Sunday 17th to Tuesday 19th April 2022 Early on Day 61, we passed The Princess, another of The Duke’s sister narrowboats. Over the last eight or nine weeks, Robert has perfected his hand gestures indicating Matilda should go on and set the next lock. After we had filled the first of the three Calcutt Locks we saw another boat following behind and as etiquette demands waited for them in the middle lock so we could travel up the flight together and conserve water. It seemed to take them a very long time to join us as they were opening and closing both gates and we were beginning to regret our decision. The boat was from Kates boatyard and was called Robert appropriately enough. The crew had only just taken possession so as we travelled with them through the top two Calcutt Locks, Robert was able to give them narrowboating tips to speed them on their way in future. At Napton Junction we turned right onto the Oxford Canal. As we neared the Napton flight, we kept hearing reports of the locks being closed. Matilda, who has been dreaming of a hot bath, was praying that this would not delay them […]
Monthly Archives: April 2022
Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th April 2022 We set off early from Hockley Heath to travel down Lapworth Locks to Kingswood Junction where we had previously dropped Robert’s parents on the first leg of our narrowboat adventure way back in early February. This time we had arranged to meet our daughter Jaime at Kingswood Junction as she had kindly agreed to drive up to join us to help with the Hatton Locks the next day and then take Ralf back home. There was a moment of slight panic when she called to say that all the local petrol stations on her way out to the motorway had run out and were only selling diesel. None of us had taken into account that this was the beginning of the Easter weekend and the forecast was glorious sunshine. Thankfully, she found petrol further away from the motorway, back towards home and she messaged to say she was on her way. We were hoping that by setting off early we wouldn’t have to follow another narrowboat down Lapworth Locks refilling and emptying each one on the way. The Lapworth flight starts at Lock 2 since the Guillotine Lock mentioned previously is technically Lock […]
Monday 11th to Wednesday 13th April 2022 Leaving Brewood we came to Autherley Junction where there is a former canal toll office. The stop lock here marks where Telford’s Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal [now part of the Shropshire Union Canal] joined Brindley’s older Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. The fall is only about six inches and to Robert’s amusement both the people on the boat going through in front of us and Matilda struggled to work out which way the paddles needed to be opened to level the water. It is much easier when there is an obvious difference in the levels. From here we turned left onto the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and passed the Wolverhampton Boat Club, with an attractive bridge where a lock once was – the gates could still be seen in the open position at both sides of the canal. We also passed a man skilfully towing another narrowboat. After a short distance we joined the Birmingham Canal Navigations [BCN] at Aldersley Junction and Robert smiled quietly as knew he had returned to his homeland. Lock 21 is right at the junction and is the start of the flight taking you up into Wolverhampton. After the […]
Friday 8th to Sunday 10th April 2022 Leaving the gingerbread heritage of Market Drayton behind us we prepared to ascend the five Tyrley Locks leading to . . . . . . the picturesque Tyrley Wharf. This was built as a private wharf but developed into a vibrant hamlet according to a notice on The Old Stables. This building dates from 1838 and although now a charming residence, in the past it has been used as a parish hall, meeting room, Sunday school, reading room and polling station. Between 1917 and 1932 Cadbury leased the wharf and used it to load and transport milk churns from local farms to the chocolate factory at Knighton. Both Matilda and Robert commented that there was no risk of hitting the chimney on the bridges on this stretch of canal. Tyrley Wharf was not the only place we passed which had formed part of the Cadbury supply chain. An old, faded sign on this wharf informed us that it was used between 1911 and 1961 for the processing of locally collected milk products and the shipment of chocolate crumb by canal to Cadbury. The striking High Bridge or Bridge 39 on the Shropshire Union Canal […]
Tuesday 5th to Thursday 7th April 2022 Having waved Gill and Derek off to catch their single carriage train at the start of their journey home, we set off from Whitchurch planning to complete our journey on the Llangollen Canal and rejoin the Shropshire Union Canal, heading south into fresh new waters. Matilda was particularly pleased to see the young lock manager on duty at the Grindley Brook Staircase Locks. Robert, who was on the boat and therefore in the lock as the water level sank, noticed that a thick white line had been painted around the middle lock to indicate the required depth, so perhaps Matilda might have coped without flooding the whole area. After the triple staircase lock, we met several narrowboats heading in the other direction and so at Grindley Brook Lock 4 and Lock 6 we were able to glide straight past each other and into the next lock. This always makes it seem as though the system is running seamlessly, making best use of the precious water. We passed a narrowboat delivering coal before . . . . . . Matilda enjoyed another traffic-stopping moment at the Wrenbury Lift Bridge. She still failed to find […]
Saturday 2nd to Monday 4th April 2022 We had all promised ourselves a cooked breakfast so we strolled into Llangollen past the Riverside Taxidermy Studio which we remarked on at each time of passing: it seems such an unlikely business to be thriving in such a prime, picturesque location. After a very civilised and sustaining breakfast at the m’Eating Point we set off to retrace our route along the Llangollen Canal. There are sections of the canal known as ”narrows” between Llangollen and the aqueduct which are effectively single track with no passing places. Signs recommend you send someone ahead to check that there are no boats coming in the opposite direction and Gill and Matilda opted for a brisk walk to confirm that the route was clear. Although there was undoubtedly more traffic on the canal around the aqueduct, the advance party only encountered one boat travelling in the opposite direction. As they had not sent any scouts ahead, it was fortunate that those on board The Duke were alerted. As you start walking along the towpath a sign states that children must be supervised at all times crossing the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct due to the “wide gaps in the historic […]
Wednesday 30th March to Friday 1st April 2022 The route which the new crew – Gill and Derek – would be negotiating was to be very different from that tackled by Sue and Henry earlier in our narrowboat adventure. This stretch of the Llangollen Canal features only two locks, although there are several tunnels and aqueducts including the iconic Pontcysyllte Aqueduct as well as lift bridges . . . Although we had been unsure at times whether we were in England or Wales, and had been expecting to see a proud proclamation when we were entering Wales, we did eventually spot a fairly low-key indication on one of the mooring signs. On their first day, Derek was designated as steering assistant and started the day at the helm under Robert’s guidance past frolicking lambs as we left Whitchurch. At the end of the day, once through the 80m long Ellesmere Tunnel we moored in Ellesmere itself. A walk round the town took us past the market hall dated 1879 and a memorial to Eglantyne Jebb, born in the town, who went on to found Save the Children in 1919. A branch of the canal leads into the town, past picturesque […]