The end of our summer cruise

Number one granddaughter checking the course !



Snow at the end of October!!

Are we nearly there ?

Number two granddaughter up to mischief

Sorry this is late, for some reason I get a signal on some nights and not on others. We had visitors last Wednesday afternoon, Lisa, Emyr and the two granddaughters, Megan and FFion. as it was half term they were staying until Saturday, They are looking forward to going on Thomas the Tank Engine on Friday at the station in town, he is here for half term. L,E,M and F lovely to see you all.

Elsie on Bendigedig was a mile nearer to Llangollen than us and rang to say that there was room to moor up on the line on Thursday morning, so we left our Sun Trevor mooring and started on the last 2 miles to Llangollen. Over night it had snowed !! so the landscape was transformed, the temperature wasn't that bad though. Megan stayed on the back with me, Emyr was on the towpath ahead of us, this section of the canal is single track in two places, so some one has to go in front to stop boats coming the other way.

We arrived, and found a spot which will do us for the winter. There are several old friends here from last year, and a few new faces as well. Well that's it until next year, hope you all have a nice Christmas and a better New Year than the one we are in.

See you all in April.

During our summer cruise we covered 630 miles, went through 388 locks and used 987 ltrs of fuel.

Back on the Llangollen

Moored on the Llangollen half a mile from the Montgomery canal

Looking back up the Montgomery to the Frankton locks.

We get many helicopters around they are from the Services Training school at Shrewsbury

The first services and moorings on the Monty, the moorings are on the right and the services on the left. As we were tying up, who should come along but Angela and Trevor on Liberty Belle, we haven't seen them since July

Trevor moving over to make use of the services.


Well it's been an interesting week, we moved on to the Montgomery canal on Tues lunch time, and made our way down to the services, whilst there our friends on Liberty Belle arrived, we hadn't seen Angela and Trevor since July at Braunston, we were at the services then, and as they passed through without stopping, we didn't manage to catch up on the news. So a good chat was had by all, after watering etc. we moved across the arm to the moorings and spent the night there.

Weds saw us on the move, we travelled to Wootton and managed to find a mooring for both boats, the girls went off on the bus to Oswestry to do some shopping, and Eric and I went for a pint in the Queens Head, a very nice pint of Theakstons.

Thurs we moved, in terrible windy weather, on to the present end of the Monty at Maesbury Marsh, we turned and eventually managed to moor up, it was a real battle, the wind wanted the boat on opposite bank to were I wanted it and it took a while to get my way!. We stopped there until Sat and then moved back, in very windy weather, to Frankton locks ready for Sunday, locking out of the Monty back on to the Llangollen.

And so our Summer Journey is nearly at an end.

See you all next week.

Bye Ellesmere till April 2009

The BW services point at Ellesmere, Bendi filling with water and Shush just finished and winded.

Last supplies coming on board before leaving our mooring.

Managed to get a bit of painting done this week, the floor of the front deck wanted a coat to freshen it up, so found some Hammerite in almost the same colour as the original. Have put one coat on and will try to get onother on this week. Eiddwen and Elsie have been to Oswestry a couple of times (Eric and I sent a email to the shopping centre warning them that they were on their way, so they could get in extra stock!!).

On our way at last, we left Ellesmere this morning after using the services, water, rubbish, etc. Making our way against quite a strong gusting headwind, this, combined with the natural 2mph flow on the Llangollen was making the engine work for a change, it also made one or two bends rather interesting as well.

We are going to spend a few days on the Montgomery canal this coming week, and are looking forward to that as we haven't been down the Monty before. At present we are moored out in the country where we like to be when we get the chance.

Thats all folks, see you next week.

Still around Ellesmere

The Town Arm at Ellesmere on a warm Sunday morning.


We are the fourth boat down the line and Bendi is fifth.

Bendigedig winding at the bottom of the arm.

And returning to moor behind us.

Not a lot to report this week, the cut is getting much quieter with less boats about, we have moved on to the Town Arm for three days, as we have been waiting for some decent weather so that the paint brushes could get going. At last, today has been warm and dry and tomorrow is supposed to be the same, so out with the wet and dry this morning, some red oxide this afternoon and top coat tomorrow I hope.

E had her !! birthday on Friday so she had a trip to Shrewsburys shops and we went out for a meal that evening to the Thai Mere Restaurant in town and a very nice bit of grub it was too, we both enjoyed it.

Thats all for now, see you next week.

10 Day stop over

I should have published these photo's two weeks ago but the lack of signal held them up.


Hurleston Locks the entrance to the Llangollen canal.

This is the trip boat on the Manchester Ship canal with a full load.

This was last Thursday on the Preece Arm, just before sunset with a storm coming in.

Last week there wasn't much to write about, a quiet week as they say. We moved on from Whitchurch to open country, then down the Preece branch to Whixall marina for services and diesel at 75 ppl, we then stopped for two nights half way back to the main line it was very quiet and peaceful.

We arrived in Ellesmere on Friday pm and plan to stay around here for the next 10 days or so. Hope the weather gets better as forecast, because yesterday the wind was very strong, and last night I don't think it stopped raining all night. I'm hoping to get some painting done in the next few days, that is if the weather picks up.

Note to Eric & Patsy in California

We are not far from your home town now, in fact Eiddwen is going there tomorrow to do some shopping.I hope you both enjoy the canals as much as we do, BW are starting to put prices up for us CC's, next year there is talk of an extra £ 150 on top of our licence to cover the use of services etc for 12 month cruisers, and the price of red diesel is changing on the 1st November. When we buy fuel after that date, we will have to declare how much is for propulsion and how much for heat and light, this will mean that boatyards will charge us at a higher rate for propulsion. The general consensus is 60/40 split when cruising, but when moored up I don't know yet.

That's all folks.

Signal at last!!!

I have not had a signal since Friday morning, and am fed up with Vodafone's coverage around here in particular. So that is why the blog is late and that there aren't any photos this week and Vodafone's days are numbered, roll on November when my contract ends. I can check the signals of other companies and there are at least two who consistently beat Vodafone on strength.

After leaving Chester, we cruised up to Chrisleton, it was our 43 wedding aniversery so we went to the Cheshire Cat pub for a very nice meal with Eric & Elsie off Bendigedig. The following day we moved on to Beeston for the weekend, and what a lovely few days it was, we had a barbi on Saturday evening. On Monday we headed for Hurleston locks at the bottom of the Llangollen canal, we climbed the four locks and did another couple of miles before mooring for the night. tonight we are in Wrenbury and plan to stay here for 48 hrs.

Message for Eric from California, the designer wheel was the result of an argument with a lock gate, my bike has been on that carrier almost a year and has survived hundreds of locks, however sods law says that sooner or later you will forget it's there and the bike becomes the meat in the sandwich between 14 tons of boat and an imovable lock gate. The bike has a new wheel and now lies on the roof alongside Eiddwens.

Well as this blog is so late i've added on this weeks as well, the signal is a little better today. We are on the Whitchurch arm for the weekend and have been into town to do a Tesco shop this afternoon, the weather is very good at the moment so we are making the most of it. Hope to have more to say next time.

See you all next week.

At the end of the Shropi.

There are 3 lots of water here, in the foreground are the museum locks at the end of the Shropshire Union Canal, the middle ground is the Manchester Ship Canal and the sandy bit at the top is the River Mersey at low tide.

This is the lower basin of the Museum complex, which we have almost to ourselves.

First mate going for a stroll.

Going down the first lock with our little helpers up on top.

Halfway down Northgate Staircase Locks at Chester, a drop of 32 feet in 3 locks.

In case you hadn't noticed, the pictures are in the wrong order. ie. first last, last first!!


This weekend we are in The National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port. We are staying for a few days in the lower basin of the museum, and as you can see, we don't have a lot of neighbours! On the way we stopped a night in Chester having had a walk round the shops during the day.

This museum is the best waterway museum I have been in, they really have tried to make it customer friendly, with touch screens every where and some excellent information boards alongside the exhibits.

The weather has finally sorted its self out and so far we have had 3 excellent days. We had a nice walk along the Manchester Ship Canal this morning, and did the last of the exhibits this afternoon, so tomorrow I have got an engine oil & filter change in the morning and the GP in the afternoon, so a restful day!!

See you all nextweek.

Onwards and upwards

My engine is now complete again, Steve from Kings Lock boatyard at Middlewich came on Wednesday morning and removed the piece of bolt left in the head, fitted a new bolt and re-torqued it. Thanks Steve. After looking at the weather forecast for the next few days, we have moved on from Nantwich out into the country side and will stay put until Sunday and then move on towards Chester which is our next goal.

Thursday evening I lit the fire for the first time since last March, it went quite chilly early evening so we had to bite the bullet and get the chimney out of the front locker, along with sticks and coal, whilst trying to avoid the the rain. Half an hour and we were lovely and cosy again. you forget how quickly the fire warms the place up.

No photo's this again this week, my vodafone signal is just not strong enough to download them.

End of the summer?

Spot the Heron

The weather doesn't seem to get any better, although, we can't complain there haven't been many days since leaving London that we have failed to move due to the rain. Speaking to family in East Anglia and friends back in Pembrokeshire we seem to have sailed up the middle of the country and avoided most of the bad weather that they have seen.

At the moment we are moored up part way down the Audlem flight of 15 locks, a few miles from Nantwich, we arrived here yesterday lunch time and are staying till Monday morning, we try not to move on Sundays if possible. I had a few photo's to put on the blog but am having trouble transfering them (it keeps crashing). I am going to try another phone company in a couple of months when my contract runs out. Even though I am only getting 2g on mine most of the time, if I look at the other companies they are showing 3g in the same location, so, Vodafone your days are numbered if your signal strength doesn't increase. Still waiting for progress on the engine front, watch this space.

A Visit to the Show

We left Great Heywood last Tues and made our way down the Staffs & Worcester canal to the Inland Waterways Association's National Festival held this year at Pendeford at the head of the Shropshire Union canal.

Arriving at Autherley Junction there were several boats queing for the lock on to the Shropi, IWA helpers were controlling it, so we waited for their call to go through the lock, 2 hours later we made the turn and moved on down to a nice mooring for the night. Saturday we walked up to the show and spent the day looking around and spending money. At least the weather was warm. We moved on later in the day and are now out in the country on a quiet mooring.

Sunday we made our way down to Brewood and had Lunch at the Bridge Inn very nice too. we moved on a bit further and stopped for the night, on Monday we cruised on down to Norbury Junction which is where we are now. I'm hoping my engine problem will be sorted this week, I went to the Vitas stand at the show and spoke to them and it would seem that the engineer is iminent. we shall see.

Sorry no pics this week, will try harder for next week.

Tixall Wide, more like a lake than a canal. There are lots of Kingfishers here

Balloon leaving Shugborough Hall, several nights a week in the summer weather permitting so we are told.

Well, weather wise it's been a mixed bag again this week. We left Atherstone last Sat and cruised slowly up to Great Heywood, where we arrived Thurs pm and we are staying till Tues, waiting for tablets for Eiddwen and doing a bit of cosmetic work on the outside of the hull, these narrow locks take off more paint than the double locks on the GU, or maybe it's me!!

We are here on Tixall Wide, it really is a lovely spot, and a great favorite with many boaters. I'm afraid the picture doesn't quite do it justice. Tomorrow I have to go back to the junction to get diesel ( it's only a mile ), when we arrived in Great Heywood we moored on the 48 hr moorings, so had to move on Saturday. I couldn't get any on Saturday when we moved up here because it was change over day at the boat yard and they don't wan't to see any one then. It's the first time I have let it go down so far, I've only got about 20 litres left so a big bill this time!! Will let you know next week.

Changeable weather

Tucked up for Sunday





Well weather wise it's been a changeable week, Hot at the start and very wet at the end. We arrived in Atherstone on Weds pm, Eric had to go home to Newport so we moored up for three nights. Set off again on Sat in a real downpour, so did six locks and three miles and stopped out in the country just before lunch, and with a good signal for Sky we are nice and cosy for rest of the weekend ( The Eisteddfod is on S4C as well as the Olympics )



On Thurs a 30 footer moored behind us with a retired couple on board, they went shopping and locked themselves out, so I went over with some spanners and took their hatch off so we could open the door. Eiddwen and I then went shopping and when we came back there was a little thank you card pinned to our door, Now wasn't that nice of them, with people like that there is still hope for the rest of us!!

My engine problem still hasn't been resolved, however the correct people are in the know and I await their pleasure, in the meantime we are cruising slowly onwards.

Beware the Yellow Peril

End of the day

Sorry this is late, I couldn't get a signal on Sunday night.

Well I think this week has been hotter than last although this weekend the breeze has picked up, and we have had a little rain, it is still very close and muggy. We left MK on Monday pm and progressed through Blisworth and Braunston tunnels up to Braunston, (I hate tunnels, although we didn't have any incidents this time) arrived there late Friday, we left there Sunday pm and are out in the country at the moment a few miles short of Rugby.

Funny thing happened on Friday morning, I was checking the oil and water before setting off, when I saw a yellow thing on the floor of the engine bay, now the engine bay is painted white and the engine is yellow so it grabbed my attention. It turned out to be the Hex head of one of the cylinder head bolts, these bolts are stretch torqued and it looks as though there was a flaw in this bolt, you would swear it has been cut off with a hacksaw. I'm lucky in a way as it is the bolt between no's 1 & 2 injectors so the engine is still running with care, just as well as my calls to the engineer have still not been answered, I think he is on holiday. However I did take advice from one of the boat yards near by, they said it was a reasonable risk to keep going slowly untill I can get it fixed.

Hot, Hot, Hot.

Here are the boys

We are in Milton Keynes this weekend, arrived on Thursday pm and decided to stay till Monday, Eiddwen needs a repeat prescription so we have to hang around for a couple of days. You would think that the tablets she requires have to be paid for by the people running the surgeries !! it is getting harder and harder to find someone prepared to authorise them. This time it took a visit to two surgeries to get a signature. the problem is that the doctors will only give a months tablets at any one time, which is fair enough if you could get a repeat prescription without any hassle, but that is not the case, when you go into a strange surgery they treat you like a leper.

"ooh we can't do that here you must try somewhere else" What a way to run the NHS.

What a cracking week, it just got hotter towards the weekend. We left Bulbourne Junction on Monday am in fine weather and it just got better, such that we seemed to do less each day due to the heat. Martin, Sophie and the grandsons, Ethan and Ptolemy came over today for a visit, along with sophie's mum Sarah it was great to see them all. Sarah has been driving Eiddwen round the surgeries because living here she knows were they are. Thanks Sarah, your help has been invaluable.

Lots of Locks

Heading under the M25 near junction 20, Bendigedig in front of Shush.

This weekend we are at Bulbourne Junction near Tring, having passed Rickmansworth, Kings Langley, Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamstead on the way. The weather was fairly kind to us last week, keeping dry for most of the time, just as well, as this section of the GU is very heavily locked, 52 in 30 miles, we managed 14 one day, the girls were pretty tired that night, however it makes life easier being able to get both boats in at the same time.

Spent Saturday afternoon in the engine bay doing a fuel filter, engine oil and filter change. The engine has done 522 hours since launch last October, this is the fifth change i've done, it takes a while, due to the engine and gearbox being so close to the bottom of the boat, you have to suck the oil up through the dipstick tube with a small pump, works very well though.

Bye Bye London

London from the EYE !

Our visit to see Lisa, Emyr and the girls

Going up to the basin to turn

Waiting for Eric and Bendigedig to come through the bridge hole

Eric turning behind us

That empty space is where we spent our 14 days in Little Venice,

Bendigedig on the inside and Shush on the outside

Sorry there wasn't a blog last Sunday, we went up to Norwich for a couple of days to do a bit of business and see L & E and the girls. Eric & Elsie kept an eye on the boat for us, many thanks both. Whilst in the Capital we managed to get around a few of the sight, the Eye, Camden Market, shops for E and a couple of museums for me, and also one or two pubs. It still amazes me how quiet LV is considering it is surrounded by flats and one or two roads after 11.00pm ish we have not been disturbedthe whole time we have been here.

Well our two weeks in London came to an end, and on Friday we slipped our moorings went up to the basin and turned heading for Birmingham. We did the 13 miles to Tesco at Bulls Bridge, did a shop and spent the night on their moorings. Saturday found us heading for our first lock at Cowley, two more followed including a fill up with diesel at 82 ppl that's the best price for a long time. We ended up in the country near South Harefield. Today Sunday has been very hot all day, makes a nice change. This morning a voice on a passing boat hailed us in Welsh and asked Eiddwen what we were doing this far south, she said we were on our way back from London and what was he doing here, I live here he said have done for many years, nice to talk the talk again. Our dragons attract a lot of attention from ex pats.

London

Tesco's in Rickmansworth provide moorings for boat shoppers, as do several supermarkets down here.





Saw this piece of "Art"on the way in.

The last lock before London

Paddington Basin, our second choice of mooring.

Little Venice, our first choice. All boats are moored two a breast here due to popularity of site.

Well we finally arrived at Little Venice in the Borough of Westminster on Saturday afternoon and managed to moor up on a couple of boats already tied to the bank. On Sunday afternoon we swapped around and found a slot for Bendigedig with Shush on the outside. You are allowed to stay up to a maximum of 14 days here. There are a lot of boats around this weekend according to the locals but it's all very friendly, and boat people are helpful souls on the whole.

We had a good run down this week, the weather has been great. We stopped out in the country Monday night, Rickmansworth for two nights, (Erics back has been giving him trouble this week and he has been in a lot of pain), then a night out in the country again, Friday night we were at Tesco's Bulls Bridge, and Saturday we did the last 13 miles into Little Venice.

There are a lot bars and restaurants in this area and they seem pretty well suplied with customers, especialy as it has been so warm this weekend. We plan to do some sightseeing this coming week.

Double Breasted

Last uphill lock before the summit at Tring, from here on it's all down hill

Waiting for the lock to empty

This was the 14th and last lock of the day, so the lockies are getting a bit tired.

"I've just bought this"!

We are in Hemel Hempstead for the weekend and although we are in the middle of the town with some very nice houses along the towpath, it's so quiet and peaceful here you would think your out in the country. There are so many boats moored around here, there wasn't enough room to moor one in front of the other as we usualy do, so we breasted up with Bendigedig on the inside, due to the fact that this is a wide canal we can get away with it.

The supermarket is 400 yds one way and the pub is about the same the other, sat reception is great so it's a very good spot!!. The weather has been good too this weekend, some showers on Sat morn, sunny pm and all day Sunday it has been warm and sunny.

Last week we had a lot of locks, and it will be the same for the start of this week, we still have 26 locks and 33 miles to go. However, we will get there in our own time, it's not a race and the idea is to enjoy it at a pace that suits us, and thats what we are doing.

Leighton Buzzard

Here we are in LB the towpath is a bit overgrown here,you have to cut a path in the grass before you can moor up.

The local canoe club had a race today and several dozen boats were going up and down the canal.

This is Ben, Eric and Elsie's dog, he loves to watch the world go by.

Having spent a couple of very pleasant days in Milton Keynes earlier this week, (although the canal meanders right through the centre of the town, you feel your in the country it is so quiet). We walked across a lovely park into the main shopping centre on Weds before we cruised down to Leighton Buzzard. Elsie had to go home to Newport this weekend so we are here till Monday, it's a nice town, plenty of shops and eating places.

Martin called on Friday evening with a new camera I'd ordered and had delivered to him, so no excuses now, and Sarah, Sophie's mum came for lunch today so we caught up on a multitude of things. The weather this week has been very good, dry and warm for the most part.

A week nearer London

Daylight at last, coming out of Blisworth tunnel 3057 yds long

Another lock in the Stoke Bruerne flight

No by-wash on this canal any excess water comes straight over the top of the gates

Both the girls waiting for the lock to empty.

It's been a funny few days this week, we started ok on Mon, then due to the torrential rain on Tues we didn't move that day. Weds & Thurs we made progress, then on Fri, Martin and our lovely grandsons Ethan & Ptolemy came to see us, we had a great day and they left in the evening after a very nice meal in the local pub. Sat was a rest day and we started again on Sun. Firstly we filled with diesel at 86.3 ppl, we passed one yard selling at 93.2 ppl but left it in the pump, did Blisworth tunnel, 7 locks, filled up with water after the locks and then did a couple of miles, now moored up in the country with the satelite on watching the Canadian grand prix. It's a hard life on the cut !!!