Two days later - still on the Llangollen

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 14:12

We are "alive" - or should I say "live"

We have also moved a bit since I last blogged. I left you in suspense at the bottom of Grindley Brook Locks but I am not going to bore you with too much detail as I bring you up to date. Strangely we will be covering the same ground again in a few weeks time, as we travel downstream, back to the Shropshire Union Main Line.

Leaving the top lock of the staircase of three at Grindley Brook

The Lock Keeper collects flags - and yes, he has a Cornish one (or for the purists, St Piran's flag). Are they donated, found or bought, I ask. (A mixture of all 3, I think, from my conversation with him - ed.)

We stopped above the locks for a night and then, after a wander down to the shop (@29) beside the staircase locks, we set off. By this time it had stopped raining, which was good, as we had a number of lift bridges to negotiate.

The first of these was New Mills lift bridge (31), immediately before the short Arm that leads to Whitchurch. We hope to explore this and Whitchurch on our return journey.

New Mills Lift Bridge

As we left, we were told that Fly-Boat Saturn was on its way down the Llangollen Canal from Ellesmere. It was travelling to Ellesmere Port for the gathering of work boats there. Last year we had met it, horse drawn, near Chester Zoo on the Main Line. This year, we met just after we had passed through Hassall's No 1 Lift Bridge. It was being towed by narrowboat Green Man, as the horse was in use elsewhere.

Fly Boat Saturn

Platt Lane Bridge (43) marks the beginning of the area known as Whixall Moss. It is an SSSI and is home to rare insects and plants. It had suffered a major decline due to commercial peat digging, but is now returning to its former state. The Moss continues beside the canal, with access points for walkers, for about two miles. Trail story boards and leaflets are at the access points.

Moss storyboard and leaflet box

We turned onto the Prees Branch, which is about half way past Whixall Moss, after Morris Lift Bridge. Morris Lift Bridge has hydraulic windlass operated gear and takes for ever to open. I know, because I chose to open this bridge and my arms ached afterwards! We also let two other narrowboats through, as they were following us closely.

Turning left onto the Prees Branch, we had two more lift bridges as we went down to Whixall Marine to wind. These lift bridges are well maintained and, as we arrived at Allman's Lift Bridge (1), a BW man came to re adjust the counterweights. He shut the bridge for us, spot him in the photo!

Leaving Allman's Lift Bridge

Starks Lift Bridge (2) is a skew bridge and is a little more difficult to navigate because of this, especially in a stiff breeze! It is difficult to see the skew in a photo - but here it is.

Starks Lift Bridge

Whixall Marine and the basin moorings are built in the old clay pit that the Prees Branch was built for. Much of the clay from here was used in "puddling" to repair the canals. It is a remote spot and only country roads lead here. The branch is also very shallow between Dobson Bridge(3) and the basin.

Whixall Marine

After winding, we moored up just before Starks Bridge. As you know, there was no internet signal but we were able to update our FaceBook readers on Narrowboat Epiphany Fan Club.

Langollen Canal, Grindley Brook Rail Bridge to Grindley Brook winding hole

1 hour 29 minutes, 0.59 miles, 6 locks

Llangollen Canal, Grindley Brook winding hole to Starks Bridge, Prees Branch

3 hours, 37 minutes, 8.16 miles, 0 Locks