Llangollen.

Sorry for the lack of posts this week but since we turned onto the Llangollen we've had no Internet signal until today.
It was Wednesday when we turned up the four locks at Hurlston Junction, Half an hour later we were leaving the top lock having risen 34ft 3ins. During the day we did five more locks each with a rise of around 6ft. We moored for the night at Wrenbury. On Thursday we traveled on to Grindly Brook, where we moored below the flight of locks and waited for Pamela,Nathan and Archie to join us for breakfast on Friday morning. They arrived at 08-45 and after breakfast we all went to Chester Zoo for the day. In the evening we had a meal at the Horse and Jockey,this was where Nathan had arranged to leave his car while we all traveled to see the aqueducts at Chirk and Pontcysyllte.
Saturday saw us climbing the six locks at Grindley Brook,the last three a staircase. All six lock gave us a total rise of 38ft 11ins. Having cruised all day (except for a break for lunch and a short walk)we moored just outside Ellsmere for the night.
Our big day had arrived,three tunnels and two aqueducts,the high lite being Telfords Pontcysyllte Aqueduct at 1007ft long and 126ft above the River Dee. It was a long day with queues at the first of the two locks of the day. It is a bit like a pilgrimage with hire boat after hire boat heading up to Llangollen, with just a few privately owned boats mixed in. Some hire firms must give very little instruction on the workings of a lock,Nathan and I ended up locking the boats ahead of us through. On more than one occasion we found open paddles that should have been closed.We didn't go into Llangollen as time was running out(we had to be back at Grindley Brook by Tuesday)so having crossed the aqueduct we turned round and recrossed it before mooring for the night. This morning we left for the return journey, because of the flow of the canal(from west to east)we got back to Ellsmere an hour quicker. Tomorrow we head back to Grindley Brook where Pamela,Nathan and Archie Will pick up thier car and drive home. Where as Marlene and I will head back to Hurlston Junction. We will do the next post as soon as we can get on line.