Well here we are again back on the road again, or should I say back on the water and it is just so gorgeous, we left Alvecote Marina on Sunday morning 18th Oct , the sun was shining and it was just so warm, we had the Alvecote 11 locks ahead but as the weather was so wonderful, it was a pleasure to look forward to after not travelling for a few weeks, well that was until we got to about the 5th lock and I decided that Richard could take a turn, he does like doing the locks, but he is the main driver and I only get him to do the locks when I have had enough, I

 do drive o.k but I would rather not. We had had a light lunch along the way as we were saving ourselves for a proper Sunday roast that we would find hopefully in a pub along the way, well we got to Hartshill at about 4pm and thought we may get a meal in the Malt Shovel, that was advertised as being 1000 yds from the bridge, well we walked up apple pie lane "That's what it's called" and boy it was steep and I am sure more than 1000yds, but then when we were at the top there were no further directions so we asked some passers by where the pub was and they sent us down another lane and over another bridge and up a busy road which  actually took us to the Anchor, a quaint old proper pub, that were serving the carvery until five so we were lucky to be there, we had a magnificent roast with loads of veg and gorgeous leek gravy, it really was worth the trek we had gone on, to find it, but if we had walked a little way down the canal in the first place we would have been there a whole lot quicker, as the pub was at Anchor bridge, which was just a couple of bridges down from where we had moored, never mind it was a super meal, and we would certainly recommend it to anyone.

Monday we had another beautiful sunny day to travel and we sailed through Nuneaton and down on to the oxford canal, we are heading for Market Harborough where we have booked our winter mooring, but before we get there we are heading off to Debdale wharf to get our bottom blacked ( umm nice ) well it will be for the boat it is something that has to be done to keep the boat shipshape and bristol fashion !! we moored  at Ansty after a gorgeous days travelling,  which is just between Coventry and Rugby (I think)  yes it must be because last night we moored at Rugby, today Wednesday we travelled a little on in to Rugby and stopped near the retail park, I was shocked to see all the Christmassey stuff in the shops but a little exited too, thinking what christmas decorations I can put up this year, it never changes, just cos your on a boat doesn't mean to say that you don't fill it with stuff you don't really need, like new christmas decorations ( it's a woman thing), so after buying a new pair of boots and leaving my others at the shop as I had been warned by Richard, not to keep buying shoes and boots and not getting rid of the other's, there is only so much room!! (but I manage) we only stayed there a while to water up and shop and then carried on along our way, we did pass our friends David and Vivienne from nb April Fool, who will be mooring with us at Mkt Harborough, but they were taking April Fool to Fradley to it's new owners as they have sold it, and are waiting to take to the helm of their Newly Built Narrow Boat that is being built at Debdale wharf, where we are getting our bottom blacked, now today I took a call from Carol the lady who runs Debdale the wharf and Marina and she said could we be there on Sunday night ready for an early start on monday as they have a film crew with them who want to film a boat being lifted out of the water, and they wondered if we would mind if it was ours, "No We would love it I said", thinking what would I wear, should I get my hair and make up professionally done ? but I'm not going to be there on Monday, I have to go and mind the grandchildren whilst they are on half term, Doh, just my luck, so Richard gets all the fun and exitement without me, but I was worried anyway, and am only a little dissapointed as I would struggle to watch the boat being lifted on straps and hoisted right up in to the air "ooohhh it does'nt bear thinking about, well it's our home after all can you imagine your home being hoisted 50ft in the air with all of your belongings still in it ? it may be on telly too.

so until the next time

Congratulations Beth and Chris on the birth of Iwan Thomas Brown a little brother for Carys.

and Happy birthday to Jayne 21 plus v.a.t again !!

lots of love

Chrissie & Richard x x  

Hello again

And here we are still at Alvecote Marina, now you know we came back sailed and put our selves in the marina whilst we had our week in King's Lynn and then we were going to sail on to the Ashby to leave it at the Marina there, so that we could go to the other wedding we had to go to that was on the 10th October, well you know what they say about the best laid plans and all that, well don't make plans, because other things happen that change things. We came back from King's Lynn on the Monday 28th Sept and collected the boat from the Marina, as it was such a lovely day on the Tuesday  we thought we would just moor at the side of the canal and enjoy the weather and a bit of relaxation "well we had been rushing around abit" so we got on our bikes cycled in to Tamworth and enjoyed lunch with Joe and Jayne, when we got back in the evening we were taking it easy when we had a call to say that Hayley had been taken in to Hospital with Grumbling Appendix and on the Thursday they operated and took them out, so because Jamie works odd hours with the tides etc, I went to help Hayley getting the children to school and back again, so that was nice, Hayley is on the mend now and doing fine. I got back to the boat the next Thursday and we were heading for Tywyn, and Maria and Rogers wedding on the Friday the 9th Oct for the wedding on the Saturday, whilst I was in King's Lynn I arranged the Transport for the wedding, when we go anywhere together we always hire a vehicle so as Richard had mentioned to me over the years, that his favourite vehicle was a Landrover Defender, so I thought I would hire one of the said vehicles as a special treat for Richard, now these Landrovers, although they are new and shiny and come in some lovely bright colours, I don't think we will be having one in every port when we win the lottery !! no they look nice and Richard enjoyed having it for the weekend, (the Landrover) I'm not keen on them, but for you my darling , that is your birthday, Christmas, Anniversary present for the next few years.

We set off for the wedding on the Friday to make a lovely long week end of it, we stayed at the Treffeddian Hotel in Aberdovey which is just a Taxi ride from Tywyn, a little more expensive than the normal place we stay, but boy it was worth it, it was the loveliest hotel that is Somewhere you don't stay when you live near a place, but it made a lovely change, it ovelooks the Golf Course and the Sea in Aberdovey, and although we didn't have a sea view room, the mountain view we had was just as magnificent. we took a Dyfi Cabs Cab to the wedding on the Saturday, didn't know they still did it, but they run a great service and took us there and back, it was a super day, Maria and Rogers wedding was absolutley wonderful I think almost all of Tywyn were attending, the Church service by Richard the Dutch vicar with the North Walian Accent, was funny, witty and did a beautiful service, John Thomas Davies, (John T.D) to his friends,  sang a beautiful solo of the wedding song (Ave Maria) by Julie Rogers, and it was really lovely I had tears in my Eyes, the sun shone and it was super, the reception was held at Neaudd Pendre, the Local Hall, I must say I have never seen it look so good Maria and her Friends and Family had transformed it into a fairy tale hall, we were served with a wonderfully tasty Indian Banquet which was out of this world. Thanks Maria and Roger it was a super day and Richard and I absolutley loved every minute of it.

On Sunday we came back to our boat we are still at the Marina as Richard has a bank appointment in King's Lynn, so we won't be setting sail again until Sunday, so if Stuarts friend Kevin Mitchell ever reads our blog, come down to the Atherstone Locks on Sunday and help us through there will be a cuppa and bacon Butty in it!!. " that being the boat not the canal" So until we get down to some proper sailing see you next time

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Birthdays I may have missed over the weeks,

Bethan on 29th Sept  our lovely niece

Jamie Hemming on the 26th September, our lovely son in law( can't remember if I added you in our last blog.)

Tana  on the 9th of Oct another lovely niece

hope you both had a lovely lovely day x x x I know Jamie did cos we was there !!

Hello again all, thought I better write so that you don't leave us and then where would we be with out our followers, we have been so busy but not boating, on the 19th Sept we had Abbi and Adams Wedding, which was beautiful, the weather was perfect, we couldn't have ordered better, the church was the oldest in birmingham ( St Laurence Church) in Northfield and then to the reception that was held at the Cadbury Club, " Well I thought they were just kidding me when I read the invitation, but no it was true there we were in Bournville< I thought I had died and gone to heaven, chocolates on all of the tables and then a lovely sit down meal, it all went great and I'm sure everyoine enjoyed it as much as we did I will put up the pictures when I get more G power. On the Sunday after the wedding we went on a tour to Cadbury world, " more chocolate" in fact so much that it actually put me off chocolate until the Tuesday when I was able to finish the chocolate that they had given me, I was hoping that I had been put off for life, but no just a day and a half, so no weight loss for me in the near future !! " Congratulations Abbi and Adam and thanks for a lovely day.

When we got back from the wedding we sailed for a week until we were off again to King's Lynn for a week as we had another celebration, Jamie and Zoe's baby came early and so we welcomed baby Millie in to our lives and very beautiful she is too, so Congratulations to Jamie and Zoe. we spent a week at Linda's again, thanks again Linda, and had loads to do visiting all of our Grand children we have four now( are we old or what). So after writing nothing for ages which I can only apolgize to our Avid readers for, I am on the rush again, we have a wedding to go to on the 9th of October  so we are going to sail up to the Ashby Canal and leave the boat again at Trinity Marina if they have room for us. This week we have had the lovliest of weather sunny all day and warm dry nights so we are really experiencing an Indian Summer. sorry if it all seems a bit rushed but it is, I dont know where the days go, well maybe I do. we Cycled from the Marina at Alvecote in to Tamworth which is a real long way, to get my hair cut, and that took time then back to enjoy the weather and the boat.

Will write again soon, until then

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Sorry it's been a while but last week we were away in King's Lynn and then this week we have been right busy touching up " the boat not each other" !! although !!! After a super week in King's Lynn seeing our beautiful Grandchildren and children, all of our friends we came back to the boat the weather was not great in Lynn, but this week has certainly made up for it, it's turning Autumn with Misty Mornings and gorgeous sunny days, so we went down to Tixall Wide, which if you have been following our tales, you will know all about it, if you haven't it's a haven of loveliness down on the canal somewhere near Great Heywood in Staffordshire, we stopped there so that we could get the boat cleaned and painted, well when we say painted we mean just touched up really, all of the scuffs you get along the way from, trees, branches and anything else that sticks out in the canal. We arrived at the wide after a very long journey, not long in canal miles but time wise, with one queue at a lock being 11 boats and we were the eleventh, and the boats were still queuing behind us but as the weather has been super it's all good.

So not having made any trip in particular that we havent made before this is going to be a very short entry, as I am sure you are not interested in watching paint dry !! I can tell you that we have had birthdays on the 2nd sept it was Nicki's 26th Birthday, unfortunatley I forgot it on the day, but she knows we wish her the happiest of birthdays, and my how time flies, "all down hill after 25 Nicki !! "we had our Grandson Harvey's 5th Birthday  whilst we were in King's Lynn on the 4th of Sept, and then he started school on the 9th Sept, big day for him, but he enjoyed it and still is. we are sailing back to Tamworth as we have Abbi and Adams wedding on the 19th sept in Birmingham so we will be hitching a lift with Joe and Jayne, so I need to get to civilisation to get some beauty therapy, well maybe a tan and some toe nails as I lost mine, well the big ones anyway, (thats another story ) but let me know if you need to know what not to do to lose your big toe nails, I know some of you will think maybe I need more, but whatever !! So we will carry on enjoying the weather and this lovely life of ours and as I write I am sitting at the front of the boat whilst Richard is driving the weather is perfect and it's absolute tranquility, so after doing this for fifteen months now we are still absolutley loving it.

For all of the birthdays I may have missed, Happy Birthday to you all and Good Luck to Abbi and Adam, as Adam I know you will be reading this, see you on the 19th. Oh gosh I only forgot to Mention Richard's birthday he was quite old on the 11th sept we celebrated at Tixall wide with a lovely meal and booze.

so for now

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Sunday 16^th August another sunny day

and we had 12 locks ahead of us, so we set off at 8am so that we could get through and on to the fools nook pub again, where we had booked lunch for 1pm,so we set off and low and behold we had help all the way as we had help from the boat coming up behind us, so we wizzed through them in only an hour and a half, then we travelled the rest of the Journey to the village where the pub was, we arrived at about 11.30 so I took a shower and sorted out my hair and we were ready for lunch, now the sandwiches yesterday were terrific, but I wasn’t right impressed with the lunch, frozen peas do not make for me a Sunday lunch, the starter was gorgeous, it was prawns in a filo parcel with a chilli dip now they really were super, but like I said the main course let them down a little bit for me, Richard loved it but he is very easily pleased “ Well he eats my cooking without complaint” maybe I am a bit fussy, but Sunday lunch is Sunday lunch and you want it to be good , well I do !! Oh and Macclesfield lost against Nott’s County 4 -0, so I expect Sven was very pleased. We carried on a little way up the canal after lunch, in to the Macclesfield moorings. Monday we cycled in to Macclesfield to wander round the shops and just generally check out these different little places, always very interesting. Tuesday we took off to head for the peak forest canal we  didn’t set off that early as we had a lie in the weather was a bit gloomy, but it did brighten as we went,  and more glorious scenery, we came along another old “dark satanic mill” well they were in their original day but have mostly now been transformed in to apartments and offices, but not losing any of the old mill charm during their refurbishments, whilst passing one we noticed that it was called canal radio station, it was the local radio station, and we met the DJ going in to the building and he shouted hello and said we should be listening, so we asked him what station they were on and tuned in as we went, so after the news that was on he came on air and said he would like to say hello to the lovely boaters he had met on his way in to work, so we had a mention on the show, “that was nice” we carried on in beautiful sunshine and came to rest at New Mills  Newtown, here in premises adapted from another of the canal side mills, is the Swizzels Matlow confectionary works, purveyor of sherbet smells and origin of all the sticky substances that you remember getting your teeth into as a child, and maybe some of you still partake in, I know I do, it smelled heavenly and I could have sniffed it forever. We couldn’t stay there forever so the next morning we took off up to the upper peak forest canal and bugsworth basin, which today after being totally restored in 2005 enjoys ancient monument status and what the inland waterway preservation society has achieved amounts to the successful excavation of an archaeological site of considerable importance, the complex comprises of a of transhipment arms and basins which radiate from a gauging stop overlooked by a wharfinger’s house and canal office. The boats that worked this area carried limestone to Lancashire’s burgeoning industries. “now you know that I have copied this from a book” !! but it is all very interesting and absolutely beautiful, on the evening when we arrived the local fen race, was being run so that was quite a spectacle to see, I was knackered watching them, we went to Buxton the next day as it was only a bus ride away, another of the white knuckle rides that one has to experience to really appreciate the speed and skill of the local bus drivers, but the scenery was to die for, and with the speed of the bus on the hairpin bends  there were times I thought we might !!! Buxton was really lovely but it rained all day, but we didn’t let it spoil the enjoyment we just shelter in the shops between showers. (Shops are good) Saturday we made our way back we were going to get back to the Trent and Mersey where we would be having Joey and Jayne over to come through the Harecastle tunnel, so on Sunday 23^rd  Joey and Jayne drove over to

 meet us at the boat so Richard took the car and drove over the top whilst we went through the tunnel, all 2996 yds of it, if I am wrong about the exact measurements I am sure someone will let me know, Joey and I shared the driving whilst Jayne took the pictures, when we reached the other side we had a little party lunch with a birthday cake for Joey’s 56^th Birthday, My he is just so

 old !! my sister Cath also had her birthday the next day 24^th I’m not going

to say how old she is as it’s not right to give a lady’s age, I will only say that she is a year and a day younger than Joey !! they left on Sunday evening and we stayed at the mooring just after the bridge until Monday Morning when we set off heading for Stoke where we were going to pick up Stuart and Emma for a couple of Days, we moored at the Toby Carvery that is in Festival Park in Stoke and waited for them to come, it rained all day again.

Stuart and Emma arrived in time to get the bargain priced carvery for £5 a head if you go in before 7pm, they do a super roast which we all enjoyed, we checked out with the management if we could leave their car in the carpark which is locked at night and they said it would be fine, so on Tuesday morning we took off for a long days sailing to get us to Great Heywood, but although we took off early it wasn’t to be there were four boat queues at every lock, as there had been a gate pulled out the day before so boats had been building up both ways, but the rain held off and after a breakfast come brunch Emma and Stu went on the bikes and made their way to Stone so at least they got to look around the  shops for a couple of hours while we waited to get through the locks. Wednesday it rained all day but we still had to travel as we were hoping to get to Tamworth so that Joey could take Stu and Em back to their car on Thursday so that they could go to Alton Towers but again it wasn’t to be still loads of boats and we only got as far as Rugeley but they enjoyed the trip and on Thursday morning bright and early Joey picked them up and took them back to Stoke to pick up the car, we travelled on to Tamworth and arrived at about 5pm which is about a 20 minute journey in the car !! Today Friday we are staying at Hopwas until we pick up our hire car and go off for a visit to see everyone back in King’s Lynn, so until I write again look after your selves.

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

We left you on our last instalment heading for the Macclesfield, on Monday but as it was raining all day we stopped at about 3ish at a quiet mooring, still on the Shroppie just near Venetian Marina, as soon as we stopped the sun came out which seems to be the way this summer is going, met some boaters that we had met whilst we were at Debdale they were heading up to Chester but it’s always nice to catch up with fellow boaters that you know. Tuesday 11^th August we woke to

 glorious sunshine and made the most of it with quite an early start for us, at the first lock we came to there was a tree full of Damsons which looked very purple already but I didn’t think they were quite ready for picking, but I will be looking along the way as these weeks go by for some that are ready, at the lock we met Barrie, he works or should I say does voluntary work for the Shropshire Union Trust, they keep this canal absolutely perfect, I already told you about the picnic benches they provide, well Barrie was oiling the locks which makes it a whole lot easier for us to open them, but I did tell Barrie we would give him a mention on here and thank the S.U.T (Shropshire union trust ) for all the hard work they do, Richard and I both think the Shroppie is our favourite canal so far, the Country side that we go through on it is second to none, it covers, parts of Shropshire, parts of Cheshire and parts of Staffordshire, which is some of the most delightful countryside we have so far encountered. We carried on until we got to Middlewich where we stopped and did a little bit of shopping at the local Tesco, (which we got to very easily on our bikes)where the Junction takes us back on to the Trent and Mersey, and a more Industrial landscape, with all of the salt mines (works) that are familiar with this part of the country (Cheshire) but all very interesting, a few more locks that are not so well looked after, and proved just too difficult for me, so I took to the helm whilst Richard played “lock dolly” I think he sometimes forgets that I can drive, but he carries on telling me how it should be done (so I let him)  cos I’ve got my radio earphone in and am listening to Steve wright in the afternoon ( Dale Winton is covering for him this week) “other radio stations are available” We carry on to find a mooring for the night and found one in a quiet bit of the Cheshire countryside at about quarter to seven, and just as we had moored up the heavens opened and didn’t stop all night so after a brilliant days sunshine and travelling we are back to the rain, but the forecasters had said we were going to have a hot sunny week, and are getting paid big Bonuses for such predictions, “I’m in the wrong job” (Oh I don’t have a job, but if I did !! ) anyway my joints are more accurate meteorologists than the National Weather Service!! you know what I mean. Woke up on Wednesday morning to find the rain still battering down on the boat, “but it is lovely to lie in bed and listen to it” so my turn to get the breakfast so I did and here we stay me writing this, Richard reading the map to see where our next stop will be, if we get off if this rain ever stops. We did get off at about 12 ish and started o tackle the locks that are known as Heart break Hill there are about thirty five in all and today we managed about 14, and came to rest at Hassall Green, which is right close to the M6 and boy is it loud, it is such a shame that this is such a delightful spot which is spoilt by the racket, but you don’t really notice it in the day any way it was about four o’clock and I needed some veg to go with the lamb that we were having for dinner, so we cycled back the way we had come for about sixty eight miles, ( maybe a slight exaggeration) but it seemed like it, to the farm shop at Wheelock, actually it is so wonderful having bikes, the canals have become a whole lot easier to get around when not travelling by boat, we got back I made a gorgeous lamb dinner, and also a blackberry & apple crumble I found the cooking apples growing over the canal, and I had already got the blackberries from Tesco, but I did put them in a bowl and made out to a lady that was blackberry picking that I had picked them, she was shocked to see mine, god only knows what they put in these Tesco blackberries I have never seen anything as big, but I did confess in the end, but I have picked some wild blackberries since and will be cooking with them. On Thursday 13^th August we

 finished Heartbreak Hill and turned on to the Macclesfield, we didn’t go to far as I was just about done in cos not only do I do all those locks I walk alot with the dog as well, we stopped just over the Aqueduct that takes the Maccy over the Trent and Mersey, so we were over just where we had come under earlier if you know what I mean, I will try and show you with the pictures when I upload, another gorgeous day sunshine all day and I had had the washing machine on with the bedding in so I erected my washing line for the first time along the side of the boat and propped it up with the boat hook, Richard said it was far too dangerous to have by the towpath in case it fell on anyone so he was holding up my erection whenever anyone went by, which made a nice change actually !!!. Friday we took off with no locks at all to worry about just plain sailing so to speak, but when we had gone a while Richard remembered that he had left a cleat behind so he went back whilst I was filling with water and taking a shower, and he hadn’t realised we had come so far and was wishing he had taken his bike, but it was still there when he got there so it wasn’t a wasted journey, (what’s a cleat I hear you asking !!) well it is a thingy that you can stick through the sheet piling and tie your ropes around, instead of having to hammer stakes in, and they are so much better so we always use these whenever there is sheet piling at a mooring, infact we only ever moor where there is sheet piling or mooring rings. We carried on up the Macclesfield and boy is it wonderful the scenery is out of this world and by all accounts it only gets better, we travelled to Congleton where we moored up to do some shopping, well not really shopping it’s just nice to have a look around these little towns, “ I forgot to mention when we passed the Golf Course along the way I was looking through my binoculars and saw the ex Liverpool goal keeper Bruce Grobellar ( well I think he was a goalie) any way that is the best claim to fame I can come up with, anyway after visiting the town “on our bikes of course” we came back and set sail again up to a quieter spot which was the most gorgeous spot, I can’t quite describe without contradicting myself again and saying it was the loveliest spot but on Saturday we travelled to an even lovelier spot, this country of ours is “The Green and Pleasant Land” that they speak of in the song. And people keep telling us it just keeps getting better, at our mooring here today Saturday we stopped just before the 12 Bossley locks that we have to traverse, Rio and I had been walking along the canal so he didn’t want to come, so Richard and I cycled loads of miles all up hill, until we reached a pub, Richard had eaten a little snack when we stopped, but I hadn’t so we stopped for a sandwich and a pint in the Fools Nook , everyone was really friendly, and there was a buzz of excitement in the air, and when we got talking to some fellow boozers they were away supporters  Nott’s County (the magpies) it was the first game of the season against Macclesfield, under their new manager Sven Goren Erickson, not sure how they did as I have no G power on the computer, I will find out tomorrow, we are going back there for Sunday lunch as we enjoyed the sandwiches so much, but we are taking the boat there, not sure how long it took us on our bikes, maybe about  three quarters of an hour, but tomorrow when we take the boat it will take over three hours.

So until Then

Lots of Love

Chrissie and Richard

After The Breach

Monday we were lucky to find a nice mooring near to all of the amenities at Ellesmere as we didn’t know how long we would be stuck on the Llangollen Canal due to the Breach at Grindley Brook Locks, so Richard booked a car to go back to King’s Lynn for a couple of days just to collect mail and my walking tablets!! Tuesday we still didn’t know how the repair work at the locks was progressing, but we were nicely ensconced near the shops etc. So no worries Richards car came at quarter to three and I was left to fend for myself, so I went and got some shopping (sweets, chocolate crisps etc.) just rubbish really, Richard enjoys the peace when I go away for a couple of days, I enjoy not having a proper meal and just eating whatever I want to, which is all of the above, it was still raining as it had been doing all day, so I had to take Rio out in the rain and then I thought I would just go to bed and compute, but moored next door to us was nb Hull Cottage, who we had met at the locks whilst travelling from Warwick in May and I had forgotten to write about Alan and Heather that time, as you know that if I don’t write straight away I forget what we have been up to, anyway when I had taken Rio out for  his last walk of the evening at about 7.30 Alan was looking for us to go for a drink with them, well I said that Richard had popped back to King’s Lynn and that it was just me, so instead of an early night I spent a very pleasant evening chatting and supping wine with Alan and Heather, so thanks for that both and will see you along our way somewhere someday. Wednesday  Rio joined me in bed whilst I had my morning coffee, and then I got up took the sheets etc off the bed and went to the laundrette, well what else is there to do in the rain, I took Rio with me as he felt a bit gloomy, I think he likes Richard more than he likes me !! anyway mooched around the shops awhile and then came back with the bedding and made up the bed again, (ooohh life can be just so exiting at times!!) well it’s still raining whilst I am writing this on Wed 29^th July listening to Steve Wright in the

 Afternoon, and he has just said that the long range forecast is for yet more rain, “So what about this long hot summer they were raving about”. Cleaned the boat from back to front and entertained myself by walking round the little town, did some shopping and mostly stayed out of the rain. Thurs, rain again made a lovely vegetable curry for Richard coming home, It turned out that British Waterways have been seeing boats through the Breached lock since Tuesday Afternoon so we took off early on Friday morning to make our way back to Whixall Port to have dinner with Chris and David from the shop in the garden, I was cooking on board so we got the makings of a meal in Tesco in Ellesmere before we left. We had a super meal and drank plenty again, we left Whixhall Port at 10 ish after morning coffee with David & Chris, we wanted to get off early incase there were queues at Grindley Brook Locks, but when we got to the water points just before the locks we decide that we had had enough rain for the day so we  stayed at Grindley Brook,  the rain did stop shortly  after we had stopped but we had lit the fire and were settling in for the day, we had a walk through woods in the evening, it was really warm and sunny so it made a nice change , I think it has rained every day for a week or more.

We left the Grindley brook at 10 ish to tackle the six locks 3 of which are staircase it was the bottom lock of the staircase that had breached and flooded two beautiful cottages that are close by, got through without any bother as there were two BW Blokes to help then through the other three and away we went heading for Wrenbury as Joey and Jayne were meeting us for lunch, they got there before us, so they walked up the canal to meet us and get a lift back down to the pub, they had brought Ash, their dog with them so Rio was please to see his old mate again, very expensive lunch in the Dusty Miller pub by the canal, it was nowt special so we should have gone to the cheaper one down the road !! but it’s always nice to see they went home about seven and here I am writing this, Tomorrow  we will be off the Llangollen Canal and heading the other way down the shroppie heading for Chester so until the next time

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Saturday 18^th July this morning is a

whole lot better set of into the sunshine heading from Wrenbury to Whixall Port to catch up with David and Chris Garside, if you have been keeping up, you will know David is the ex Harbour Master from King’s Lynn,  we met them last year, anyway it was a good run from Wrenbury to Whixall so I had got a Curry on the go, as I had a giant courgette to use up so I thought I would use up everything and make a vegetable curry, when we stopped at Whixall it was ready, so when David and Christine invited us in for tea  I said I have already made it so took the curry to theirs and some rice, they added all of the trimmings so it was

another lovely evening with them catching up, eating and drinking, and it was lovely to see they had completely finished doing up their lounge that got flooded last year and it now looks super cosy, David and Chris had recently celebrated their 70^th

birthdays “although you would never know to look at them” anyway at one of their surprise parties someone had found our September 08 write up about our first visit to Port Whixall telling of our visit with David and Chris and they were really chuffed with it as they had never seen it, and we were quite chuffed cos we are even more famous now” but David and Chris will be able to keep up as they are now on the Internet so can follow us, and you can follow them as they now have a website of their own which is telling all about what they do and sell at the little shop in the garden. www.barnshop.co.uk  And when we were leaving who should moor up outside the little shop but some girls I knew from Tywyn, who thought I was my sister Sharon, even though they had seen her only a couple of days ago !! Well they thought it was a younger version of Sharon!!! She never reads this so no worries.

 nearly forgot to mention that whilst heading for Whixall Port we met up with our old friend Chris from “nb.Almyne” so we pulled over and had lunch alfresco with Chris and his friend Cath from nb Destiny with her children Scott and Kiaa, just a few crackers with cheese and some pleasant company it was lovely, and Rio was really pleased to meet with D’fer again (Chris’ dog)

We left on Sunday about 12.30pm so that we could get to Ellesmere for a Sunday Roast and some shopping, it rained most of the way, The Raf narrowboat  that we had met earlier in the week passed us on their way home so we waved our goodbyes again. Got to Ellesmere in the pouring rain at about 3.30pm, this time we ate at the Black Lion, instead of the Red one, another lovely lunch I had Lamb, Richard went for the chicken !! Monday we stayed in Ellesmere cos it is a lovely little town, quaint shops, banks and now they are having a Tesco built right next to the canal at the basin, but that doesn’t open until the 3^rd August, now I say it is a

lovely little town so I hope this Tesco store doesn’t take away the business from the town, I know the boaters will find it easy as nobody really wants to lug shopping miles up the canal, but it would be terrible for the town if it spoils what they have, I mean I used the butchers, the Deli, and the shop that sells everything, but will I pass the Tesco next visit in favour of the little town shops ? A Dilemma for the town none the less. We left Ellesmere on Tuesday Morning as we had booked our passage on to the Frankton Locks ( you have to book as the Montgomery only allows a few boats on it due to conservation issues etc.) so we had to travel in the rain again, we were very careful as we were moored right in the place that Richard fell in the canal last year, we were o.k , but a poor lady at the locks on a holiday boat fell in to the water, so Richard helped her hubby pull her out, with only her pride hurt !! Once we were through the four locks we were transported back in time nothing to see but a farm and miles of fields and hills, We moored at the junction which was just a lovely quiet spot, but there are water points and amenities, toilets etc, so we moored as it was pouring down with rain again, between the showers we walked around the area, there is a beautiful nature reserve, just a tiny one where I got some pictures of butterflies I must check my reference book to find out the names of them, on the Tuesday we went further up the Montgomery,  it is really narrow in parts and I think that is why they only let a few boats on it at a time, I think it is only twelve a day max, but the weather was on and off rain again so we were travelling between the showers and as there are strict speed limits on this canal, it takes a whole lot longer to cover the miles, we came to rest at the Queens Head a pub on the side of the canal and had a very tasty lunch, after that the heavens just opened again and it stayed like that for the rest of the day, so telly on and baton down the hatches !! Wednesday we travelled up as far as we could go on this canal, which in total is about 7 miles so it’s not very long at all, on Thursday we travelled in to Oswestry as the bus stop was just above the canal bridge which was very handy to either go to Oswestry or Shrewsbury, I must say that Arriva do run a very good service all over the country, even if the drive through the country lanes is renowned over the canal fraternity as being like a very scary white knuckle ride at the funfair, but we have to get our kicks somewhere !! no but joking aside if you are near a bus stop then the world is your oyster, so on Friday I went back to Tywyn to see my sisters, nothing changes in Tywyn but we did take a trip for a night out in the bright lights of Barmouth on Saturday night as that’s where the Tywyn folk go for a change and you know what they say a change is as good as a rest, even if it is to the pub!! Nice to see everyone again. I would

 also like to say what a wonderful experience it was in “Neil Smith” the hairdressing Salon in Tywyn, I forgot to mention that I had put a Garnier Nutrisse hair dye on my hair (other hair dyes are available) well this was called very light brown, well it wasn’t very light on me it looked really dark to me, that’s cos I am naturally very fair, any way after it not going unmentioned on Friday night, I thought I would get it toned down with some highlight’s, and was lucky enough that someone who had booked a high lighting appointment had failed to turn up so the salon called me and I was able to have the loveliest experience at a hair salon I have ever had, it is like a touch of the big city in little old Tywyn, where time has stood still with many other facilities in Tywyn this is 21^st

century and beyond, I have been to other top hair salons over the years Nicki Clarke, Toni and Guy and others but they are not a patch on this one, with massaging seats to lie in whilst you have your hair washed, televisions, music, not to mention an Ice Cream parlour coffee shop built in, the staff were super and to be honest I could have stayed there the whole day, ( well unfortunately there are not many other amenities in Tywyn, I do not know whether it is down to poor council planning or what, but I am afraid to say Tywyn has died, the place that I loved to go to and so did thousand’s of other holiday makers over the years,but gone are all the holiday gift shops, seafront amusements, and rock shops only to be replaced with houses, such a shame but that’s life I guess !! any way my sisters and I did have a super Sunday roast in the Tred before I caught the train back to Shrewsbury, I would then have had to wait two hours for the bus to Oswestry but in the mean time our friends had called from Ryton 11 towns to say they would pick me up and we went out for dinner at the pigeons restaurant in some quaint little Shropshire village, Monday we rang British Waterways to book our passage off the Montgomery canal and they told us that was fine, but there had been a breach at Grindley Brook locks, so that means we cannot get off the Llangollen canal maybe for two weeks, infact I will just ring them to check......well the latest update as from yesterday afternoon, is that they may be able to shore it up to allow a limited amount of boats through, ie the holiday boats that have to get back etc.so in the meantime, Richard is going to pop back to King’s Lynn, whilst I look after the boat and Rio, as we are in a lovely mooring at Ellesmere, where I have all of the facilities I need loads of people around and the lovely little town and the mere’s to wander around so until the next time.

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Saturday 18^th July this morning is a

whole lot better set of into the sunshine heading from Wrenbury to Whixall Port to catch up with David and Chris Garside, if you have been keeping up, you will know David is the ex Harbour Master from King’s Lynn,  we met them last year, anyway it was a good run from Wrenbury to Whixall so I had got a Curry on the go, as I had a giant courgette to use up so I thought I would use up everything and make a vegetable curry, when we stopped at Whixall it was ready, so when David and Christine invited us in for tea  I said I have already made it so took the curry to theirs and some rice, they added all of the trimmings so it was

another lovely evening with them catching up, eating and drinking, and it was lovely to see they had completely finished doing up their lounge that got flooded last year and it now looks super cosy, David and Chris had recently celebrated their 70^th

birthdays “although you would never know to look at them” anyway at one of their surprise parties someone had found our September 08 write up about our first visit to Port Whixall telling of our visit with David and Chris and they were really chuffed with it as they had never seen it, and we were quite chuffed cos we are even more famous now” but David and Chris will be able to keep up as they are now on the Internet so can follow us, and you can follow them as they now have a website of their own which is telling all about what they do and sell at the little shop in the garden. www.barnshop.co.uk  And when we were leaving who should moor up outside the little shop but some girls I knew from Tywyn, who thought I was my sister Sharon, even though they had seen her only a couple of days ago !! Well they thought it was a younger version of Sharon!!! She never reads this so no worries.

 nearly forgot to mention that whilst heading for Whixall Port we met up with our old friend Chris from “nb.Almyne” so we pulled over and had lunch alfresco with Chris and his friend Cath from nb Destiny with her children Scott and Kiaa, just a few crackers with cheese and some pleasant company it was lovely, and Rio was really pleased to meet with D’fer again (Chris’ dog) 

We left on Sunday about 12.30pm so that we could get to Ellesmere for a Sunday Roast and some shopping, it rained most of the way, The Raf narrowboat  that we had met earlier in the week passed us on their way home so we waved our goodbyes again. Got to Ellesmere in the pouring rain at about 3.30pm, this time we ate at the Black Lion, instead of the Red one, another lovely lunch I had Lamb, Richard went for the chicken !! Monday we stayed in Ellesmere cos it is a lovely little town, quaint shops, banks and now they are having a Tesco built right next to the canal at the basin, but that doesn’t open until the 3^rd August, now I say it is a

 lovely little town so I hope this Tesco store doesn’t take away the business from the town, I know the boaters will find it easy as nobody really wants to lug shopping miles up the canal, but it would be terrible for the town if it spoils what they have, I mean I used the butchers, the Deli, and the shop that sells everything, but will I pass the Tesco next visit in favour of the little town shops ? A Dilemma for the town none the less. We left Ellesmere on Tuesday Morning as we had booked our passage on to the Frankton Locks ( you have to book as the Montgomery only allows a few boats on it due to conservation issues etc.) so we had to travel in the rain again, we were very careful as we were moored right in the place that Richard fell in the canal last year, we were o.k , but a poor lady at the locks on a holiday boat fell in to the water, so Richard helped her hubby pull her out, with only her pride hurt !! Once we were through the four locks we were transported back in time nothing to see but a farm and miles of fields and hills, We moored at the junction which was just a lovely quiet spot, but there are water points and amenities, toilets etc, so we moored as it was pouring down with rain again, between the showers we walked around the area, there is a beautiful nature reserve, just a tiny one where I got some pictures of butterflies I must check my reference book to find out the names of them, on the Tuesday we went further up the Montgomery,  it is really narrow in parts and I think that is why they only let a few boats on it at a time, I think it is only twelve a day max, but the weather was on and off rain again so we were travelling between the showers and as there are strict speed limits on this canal, it takes a whole lot longer to cover the miles, we came to rest at the Queens Head a pub on the side of the canal and had a very tasty lunch, after that the heavens just opened again and it stayed like that for the rest of the day, so telly on and baton down the hatches !! Wednesday we travelled up as far as we could go on this canal, which in total is about 7 miles so it’s not very long at all, on Thursday we travelled in to Oswestry as the bus stop was just above the canal bridge which was very handy to either go to Oswestry or Shrewsbury, I must say that Arriva do run a very good service all over the country, even if the drive through the country lanes is renowned over the canal fraternity as being like a very scary white knuckle ride at the funfair, but we have to get our kicks somewhere !! no but joking aside if you are near a bus stop then the world is your oyster, so on Friday I went back to Tywyn to see my sisters, nothing changes in Tywyn but we did take a trip for a night out in the bright lights of Barmouth on Saturday night as that’s where the Tywyn folk go for a change and you know what they say a change is as good as a rest, even if it is to the pub!! Nice to see everyone again. I would

 also like to say what a wonderful experience it was in “Neil Smith” the hairdressing Salon in Tywyn, I forgot to mention that I had put a Garnier Nutrisse hair dye on my hair (other hair dyes are available) well this was called very light brown, well it wasn’t very light on me it looked really dark to me, that’s cos I am naturally very fair, any way after it not going unmentioned on Friday night, I thought I would get it toned down with some highlight’s, and was lucky enough that someone who had booked a high lighting appointment had failed to turn up so the salon called me and I was able to have the loveliest experience at a hair salon I have ever had, it is like a touch of the big city in little old Tywyn, where time has stood still with many other facilities in Tywyn this is 21^st

century and beyond, I have been to other top hair salons over the years Nicki Clarke, Toni and Guy and others but they are not a patch on this one, with massaging seats to lie in whilst you have your hair washed, televisions, music, not to mention an Ice Cream parlour coffee shop built in, the staff were super and to be honest I could have stayed there the whole day, ( well unfortunately there are not many other amenities in Tywyn, I do not know whether it is down to poor council planning or what, but I am afraid to say Tywyn has died, the place that I loved to go to and so did thousand’s of other holiday makers over the years,but gone are all the holiday gift shops, seafront amusements, and rock shops only to be replaced with houses, such a shame but that’s life I guess !! any way my sisters and I did have a super Sunday roast in the Tred before I caught the train back to Shrewsbury, I would then have had to wait two hours for the bus to Oswestry but in the mean time our friends had called from Ryton 11 towns to say they would pick me up and we went out for dinner at the pigeons restraint in some quaint little Shropshire village, Monday we rang British Waterways to book our passage off the Montgomery canal and they told us that was fine, but there had been a breach at Grindley Brook locks, so that means we cannot get off the Llangollen canal maybe for two weeks, infact I will just ring them to check......well the latest update as from yesterday afternoon, is that they may be able to shore it up to allow a limited amount of boats through, ie the holiday boats that have to get back etc.so in the meantime, Richard is going to pop back to King’s Lynn, whilst I look after the boat and Rio, as we are in a lovely mooring at Ellesmere, where I have all of the facilities I need loads of people around and the lovely little town and the mere’s to wander around so until the next time.

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x