Trevor to Tetchill via Chirk and Trevor again

Sat 21st Jul  Trevor to Chirk Bank

It was slightly overcast today as Peter and Lin reversed out. They were going back to Ellesmere in one go.

Gospel Belle alongside

Farewell to Peter

We left about 30 minutes later, and found the Anglo Welsh hire boats were almost filling the basin, and they were loosely moored, so that they moved out and banged into us as we tried to get past. To complicate things, there were people with canoes trying to get organised, and day boats making ready to depart.

How did we fit through there?

The narrow way to Llangollen

We set out across the aqueduct once more, and saw the field where the music and fireworks event took place last night. There was a team of litter pickers cleaning up. There were three day hire boats following us across. The first had lads wearing pirate hats.

Onto the aqueduct once more

Aqueduct video

Clearing up the field

Pirate hats on a day boat

We stopped for water at Froncysyllte, and all three day boats went past. The water point had very good pressure. We had placed our old printer, which had no ink cartridges left in it, on top of our roof, as we had not found anywhere to leave it as yet.  We noticed that it had leaked ink in yesterday’s rain, and had made a mess of the roof and side of the boat.  Fortunately it came clean fairly easily. We do need to dump the thing.

The water point.

Ink stains from the printer

We left the aqueduct area, passing the old lime kilns on the right, and the railway viaduct marching over the valley to the left. We went straight into Whitehouse Tunnel, and also Chirk Tunnel and Aqueduct.

Lime Kilns

Railway viaduct

Leaving Whitehouse Tunnel

Chirk Tunnel

On to Chirk Aqueduct

Chirk Aqueduct video

Passport Control

We moored on rings at Chirk Bank as we had planned. Later a couple from Seattle enquired about Canal Ministries, and they stopped to pray with us for the mission.

Moored at Chirk Bank

0 locks, 4 miles, 1 lift bridge, 2 tunnels, 2 aqueducts.

Sun 22nd Jul  Chirk Bank

We walked up by the tunnel to St Mary’s church in Chirk for their 1100 service. It was more formal than we are used to, with a set order of service and traditional hymns with a small choir. The talk was about Mary Magdalene.  There was coffee in the hall afterwards, and interest in Canal Ministries and the mission.

Up the hill to the church

St Mary’s Church, Chirk

Before the service

We had lunch at Castle Bistro, which was very good. Sadly for us the butcher, fruit and veg shop, and the bakers were all closed on Sunday, but we bought a few items at the Spar.

Our lunch venue

Train on the viaduct

We wandered back to the boat across the aqueduct. Later we met Sue Barnett, a BCF member. She volunteered to put up one of our fliers in her window which is very visible at it used to be the post office.

Chirk Bank

No boating today

Mon 23rd Jul  Chirk Bank to Gledrid then to Trevor and back to Gledrid

We moved off from Chirk Bank, hoping to find a mooring by the Poachers, 20 minutes away. There was a space, so we went past, turned in the winding hole, and moored up. We saw that our roof was covered with sap from the trees at Chirk Bank, and when we moved the rope, there was a mark like a snake or a slug trail where it had been.  We set to work to clean the roof as best we could using canal water.

Sticky roof

Gledrid

Andy and Vicki arrived from Anglesey, and we set off back through Chirk Bank and over the aqueduct.

Andy and Vicki

We had no wait for the aqueduct or tunnel.  We saw Brian and Jackie Glover, from Byfleet Boat Club, walking along the towpath to visit Chirk Castle. They have a Sea Otter called Whisper, moored in Pyrford Marina.

We also saw Tim on Sola Gratia, although he didn’t see us. He was in the marina sorting out some welding on his boat. 

Whitehouse Tunnel was clear for us, but soon afterwards we encountered some canoes on the canal, and they didn’t seem to apply any normal rules on navigation, zig zagging around and going slowly.  It transpired that they didn’t know we were there as they were apparently shocked when they saw us just behind them.

We needed to open the lift bridge at Froncysyllte, which needs a windlass. 

Under the lift bridge

On the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct we had to wait for another canoe heading towards us, followed by a trip boat, before we could go across.

We moored opposite Anglo Welsh and went for a meal in the Chapel Tea Rooms, followed by a look around the visitor centre and ice creams from Anglo Welsh.

We needed to empty two cassettes and although it was good to have a facility, the design was bizarre.  There was a seatless toilet, and a hose alongside.  There was no proper tap on the hose, just one of the heavy buttons to press, which delivers a measured amount of water. The amount of water, instead of about two cups full, was several litres, and almost filled the cassette. There was no drain in the floor, so any water spillages could not run away. The floor was therefore awash with water.  This was a council facility, and it would appear that no boater was consulted.

The Elsan point with no drain

We turned round in Trevor Basin, where we had encounters with canoes again and had to make way for a trip boat coming out of Jones the Boat.

Turning round

Chaos in Trevor again

Mandarin ducks keeping out of trouble

We didn’t need to wait for the aqueduct, so we set off once more. This was our twelfth crossing.

Once more across the heavens

A long way down to the River Dee

Andy and Vicki relaxing in the bows

The aqueduct from a distance

We had an incident with a hire boat which was on the wrong side on a blind bend. We were grateful for our Axiom propeller which helped us avoid a head-on.

We had a long wait for Whitehouse tunnel – 7 boats were coming the other way. While we were waiting, Hugo decided to go for a walk into the bushes.  James had to go around the other side and shake a bag at him to get him back on the boat.

Waiting for Whitehouse Tunnel

The tunnel towpath.

We saw Brian and Jackie again, on their way back from Chirk Castle. We were able to go straight into Chirk Tunnel, but as we emerged, a hire boat set off too soon, into the space we needed in order to turn towards the aqueduct.

Chirk Tunnel

As we passed a boat called Annie the lady asked for information about the mission, so we gave her two of the coasters with all the details.

We passed Sola Gratia at Chirk Bank but no-one was around. Later we discovered that Tim and Tracey had also gone to Chirk Castle.

Moorings were full at the Poachers, but we found a spot just round the corner. There was also a place under a tree where we could sit for wine and nibbles. Vicki called it the Arbour near the Harbour.

Moored at Gledrid

Brian and Jackie went past on Whisper

We went for a meal at the Poachers, where we had erratic service. We think it was the honeypot location syndrome. Andy and Vicki set off in their car back to Anglesey.

It was a clear warm night, except for some unusual clouds.  We slept with the side doors open.

Clouds

0 locks, 10 miles, 2 lift bridges, 4 tunnels, 4 aqueducts.

Tue 24th Jul  Gledrid to Tetchill

Morning at Gledrid

It was warm but cloudy this morning, as we set off early to avoid queues at New Marton Locks.

We met a chap on an Anglo Welsh hire boat, and he was asking about Canal Ministries – he goes to a church in Lancaster.

The water tap above the locks had really good pressure, so it didn’t take very long to fill the tank, and then we went through the two locks.

New Marton Top Lock

A long weir at New Marton Locks

A few minutes later we saw a lot of water on the floor near the dinette. For a while we thought it was coming from a radiator but then we saw drops on the outside of the side doors.  There must have been a jet of water coming out from the lock side, and it came through the gap between the side doors.

We needed some gas, so we phoned Whittington Wharf, but they don’t stock 6kg propane. We also left a message with Blackwater Meadow Marina but we had no call back from them. We never had a call back before about moorings there.

Frankton Junction

We moored at Tetchill, and were pleased to see Mirjana taking Biggles for a walk along the towpath. She said she may come back later.

The Tim and Tracey with Oakley arrived on Sola Gratia and they joined us. A hire boat going past said they had a problem with the rudder, and Tim helped them clear a fender from their propeller.

Another hire boat arrived from Ellesmere, with David and Carole Brennand on board. It was good to see them.

There were a lot of hire boats going past, and one went really fast, causing the man on the boat in the distance to shout at them to slow down. They were making a big wave.

We all agreed to have our meals and then assemble on the hire boat. As we did so, Roger and Mirjana joined us, so we had eight people and two dogs. Hugo made himself scarce. We had nibbles and wine, and we tried some Campari. Several people independently thought it tasted like cough medicine! David and Carole seemed to like it.

Sunset at Tetchill

2 locks, 8 miles

Next: a day of rest before going to Ellesmere for the mission.  Blogs may be infrequent as we will have so many other things happening, e.g. preparing songs, talking to people, and taking part in events.