Whitchurch and Grindley Brook

 Today's Canal - Llangollen

Again, heavy rain overnight, turning to a warm, bright sunny afternoon. We came here in 2016 with one granddaughter and walked into town. Although that was interesting, following the line of the rest of the original arm, we recalled it as perhaps being a bit further than we wanted today. However, we found via Google Maps  that there is a town circular bus with a stop just a very short distance from the boat with a service at 9:55. As we set off it was still slightly raining so we had to don rain coats but before we had even reached the road it stopped and we wished we had not bothered!

The bus arrived as expected - great to be able to use our bus passes again - and until a later stop we were the only passengers. The driver was very friendly and chatty - almost a tour guide! He dropped us right in the centre of the town and gave us instructions where to catch the return trip.

There are two main shopping streets and many of the buildings are quite old and have had many uses.

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The former Baptist Chapel is now an antique and collectors emporium.

The building next door looks as if it was built as a substantial 'gentleman's family home'. We wonder what the original occupants would have made to learn that it is now used by a dentist and a cosmetic specialist!

Christine popped into a small fashion shop - she was looking for some new summer footwear, having failed in some larger towns to find what she had in mind. Surprise - here she was successful.

We turned around and went back to the crossroads where we walked up the other road: High Street. The buildings here were equally fascinating. Just a little further up from this photo was one where the upper floor had been converted to a dance studio. As a class for slightly more mature ladies was in progress we thought it better not to be seen taking photos!

At the top of this street stands the main parish church. Although it can readily be admired rom here, it is not easy to find a spot to take an unobstructed picture of the whole building.

There has long been a church on this spot although today's building is at least the fourth - and it has seen many changes. When a church was built kin the Noman period, it was constructed in stone that appeared white which is how the town came to have its present name. Previously it went  by its Roman name (it lies on Watling street, between Chester and Wroxham) of Mediolanum meaning 'Middle of the Plain')

There is a large gallery at the West end which at one time extended all around three sides.

When we visited in 2016 the main stained glass window had been removed for urgent restoration by a specialist in Chester. It had been replaced by a striking design created by local schoolchildren (link). The restoration of both the main and the two adjacent windows is now complete.

The frontal in use at the moment is a modern piece made by local people. Its design is  not only (perhaps deceptively) simple but striking and effective.

We walked back down the High Street until the side alley leading to the Heritage Centre. Alas, it is only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays!

We did, however, come across the pub which was the place where the composer Sir Edward German was born in 1862. Wonder what ambitions his parents had for him at the lime. Did they imagine what his future would hold?

Back on the High Street, a slightly dated information board on this building told us that it was originally built as the first Town Hall in 1718. The ground floor, open to the street, was used as a market. It has, no doubt, seen many other uses but the To Let sign tells us that its most recent was as a bank branch. As with the other changing uses of the High Street, most branches of banks have now closed and so this building seeks its next phase in life.

We managed to find the Bus Station (so called!) outside Tesco, as instructed, and the bus to take us back - with the same jovial driver - departed on time. We were back at the boat by mid day, so time for coffee before later having our lunch.

Leaving our mooring meant reversing a short distance back to the winding hole - by now all the surrounding boats had long since set off - before re-joining the main line. However, the junction is such a sharp corner that there is No Right Turn here and boats are told to go a 100m back along the canal to another winding hold.

Christine alighted at the junction whilst Mike took the boat to turn around. This meant that she could have the lift bridge raised and ready as before he arrived back to pass through.

It was only a mile and a half to Grindley Brook where we stopped just before the locks long enough to fill up with water.

Unlike when we came up, there was no queue but three lock keepers - two volunteers and the full time volunteer organiser! Unsurprisingly, we descended the staircase in a fast time.

We had the three single locks to ourselves as well. As already mentioned, by now it was a very pleasant afternoon.

We decided to look for a space on the Visitor Mooring just after the old railway bridge. yes, right at the far end there was just the one left, next to a CaRT work boat. However, unlike all the other official moorings on the Llangollen, there were no mooring rings or bollards on this par of the mooring. The least said about our mooring manoeuvre the better - draw a think veil at this point! The spot does have a particular advantage - it had a mobile signal which we did not anticipate.

1.7 Miles - 6 Locks