Monday 17th August

We left Ellesmere about 8.40 and started the journey back to Mercia Marina. We have the boat booked in at a couple of places for some work but we hope to be back in about 11/12 days. We passed the 'Mosses' which are areas of peat bogs which were cut commercially until the 1990's. They are now nature reserves. It seems very isolated.

Other photos today include the annual 'cows in water' photo.

Also spotted a tree house which looks rather neglected now but must have been fun when the children were small.

There are no locks on this section of the journey but lift bridges appear from time to time. It is difficult to take a photo of our boat passing through as one of us is working the hydraulic mechanism with a windlass whilst the other is steering the boat. This is therefore a random boat passing through!

We are moored in the Whitchurch arm tonight ready to take the boat into a marina tomorrow for the central heating to be drained and refilled.

I liked this photo with the boat reflection.

Sunday 16th August

We were right about the cricket match. Lovely weather and a grandstand seat.

No movement on the water today. A trip to an excellent Laundrette and a visit to a pub to watch Man City v Chelsea. The outcome of the match means that Newcastle are currently above Chelsea in the division. How long will that last?

We head for Whitchurch tomorrow.

Saturday 15th August

No wifi here so this will probably not be posted until tomorrow / or even Monday. We left Queen's Head and cruised up to fill with water and then ascend the Frankton locks when they opened at noon. Graham quite liked the Montgomery canal but I thought it quite claustrophobic as the undergrowth was high on each side and there were no vistas to enjoy. There were very few moorings on the sections which we covered and a couple going up the locks ahead of us said that a few years ago it was much less overgrown.However, I did think that there were some good ferns! 

Maybe we will visit again if there is more to enjoy and the canal restoration has progressed further.

No problems getting up the staircase and soon we were turning right towards Hurleston Junction.

Ellesmere is usually a busy place as Tesco is just a few yards from the end of the arm. This boat sculpture shows that we have arrived. 

I wandered into town and purchased an umbrella stand which we had admired when we were here 8 days ago. It is now stored under our bed ready for the journey home!

We moored opposite the cricket ground where a match was in progress and I was fascinated with the amount of preparation which the groundsman did to the wicket - mowing, rolling, brushing, polishing (well it looked like that). He worked late into the evening so we assume that there will be a match tomorrow.

Friday 14th August

We woke to rain, heavy rain, so we waited until later in the morning to venture outside. We didn't intend to cruise today so the rain was not too much of a disappointment although we have become used to sunshine over the past week. The view from the window.

Still it meant that we had time to complete the jigsaw. Thank you. 

Very close to our mooring is the bus stop for Oswestry and we had decided to give that town a visit today. The bus arrived on time and the fare was reasonable considering the distance. We did feel that Arriva buses must employ former Formula 1 drivers as we hurtled through the countryside. Maybe it is because we are used to boat speed but we seemed to be going very fast.

Oswestry is a pleasant market town with an interesting museum and a good range of shops. We didn't take any photos so have decided to put a few on which Fiona took of life on the boat - preparing breakfast and then getting ready for the meal.

We are off to the nearby Queens Head for dinner tonight and then tomorrow will cruise back to the entrance of this canal in time to ascend onto the Llangollen canal between noon and 2pm.

Thursday 13th August.

Today we planned to enter new territory as we had booked to go down the Frankton locks onto the Montgomery Canal. 

This canal is only navigable for a few miles and in fact there has been a breach so at the moment you can only go as far as Queen's Head - approx. 4 miles. Only 12 boats are allowed down and 12 up each day. Because of the breach there are very few around. In fact there are only 7 boats including ourselves here at the moment. We are not sure where more boats could moor. Most of the canal provides insufficient room for boats to pass each other and at Queen's Head there is only room for 3 to moor. It seems very isolated.

After mooring we took a walk down to see the breach and the drained locks. They hope to open again during next week although to us it seemed that a lot of work is required before that point is reached. One interesting sign is displayed. Couldn't they have just said 'Empty canal'

Wednesday 12th August

We left Llangollen about 9am and managed to get through the narrow section (one way working) without incident and then moored for a late breakfast.

Trevor basin was very busy with boats turning in all directions but the wait to go across Pontcysyllte was not too long and it was a perfect day weather wise. Looking back we were able to get a good view of the aqueduct. 

Good weather enabled us to enjoy lunch on the stern wearing the In the Mood T shirts.

It was onward to Chirk with a short wait for the tunnel to clear and then Fiona was able to take us across the Chirk aqueduct and onward into England.

After mooring we walked back across for Fiona to catch her train back to Bristol and Graham and I were able to see the aqueduct from above.

We moored for the night near Gledrid Bridge and were able to enjoy a BBQ, our first since week 1 as the weather has not been conducive to outdoor eating this year!

Tuesday 11th August

A day off the water as we took a steam train from Llangollen to Corwen. Interesting seeing the old engine at close quarters and especially when the driver had to climb down under the train to re-couple the tender after it turned round at the end of the line. Health and safety obviously haven't got hold of that one yet!

We looked around Corwen. Unfortunately not a lot there and some of the shops were closed. There is an opportunity for some entrepreneurial tourist activities as unless you take the train straight back you have over 2 hours to fill.

Upon returning to Llangollen we walked to The Horseshoe Falls which were created to divert water into the canal from the River Dee. Some 12 million gallons a day pass this way and feed the canal throughout its length.

From where we are moored onwards to the falls it is too shallow to take a narrowboat. You can take a horse drawn boat along the 1 and 3/4 mile route. 

There is a hotel along this route and from there you can see 2 road bridges crossing the canal with a railway line parallel to one of the roads.

The whole area is very beautiful. We finished the day with a meal at the Corn Mill restaurant overlooking the river. It was as delicious as Graham and I remembered from 4 years ago when we last visited the area.