Winding up.

I just have to say something about the speed of boats here on the Llangollen. It maybe that I still haven't go used to being on small and narrow canals but it seems that the big majority of boats seem to make very little attempt to slow down when passing. I like to make sure I am moored up properly so it affects me only slightly. It is certainly not just the myriad of hire boaters, but the big majority of the privateers too. The privateers must feel a little guilty as they obviously think that by changing the note of their engine as their stern passes ours will magically slow you down. It will be interesting to see if the phenomena continues when we get back on to a busy Shroppie.

The next morning we decided to walk to the Mere via the path through the woods. It was another lovely day and to be hand in hand walking by the water on the promenade was like been on holiday. The visitor centre was really just a cafe but they did good coffee and cake, so we stopped.

This is one of the sculpture trail items around the Ellesmere area. I'm glad that they don't come this big. Mind you the size of the flies that stung Helen were described as this ones big brother!

After Helen had got some earings and some Christmas/birthday presents from a shop with a sale, we got back to the boat for lunch and then headed off. Beech House was where Thomas Telford did much of the planning for the Ellesmere Canal and it was a great place to be, at the junction with the arm to the town.

Just nextdoor to Beech House is the boatyard and services. There was nobody there at all so we stopped to top up. There is a dry dock here and many workshops and stores, and a working forge. You can see the roving bridge over the arm that leads to the town. The main canal leads off to the right.

This yard hasn't been sold off for housing or something similar and appears to be quite busy, at least I saw 5 or 6 C&RT people having their lunch at a bench outside when we passed.

From Ellesmere the canal seems to develop a good few bends and it certainly keeps you on your toes as many of them are impossible to see round. You can see the next bridge near the left of the picture as we are heading right. The countryside is really beautiful and I can't understand why I don't remember it at all from past visit.

Another bend in the canal as it winds round Val Hill, reminding us of being out in the wilds at the top of the Leeds and Liverpool canal.

The canal was set to head down to the left at the Frankton Junction and the bridge numbering follows it. This bridge is 69 but the next one in the distance is No.1. A 'W' has been added to not remind you that you are heading for Wales, but equally implausibly, so you don't think you are back at Hurleston again! 

We will hopefully head down the Montgomery Canal on the way back down. It will be brilliant if and when they get it open all the way as it passes through some beautiful countryside.

When in Ellesmere we saw that part of the railway embankment near Hindford was up for auction with a guide price of £10,000. It was not next to the canal but up towards the road. The bridge abutments are still there for the old Cambrian Railway that closed in 1965.

We stopped for the night near the Jack Mytton Pub but it was all closed up. However there are a line of cherry trees by the canal, along the car park. We moored up under them so I could reach plenty and got a good few pounds to eat and make jam with. Of course I paid for it with the birds bring the fruit down on the roof after dawn, which is very early at the moment!