Llangollen.

0 Locks, 5 Miles, 1 Lift Bridge. Now moored at Llangollen Marina.

We set off from Trevor at about 8.30 this morning just as the Anglo Welsh hire boats were starting to return. There was a bit of congestion at the junction with 1 boat already waiting to go under the bridge towards Llangollen and another just emerging through the same bridge hole. While these 2 were sorting themselves out AW staff were moving the day hire boats causing even more confusion. We managed to slip between them all and got out of there smartly leaving them to sort themselves out.

The first mile out of Trevor we were having some difficulty with shallow water. BW claim the water is about 2 ½ ft deep but our draft is only 23 inches and yet we ran aground about 5 times before we reached Llangollen. Before we reached the narrow sections of the canal we met a hire boat on the wrong side of the canal. I slowed down but kept power on to maintain steerage but he didn't seem to know what to do and was too slow in moving over and finished up ramming us. All we got from the youth on the tiller was a mouthful of abuse and blaming us for being in the wrong. Bloody ignorant scouse!

As we approached the narrows I left the boat and walked ahead with a walkie talkie and left Robin on the tiller. In the second narrow section Robin apparently got stuck where rock had fallen down from the steep rock face reducing water depth. I only had to warn 1 boat that 2 boats were coming through the narrows and stop a day hire boat just as he was leaving the Llangollen basin.When we arrived in the basin there were plenty of moorings available but tonight the place is just about full.

After lunch we walked into town with the intention of walking to the Somerfield supermarket for bread and milk but we got side tracked and caught the 2pm steam train from Llangollen to Carriog instead. This train was hauled by an ex GWR 2-8-0 loco. At Carriog we alighted and had a look around the nearby camping site before returning on the same train to Berwyn. Here we alighted again with the purpose on walking to the Horseshoe Falls where the river Dee supplies the water to the canal.

Headwaters of the Llangollen Canal at Horseshoe Falls

After looking at the weir and canal headwaters we walked back to Berwyn station to catch the 4.25 back to Llangollen. This train was hauled by an ex LMS 0-6-0 4F. While waiting for our train the next train to Carriog came through with the headboard "Wedding Belle" on the loco and one complete carriage had been booked for a wedding reception. Novel!

Arched bridge supporting Berwyn Station

Back in Llangollen we only got as far as the SPAR store and bought our bread and milk there. On the way back to the boat we spotted a fish and chip restaurant and decided that as it was late we would eat out again tonight. Lovely fish and chips all round. When we went into the restaurant it was just starting to drizzle with rain but by the time we had finished our meal and were ready to move on it was raining quite heavily. Wouldn't you just know it! Mind you it was not as bad as the poor wedding party who had just arrived back on the train and were being piped by a Scottish piper across town to the hotel. One bridesmaid was very wet and just about sliding out of her strapless gown.

The Wedding Belle

1422 locks, 2060 miles, 48 Tunnels, 42 swing bridges and 28 lift bridges since Nov 2006