NB Triskaideka: Back onto the Shroppie

Tuesday, 7 August 2012

Back onto the Shroppie

Yesterday we set off towards Grindley Brook locks, we got caught in a couple of heavy showers, we shared some of the lift bridges and arrived at the locks fourth in the queue. The system is three up, three down when its busy so we had a bit of a wait, but not too long. We had an easy passage down, usual kerfuffle at the bottom of the staircase as too many boats trying to get into the bottom pound, four when we came through with another one trying to get up! Just as we exited the fourth lock the heavens opened, we got soaked, it was a true downpour, by the next lock the sun was out again, this weather! We carried on planning to stop at Marbury and visit the Swan, but we then realised that it is closed on a Monday so we continued onto Wrenbury.

This morning it was raining so we waited for it to clear and then set off, we had a lovely cruise, still not many boats about for this time of year on the Llangollen, but we did do a one up one down on the Baddiley Locks but not on Swanley. At Hurleston there seemed to be a problem in the bottom lock as we were at the top, apparently a boat had got stuck trying to get up and had given up. We had real trouble filling the bottom lock to enter and so did the boat in front of us, think there was more water going out than going in. We continued to Nantwich where we have moored for the night and John is sat fishing, whilst I have been watching more of the Olympics, we are doing so well, can't believe Chris Hoy has got another Gold, even though he had me screaming at the tv as I thought he wasn't going to do it, Laura Trott was great and the dressage and triathlon....!

A better picture of the neatest log pile ever!