From owner-canals@blacksheep.org Thu Jun 5 18:00:06 1997 id AA20608; Thu, 5 Jun 97 17:59:43 EDT via sendmail with esmtp id for ; Thu, 5 Jun 97 22:55:45 +0100 (BST) (/\##/\ Smail3.1.30.16 #30.4 built 29-jan-96) From: "Terry Waldron" To: Subject: MICRO GIG & TRIP REPORT (PART 1) Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2097 22:51:16 +0100 Hi all, Many of you will remember messages re:Yanks loose on the Llangollen. Whilst I was out I met Robert & Pat Hall from Dallas at Grindley Brook and we went for a few beers in the Horse & Jockey http://www.blacksheep.org/canals/members/waldron.htm Trip Report Day 1 (Friday 23 May 1997) Drove from Plymouth to Middlewich to meet Pete & Marilyn Atkinson on 'Midama' and foun them moored at 'The moorings' , virtually opposite Newton Brewery and just below Bridge 172. A nice quiet mooring close to a small estate of new houses. This mooring is within about 3 mins. walk of shops inclusive of a bakers and a small butchers. CUT WEB PENNANT FLYING FROM CRATCH Day 2 Up early, bright sunshine with light wind, and went for a walk to get the papers before the rest awake. Breakfast and daily boat checks before setting off at 1100. Peter walked on to set locks, quite a few hire boats around. Middlewich Narrowboats fleet virtually all in and getting ready for their next crews.Out of Wardle lock at about 1215, Peter took my car to meet me at Barbridge. Met 18 boats on the Middlewich branch. Nice cottage and stables bridge 18/19 looks ideal for purchase.Hurleston Junction very busy, took us about an hour to get through the locks.At Swanley lock a bird, thought to be a Swift nesting in lock gate (small twiggy nest, small pale spotted? eggs). Saw 2 kingfishers bridge 11 and another 2 bridge 12. Moored Wrenbury 2045 and went to Cotton Arms for some Caffreys.All lock gates free and easy to operate. 16.5 miles 16 locks 9.75 hrs. Day 3 Up late, bright sunshine. Away at 1055 but had to wait at lift bridge as a hire boat was straddled across the bridge entrance and it took him a while to clear.Moored for lunch at Bridge 27. 1430 away and straight through the first 3 Grindley brook locks. Had to wait as 3 coming down through the staircase. Whilst walking up to fill the top locks I saw 'Kestrel' (re:Yanks loose on the Llangollen) and had a chat to Robert & Pat. Kestrel moored below locks we moored above the staircase and we all met in the Horse & Jockey (see micro GIG picture ). 7 miles 10 locks 5.5 hours Day 4 Away at 1140. Lift bridges on this stretch to Ellesmere all hydraulic and needing a windlass. Bright sunshine yet again. 1340 stopped at Platt Lane and met Peter, went to Waggoners for lunch, they sell duck eggs so got some for next day breakfast.Had it reported a boat with CUT WEB in window passed earlier (boat name not known) - did anyone see us??? I must have also missed seeing their cut web. Had to wait at Bettisfield for a pair of Hotel Boats to come through followed by another 5 boats, the first complaining he had been behind them for 6 hours at very slow speed - he appeared rather annoyed. Moored Ellesmere after watering and emptying loo. Saw Haida & Amythig they reported one had a window broken by a hire boat (is this same as reported by Mark Wickett??????) 14.5 miles 0 locks 5 hours From owner-canals@blacksheep.org Thu Jun 5 18:00:22 1997 id AA20610; Thu, 5 Jun 97 18:00:02 EDT via sendmail with esmtp id for ; Thu, 5 Jun 97 22:55:47 +0100 (BST) (/\##/\ Smail3.1.30.16 #30.4 built 29-jan-96) From: "Terry Waldron" To: Subject: TRIP REPORT (PART 2) Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2097 22:51:28 +0100 Day 5 A changeable day from bright sun to overcast and back to bright sun. Went shopping in Ellesmere, nice little canal town with unchanged old buildings.Nice friendly butchers shop just up from the arm and turn right.Got it slightly wrong winding at the top of the arm, a boat close to the top and misjudged the turn so pulled bow round by hand (perhaps I should have put the 'L' plates up). Out of the arm 1230. Towpath virtually non-existant between bridges 60 & 63. BW dredger moored and work being carried out to towpath to reclaim. Held up between New Marton locks, a tug with 2'10 draft stuck on the bottom coming out of lock, put a rope on his bow, took stern rope and waited for lock to be emptied by boat coming down and pulled him off. Close to bridge 14 saw a small cruiser moored and broken down, stopped to give assistance - found they had run out of diesel so we gave (sold) them some from spare can.Moored at the Poachers Pocket,seems very popular, about 10 boats moored and car park nearly full - no tables and 45 mins wait for food. barmaid very good she remembered our order each time we went back despite the pub being full. 9.75 miles 2 locks 6 hours. Day 6 Overcast start but brightening to full sun early afternoon. 1100 away very busy around narrows after bridge 19. 4 boats waiting for Chirk Tunnel and 3 coming through. Very shallow in wooded area close to Chirk Marina care needed to pass red posts in water. Had to wait for one boat coming across Pontcysyllte aqueduct, had a difficult turn to make, boat moored at exit of aqueduct and the trip boat crossing the exit, got the turn slightly wrong and had to reverse and take a second go. All clear in the narrows. Stopped Bridge 41 for lunch, what a beautiful view of Castell Dinas Bran on the hill. Farmer cutting silage so Bridge 44 down with a note on it to leave closed. 1630 moored Llangollen just above water point. Walked up to Horshoe Falls, horse boat running it's last trip and steam train running past in the woods. Day 7 Went shopping in town, just timed it right to see 7754 coming into the station. Bright sunshine all day. Away at 1330. I walked the narrows, a beautiful, pretty, walk through the wooded area. Sue took boat over pontycysyllte whilst I took photos - she is scared of heights and would not look down. After the hot sun the air in Chirk tunnel feels very cold. Care needed at bridge 27 in particular if boat coming opposite direction, both sides of bridge very shallow and grounding almost inevitable.Coming out of the firts of new Marton locks we touched bottom with 2'3 draft (same place tug grounded on way up) Decided to run on late and make for Ellesmere where we moored at 2145. 18.75 miles 2 locks.7.25 hours. Day 8 Very hot sun all day. Went shopping to top up supplies. Away at 1020, Bettisfield by 1215 Good run through to Whitchurch but unfortunately the boat in front decided to shut the lift bridge with us only about 100 yards away, round corner found same boat grounded after they had passed a moored boat, tried to pull them off with our wake but they were too solid and they had to pole off. Grindley Brook by 1500. 3rd of 3 ready to go down. A bit of a hold up below staircase with 3 boats in the pound and more coming up the other 3 locks.2 boats in each pound between locks but we got through in a reasonable time. Lots of birdlife around in particular swallows and house martins. Moored Wrenbury 1850, not particularly easy to get through the lift bridge due to the amount of boats moored in the boatyard, and went to the Cotton Arms for more of their Caffreys, watched Crown Green Bowls at the back of the pub. Day 9 1100 away in bright sunshine. Stopped Hurleston for water, slight hold up with boats coming up slowly. Barbridge very busy, boats moored virtually every available space. Very slow progress through Bunbury, we could have done a 3 boat shuffle if the boat coming up had of waited in the bottom lock when he saw us coming.Now finding locks slow to fill and gates very heavy. I wonder how many boats have sunk in Beeston Iron lock by opening the gate paddle first??? Beautiful view of Beeston castle from Wharton Lock. Moored Bridge 113 at 2020 - winding hole not marked on Nicholsons (6th Edition) but is marked on Pearsons. Went to the Poachers Pocket (recently re-named and re-opened - was Aldersleys Arms Hotel. The Railway Station looks nicely preserved as a private house. Day 10 Bright sun but gusting wind all day. 1040 away.Manouvering at locks not easy today the wind pushing the boat all over the place. Lost my glasses at Chemistry lock, tried to recover with magnet but all I got was a windlass and a few batteries and some nails. It's beautiful running along the City wall of Chester. Not too good a run down the staircase, one boat in front and one in middle lock which was emptying the top lock when we could have got in and gone down passing them. A nice mooring at Tower Wharf. Took a walk down the locks onto the Dee, water flowing over the top of gates of all locks. Left for home 1900 - boring we now have to wait to the end of August before we are out again.