Grindley Brook

Today's Canal : Llangollen

Our target today was to reach a mooring just above Grindley Brook staircase, in the hope that we could make an early enough getaway tomorrow to avoid any lengthy queue - this is the first weekend of school holidays and delays can be expected.

The forecast was for the morning to be dry, quite warm but largely overcast. This was certainly the case as we cast off from our overnight mere-side mooring. 

Ahead lay a lengthy level stretch, only interrupted by the occasional lift bridge. After two hours we reached Whixall Junction where the short Prees Branch departs. Less than half of its original length remains navigable but there is a marina at the current end. The dominant building overlooking the junction was built around 1800 to house a toll keeper. It is rather isolated and access is via a long track.

Just after the junction came the first of today's lift bridges - Morris's. We struck lucky as we could see another boat advancing down the long straight and appeared to be arriving at about the same time as ourselves. We had to pass a line of moored boats so we did so extremely cautiously, with the result that the day boat had off loaded crew just before we reached the bridge landing. One of the men was clearly keen to show his physical skills and lifted the bridge in record time. We were waved through - a bonus.

We stopped for lunch just ahead of Tilstock Lift Bridge and again were fortunate that another boat arrived at much the same time. On this occasion we shared the work of raising and lowering. It was the lady's 50th birthday treat and the party were having a fine time!

The bridge is on a bend and neither boat spotted that yet another boat was just coming around the corner but by that time the bridge was all but down. However,  we think that they were a bit miffed and they certainly came through in short order and were rapidly gaining on us. We looked for a stretch where is would be safe to invite them to pass (not too far ahead of the next lift bridge?) but suddenly we looked around and they had disappeared into thin air! With rain imminent perhaps they opted to moor up.

However at the next bridge we had to approach slowly, passing a line of moored boats and a couple of others coming towards us. By the time we arrived, yet another boat had lifted it again and waved us through. Bonus day indeed.

Next came the ABC hire base at Whitchurch - seven boats looked as if they were being loaded up with eagerly awaiting crews.

Our last lift bridge for the day was just after the entrance to Whitchurch Arm. A family with two young children were taking a look around and the small boy was very keen to show that he could wind it up on his own! (Well, part of the way!) he found it much easier lowering it. Mum was impressed but not so sure about Dad and little sister . . .

Only a short run now to Grindley Brook. A short distance to go, as we passed the last 'country' mooring option, a boat coming from the locks firmly asserted that there was plenty of room to moor above the locks.  This bridge was meant to be our last (of many) for the day but we had been woefully misled. Actually, we suspect that the boater that gave us the information did not realise that the long empty space is a series of water points! We found one gap but it proved to be less than half a metre too short so we had little choice but to go down the looks and find a mooring the other side.

Fortunately the 'third' boat was just coming up the top lock and crew from those following and waiting at the bottom understood the protocol, so we were not much delayed and had help through the staircase - the volunteer had gone off duty about an hour earlier it seems.

Only the three single locks to go - slight delay as an oncoming boat spoilt the regular taking turns(and thus not wasting water). They then had to wait in the next pound as long as if they had allowed us into the lock which had just been filled!

All of this unanticipated activity made us forget to take and photos of the locks at all. So please feel free to use your imagination to the full.

Around the corner we squeezed into the last space on the Visitor Mooring - although there was probably a good country mooring just ahead if we had needed it. Mobile signal seems not too bad either.

13.2 Miles - 6 Locks