more decorations so that the bearded elves could go in the bin (Tilly had done her best to give them all afro beards last year!).

With the tree brought inside I could start to decorate it. I bought it back in Newark 2015 from the market. It has been repotted once since then and seems to like life in the cratch. Just a shame it has developed a bit of a list despite being turned every other week. A few more decorations and lights to go up and Oleanna will be ready for her first Christmas.

They really think I’m stupid, having to light up our boat to guide me home! But there are lots of extra toys to play with inside now, all shiney and they make a great noise as they hit the floor.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hamper, 20 new bulbs, 23 new baubles, 5 elves in the bin, 9 3D stars, 2 reindeer, 3 candy canes, 1 exhausted cat, 0 TV, send more gigabits for Christmas.

Sun Trevor Bridge to Llangollen Basin

Not the quietest mooring here, but only a couple of cars woke us during the night as they sped past. The canal was just as busy this morning as we had our breakfast, a group of canoeists arrived and set off paddling from in front of our bow. We hoped that this would be all the traffic we’d see today.

The last two miles into Llangollen has several stretches of very narrow canal, some only as wide as a narrow lock. One stretch has passing places, handy for when you meet the trip boat coming the other way (from past experience we were the ones who had to get out of the way!). So I walked on ahead with walkie talkie and phone in my pocket. Unfortunately the walkie talkie had very little battery and ran out just before I got out of view from Oleanna, so we would have to hope our phones would work should they need too.

A nice lady walking her dogs offered me a lift in her car into Llan, which I turned down, ‘Better stay with the boat, but thank you’.

I walked steadily ahead and soon lost sight of Oleanna who was following slowly behind. The shallowness and narrowness along with the flow made it very slow going. The faster the throttle the lower the stern goes, the less water there is to help move you along, so counter productive. Gliding along in neutral works until the flow impedes your progress. So all you can do is take it steady and be patient as snails overtake you.

The canal clings onto the side of the valley for these last two miles as snow topped hills start to surround you. All very pretty. Llan had so much snow last weekend that it was cut off for a while, but the rescent rain has washed most of the white stuff away now. Haunting choochoo noises were echoing along the valley from Llangollen Railway all very atmospheric.

When we reached the on line moorings I hopped back on board, there only being one more stretch of narrows. There was space amongst the Winter Moorings should there be nowhere for us at the basin. We were surprised that the trip boat was ready to head off and as we approached the turn into the basin we could see the bow of NB Yarwood pulling out. If we’d have taken more time over our cereal we’d have met both of them!

Entering the basin there were four boats already moored up. The space where NB Yarwood had been was free, but two boats nearby were hooked up to the post. We headed into a gap, leaving space either side of us and the other boats. This was pot luck as to whether we’d have power, but a little red light gave us hope.

Out of character for us once we’d plugged in the washing machine didn’t go on! In fact it waited for us to have lunch, head into town to relieve the Post Office of any parcels that had arrived and have a look round. Newspaper bought, three parcels collected, wholefood and other shops checked out we headed back to the boat to put the first load on. We plan on being here for quite a while, so there is no rush.

The River Dee was gushing along, it is normally quite lively but with the added snow melt it was quite aggressive today. The railway was busy, Santa specials were going up and down the valley packed with kids each one leaving with a present in hand from the man in red.

Back at the peace and quiet of the basin Tilly was allowed out to explore just as the heavens opened. This made it all especially good. They were worried that I’d not know my boat with it just pointing at the land. They are stupid, of course I knew which was home! Just someone had removed the towpath from most of the side. Good job we have the cat walk so that I could get to the back to let them know I was home in the dark. We’d left a door into the semi trad open as I knew she’d insist on returning to the stern as she usually does despite being told to use the bow!

2.03 miles, 3 narrow bits, 1 very slow cruise, 1 lift bridge open, 1 right, 1 mooring with power, 1 Alde Boiler on, 1 load washing, 1 dishwasher load, 3 parcels, 1 newspaper, 1 happy wet cat.

Irish Bridge to Sun Trevor Bridge 41W

This morning I caught a bus back to Ellesmere. This wasn’t quite as easy as it should have been. With one bus heading to Oswestry an hour you then have a choice of two buses to take you on to Ellesmere. One with a connection of 9 minutes the other getting on for 45! On a chilly day the less time spent waiting for buses the better, only problem was the first bus was running late! All the passengers knew each other as the driver did his best to catch up on time, speeding round bends and standing on the breaks when needed. One chap didn’t seem too impressed with the driver or having to stop to pick up more passengers, some of the words he was mumbling under his breath I haven’t heard for a very long time.

Still running late I decided to hop off at St Martins opting for the longer wait, but at least I wouldn’t miss it. Then Google decided that I had just missed my connection and there was getting on for a hour wait! But doing things the old fashioned way, looking at the time table on the bus stop, I discovered the bus service was every half hour not hourly. But this bus was also late, at least the sun had come out and there was a bench to sit on.

The bus driver kindly stopped outside the Post Office, meaning I had only three paces to get inside and collect my Post Restante . Mission accomplished, well apart from catching the return bus. A strong pull made me cross the road in Ellesmere and somehow a large piece of Shropshire Blue topped pork pie managed to make it’s way into my bag.

Luckily for me the speedy bus driver seemed to have an identical twin brother who transported me back to St Martins at a more legal speed. Due to the buses now running late my connection was a short one. Sat in the same seat was the swearing man. This time he seemed more disturbed by vans parked on pavements and workmen, they obviously deserved the original name for Scope shops! An eventful journey for all of 20 minutes in Ellesmere.

After we’d enjoyed half of the pork pie for lunch we decided to fill with water and find a mooring. Not far, just edging our way along. Slowing to get a photo of our first glimpse of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct we seemed to pick up something around the prop. Mick tried his best to encourage it to drop off by going into reverse, but this didn’t work. As we slowed for the lift bridge whatever it was could be heard catching as the prop rotated, this was going to involve getting a very cold arm. Once we’d spotted the water point and started to fill the tank Mick got the prop mate and long gloves out. A length of black rope came out of the water first, but would come no more, leaning down to try to extricate the obstruction it decided to drop off the prop. It most probably was a rubber fender, sorry if someone picks it up again at the water point.

We could have moored on spikes here, but another two boats were here and there wasn’t much space, so only one thing for it, time to cross the OTHER aqueduct.

Unfortunately the sun wasn’t out for our crossing, but it wasn’t windy. I did my best to distract myself by taking as many photos as possible, the ones I really wanted impossible for this photographer to take, but I got a few. 126ft high the Pontywhatsit Aqueduct crosses above the River Dee and it’s valley. Towpath to one side (no mesh on these) and four inches of the side of the trough to the other.

Some people say it is like flying, I have other words for it which I won’t share with you. Mick absolutely loved our crossing and the flow of the water wasn’t as bad as when we crossed on NB Winding Down.

Strangely enough I refrained from standing like Julia Bradbury did on the gunnel right over the 126ft drop. I opted for right in the centre of the semi trad deck.

Arriving at Trevor access to the basin was only a boats width as all the hire boats were tucked up for winter, so we turned left and carried on towards Llangollen hoping we’d be able to find a mooring before long as the sunlight was fading fast. Through the narrow 200m we managed to remind ourselves of the Lancaster canal, still a long way out from the side we managed to get grounded. A bit further on and an opportunity to moor showed itself, but Oleanna just wouldn’t come into the side. A chap passing said we should try a short distance further on by a bench where the views were even better. But sadly here we were on a list, so we pressed on. Tunnel light on and torch in hand looking for rings as we went. Most of this stretch of the canal clings onto the side of the valley, the sides are concrete so very few chances to bang a spike in.

As we approached bridge 41W we could see another boat moored, so we pulled up and tied on the rings despite the close proximity of a road on the off side. Both frozen we retired inside to warm up and enjoy a very good Steak and Kidney pie that we’d got in Chirk. A worthy reward for a chilly high flying day.

0 locks, 3.47 miles, 2.8 miles further than planned, 1 lift bridge, 3 hours of playing, 4 buses, 3 late, 4 buttons, 4 buckles, 1/4 of the BEST pork pie (so far), 112 years old, 18 arches, 126ft high, 336yrds long, 4 yards wide, 7 minutes of queasiness, 1 left, 3rd attempt at mooring, 1 noisy night ahead, 2 jackets, 1/2 steak and kidney pie each, 2 full, warm boaters.

Chirk Aqueduct to Irish Bridge 27W

Once all the siblings presents were wrapped up, the Christmas cards addressed, Mick walked up to the Post Office to send everything on it’s way. Despite needing to return to Ellesmere for a Post Restante parcel we decided to move further on to find a suitable spot for Tilly to be able to go out.

Much of the snow has now melted or been washed away by rain overnight just leaving ice where the snow had been compacted. Tilly was eager to get out and sort out whatever it was moving under the ice by the boat and the cheeky Robin sat on the bench taunting her. If we stayed put there wouldn’t be much left of the curtains so after lunch we prepared to push off.

Of course just as we were ready to untie a light appeared at the far end of the tunnel. Luckily the boat was coming with the flow of water so didn’t take too long to clear and allow us through. Our progress however was very slow. First entering the tunnel the stern gets pulled across to port, this obviously happens to most people evident by the markings on the tunnel entrance. Then Oleanna had to fight her way through against the flow of water. This means you almost crab through, maybe I should have waited to touch up the gunnels! Slowing right down didn’t work and speeding up did nothing either, so we just steadily worked our way at snails pace through the long tunnel.

We made our way through the wooded cutting. Here had been an option to moor a couple of days ago. It would have been better for Tilly, but the amount of trees that had given up the fight against gravity over time was high, so we were glad we’d stayed put by the aqueduct. One particular tree sat on top of it’s stump in quite a dramatic way, it had luckily fallen away from the canal as it would have taken quite a bit of clearing.

On past Chirk Marina and through Whitehouse Tunnel where the progress was slow again. Then we started to look for a suitable mooring. We wanted to be close to the tunnel for access to buses, but ended up going about a half mile further before a mooring showed itself. The view across the valley with the sun low in the sky lighting up the viaduct was spectacular, sadly I didn’t manage to take a photo as the trees are too many.

We moored up and the doors were opened. For the first time in almost a week Tilly was happy to be outside. Our mooring had no snow by it, just huge ponies and pesky woofers to spoil my fun! Shortly after we moored up the heavens opened, more rain to carry on washing away the snow.

0 locks, 2.55 miles, 2 tunnels slowly, 5 siblings presents on their way, 29 cards posted, 1 hour on and off shore leave, 0 friends, 1 cat in box, 1 clean pooh bucket, 3 pairs socks sold, 0 TV. 

Chirk

We’ve spent the last couple of days doing festive jobs.

First I needed to post a couple of parcels. Mick needed to pick one up, which off course hadn’t arrived when he traipsed all the way across Chirk to the pick up point, of course it arrived a couple of hours later. Being in town gave us the excuse to sample the local pork pie and mince pies. They were good, but still nothing comes close to the Shropshire blue topped pie from Ellesmere.

Next major job was to select which photo we would use for our Christmas card this year. In past years I’ve spent hours short listing images from the thousands I take. This year the job was very much easier. Main criteria were Oleanna and snow, so I only had to sift my way through the last few days for the short list. We then very quickly agreed on which photo it was to be. I then spent much of the rest of yesterday printing out the ones that get posted and designing the email version. This never is as easy as it should be, something always goes wrong and this time was no exception.

The chap behind us moved off in the morning so we pulled back into his space. Mick went to check the snow and railings on the aqueduct for CHASC, sadly for Tilly our mooring has been classed as not suitable for cats. She wouldn’t be able to fall between the gaps in the railings due to mesh, but should she try to jump up onto the handrail she is likely to continue the journey I started when 16! So whilst we are here her shore leave has been cancelled, she wouldn’t like it anyway as we still have plenty of snow. Just wish the Robin would stop taunting her though.

The logs have been stowed, roof cleared of all remaining snow and we seem to have lost our list to port. We think it must have been a combination of things including snow drifting up the side of the boat pushing us away from the towpath. The yellow water tank was emptied into our 23 litre container. This of course would make an awful lot of yellow snow under the hedges! Mick was going to dispose of it after dark, hopefully not off the centre of the aqueduct!

Today we’ve had a shopping trip into Chester. Chirk station is unmanned and was really rather treacherous this morning. Compacted snow still lay on the bridge and steps to the platforms and the rain was making everything even slippier. People were clinging on for dear life to anything that came to hand. Our journey took us across to Wrexham where the snow seemed to disappear and by the time we reached Chester it made us wonder whether they’d had any at all.

Here we went our separate ways to do secret shopping. Not knowing Chester that well it was a case of wandering around to see what was on offer. I found several interesting shops I’d not come across before and returned to the station with only one present absent. Not sure Mick was quite so successful, his bags didn’t look full enough to me!

Our decorations can wait for another day when we can be around to protect them from Tilly.

0 locks, 60ft backwards, 2 close to the aqueduct for cats, 1 savoy, 1 pie, 4 mincepies, 2 parcels, 35 cards, 1 computer frozen! 1 tasty looking Robin, 1 seriously bored cat, 2 trains, 1 wet day, 2 many things I wanted, 0 present for Tilly! 1 London cat appreciating the empty aroma filled box from The Port of Lancaster Smokehouse.

New Marton to Chirk Aqueduct

Today we woke to canal fret. A mist rolled along the canal as the heat of the sun caught the surface of the water. Today was going to be a stunning day.

Tilly was given ten minutes of shore leave, of which she used about four before deciding that the sofa in front of the stove was far more appealing than being outside.

We swept the roof down and tried to clear the small icicles from the pram and cratch covers so as to be able to roll them up where needed. All the ropes were frozen and once dug out I performed the Shropshire Rope Trick with a centre line. Our rope fenders were also solid. NB Petula came past and was to be the only other boat moving today, at least he’d be in front of us if there was any ice breaking to do. So far we’ve not encountered any ice, due to the flow on the Llangollen, many other canals across the network have turned solid in the last few days, even the arm at Ellesmere was having a go last night.

The world today was just stunning, my perfect kind of day. Snow on the ground, the sun out and bright crisp blue skies, just gorgeous. The world so many shades of blue. My camera worked overtime stopping just short of 300 photos.

Every twist and turn gave us more stunning views, trees leaden down with tonnes of snow. Twinkling dust as we passed through avenues of trees. Fields stretching out covered with a layer of white icing the long shadows stretching right across them.

Just before Bridge 17W more trees were being trimmed and the chaps said that they’d just felled a dead Elm tree around the next corner. The chap from NB Petula was filling bags and loading them onto his bike, but there was still plenty there for the taking including smaller logs. A short distance on we pulled in at a visitor mooring, took our time to tie up and found ourselves several bags to fill with logs. Maybe Mick will have to have a Christmas present early.

Our aim today was to reach Chirk Bank where we’d be able to cross the valley into Chirk to collect some Christmas shopping. But the moorings here were dark under trees, the last place we wanted to be with the sun out. One thing for it, we’d cross the English Welsh Border today in the sun and see if we could moor up before the tunnel.

You approach Chirk aqueduct from the side and turn to cross it. The sun was low in the sky behind the viaduct which cast a  big shadow right across the trough. Plenty of people were walking across the 70ft high structure, a thing you will never get me to do. If we’d moored at Chirk Bank the most direct route to the shops would be across the aqueduct, but I would rather go by road down into the valley and then up again. Why miss out on such a wonderful walk? I have a fear of heights that stems from my first ever canal holiday when I was 16 on the Llangollen Canal.

My boyfriend had fallen into the canal between Llangollen and Trevor on our return journey. I had washed out his fleece and wanted to put it on the roof to dry at the front of the boat. For reasons I cannot remember I couldn’t pass through the boat to the bow so decided to step off and walk along the towpath. This coincided with our crossing of Chirk Aqueduct. I didn’t want to risk trapping my foot against the trough walking along the gunnel so decided to step off onto the towpath. Half a risk assessment done, shame I didn’t do the other half!

Chirk aqueduct has a towpath with a railing to one side and quite a wide edging without railings on the other (about 2ft 6). My memory is such that other people were on the none railing side (but this is most likely to have not been the case). So I stepped off the stern to trot up to the bow to get back on again. However I caught a foot on the edge of the trough and fell. Not flat on my face as there was nothing for my face to hit! From about waist upwards my body was hanging over the side of the aqueduct, above the trees below. I managed to stand back up ran to the bow laid out James’ fleece and went inside where Margaret rightly shouted at me.

So aqueducts are not my favourite things. Mick loves them.

But being official photographer I stayed put in the centre of Oleanna’s semi trad taking photos and feeling slightly queasy.

We pulled in and moored up just before the tunnel. In the summer we wouldn’t stop here as we’d be very much in the way for the number of boats waiting to cross the aqueduct and go through the tunnel, but today we pulled up close to NB Petula, leaving enough space for boats to come and go through the tunnel, none did.

0 locks, 3.26 miles, 2 countries, 1 aqueduct, 4 bags of logs, 283 photos, 1 gloriously stunning day.

New Marton

Have we been abducted? Taken to a white planet far from our canal world. Where ever this outside is, it’s bloomin cold!

Tilly is not happy. We have found the one weather she really doesn’t like.

Overnight Oleanna had been covered on the starboard side with a layer of snow. The roof wasn’t as deep as on Friday, the snow was of a finer grade, far less fluffy. Yet for much of today it kept coming.

What was the one thing we both thought about yesterday, but didn’t mention, but should have? Yesterday, when the bow was clear we should have changed over to a new bottle of gas, this doesn’t take much to do, but does involve standing on the bow, which was now covered again in snow. The bottle lasted long enough to boil the kettle for a cuppa in bed and luckily ran out when we were up and dressed. Valiantly Mick put layers on, swept the bow and carefully balanced to change from one bottle to another. Glad we’ve got a third bottle in there, but that will take a bit more effort to connect. Anti slip on the bow and locker lids will be a priority when the weather gets warmer.

We had a short trudge up the towpath through what might be eight to ten inches of snow. The two boats ahead of us are obviously settled here. One sees the extra layer of snow very much as extra insulation, it is so covered it is hard to see. Wood was being chopped for fires and a dog was having a great time in the snow. It so wanted sticks throwing for it that it tried to bring us full blown branches at first until it found a suitable stick. This was a game that could have gone on forever as the stick was always returned close enough to pick up. But when we said we’d had enough the dogs ears dropped and it turned away to walk back to it’s boat.

In the last few days we seem to have developed a list to port. This is puzzling us and as we move around all the galley drawers open, which is very annoying. We’ve been through just about everything it could be. Too much coal on that side, the compost bucket being quite full, fridge being full, snow on the roof, are we sat on the bottom? Mick even pulled the fridge out to see if we had water in the bilges, but all down there was dry. We don’t understand it.

Much of the day we’ve stayed indoors. I started on the cushion tops for our stools. When in Hanley I bought squares of one inch foam which today I have finally cut into circles for the tops. The duvet covers I’d bought months ago have been ripped into lengths and I’ve started to crochet a top. My hope is that the top will hold the foam in place. I nearly got one large enough to cover the foam. Tomorrow I’ll try fitting it on the stool and work a draw string into it with the hope that this will hold everything in place, but be removable for washing.

The forecast for the next few days is very cold. –12C or even –15C at night. We are hoping that the flow on the canal will mean that it won’t freeze. Back in 2010 it froze at Trevor. If we can move safely tomorrow we’ll move up to Chirk so as not to be in the middle of nowhere.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 more inches of snow, 1 empty gas bottle, 3 attempts at going ashore, 4 freezing cold paws, 3 days between showers just in case, 1 puzzled mole, 3 circles, 1 single cover in strips, 3 days of stew on the stove top.