Tuesday, 17th June                       Canal Boat Cruise

Robyn writes: Well, I have the perfect antidote to a hectic week in London - a canal boat cruise in Shropshire and northern Wales! It was Glen's birthday so we presented him with a genuine "Captain's" hat (from the Royal Navy Museum in Portsmouth, so is very authentic!) We left Leighton Buzzard around 9 yesterday (Monday) and arrived in Whitchurch around 12.30, had a lovely lunch in a pub there, bought some groceries, and headed for the canal boat place by quarter to 2. Here we were shown the (scary) lock DVD again, an engineer took us over the boat, we loaded up and we were on our way! Our boat is quite a long one - it has a double and a twin cabin, a toilet and a shower room with another toilet (very handy) and quite a good sized galley kitchen and eating area (the kitchen table can fold down into another bed if needed). It's well supplied with utensils, crockery etc and is really very comfortable - good use of space which a lot of hotel room designers could come and take a look at!

 Sniffly and I ready to cruise!

 Several swing bridges along the way

 Me holding the centre line to stabilize the boat

Beautiful scenery

Steering a canal boat, especially a long one like ours, is not easy, Lex and Glen have decided. You have to steer from the back and can't even really see the front of the boat! You also have to predict what the boat will do and move the rudder long before it's actually needed. We've had some interesting predicaments, especially when passing under bridges and meeting oncoming boats (rule of the canal: we go to the right; they pass on our left). Yesterday we had several "swing" bridges which Lex or Glen had to actually lift up so we could pass under, then carefully lower again! It was a bit traumatic at first, but 24 hours later they are both quite skilled at steering (a great relief to all, especially oncoming traffic. They really should issue newbies with an "L" plate, we've decided!) Trauma of steering apart, canal cruising is very relaxing, especially if there's a few of you to share the jobs. I've spent a good deal of time just sitting out the front or back watching the scenery go by.
Yesterday evening we made it as far as Ellesmere and moored there for the night at about 8.30. Carol and I prepared a delicious meal of sausages and salad which we all devoured (fresh air does wonders for the appetite!) We got a reasonable night's sleep (not easy with the strange sounds of the boat and being unable to stretch right out in my bed!) and were up not long after 5 to have breakfast and be under way once more. I made friends with a lot of ducks at the mooring site when they discovered I had crusts I was willing to share!

 The locks are interesting!

 Lex steering

 Going across the first aqueduct (below as well)

 Tunnels are a bit scary!

 Walking across the Pontcysyllte aqueduct

Stunning scenery!

We've had a massive day of cruising today, leaving Ellesmere before 8 and we got to Froncysyllte (just before the famous Pontcysyllte aqueduct) at about 6.15, with only one stop for lunch. Today we went through two locks, both going up, which didn't prove too traumatic as luckily there were lots of experienced travellers around to help and give advice, and both times we were followed by another boat which meant that we didn't have to close the gates. Tomorrow we'll be heading back through them which might just be interesting! Today we also went through two big tunnels, which are a bit scary - one was 459 yards (took nearly 10 nerve-wracking minutes) and the other not nearly so bad at 195 yards. We crossed back into Wales this afternoon and it was lovely travelling through the Welsh forests. So far we've been really lucky with the weather - it's been cool to warm; not too hot, and very comfortable to be out in. It was cloudy for a lot of today but no rain at all and it's now cleared to a beautiful sunny evening.

As soon as we arrived and had safely moored, we locked up the boat and headed up the hill to the Aqueduct Inn, the local pub. We had a lovely meal and drink there out on the deck with incredible views and chatted to a nice local couple who are also cruising in the area at the moment. After two days on the water, I was interested to note that my inner ear must be playing up (what Sandy calls the "upsy downsies") - the deck we were sitting on seemed to keep rocking gently! Then we headed back down to the canal and walked right over the aqueduct into the little town there in search of a corner shop we'd been told about - we successfully restocked on bread, milk and sandwich fillings (no Welsh cakes, alas - I was exceedingly put out) and came back. The aqueduct is amazing and just a bit scary to walk across, especially when it too was rocking gently for a time! It's just a metre wide footpath next to a very small stream extremely high in the sky! It's now nearly 9pm and we still have an hour or so of daylight left, but I think we'll sleep well tonight as it's been a long, long day!