Very cold start to the day again today. Beginning to get quite a sore nose! Two miles down on from Nantwich sharp turn left at Hurleston Junction onto the Llangollan canal. Two boats in front of us so had to hang about with Stourbridge Lion in mid channel as not much space to get into the bank. Boat very tight fit in the locks and had to lift side fenders. Some boats intending to go to Llangollan dont get past these first locks as they are Very tight fit for S/Lion with only about an inch clearance.
The Llangollan canal has survived as it is used as a feeder for water from the Llangollan to feed the houses of Crewe not too far distant from where we are here at Hurleston Junction. This flow of water means that the weirs at the locks run fast making steering the boat into such tight locks quite a challenge and a number of scratches down the hull of the boat are inevitable.
Nevertheless onto the Llangollan "proper" by 0900 but still a long way to go to destination. (44 miles from here (Hurleston) to Llangollan.
When we came this way on a hire boat in 1998 the lush fields in this part of the Cheshire plain were full of Fresian cattle. It is quite noticeable that a lot of this land has now been turned over to arable farming. I only saw three Fresian herds all day.
Towards Wrenbury the lift bridges peculiar to this canal start. Joanne did them and they are mostly lifted using a windlass to wind them up.
The one at Wrenbury is crossed by a frequently used road so is equipped with flashing lights and gates like a railway level crossing all operated electrically from a line-side pillar by the boater.
Sun came out for the last couple of hours today. Moored up at 1645 after being helped through Grindley Brook staircase lock by the lock keeper there. Nice mooring top of the lock in the company of several other boats. Views across the fields towards Wales of the sun going down.
19 locks 14 Miles
The Llangollan canal has survived as it is used as a feeder for water from the Llangollan to feed the houses of Crewe not too far distant from where we are here at Hurleston Junction. This flow of water means that the weirs at the locks run fast making steering the boat into such tight locks quite a challenge and a number of scratches down the hull of the boat are inevitable.
Nevertheless onto the Llangollan "proper" by 0900 but still a long way to go to destination. (44 miles from here (Hurleston) to Llangollan.
When we came this way on a hire boat in 1998 the lush fields in this part of the Cheshire plain were full of Fresian cattle. It is quite noticeable that a lot of this land has now been turned over to arable farming. I only saw three Fresian herds all day.
Towards Wrenbury the lift bridges peculiar to this canal start. Joanne did them and they are mostly lifted using a windlass to wind them up.
Sun came out for the last couple of hours today. Moored up at 1645 after being helped through Grindley Brook staircase lock by the lock keeper there. Nice mooring top of the lock in the company of several other boats. Views across the fields towards Wales of the sun going down.
19 locks 14 Miles
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