4 May 2014 Chirk Tunnel to Llangollen Basin: Civilised Mooring Tonight

 More than eventful day. Our steady Captain & Best Mate have weathered a 4 boat pile up (we were sideswiped & consequently  jammed onto a stone ledge ) on a narrow section. Worse to come he got stuck beside us, another boat came behind him and proceeded to ram him up the derrière . In addition the boat following closely behind us sandwiched him end to end. All was resolved when front towed him and back boat pushed. Meantime while we are scraping on the shelf they all motor off leaving us stuck .Would you believe with all the happy snapping I have been doing I did not capture the drama. Sorry...everyone was yelling and by the time we make out what these gorgeous accents are saying to us, things got a bit hectic. So some more tranquil photos.. We made it across the Pontcysylite Aqueduct foolishly thinking the hardest was over.

Following the high drama as already described we were determined to be responsible boaters and do everything according to the book. As we approached a one way part of the canal M went on to police oncoming boats and signal us through by phoning us to proceed when it was all clear ( cannot see around the bends ) this is when M day went to "shit ". Out of our sight way down the towpath, after she had rung through the all clear, she valiantly held off boatloads of young drunks who had no memory of where they had come through the night before & just thought they should ignore the boat police women. She commandeered their mooring line and tied them up with the greatest array of un- nautical knots ever seen on Llangollen. M hopes they are still trying to undo them ! Meanwhile a queue of 2 more drunks boats banked up, followed by a private owner who was less than pleased to be held up by someone with a penal past from " The Colony ". Don't know about how those detained are feeling but can report our precious "Canal Cop " has been left a bit shaken by the whole experience . So Geoff was not alone ! We missed the Bloody Sunday Roast we had been aiming for... By the time we had got a ticket and paid to moor in the marina it was 3.00p.m. Even after "Canal Cop" consumed a packet of biscuits & 5 fags in quick succession it was clear her knees were still knocking.

Scenery  along the way.

Doubt you can gauge the drop down to the valley below and the River Dee . Pontcysylite Aqueduct is simply amazing . An incredible adventure .

M hanging on with river below.

A bit of tidy rope work. About all I am good for !

Although it does not seem like it we are 127ft above the river . Only moving across a steel trough 1000 ft long supported by 18 stone piers.

The long version:

We set off from our mooring with the blokes keen to reach the engineering marvel that is the Pontcysylite Aqueduct (pronounced, in case you are trying 'Pont-ker-sulth-tee' + numerous variations). The approx 2 1/2 mile journey from our mooring to the aqueduct has vanished from memory.

I do remember our first glimpse of Pontcysylite crossing the Dee valley - the blokes nearly peeing their pants with excitement and, not good with heights I just felt nauseous and quite unable to appreciate Telford's genius.

Onto the aqueduct we go - I'm hiding inside.

Looking south east to the railway viaduct - it had shot off across the valley back near bridge 27.

Crossing the River Dee

With G at the tiller, L was free to gaze and take photos.

As you saw earlier B had brought all her persuasive powers to bear and had coaxed me out onto the bow to take a photo of her. 

Not far to go now.

One last glimpse of the Dee

And then we were off the aqueduct and were immediately faced with this tricky left hand turn under the bridge.

Just after the bridge was this duck family - impervious to all the bumping, scraping and engine revving it had taken to get round the corner.

This isn't even the narrow section B talked about!

The views were sublime

 

Looking across the Vale of Llangollen

Winding hole near Bryn Howel Hotel

Another beautiful bridge with the heather covered Welsh hills in the distance.

Looking up to the ruins of Castell Dinas Bran dating from the late 13th century.

L bringing Emily in to moor, having gone through the 1st section of narrows with no problems. 

I continued to walk down the canal - first off a blind bend

Then the canal got seriously narrow.  If you met an oncoming boat along this section one of you would have to back up a long way.

Betty has recounted my travails down at the end of the one way working section and she didn't exaggerate one bit.  The guide book says and I quote ".... a good deal of frustration can be saved simply by sending a member of your party (preferably the most diplomatic) ahead.....".  Why oh why did they send me?

There we are on the far right, moored up safe and sound and already talking to the neighbours.

Walking along the river in Llangollen later that afternoon.