Day 57 now at Norbury

It was very wet overnight and we awoke to heavy rain and mist. It was only drizzle by 10.00 so we set off to Norbury Junction where we are now moored. Norbury Junstion is about half way down the Shropshire Union Canal on our way to Autherley Junction where we go onto the Staffs & Worcs Canal heading for Stourport. Depending on the weather (i.e. rain) we will then see if we can go down the River Severn or retrace our steps to go home via Great Heywood.

Totals to day 57 are;-
Memorable events still 11
Cappuccinos now 13 latest being Nantwich Bookshop and Jones's in Market Drayton
Lift bridges 27, locks 188 and 349 miles

I have now filled the first log book for BB covering her first 4 years and 10 days during which we have travelled 1460 miles and been through 907 locks.

Our Rosie and Jim left us at Market Drayton on Monday after travellling from the Swanley Bridge Marina on the Llangollen and then down the Shroppie via Hurleston Junstion.

We have had a fantastic time on the Llangollen with 20 visitors over two weeks. The by washes on the entrance to the locks going up hill on the Llangollen are easy compared to those on the Audlem flight - which are something else. Telford designed the locks with the overflows coming out right in front of the bottom lock gates, he also added an extra twist by having two of these - one from each side. You line up for one and then get hit by the other which shoves the bow into the lock entrance wall - after the 15 locks I had only managed to break the glass in one of our pictures and only entered five locks without hitting the wall !!!! Therefore Telford 10, BB 5 !!!!


This is our overnight mooring last night by Knighton.

This is the famous Grubb Street Cutting double arch bridge No 39 with telegraph pole

Another high bridge - at Woodseaves cutting - at least I can't hit the chimney with it.

Who says boating is for pussycats? Sign as you enter Woodseaves cutting

Day 57pictures on our way to Norbury Junction

Our very own Rosie operating one of the 15 locks on the Audlem flight

The Shroppie Fly pub at Audlem an old warehouse converted in the 1970's. The bar is in the shape of a narrowboat

The restored butty Saturn the last of the Shroppie fly boats that used to deliver perishable goods 24 hours a day

One of the lovely buildings in Nantwich we visited with Rosie and Jim

Anne's Uncle Peter and Aunty Gill going on a trip round 2 locks on the Llangollen at Swanley.

Day 51 back in Swanley Bridge Marina

Totals to Day51
Memorable events 11 and Cappuccinos 11
Lift bridges 27, locks 143 and miles 326

Richard and Pip arrived at lunch time Monday to cloudy weather but with a chill in the wind. We cruised back down the Llangollen which is becoming very busy with queues of boats coming up towards Llan. In fact the BW moorings man in Llan was saying that this will be the busiest time of the year. Good decision therefore to come off.

Now in the Marina for a few days seeing Anne's uncle and aunt and awaiting the arrival of our real Rosie and Jim ( will try and get a picture of them in a window) on Saturday. They are going to help us through the 15 Audlem locks over the bank holiday weekend as we make our way south. Hopefully it will not be to busy on the Shroppie.


Anne, Richard and Pip trying to keep Warm on Wednesday as they take BB down the 3 staircase locks at Grindley Brook ( A staircase lock is when the second gate of the first lock becomes the first gate of the next lock and so on, ie there is no gap between them)


Richard and Pip discussing the difference between the 38 horsepower of BB compared to the 400 horsepower of their last boat.


Our visitors sitting outside (it was still chilly) by Blake Mere at Ellesmere which were formed at the end of the ice age 10,000 years ago.

Big gap

I am posting this from the libary in Llangollen and on viewing the blog there is a big gap between postings today. My time is running out and I cannot seem to fix it. Therefore scroll down to find the post for today.

TTFN

Day 47 last day in Llangollen

Totals to Day 47 are now

Memorable events now 11 latest increase is seeing the push/pull train yesterday running on the Llangollen railway. It reminded me of the time I used to travel between Greenford and West Ealing in the late 1950's with my mother- blimey I am getting old.
Cappuccinos 10 - latest is Costa coffee in Llangollen which is a bit of a mecca with 3 outlets
Lift bridges 19, locks 126 and miles 283

Our old friends Bill&Clare and Rob&Lynda (by time not age-their request) from Bexhill arrived Friday evening and so did the rain. Saturday's trip over the Pontycysyllte aqueduct was wet but there were still many gongoozlers (name for those who come and look) about. By the time we reached Llangollen and walked to The Royal Hotel for a late lunch it had stopped.

As our visitors had left Sunday was dry, cloudy and a bit cold out of the sun so time was spent exploring around town while waiting for our next visitors on Monday Pip and Richard who are considering buying their own narrowboat soon.

A point of clarification has been requested in regards to my cappuccino list.

I had set out to record the places which can be reached by foot from the canal which provide a good cup of cappuccino coffee. I do not intend to say which is the best. So far Llangollen has been my Mecca. We are now leaving the area so will probably be entering the canal cappuccino wilderness again- so please wish me luck.

The GWR 0-6-0 pannier 6430 with push/pull set at Berwyn station

A kiddie car in the Llangollen motor museum made out of WW2 aircraft parts

Inside the Motor museum- what a place

The source of the Llangollen canal at Horseshoe falls which is overlooked by the Llantisilio Mountains

Bill the hoody trying to keep dry on Saturday

Day 44 between Trevor and Llangollen

Today has been a day of jobs as we only moved 500 yards towards Llangollen from our overnight mooring so that we could get a better view. Tomorrow will be another busy day about 1/2 mile to go to the hotel to meet our friends from Bexhill in the afternoon.

This is the view from the cratch today Thursday.



Another view of our mooring today looking towards the boat from bridge 35

We made another trip over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct yesterday (Wednesday) with Martin and Ruth. I worked with Martin until last September. We cruised from Trevor to Chirk and back.

The view below shows the size of the aqueduct from a different perspective.

This is Trevor with the canal from Llangollen coming in from the right which then requires a sharp 90 degree turn to get onto the aqueduct, which is in the distance- it can become rather congested in May it must be some place in August!

In and around Llangollen

A lovely view as we made our way out of Llangollen yesterday with Rikki and Nicky aboard through the narrows with the River Dee down below us on the left ( you can just see BB in the distance)

Cumulative to Day 42
Memorable events now 10 latest addition the red balloon event in Llangollen
Cappuccinos increased to 9 latest being Royal Hotel coffee shop and Llangollen Wharf
Lift bridges 16, locks 126 and miles 265.

We are back in Trevor basin tonight and will stay around the area till next Monday as we have some very old friends visiting from Bexhill at the weekend.

A picture of Denise and David (Anne has known Denise since they were 6 months old!!!) beside the River Dee


A view across the River Dee towards Llangollen Railway station( a preserved line that runs steam trains at weekends) the Canal Wharf is above the station.

From the Wharf you can take a horseboat ride to the source of the canal water at Horseshoe Falls. Narrow boats can only go as far as the barge as it then becomes too shallow.

This mummy duck just stayed put with her ducklings