Llangollen Canal May 2014 Day 3

Monday we woke latish, around 8am, whilst having breakfast the grass cutters and strimmer's arrived to clear the towpath and moorings, glad to say they strimmed the edges apart from next to the boat, the grass was wet from overnight so when pulling the pins we had wet grass stuck to our boots which ended up all over the cockpit and stern.
Setting off towards Prees Junction we spotted NB Lois - Jane who blog about their life on the cut NB Lois-Jane moored at Prees Junction.

NB Lois-Jane.

We had booked to go down onto the Montgomery Canal at midday on Tuesday so we where not in a hurry and took it easy heading to Ellesmere. We pulled over to have a look at the Fenns nature reserve just past Prees Junction with views over the Mosses.

View over Fenn's Moss.

Rain was still on and off as we joined a small convoy near Hampton Bank, despite the clouds we could see over to the Welsh hills.

Convoy at Hampton Bank.

Getting near to Lyneal Wharf we started to get a few bright periods.

Lyneal Wharf.

I pulled over at Cole Mere for an early lunch, we had good views over the Mere.

Lunch at Cole Mere.

Moving on after lunch we headed past Blake Mere, when we where caught in a sudden downpour, including hailstone's I had to reach for the brolley, only lasted a few minutes.

Hail Storm.

The sun then came out for the cruise into Ellesmere, we headed down the arm easily finding a mooring not too near the winding hole. Shame to find that the old Shropshire Union Warehouse has not found a good use yet, sure it would make a nice cafe or restaurant if this is the only way of preserving it.

Ellesmere Arm, old Shropshire Union warehouse and crane.

Leaving Gill to do a little shopping in the town, Father and I walked the long way round to the Mere via the towpath and the Motte and Bailey and then had a look at the older part of the town, some black clouds around but any further rain held off.

Sculpture trail near the Motte and Bailey.

Fine old School House.

Timbered Cottage.

Ellesmere Church.

We walked down to the Mere visitor centre, dodging the protective Geese guarding the Goslings, and walking part way round the Mere before heading back to the boat for dinner.

Geese and Goslings

Ellesmere.

Llangollen Canal May 2014 - Day 1 and 2.

We have just spent a week on our share owner NB Centurion now based at Wrenbury Mill on the Llangollen Canal.
Day 1

After a long drive from Norfolk, we stocked with food and drink at Whitchurch, then loaded up at the base by the lift bridge. Waiting for father to arrive we sorted out bedding, clothes, food, etc then left the boatyard to moor on the visitor moorings near the nursery at Whitchurch. We hit our first obstacle here when we discovered one of the water pumps leaking from the pump body, the carpet by the bed was soaked. A quick call to ABC at Wrenbury had the pump changed within an hour and we attempted to dry out the carpet. Later Gill cooked a nice meal, eaten with some lovely wine.

Moored opposite a Pink Floyd Fan.

Day 2

The Sunday brought rain, a steady drizzle to begin with, so after my normal narrow boat breakfast of bacon butties I put on full wet weather gear and we set off up the Llangollen Canal. The canal was not busy as we headed for the locks.

Quiet stretch of canal near Marbury.

We first had Marbury lock to do, only a short queue of 1 boat, before heading through the other locks to Grindley Brook.

Waiting for Marbury Lock.

Nice stretch near Quoisley Lock.

We pushed on to moor for lunch before the old railway bridge before Grindley Brook.

We then ascended the Grindley Brook locks, fist time ever we have seen no queue here. We where still having the occasional shower but nothing too heavy.

We had help up the staircase locks by some volunteers, making for a quick journey up the flight.

Grindley Brook Locks.

Waiting for the gates to the top rise.

We carried on through the rain which sometimes got heavier, through Whitchurch, with most of the Yellow peril fleet at base, then through various lift bridges,and along the winding canal past Fenns Bank, stopping to allow father a little time to explore the old Cambrian Railway Whitchurch to Welshpool line which crossed the canal before finally calling it a day just after Platt Lane. Plenty of time for a little fishing before dinner, mainly Perch and Roach where caught. Too wet later to walk down to the Waggoner's Inn for a beer.

Peaceful mooring near Platt Lane.

Earsham Hall Classic Car Show

Sunday of the Bank Holiday weekend we attended Earsham Hall for a classic car show, the first show under our new identity of Phoenix CVC. Was a nice day, with plenty of cars to see, however I was struck down with Hay Fever, first time ever for me, I had runny eyes and non stop sneezing, not pleasant and surrounded by Rape fields and tree blossom it was not the ideal place to be. Under control now though.
I only took just a few pics of the event so here they are.

A week on the narrowboat next, looking forward to dodging the hire boats on the Llangollen canal.

Drive it Day 2014

Today was FHBVC drive it day, a day when you are supposed to drive your classic or sports car. As mine is currently having some remedial work I borrowed a mileage accumulation Lotus Evora from work. Over the weekend we put in some very quick miles on the Evora, firstly to a couple of garden centre's on Friday afternoon, then Saturday visited our friends in Halesworth who own an early and late Elan, so had to give them a run out too. Then it was a quick run to St Ives to hand over Birthday presents and late Easter egg to Toni, the daughter, we could not get in Bella Italia so we had to have fast food with Toni.
Today we accompanied friends on a run round Norfolk, starting from Wymondham, we used some lovely roads and passed through pretty villages to Castle Acre for a coffee stop.

 

We then headed towards Watton for a very good lunch at the Waggon and Horses at Griston.

Good day, good company, and thoroughly enjoyed driving the very comfortable, smooth, powerful auto Evora, the paddle shift takes some getting used to. My MGTF is going to feel like a slow thing when I hand back the Evora tomorrow.

Easter 2014

Easter 2014, time for Dad to visit, he arrived Thursday, train from York to Huntingdon, then he rode from Huntingdon, via St Ives, then along the cycleway alongside the busway to Cambridge, coming off at Milton he then rode to Ely to catch a train to Norwich, then biked from Norwich to Harleston, all this at age 79! Fair to say he had a few snoozes on the sofa on Thursday night. Friday morning we went for a walk around Harleston, in the afternoon it was a walk around the old gravel quarries, now used for fishing and leisure. Bit windy and overcast.

Saturday was spent wandering round Norwich, with a light lunch in a small bistro, before a bit of shopping thrown in for Gill.

Sunday was spent looking at more manly things, Dad and I took a trip out to the Norwich Aviation Museum at Horsham St Faith, near the airport. Quite an interesting museum, with a good history of the Norfolk Airbases in the second world war.

Plenty of more modern fighters and bombers on display.

Hawker Hunter

Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star

Gloster Meteor F8

Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2

English Electric Lighting

Avro Vulcan B2

Cessna and Fokker F27 Friendship

A better day weather wise, we moved on for a quick look at the Bure Valley Railway, a 15 inch gauge railway on the trackbed of the old Wroxham to Aylsham, East Norfolk Railway (Later GER)

15 inch loco built in the workshop at Aylsham.

Aylsham Workshop.

Not a great deal to see here as it is very much a commercial organisation aimed at the holiday makers unlike some preserved operations.

On the Monday we all went to Bressingham, Gill spent time in the garden centre and the gardens, whilst dad and I visited the museums. This is mainly railway orientated, a few traction engines and rollers, with a bit of a Dads Army museum thrown in, but still interesting.

Postal Sorting Office

Traction Engines and road roller.

GNR  Henry Oakley.

Beckton Gasworks loco.

GER  Tank Loco.

Penryhn Quarry Loco.

Railway through the gardens.

Would not turn round!

We followed this up with a visit to Billingford Windmill, which dad had read was open for Easter Monday, we waited to have a tour up the 5 floors to stand right up in the cap. Interesting little tour with a knowledgable chap who knew his mill well.

Billingford Windmill.

Transfer gears from Sail Shaft to central shaft under cap.

Mill Stone floor. grain fed in through wooden trough.

Mill stone governors and flour shutes, fixed stone just visible
above beams.

Billingford Windmill.

So that was it for Easter, I think we managed to keep dad amused. He left this morning, just the short bike ride to Norwich, then train all the way to York.