Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 18:59:34 +0100
From: Murray 
Subject: Fw: Llangollen/Macclesfield - Trip Report 

Who : Irish W'ways Enthusiasts (4 below)

Boat/Firm : NB Douglas from Anglo-Welsh

When : 8th-15th April 2000

Where : Llangollen and Macclesfield

Dramatis Personae : Brendan Thompson - Bargee; Sean Fitzsimons - Bargee and
Publican; Chris Smyth - Builder of 34 ft. steel boat in back garden for past
six years, yet unlaunchable; Jim Murray - Boatless but with guitar.

Vital Statistics :- 90 miles    69 locks    6 lifting/swinging bridges    45
running hours    2 tunnels (longer 459 yds.)    6 aquaducts (highest 126 and
100 feet over rivers below).

Typical Day :- Start engines 0815; breakfast stop 0930; midday pub & lunch
stop 1215 to 1515;    mid-afternoon pub stop (occasional) 1730; overnight
stop 1930.

8/4    Pick up boat 1530.  Pontcysylite Aquaduct even better than it's
billing. Boats at far end of Chirk Tunnel bemused to hear "Fields of
Athenry" echoing out - all revealed when we appeared. Fitz's  other version
of "Galway Bay" went down well in Stanton House Hotel, Chirk, that night.

9/4    Chirk Aquaduct (Wales/England border) equally impressive. Ellesmere
(as opposed to E. Port 30 mls. away)  lunch. Frankton Junction to Montgomery
Canal appeared enticing. O/night Whitchurch (good mein host in Greyhound).

10/4   Grindley Brook  3-staircase locks plus 3 ordinary took some getting
used to for us Paddies. Must be hell in July! Dusty Miller Pub for
substantial local cheeseboard. Stg£1 for  doz. free range eggs at Baddiley
Locks.  Reservoir ( 8 million gals. a day) at Hurleston Junction explained
huge side channels at all locks on Llan. Canal. O/night  Barbridge Inn on
Shropshire Union Main Line.

11/4   Into Middlewich branch of Shroppie (says he knowledgably). King's
Lock pub liquid lunch. O/night Wheelock.  Commercial Hotel there was best
pub of trip - Judy (and "Punch") great landlords, welcoming locals, CAMRA
enthusiasts,  no fruit machines, no TV ....... heaven.  Were even asked for
Bren/Jim's "Fox & Goose".

12/4   What a sight...putt-putting serenely under the chock-a-block M6.
first class breakfast at Hassell Green lock. Plenty lock-work to  Harding's
Wood Junction (the series known to old boatmen as Heartbreak Hill)  Great
for working up thirst. Twin locks help traffic. Trent & Mersey pretty
bigtime. Well-signed spaghetti junction into Macclesfield Canal. Great
o/night at Bleeding Wolf - big buffet, TV off,  singsong with locals.

13/4   12-lock Bosley Flight was something else - lovely rural scene even
with rain. Well-oiled (!) machine - Jim ahead preparing next lock, Chris
winding, Sean/Brendan alternating on tiller and winding duty. One hour 29
minutes. Great satisfaction in sheer physical aspect of whole exercise. In
Macclesfield, Jim attended Macc. Canal Society monthly meeting in New
Liberal Club. Presented Tim Boddington (website
tim_boddington@compuserve.com) with Irish Grand Canal and Royal Canal
Guides.  Bought four MCS teeshirts which will be flaunted at Shannon
Millennium Rally August weekend. Very impressed with MCS working
relationship with British Waterways Board.

14/4   Idyllic country breakfast stop with those free-range eggs (Fitz. made
and washed up four breakfasts more than he does on his barge Ye Iron Lung!)
Another great lunch stop at Dog & Partridge, Bollington - landlords and
'ladies make the difference.  To Marple Junction with Upper Peak Forest
Canal o'night. Taxi back to Dog & Partridge for a folk club upstairs. (Jim,
please tell us you didn't; oh yes I did; Jim, dont tell us you borrowed a
guitar and inflicted Bright Blue Rose on those upmarket folkies; oh yes I
did;  aaaaahhhh!!)

15/4   As 16-lock Marple Flight is left turn down Ashton canal, walked it,
to be rewarded with magnificent Marple Aquaduct, before turning right for
90-minute final cruise to Anglo Welsh High Peak base. Used wait for shuttle
bus back to our car at Trevor by taxiing to Bugsworth Canal Basin.
Classified as an Ancient Monument, it and the Navigation Inn were well worth
our visit.

Thanks, George        JIM MURRAY

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