Llangollen Canal - Day 5

New record! 5 layers of clothing! This morning was overcast but still and calm. We puttered along past some funny old craft boats - fashion items for desperate times - and other necessities for one's canal adventures.

Coming down the canal we had passed the beautiful Blake Mere overlooking Georges Wood. The autumn colours of the foliage were glorious and the lake so perfectly still. There were some little jetties sticking out into the clear water and James and Daddy had some fun mucking about on those. Lunch was soup and toasties at a picnic table with the best view in the world!

We took a walk along the canal path strewn with brilliant autumn leaves. James and I couldn't resist kicking and throwing them! It was relaxing spending time walking and being off the boat.

Reluctantly leaving this beautiful spot we cruised on through the Ellesmere tunnel into the canal arm serving Ellesmere village. Whilst Martin waited for the Marina Men to check out our heating glitch, Mum, James and I did a bit of shopping and posted some cards.

[Martin: Having previously swapped out one of the batteries we were sure the problem lay elsewhere. After some high tech diagnosis - basically shorting out the circuit using a spanner - a dud isolating switch was fingered as the culprit. This was bypassed in a jiffy and sure enough the central heating sprang to life!]

Once again we had a tight spot to turn Lucy in and were peeved at being jostled back into our starting position (after much effort) by another boat crowding the turning circle. Grrr again!

[Martin: There's a funny side to this story... somewhere. At end of each of these branch canals there is some kind of turning spot. Basically a bowl shape or similar allowing the boat to turn about. Before leaving our mooring we strategised - really, that's what is was - and reasoned that with our fantastic manoeuvring skills and the judicious use of a push pole we could make the turn in only three moves. The winding hole was basically a triangle. So we aimed for one corner and gently put the bow on the wall. Using slow thrust we levered the back end around until it was parallel to the base of the triangle. For the second move we then carefully reversed to the other corner. Final move - push the bow off with the pole and wait for it to drift around to point towards the exit - apply thrust and we're off. Or that was the plan! As the bow drifted around this other boat appeared down the canal heading straight for us. Without really slowing he began his turn. Of course, there was very little room - we were filling most of the space - so of course he hit us. Not too hard mind - but enough to drive us back and hopelessly out of alignment. So after letting him do his thing we turned our 3-point manoeuvre into a... well mess.]

After some more elbow grease and expert steering from Marty we watered the boat (supervised by Mr James Pittard, Director of All Things Fiddly) and off we went. We moored for the night between Rowson's Bridge and Nicholas #2 Bridge just down from the Montgomery Canal/Frankton Junction. At dusk we walked through fields lazily observed by the cows (their lovely furry ears back lit by the sun) and back to Lucy. Mum continued on and came across a derelict church, built in 1890, but when she commented on it to a local farmer he didn't even know it was there! Gorgeous sunset. I happily admired it from the galley window whilst preparing dinner in the warm!

Photos are here.