Frankton Locks

Today's Canal : Montgomery

We set off as usual just after 9.30 - we had already turned around when we arrived so we could today head straight away. It was a hot and sunny day. By mid afternoon, hazy clouds had arrived but it was otherwise very warm indeed, at least for those acclimatised to the recent chillier conditions!

We returned back along the new section that we cruised down yesterday - nothing different to report but we could take a more informed look at places we had researched after we arrived at Crickheath. However, the view of Morton Farm Bridge is too good not to include it again.

The one lift bridge that we had to work, at Gronwen, was as testing as ever, even if counting the turns revealed that it was still a quite standard amount! The real disappointment here was that, as with yesterday, we held up not a single vehicle even though it seems a non-trivial country road. Secretly, Mike was hoping that a delayed motorist might complain about how long it was taking to wind up the bridge, giving Mike the golden opportunity to invite them to come and help!

We stopped at Maesbury Marsh Wharf to fill with water and to empty the elsan. No rubbish here.

The building alongside Maesbury Marsh Bridge is now the Navigation Inn. From the road, it is sad to see that both of the entrances into the pub are in a sorry state but a notice explained that a trailer had become detached from its tractor whilst coming over the hump backed bridge (too fast?) and had crashed into the pub. It is taking a long time to get sorted, the notice explains. (Insurance companies?) Alas we forgot to take a picture of the damage.

It was an hour slow cruise to the three locks at Aston. Since we knew that a boat had gone ahead o us it was no surprise that we had to empty the first lock. At the next lock a boat arrived to take over so that we did not have to close up after leaving. The puzzle was why the third lock was completely full - we thought that the preceding boat was further ahead since we had a stop and had not seen it along any of the straight sections.

Back under the bypass bridge, followed by Queens Head Wharf. Here the speed limit changes from 2 mph (from the limit of navigation) to 3 mph but strangely our speed rarely reached even 2.

So it was a long slow, almost steamy, cruise with some lengthy straight sections around a mile each.

We managed a slightly better picture of the curved turnover bridge at Heath Houses but, as can be seen, from the boat the old warehouse to the left makes it impossible to capture all of its glory (might do better from the towpath?)

A couple of years ago we noted that several trees had recently fallen, fortunately away from the canal, but had pulled up huge root plates, exposing the underneath for the world to see. Now, we noted how each of these, far from dying in the process, had sprouted vigorous new growth, eager to replaces the old.

We stopped for lunch on the bollards at Perry Aqueduct to have a welcome - late - lunch break before completing the run to the junction below Frankton Locks. We have to wait here until the morning when we are booked to go back onto the Llangollen main line. 

But first, the small matter of passing through Graham Palmer Lock again. With a small rise this was relatively easy to operate. To be fair, all four after Frankton have been in better condition than many. Graham Palmer top gate was made at Northwich in 1996 so coming towards the end of its normal life expectancy with no obvious rotting timber.

Knowing that there were at least five boats booked for tomorrow (unless one before us has cancelled) it was now quite probable that the others were already at the moorings leaving no room for us (allowing for one or two longer stayers here that we saw yesterday) Indeed that proved to be the case and we had to take up a space on the towpath side with no alternative but to get out the hammer and pins. KIt is now some time since we have had to resort to this form of mooring (at one time quite common for us but these days we try to plan otherwise, not being so pressed to keep to a schedule) At least we nabbed a straight piece of concrete as most of the rest is on a long curve. No mobile however, but that was not a surprise. Finding one tomorrow afternoon is more important (for Christine's Zoom meeting) but no less a challenge around Ellesmere.

8.1 Miles - 4 Locks