Perfect Harmony

Perfect Harmony
Moored at Huntingdon

Thursday 20 September 2012

20th Sept '12

Can't understand where the post went from earlier that I put on for yesterday - hopefully I'll find it somewhere! Anyway here are the photos that should have gone with it but I wasn't able to upload them earlier.



The rather impressive aqueduct in Nantwich from the road into town, at a slight angle since I also had Paddy on the lead and he was pulling my arm!


Same aqueduct from the canal!


John was mystified as to why these cars were floating above the hedge. We later discovered it was a scrapyard and they were on top of other cars!


The wide and as it turned out, tricky entrance to the Llangollen - no-one said there was a lock immediately at the entrance - followed by 3 more!


On our return back down the canal we shall turn north to Chester.


Looking up the first flight of locks.


The view from the top of the flight over the Cheshire plain, towards the Peak District (and home!)


At this point it reminded us quite a bit of the Trent and Mersey. Except there are WAY more moorings along here - shows what a popular route it is I suppose.


Swanley Bridge Marina where we stopped for a very expensive pump-out (but it was easy to get to!)


A typical bridge - somewhat pumpkin shaped - they seem to be a lot less battered than most, especially since this stretch has more than it's fair share of holiday boats!


Clouds over Wrenbury where we are heading towards - it started just as we moored - phew!


The electrically operated lift bridge just outside the pub where we ate last night that we came through this morning - it's quite a busy little road and there was quite a queue by the time two boats had come through.


The Dusty Miller where I had duck and John had sea-bass - both wonderful! Also good range of reasonably priced malts - mmmmm


The area around the locks and the towpaths are not well maintained - this is the mud that John had to stand in to open a bottom gate - usually they are stone with grips for extra purchase - here you just slip around and hope for the best.

We are now moored at the bottom of a set of locks comprising 3 in a flight and then a staircase of 3. We haven't done a staircase before but have been up for a walk so know what's ahead of us. For those who don't know the difference a flight has any number of separate locks - all operated independently and with a pound in between for boats to cross, and a staircase has you going straight from one lock into the next with no break and you can't pass - this one has the capacity for 3 boats to go up one after the other and then 3 boats to come down - apparently in the height of the season up to 100 boats go through this a day and the delays can be up to 3 hours! Shouldn't be so bad for us in the morning - will tell all tomorrow.

Now to hunt for the missing blog.......

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