Narrowboat Maid of the Mist Blog - January 2012

We hope you continue to enjoy reading about our travels around the British Inland Waterways

1st - 7th Happy New Year everyone. Not so good a start for me. Still feeling a little poorly with this chest infection, so not cruising.

8th - 10th Arrived at Barbridge Junction. Had a Tesco delivery 9th, which nearly went wrong as the original designated driver was not familiar with the area and couldn't find us.

Llangollen Canal

11th - Just moved onto the Llangollen Canal today. Did the 4 Hurleston Locks and moored up just after Bridge 2. Graham is a little poorly now, same symptoms as myself. It was bound to happen. I just hope he doesn't get as bad as I did. I'll keep dosing him up. We will just cruise a little each day. Not in a hurry. Want to be at the Ponty at the end of the month.

12th -Too windy to move today. No point in struggling when not in a hurry.

13th - And it's Friday. Did 2 locks and moored up just after bridge 11. A beautiful day. Bright sunshine and no wind. The towpath is very wet and muddy, so Jack will be fussing about his feet later. He hates them getting dirty. Maybe I should buy him some booties.

14th to 17th - Just cruising along slowly a couple of hours a day.

18th - Did the six Grindley Brook locks today. Luckily they were all full so we just had to empty the bottom lock. We availed ourselves of water at the facilities by the top lock.

Arrived in Whitchurch only to find the arm is closed. Bit of a nuiscance as we hoped to have a grocery delivery in the morning. We have moored up just passed Whitchurch Marina for the night.

19th to 23rd Continued to cruise stopping off in Ellesmere to pick up some shopping. Graham went into town to take some photographs. There is a 72 hr mooring restriction outside Tesco, but this is obviously enough time to check out the town and do your shopping at the same time.

Only the two Marston Locks today and at the moment we are moored quite close to the Lion Quays marina.

24th - Where was the rain today. We stayed put because the weather forecast was heavy rain all day. What a waste of a day. By the time we realised it wasn't going to rain, it was too late to start cruising.

25th - Arrived in Trevor having tried to moor in several places before but were unable to get either phone or TV signals. Topped up with water just before the Ponty so we can stay put until Sunday (weather permitting).

Getting into Trevor means going over the Pontcysyllte Aquaduct which is still scary.

On arrival there was the above working party of BW volunteers tidying up in the basin, clearing shrubbery in the picnic area at the end of the arm. Thank God for these guys.

Just as a warning for anyone coming into the basin. It is a little shallow coming under the bridge. We have a 27" draught and we struggled a bit. Once in the basin you can wind without difficulty.

30th - Still in Trevor. Had Zoe and Ryan visiting Saturday and Sunday and we went for a couple of nice walks under the aquaduct. It's a bit muddy in places, but it didn't detract from our enjoyment. Graham was a bit nervous so could not walk across the aquaduct, and I must say, although I did, the railings made me feel a little dizzy.

31st - Woke up this morning and the Trevor arm was frozen over. Time to move we thought. So we managed to break our way out of the arm where the canal was flowing and went to Chirk Marina first to do all our domestics (pump out, water and fuel). This means we can now survive a month before we need to fuel up and pump out, and two weeks before we need water, so if we get frozen in, we should be ok.

Our plan is to return to the Shropshire Union Canal. We will stop off in Ellesemere to get a few bits of shopping and invite local family for a quick visit, and then move as we can, weather permitting. It's been a lovely start to the year.

Keep following us next month - click here.

Author: Jean Beven

Entrance to Tattenhall Marina on the Shropshire Union Canal

Joined the Llangollen Canal 11th. Note the maximum beam. Fenders need to be lifted.

Electric lift bridge at Wrenbury Mill. Temporary restriction on this at the moment to replace the top bar that fell off.

Sheep on towpath at Rhoswiel. Obviously found the grass greener on the other side of the fence.

Graham with his winter beard.

The Pontcysyllte Aquaduct at Trevor - this aquaduct is 120 feet high.

Hand shaped collage made up of items recover from the canal at Trevor.

This is the water treatment plant which can be seen from the walkway on the aquaduct. The black gravel one was actually working.