Plague Ship on the Llangollen...

Yes I know it's been a few days since I've been back here - whilst the rumors of my death may have been exaggerated, it IS fair to say that currently this ship should be in quarantine...

In olden days I believe we would have flown a "yellow flag" to warn of infection but as things changed, so did the meaning - ergo, if we flew that one now it would be mean we were cleared...

Yep MAN flu has arrived with our guests who joined us at Nantwich...

Well we're blaming one of them who was sniffling...  Andy came down with it first and even super Ginge (aka me) is really struggling now..

OF course - as you might expect from a Ginger super hero, the show must go on and as such I've barely made a single mutter/cough/splutter or dribble...  well at least not in the food anyway!

This week, it's vegetarian cooking - I must say, a veggie lasagna came out rather well... so well, I may ditch mince in future.  

Some would say Lasagna is a "cop out" BUT when you have new guests coming on board, a boat to clean and tidy - introductions to do AND a few hours chugging to get under your belt before trying up, you need to have something in the oven ready just to eat ...  besides that, we like it!

As we chugged along the Shropshire away from Nantwich (which incidentally really IS a lovely town and we'll spend more time here in the future) we made the turn on the Llangollen branch and began at "the lock" that has been causing the trouble...  mainly because idiot boaters have been leaving fenders dangling and getting stuck

NOT these idiot boaters... we took ours out and had plenty of room to spare - having been measured for Standedge Tunnel we already knew we were thinner than the alleged 6'10 beam...

IT was by now a bit windy and the rain didn't look far away - we plodded on as long as we could be bothered before tying up for the night.  

The next morning off we went again - sun shine breaking through the clouds so we made the best of it.

After Grindley Brook, we stopped off for a fill with water and then (a bit farther on) found a pub for a craft pint - we're getting into "real Ales" now and have worked out it's 2 quid a round cheaper than the usual lagers we'd been drinking... ergo, the more we drink the more money we save... RESULT eh?

I must say, the "flow" of water on this canal is quite apparent at the lock by-washes and going under bridge holes... if you're not careful you end up half way under a bridge treading water ad barely moving... you've also really got to be brave and power past the washes on approach to the locks.

Having looked it up - apparently, some 12 million gallons of water makes its way down the canal each day Hurleston Reservoir.

Some of the lift bridges too take an awful lot of effort - it must really wear out the single handers...

you can see how exhausted Andy is here just watching Richard doing the winding!!!

That's been in for "nice weather so far" - I've been spending many a cold hour chugging at the tillert whilst everyone else kept warm and dry inside...  it's ok - no point in everyone being cold and wet.

We've now made to the outskirts of Chirk so today we'll go through the tunnel and over the aqueduct in preparation for tomorrows planned transit of the Ponty what's it's name?... before heading in Llangollen for our final 2 nights together.

That's if I live of course!

Until next time...]

"oh no - it's not going to rain today he says"... hmmmf

So then,

Having gotten to Market Drayton, we had a lazy start and after a quick walk back into town to get some Pepsi-max (other carbonated soft drinks are available) that was on offer in Iceland (the freezer shop - not country (although carrying it back it felt like it might have been) ) we chugged round to the marina to top up the diesel, get some more anti-freeze and de-ionized water for the batteries.

Changing the coolant and topping up the batteries is on my "un-written" list so now at least I CAN get around to doing it when i find it!

We quite liked Market Drayton... we'll spend more time here at some point in the future.

It annoyed me thinking back, that at Norbury Junction (a couple of hours chugging behind) I'd spotted a sign saying "LAST DIESEL & SERVICES FOR 10 HOURS CRUISING"...  cheeky beggers.

Topping up (at 76p a litre) we then went over to the water point and topped the tank again - whilst there, I spotted the pump-out machine was on "pause" and it was a shame we couldn't' make use of it... well we could have but that would have involved another 2 180 degree turns and half an hours buggering about for just 3 days worth of tank emptying... instead, I walked beck to the boat behind and told him that it was on pause in case he needed to use it... it turned out he'd just emptied his too... oh well - the intention was there.

Chugging on, towards Audlem, the clouds began to get darker and darker...  SOMEONE had checked the weather forecast (I forget which app we're pretending to believe in these days) and it was only a 20 percent chance of rain ...

This video has evidence to the contrary!

Once I'd dried out a bit, (the crew were hiding indoors) before long, we arrived at the top of Audlem locks.  OUR plan was to go down the first couple and then moor for the day - having accepted a kind offer of help from Steve and Angela on Nb Tumbleweed who are moored in the marina at the bottom.  

On our approach, we spotted a familiar boat in the lock - once again we'd caught up with Mike and Christine on NB Alchemy.  Mike suggested we might want to leapfrog them as we might make faster progress than they but as we were stopping, we thought we'd balance out the karma a bit and work them down the flight once we'd gotten to our mooring point.

Andy has only just discovered his little legs can span an open gate to save walking all the way around...  I was poised with my camera expecting a splash but not this time... (I'm sure it will happen)

We picked a bad spot to tie up though as when we returned to the boat, the lovely chaps from fountains were grass cutting - ergo, the side of the boat is now covered with clippings.  grrrr..

The next morning, we began our descent of the remaining 12 locks and before long, Steve and Angela arrived - (windlasses in hand) and helped work us down.  It's always nice to chat with other boaters and get their local information.  

Once at the bottom, they hopped on and we chugged down to their marina for the guided tour.

I must say, it's quite nice - well laid out and despite it's size, it feels like it's got plenty of space.  It's certainly a consideration for the winter after next -  I say that because we're 90% convinced we'll spend this winter at Aston Marina in Stone.

After a quick nosy around their boat, we got back on board Ellis and continued our journey to Nantwich.  

With THEIR local knowledge, rather than chugging TOO far and not being able to find a mooring space, we stopped after bridge 91 and then had a walk along to the aqueduct.  ONCE again spotting Mike and Christine... this'll be the last meeting for a while as they're heading towards Anderton now whilst we'll be going up the Llangollen.

This morning (it's Saturday now) I heard a boat going by before 8 am and on sticking my nose up against a porthole (I'd just started writing this) I spotted our friends Roger and Jane on NB Paneke chugging past...  he shouted they were turning and would be back.

Thinking they might have time for an early morning coffee, I quickly began one of those emergency tidy up jobs you do when un announced visitors arrive AND began a shave...  my timings were out because no sooner had I dragged the razer down one side of my face, they reappeared along side for a natter.

For some reason - I didn't think to wipe off the shaving foam and went out back for said natter and a few towpath walkers gave me funny looks... BEING ginger (and therefore fabulous) it doesn't matter.

Having a quick catch up, it turns out he's injured his knee so they've altered their original plan for easier cruising grounds (well , waters) which is a shame... I offered him some of my " good" pain killers but it transpired he's got his own but doesn't like to take them!.

I was a bit narked that I'd NOT taken the time to update the blog LAST night as it turned out they'd been moored over night where Mike and Christine had been (they left just as we were chatting to them last night) ... if I'd done, so they might have read my ramblings and we could have had them over for a drink and natter.  Oh well - hopefuly our paths will cross again with MORE time in the future.

Meanwhile, we needed to stock up on food for our guest who join us on Monday.  Despite the sunshine, it was a bitterly cold morning - and as I'd not topped up the coal buckets yesterday, I hadn't even lit the fire this morning...   

Walking into town, we also picked up a new earpiece for the walkie talkies I'd ordered from Ebay and had sent to a Premier local  - after which we found a Sainsburys AND a B & M where we bought far too many plants to comfortably carry back to the boat along with the shopping... t's done now though so we should be ok until we can call into Tesco in Ellesmere on Wednesday (ish)...

 THIS stuff tickled me but I did resist the urge to buy any!

Another thing we saw that amused me, was the sign on the rear of this horse and cart walking through the town:

Food for thought perhaps.

Until next time...

On route to Nantwich and a family day trip...

Since our guests departed, we've caught up with laundry and cleaning and hung around in Wombourne for  a few days.  During this time, Andy's brother came to visit so we took he and their parents on a little chug along the canal.

We didn't have too much time, so a trip up and down Bratch locks was in order and then a chug downstream in order to turn around.

Andy caught his dad out with the ground paddle later on....

and then his brother as we went back down the Bratch.

After a pub lunch we turned the boat and headed back up to Wombourne where our visitors left us and arranged to come pick us up the following morning for a trip to Ikea to replace some broken glasses - I'm not saying a word on how they got broken... NOT a word!

Having been to Ikea *other Swedish stores are available* - Actually, they're probably NOT, his folks took us to do a supermarket run where we got "heavy stuff" which is usually a pain to carry back to the boat.

Once stocked up, we had another pub lunch and (on them) and then returned to the boat - pulling ropes through and setting off on our trip to Nantwich.

Our plan was to cover as much ground as possible on Tuesday as the forecast for the rest of the week was/is decidedly ropey...

A cold start but it was a "knees out" kind of day when we chugged off.

As we headed back up stream, I snapped a photo of WHY I hate mooring near/under trees... there doesn't always seem to be much "holding them down".... as is evidenced here.

It turned out when we got talking to some other boaters further up, that the reason it had been quiet was because a tree HAD come down back VERY near where we'd moored with the ladies and blocked the canal!

Our  journey took us back up to Autherley Junction and then on to the Shroppie again - Through Brewood, Wheaton Aston and beyond... NOW on new territory, it was nice to see Alchemy again - no sign of life so we chugged on by, only to be hailed by Mike... SO an emergency stop and attempt to get in - we got as close as we could (about 6 foot) and I lept on to the bank... that ruddy shelf is a real pain.  

Having a little more time,  I had a natter with Mike and Andy with Christine before we realised time was ticking on - We left and carried on as far as Gnosall.

19 miles in all.

We left Gnossal yesterday morning bound for Market Drayton...

Until next time...

Dodged a bullet and a trip to Kidderminster...

Oh dear - it's 6 days since I was here. Sorry. 

What can I say? -we've just been busy boating with and without guests.

To bring things up to speed, the short version is we hung around between Autherly Junction and Brewood for a few days - nipping back and forth to go to the Coop for supplies.  On Monday we arrived near Napton boat hire and collected our guests who were supposed to be travelling a 4 day route around the less nice parts of Wolverhampton/Birmingham lines.  Wired had been crossed somewhere along the line and as THEY didn't really want to spend their first afternoon on a boat going up the Wolverhampon 21, we looked at the guides and decided we'd try a trip down to Stourport instead .. terminating their trip in Wombourne.

WHAT a result that turned out to be... it's proper lovely down here - although there is a distinct lack of water taps between Autherly and the other side of Wombourne.

NOT making the turn up the locks, we all breathed a sigh of relief (not that we wouldn't have found it interesting) and chugged our way along in the sunshine enjoying a cuppa and a natter before the first lock

Upon arrival, Andy got straight into bossy  instructor mode and before long we were down and on our way once more.

We contemplated staying just above Bratch locks but as the sun was still shining (and the forecast for the rest of the week decidedly horrid) we continued.

The Bratch is quite a clever little staircase - it uses side pounds between the locks involving a "mini lock" (not big enough to get the boat in) to facilitate this...  it works well.  It's also "manned" until 6 Monday to Friday and until 8 at weekends.  

We stopped for the night at the Round Oak Pub in Wombourne.

Next morning the sky was beginning to look a bit threatening, but undeterred we chugged on .  There really are some lovely canal side gardens on this stretch - this one being owned by a garden cente owner so I Suppose it HAS to be good.... I'd imagine having a team of gardeners helps too ;-) 

I got chatting with a CRT chap at one of the locks and he warned we'd need to get through Debdale lock before 3 in order to get past the land slippage at Wolverley...  the locks either side only being open between 9 and 3 - this wasn't going to happen so when the heavens opened near  Kinver we called it a day and 4 peoples' soaking wet clobber went through the dryer.

The plan to get to Stourport was looking un-achievable -not because of the distance involved but the opening hours of past the land slip.  Undeterred, we set off... I forget the name of this tunnel, but I don't think I'd like to live on one of the houses up above.

As I waited for the crew to assist a boat up Debdale Lock, when the boat came into view I thought to myself  ' I recognise that boat'...  but the crew less so. 

Loosely tying up the boat, I wandered down to take a better look and it was Mike on Alchemy - he and his wife had stopped to say hello at Stanley Ferry the other year ...  it was lovely to shake his hand and KNOW when he asked "how are you doing?" that he really meant it... some people are just genuinely "good and sincere" !

As the crew buggered off on foot went on ahead, I chugged past the land slip and because I was busy taking photos, ended up briefly grounded on the towpath side just after - I hope you appreciate the photos as you missed OUT on the cursing!!!

A nice surprise awaited Andy at the next lock - quite by chance, his parents were driving by, saw a boat in the lock and came to have a gongoozle.  After a quick hello, they toddled off and we continued on our way.

On reaching Kidderminster, we stopped near Sainsburys, had some lunch and then agreed there'd not be time to get to Stourport and back  - as such, we turned the boat at the (restricted) winding hole just on the corner before the locks... BOY it was tight... 1 inch spare at the rear, with the front fender pushed into the widest point on the offside.

On our return journey, the skies were getting darker and darker and before long the heavens opened again big-style.

Back at Debdale lock, I took a look in the little cave thing... not sure why it's there, but it DID appear to be providing shelter to some poor soul.

We arrived in the outskirts of Wombourne about 3pm after Stopping off for a final (pub) lunch together with our guests who were picked up by one of their daughters and we said out goodbyes.  We'd had a lovely time with them - mucking in, truly "getting" us and even the rummikub didn't seem as bad this time around ... perhaps I'm getting used to it now!

We're now going to spend a few days around the area so Andy's family can visit before we set off to Nantwich where we're due a week tomorrow to collect some friends and begin our trip up to Llangollen... quite excited about that journey as once again (just like everything since we left Huddersfield has been) it's new territory for us.

Until next time!