Woke to another bright day but still freezing outside. Left Ellesmere at about 0915 . Lots of traffic on the canal which slowed progress considerably. The heavy traffic on the canal was in contrast to the unpopulated tract of farmland we were traversing. Presently we came to a pl;ace called Frankton junction. This was where the Montgomery canal branches off on its 35 mile journey past the Breiden Hills through Welshpool and on to Newtown. Once a spectacular journey through delightful countryside. Sadly this highly scenic canal was abandoned by the LMS railway in 1939 but has slowly been coming back to life as various sections are restored.
The pace of restoration accelerated in the 1990s but two key sections still require work. Sadly one of the barriers to restoration is a rare type of Orchid which grows in the canal bed at one point. Paradoxically this Orchid was probably bought onto the canal the hull of boat in ages past. The conservation people are worried that full restoration would mean that passing boats propellers would destroy his plant. One possible solution if this section is restored is that all boats will be horse drawn through the affected section. Now that would be novel wouldnt it!
Two locks lift the canal to its final highest level at New Marton. And at New Maton wew encountered what felt like a hurricane.
Devoid of trees at this point the cold wind from the north east was blowing straight onto the side of the boat and across the lock.
With the vicious wind blowing across the lock at this point, boats were having trouble getting into the lock and even more trouble getting out. There had been several minor collisions between boats coming out of the lock and boats waiting to go in. It came to our turn so it was push the engine revs to maximum, making Stourbridge Lion shake, then hanging on as we cannoned out of the lock just touching a waiting hire boat. (It was fortunate it was a hire boat as the owner didnt care too much!) At the next lock a first time hirer asked if I had any advice as he had heard that things were bad at the next lock. "Just wind up the engine and hang on and hope it will be ok" I said. Which, with hindsight, probably wasnt very helpful at all. He carried on with a look of grim determination on his face.
We hit heavy snow lying on the sides of the canal approaching Chirk. Chirk aqueduct is quite a structure running parallel to the railway bridge over the Ceriog valley. It also marks the boundary between England and Wales.
The aquduct is immediately followed by a tunnel about half a mile long. At the end of the tunnel we moored up as we are expecting our daughter,Emily, and boyfriend, Chris, to arrive by train at Chirk station, adjacent to our mooring, tomorrow and our eldest Matthew and his wife Kerry. They are coming for a ride over the spectacular Pontcysylte Aqueduct.
Tonight its Pasta, Carbonara sauce, extra bacon and mushrooms washed down with a glass of Savignon Blanc.
The pace of restoration accelerated in the 1990s but two key sections still require work. Sadly one of the barriers to restoration is a rare type of Orchid which grows in the canal bed at one point. Paradoxically this Orchid was probably bought onto the canal the hull of boat in ages past. The conservation people are worried that full restoration would mean that passing boats propellers would destroy his plant. One possible solution if this section is restored is that all boats will be horse drawn through the affected section. Now that would be novel wouldnt it!
Two locks lift the canal to its final highest level at New Marton. And at New Maton wew encountered what felt like a hurricane.
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With the vicious wind blowing across the lock at this point, boats were having trouble getting into the lock and even more trouble getting out. There had been several minor collisions between boats coming out of the lock and boats waiting to go in. It came to our turn so it was push the engine revs to maximum, making Stourbridge Lion shake, then hanging on as we cannoned out of the lock just touching a waiting hire boat. (It was fortunate it was a hire boat as the owner didnt care too much!) At the next lock a first time hirer asked if I had any advice as he had heard that things were bad at the next lock. "Just wind up the engine and hang on and hope it will be ok" I said. Which, with hindsight, probably wasnt very helpful at all. He carried on with a look of grim determination on his face.
We hit heavy snow lying on the sides of the canal approaching Chirk. Chirk aqueduct is quite a structure running parallel to the railway bridge over the Ceriog valley. It also marks the boundary between England and Wales.
The aquduct is immediately followed by a tunnel about half a mile long. At the end of the tunnel we moored up as we are expecting our daughter,Emily, and boyfriend, Chris, to arrive by train at Chirk station, adjacent to our mooring, tomorrow and our eldest Matthew and his wife Kerry. They are coming for a ride over the spectacular Pontcysylte Aqueduct.
Tonight its Pasta, Carbonara sauce, extra bacon and mushrooms washed down with a glass of Savignon Blanc.
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