Baddiley

Today's Canal : Llangollen

Having caught up with our sort-of schedule, we aimed to stop just short of Swanley Bridge Marina by lunch time, leaving this afternoon to do a few items of maintenance and housework. The main clean through will come tomorrow once we are tucked up on a pontoon.

We set off at much our usual time - by now the light drizzle which was falling as we awoke had now faded away but there was on;y a little remission from the general overcast sky. However, it was not chilly even with a moderate breeze.

This photo shows about the right representation of proportions of cloud to blue sky.

Marbury Lock is isolated in many ways - it is some distance from other locks as well as from the tiny village itself. A professional photographer lives here with two small children, A sign says that their eggs for sale were 'laid today'.

Well, we did malign the weather - just for a short time as we passed Thomason's Winding Hole, there was a good deal more blue\Mind you, another pic that we took at the same place but looking to the left was rather different!

The lift bridge at the small garden centre just before Wrenbury is marked on our more recent map/guide as Normally Open but when we started out - as with two years ago - it was down as we had to wind it open. Today we had a bonus as it had been left up - however the centre did not seem open at this time as perhaps it is left like this out of hours for security. There does not appear to be a right of way across it.

It is not then far to the main Wrenbury Lift Bridge. an altogether different affair. The road carries quite a lot of traffic with a good proportion of heavy goods vehicles of all sorts. Fortunately it has been mechanised for many years even though i has a reputation for being unreliable. At first we thought that it was living up to this reputation as Christine could not make the Key of Power turn in the lock. Eventually, after taking it out and trying again it begrudgingly allowed us to pass through.

Wrenbury Church Bridge is yet another lift bridge and this time we did have to wind it up. Another boat came the opposite way so it was their turn fro a free bonus. But that is the last for this trip - they are a special feature of the Llangollen - some designed by Thomas Telford himself.

We are not sure why this footbridge is so different in style from most other bridges on  this canal. It does, however, carry a right of way over the canal, leading to and from Wrenbury Hall and Farm not far away.

And finally for today, the three Baddiley Locks. After a quiet morning so far traffic-wise, there was a a steady flow in both directions here so usually some extra extra help with paddles and gates.

One of the locks - we forget which, but probably the middle one - was a  bit slow: the towpath top paddle seemed to be blocked, it was easy to left and then nothing came through so wd e were dependent only on the other paddle to fill the lock. In addition, the bottom gates were leaking rather a lot and at one stage it seemed as if the level would remain a few inches below opening. The sudden arrival of the flow from the lock above made it even worse but after a few more minutes and still not completely full, with the help of a crew member from the next upcoming boat, the gate yielded to our remonstrations and allowed us to continue.

We moored at the next Visitor Mooring, shortly before the top Swanley Lock, with the marina not far beyond.

After lunch the bed linen needed a change (more cumbersome chore on a boat than at home because three sides are against walls), a start made on cleaning, and Mike tackled two maintenance items. The first was easy: the rubber rim around the windows was left by the painters deliberately long with a short amount dangling free. This allows for shrinkage and can be cut to size later. However, in many places on this canal, as with others, the vegetation is not always kept clear and it is inevitable that it brushes against the side of the boat. This has pulled at some of the trims - the ones on the port side were pushed back last night and the other side could be done now as the towpath had meanwhile swapped sides.

We also wanted to sand down and re-wax the wood surrounds to each window, especially at the bottom where condensation sometimes collects. The plywood wall alongside the sink, where we hang some utensils, also showed the effects of not always fully drying them fist (LTRU!) That was also sanded and re-coated. We may find time to go over all of them again tomorrow to ensure a proper coating, but it will not need the same degree of preparation.

6.2 Miles - 4 Locks