A Slow Saunter on the Golly
Saturday, 18th February--Monday, 27th FebruaryWe spent four lovely weeks in a holiday cottage in Derbyshire. Sadly we didn't have any snow this time. We entertained all of the friends who so kindly give us hospitality through the year. Then I went to Stratford-on-Avon to look after my friend Malcolm, who's just had a hip operation, and Trev caught the train back to the boat.
At last, on Saturday 18th February, I was free to come home! I had a rather chaotic train journey, with connections not quite doing what they had been forecast to do, but eventually I drew in to Chirk station. There was Trev to meet me and we walked to the boat, which was just a couple of hundred yards away from the station. It really is possible to get around by public transport, as long as one isn't in a hurry! From Stratford to Chirk was only 13.50, with my Senior Railcard! Quite a bargain. Moored at Lion QuaysSaturday, 18th February
It was so very very nice to be back on the boat at last. Trev had polished the brasses and cleaned the roof, and even hoovered inside and put clean sheets on the bed! He knows I love clean sheets! Then, as if that wasn't enough, we travelled three miles along the canal to moor at Lion Quays, where he'd booked a table for us to eat! And he pretends not to be a romantic! The really amusing thing about it though, was that there was a disco on that evening. And we were moored directly outside the room where it was happening. This must be the only place on the whole of the Llangollen Canal where there is a disco! And we found it! However, I put my earplugs in and slept well. Trev didn't seem put out by the noise at all.
Sunday, 19th February
We set off for Llangollen again, and moored at Sun Trevor. It was a cold day, but very clear, and we had some beautiful views. We crossed the Chirk and the Pontycysslte aqueducts, and we saw our first lambs. We also saw drifts of snowdrops, and a few daffodils and even some bold little primroses.
Monday, 20th February
We were up early to go to Llangollen. We wanted to have our full time allowance at the moorings. I rode on ahead on the bike to check out that there weren't any boats coming along the one way stretches, and 'phoned Trev on the mobile 'phone that all was clear.
When we got to the linear moorings, there was no space for us on the linear moorings so we went on to the very end of the canal at the new mooring basin. We've used this to turn before, but not to moor. In fact. we had understood that the basin wasn't to be used in the winter. The basin was built against the wishes of the residents whose houses overlook it. They mounted a campaign to try to prevent BW constructing the new mooring basin, but fortunately were unsuccessful. However they were able to impose some restrictions on its use. One was that no boat should moor there for longer than forty-eight hours. It's a lovely spot to stay, and handy for the town.
We walked in to town to shop and use the internet at the library. Llangollen is a pretty little town, enhanced by its privately owned staem railway. This week is half term week, and Thomas the Tank Engine and friends are in residence, plus the Fat Controller. Little children were so excited, going for jaunts on the train.
Moored in Llangollen Basin
Tuesday, 21st February
A special day today--Trev's cousin Ann and her husband Graham came to pick us up and we all went to Dolgellau. They're thinking on buying a holiday cottage there, and asked us to join them. We had a lovely journey through beautiful countryside, and Dolgellau is a very pretty town. Then we had a picnic by Lake Bala, before returning to Liberty Belle, where we had fish and chips. And, no, they didn't see a property to buy.
Wednesday, 22nd February
After a final shop and a fill up with water we reluctantly left Llangollen. We shan't be back here for a while, maybe next winter if we decide to spend the winter up here again. It was very cold today, and I was glad to have the excuse of ironing and hoovering to keep me in the warm. It took about an hour and a half to get from Llangollen to Trevor, and the Pontycysslte aqueduct. We moored up eventually at Cefn Bychan, a little earlier than we had planned, but it was very cold. We were high up above the valley, where we could see the trains coming over the viaduct, another fantastic engineering feat.
Thursday, 23rd February
We decided that we would stay put today. The weather was awful, wet and very cold. But later in the day it stopped raining, and Trev decided we would make a break for it. We were heading for Chirk, just a short distance, where there is a mooring. As soon as we started, the rain started again, and I went down below. When we got to Chirk, the moorings were already occupied, and so we had to go on. At least part of it was through Chirk tunnel, so Trev was dry under there! We moored up near Bridge 17. Trev was glad to come inside and warm up.
We moved on around lunchtime, just a short time to moor above Marton Locks. Trev walked to St. Martins, a little village about a mile away. We had heard there was a supermarket there, and, as we hadn't been able to moor at Chirk, we were running low on provisions. He came back full of praise for the place, and said I must go with him tomorrow. A Golden Labrador followed him all the way back from the village. I started a Spring clean whilst trev was out, and am trying to get rid of items we haven't used at all since we've been on the boat, or at least not for a year. The cupboards are bursting at the seams.
Today we both walked to Stan's supermarket and it really is a very well stocked shop. They seem to have everything one could need, even gardening items, household goods and a cafe. Trev is fantastic about carrying the shopping. He takes the rucksack and puts all the heavy stuff in it, and then carries all the rest. I didn't have to carry anything back!
Moored above Marton LocksSunday, 26th February
Trev must like Stan's supermarket--he walked there again today. Then we filled up with water, and set off through the locks. The weather deteriorated as we travelled and we moored up at Frankton Junction, where the Montgomery Canal goes off.
Monday, 27th February
We went for a walk along the Montgomery Canal. BW men were working on the locks, they had replaced some of the lock gates, and the canal was drained. Yet as we walked back about half an hour after, it was full. We were pleased to see that as we have booked to go through the Frankton locks and down the Monty next Monday, the day it opens. We were less pleased to see the desecration of a memorial to Graham Palmer, a pioneer of the restoration of the Montgomery canal. It had been hacked and gouged and really spoilt, to the point where it has to be replaced. What on earth would possess someone to come so far out into the countryside and do that?
Then we set off and went three miles to Ellesmere. It was very cold and we were glad we were only doing a short distance. We moored up by the entrance to the Ellesmere Arm and walked in to town to get a few essentials. I also booked an appointment to see the optician tomorrow. I have a problem with my eye. I seem to have something in it, not a speck of dust, but rather at the back of the eye, as though something has ruptured. I'm not very brave about eyes, so I hope it's something simple.