Previous Year : 2011 The Bona Boater's Trips Following Year : 2013

2012 - The Llangollen & Montgomery Canals.

Crew : Pete W, Stan, Dave, John, Chris, Pete M, Alan, Ernie

Boat : Tanglewood

From : Anglowelsh, Trevor.

Route : Trevor > Llangollen [w] > Chirk > Frankton Junction > Oswestry > Gronwyn Bridge [w] > Oswestry > Frankton Junction > Ellesmere > Prees Branch [w] > Marbury [w] > Whitchurch [w] > Trevor.

Coverage : 39 Locks and 91 Miles.

Notes : Saturday and Sunday morning were cold, overcast and drizzly but from Sunday afternoon onwards, it was unbroken hot sunshine. The route included a trip down the Prees Branch

Saturday 19th May

Lunchtime / Afternoon : Trevor. We had arranged to meet up at the boatyard by about 12:30. Pete W had to go via Chester to collect Pete M from Chester Railway Station. Despite the detour, Pete W's carload had arrived at the boatyard by about 12:10. They checked in at the boatyard reception and were told that the boat was not yet ready. When Pete W told them that there was another car yet to arrive, he was advised to wait with his car until the other car arrived in order to keep 2 adjacent parking spaces, otherwise we could find one or other of the cars blocked in the following Saturday when we come to leave. So, while Pete W waited in the car and watched loads of boats making a complete cock-up of the turn onto the aqueduct, BTS1, Ernie & Pete M went to The Telford to drink beer. Meanwhile, John & Chris had to make a detour to Ruabon to pick up Stan. They had arranged to meet him in The Bridge End Inn in Ruabon - The then CAMRA National Pub of the year. Whilst they were there, they were somehow tricked into having to have a couple of drinks with Stan, and so they didn't arrive at the boatyard until about 14:00. Having retrieved Pete M, BTS1 & Ernie from the pub, we had the boat loaded by about 14:45 and following the hand-over, we left the boatyard about 15:20 en route for Llangollen.

Pete W had to sit in his car in to reserve two adjacent parking spaces.

At least he was entertained watching bouts of 'canalrage' at the junction, while everyone else was enjoying themselves in the pub !

Evening : Llangollen. On the way to Llangollen, Alan said that "one of his friends" had found out that there was a steam & real ale special running on The Llangollen Railway that evening, so on arrival in Llangollen we went to the station to investigate - and his friend was right, there was. We went to The Bridge End Hotel for a couple of pints, then walked down to the station to get the 18:30 Beer Festival Special. £13 for two return trips to Carrog plus a free pint, and eight real ales on in the buffet bar. Pete W said he had a stonker of a headache next morning, but blamed it on the smoke in the tunnels - it obviously can't have had whatsoever to do with the beer, as he'd had beer before. After the railway trip, we walked into Llangollen for a curry then went back to the boat.

Llangollen Station.

We went to investigate the rumour of a Beer Festival Special - The rumour was correct.

The crew went on the Beer Festival special

Then they all went for a curry.

Sunday 20th May

Morning / Lunchtime : Still in Llangollen. We had originally intended to visit The Llangollen Railway on Sunday morning, but having visited it on Saturday night, this left us with a free morning in Llangollen to do 'touristy' things. Stan, John & Alan managed to blag a trip round the engine sheds, Pete M, BTS1 & Ernie went for a walk around around the town and did some shopping and touristy things while Pete W & Nursie sat in The Bridge End Hotel drinking beer and waiting for everyone to else arrive. Earlier that morning, Pete W, John & Stan had been chatting to the BW mooring warden about the possibility of booking to go down the Montgomery Canal. He said that booking was essential as there was a strict limit on the number of boats allowed down each day. He also told us that we could book on Sunday (..even though the booking office is officially closed..) by ringing a different number which he gave us. Pete W rang to see if there was any space available, and there was so we booked passage for 12 noon on Monday and a return passage at 12 noon on Tuesday.

The Bridge End Hotel, Llangollen.

The historic fly-boat Saturn.

Saturn would later be used to carry the 2012 Olympic Torch over The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

There is nothing on the offside to stop anyone falling off the boat, and it's 200 feet straight down !

Crossing the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

Evening : Chirk. We left Llangollen and set off for Chirk at about 15:15. We crossed the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct at about 17:00 and arrived in Chirk at about 18:15. We went to The Bridge Inn where we ate and proceeded to drink them out of Banks's Mild.

Moored at Chirk.

The Bridge Inn, Chirk.

Monday 21st May

Morning : Frankton Locks. Late Start. As it was only about 8 miles and a couple of locks to Frankton Junction, we decided to have a late start, so we left Chirk about 09:00. We arrived at Frankton Locks at about 11:15, and within minutes, a queue of boats had begun to form behind us. Luckily, we were first in the queue. At 12 noon, the BW lock keeper duly arrived, checked that we were on his list, unlocked the locks and said we could go. We locked down the four locks and set off for Gronwyn Bridge which was the limit of navigation in May 2012.

Frankton Locks on The Montgomery canal.

Lunchtime : The Queen's Head, Oswestry. By 14:00, we had moored up and repaired to The Queen's Head near Oswestry for a little lunchtime rehydration therapy. After a few pints in The Queen's Head, we continued to Gronwyn Bridge where we winded the boat. This was the limit of navigation back in 2012. We stopped for Water at Maesbury Marsh and went to investigate The Navigation but we found that it was shut so we decided to return to The Queen's Head for the evening.

We headed to The Queen's Head for a little lunchtime rehydration therapy.

The Queen's Head, Oswestry.

Rehydration therapy in The Queen's Head. BTS1 is doing a fine job on the token.

The Navigation at Gronwen Bridge.

Evening : The Queen's Head - again. Having found The Navigation at Gronwen Bridge shut, we filled up the water tank and returned to The Queen's Head for the evening.

Tuesday 22nd May

Morning : Frankton Locks. As it was only a couple of hours cruising time to Frankton Junction, we decided on having another late start. We set off for Frankton Locks at about 09:00, and we arrived at the bottom lock at about 11:00 to find that we were already second in the queue. We had breakfast whilst moored up and waiting for 12 noon when we could start up the locks. One of the boats waiting to come down was called 'Kobayashi Maru' - a name which should be known to any trekkies ! Staying on the Star Trek related theme, we were reminded that the boat we had last year (2011) was called 'Enterprise'. Enterprise & Kobayashi Maru side by side - now that would have made a good photo for the trekkies out there !

Frankton Locks - and The Kobayashi Maru !

Lunchtime : Ellesmere. We ascended the four locks at Frankton Junction and headed for Ellesmere, arriving there at about 14:30. We went to The Black Lion for a pint or two, and to decide what to do next. We decided that we should get a bus to Oswestry as none of us had ever been there before. After a few more pints in The Black Lion, we left for the bus stop only to find that we had just missed one bus, and that the next bus was an hour later. We decided to have a bit of a wander about the town and meet back for the next bus in about 45 minutes. When we all met up again, we discovered that whilst we could get to Oswestry, this would be the last bus and we couldn't get back, so we decided instead to adjourn to White Hart which had only just opened at 16:00.

The canal basin and warehouse at Ellesmere.

The White Hart, Ellesmere.

Having found we could get to Oswestry but we could not get back, we decided to adjourn to The White Hart instead.

More rehydration therapy in The White Hart.

Evening : Still in Ellesmere. After numerous pints The White Hart , we went to The curry house next door called Asian Spices for an excellent curry, then back to The White Hart for even more beer.

Wednesday 23rd May

Morning : 8am start. We were aiming to get to Marbury in the evening, but we knew that passage of Grindley Brook locks could possibly cause a delay. After winding the boat in Ellesmere Basin, we left Ellesmere at about 08:00. The itinerary included doing The Prees Branch simply because it's there. Including having to wind at the end, this would add about an hour to the journey. We eventually arrived at Grindley Brook top lock to find ourselves already 3rd in the queue so we sent a runner to check out The Horse and Jockey to make sure it was open, and to check what time it would close.

Lunchtime : Grindley Brook. Pete W and BTS1 selflessly volunteered to be the runners, and they arrived at The Horse and Jockey to find that it was indeed open, and it was going to be open all day. After a couple of pints, they walked back to the locks to find that the boat was already in the bottom lock, so we moored up and adjourned to The Horse & Jockey, arriving there by about 15:00.

Even more rehydration therapy

The Horse and Jockey, Grindley Brook.

Evening : Marbury. We left Grindley Brook and set off for Marbury at about 5pm. After winding the boat by Br.22, we got to The Swan at Marbury by about 20:30 where we ate. There was a slightly odd atmosphere in the pub. The food & beer were both fine, but we were the only customers in there. Judging by it's quite idyllic village location and the size of the restaurant we would have expected it to have been a lot busier.

We passed The Willey Moor Lock..

..on the way to the strangely quiet Swan at Marbury.

Thursday 24th May

Lunchtime : Grindley Brook again. After another late start, we left Marbury at about 08:30 en route for Grindley Brook. Pete M decided to cook the breakfasts but as is so often the way, the breakfasts were just about ready as we reached Grindley Brook Locks, so it was 2 on the boat eating, one cooking, one steering and the other 4 off doing the locks and eating ice-cream ! We finally got to the top at about 13:00, so we moored up and went back to The Horse & Jockey. After a few rounds, the landlord gave us a tour of his cellar - of which he was justly very proud.

Ice creams for some...

... and breakfast for others...

...while we ascended The Grindley Brook staircase.

Evening : Whitchurch. We left The Hose & Jockey and set off for Whitchurch. We winded the boat and reversed to the very end of the Whitchurch Arm, where we moored. We walked into Whitchurch and found The Old Town Hall Vaults. This was the pub which didn't do food the last time we came here back in 2001 and unsurprisingly wasn't doing food tonight either. After several pints here, we decided to try to find a curry house. We eventually found one called The Hannah Indian Restaurant where we had an excellent curry. It did offer an all-you-can-eat buffet but we opted for the menu. Even so, we got extra popadoms, extra starters and extra pilau rice - all free - and the whole lot only came to £11 per head. The ducks on the canal would also have a feast on garlic & chilli nans over the next few days. After the curry, we went to The Anchor, then sent Ernie & BTS1 back to the boat by taxi while the rest of us attempted to walk the curry off.

The Old Town Hall Vaults, Whitchurch.

The half-timbered Nat West bank with its vintage monochrome green CRT ATM screen - very retro !

We had a superb curry in The Hannah Indian Restaurant

...followed by a few pints in The Anchor.

Friday 25th May

Morning : The departure of Pete M. Pete M had to leave us as he was going on a Morris Dancing & Beer drinking Trip - which unsurprisingly didn't actually involve any Morris Dancing. We can only assume that he had been using this week with us to get into training for the beer drinking bit of his trip... We said our goodbyes to Pete M and we left Whitchurch.

The Whitchurch arm.

Lunchtime : Ellesmere. We left Whitchurch, arriving back in Ellesmere at about noon. We took on water then John did a rather good reversing manoeuvre - he reversed off the water point, then reversed round the corner and moored up under the constant scrutiny of the man in the boat next to where we wanted to moor. John got it in nearly perfectly. We moored up and went back to The Black Lion until it closed at 15:00. We then went to The White Hart for a couple more, then back to the boat, leaving Ellesmere at about 16:00.

Some cool dude in The Black Lion...

...and a rather nice painted ghost sign in Ellesmere.

Evening : Chirk. We had calculated that the run to Chirk should have taken about three hours - but it took nearer four hours which meant we didn't arrive in Chirk until nearly 20:30. En route, Alan rang The Bridge Inn to ask them what time they stopped doing food. Yes, you guessed it - 20:30. The landlord did say however that he would do us some food if we weren't too late so we sent a runner as soon as we arrived in Chirk. Even before we'd moored up, John was already in the pub ordering beer and arranging food menus. We ate and tried to drink him out of Banks's Mild again - but fortunately for his customers, we failed on this occasion. He must have realised we'd be back and got some extra mild in.

Saturday 26th May

Early Morning : Back to the boatyard. Very Early Start. We set off at 07:00 as we had to get the boat back by 09:00 or face a fine of £70 per hour late. We crossed Chirk Aqueduct into Wales, then through Chirk Tunnel. We eventually reached Trevor at about 08:45 where a chap from the boatyard took the tiller and with much screaming of the engine whipped the boat round and backed it into the yard in five minutes flat. It probably would have taken us three attempts and 15 minutes to do the same manoeuvre.

We crossed Chirk aqueduct.

...and passed Chirk Marina.

Nearly back now - approaching Trevor liftbridge..

...and crossing The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

On arrival in the boatyard, John was summoned to the office. We wondered if we'd done something wrong but as it turned out, it was only to ask if the boat was OK. We got the boat unloaded and loaded the cars. John & Chris with Stan and Alan went back to York while Pete W, BTS1 and Ernie went to Bradford to The Karachi for a curry and the Al Halal supermarket for curry bits, then back to normality, bath and bed.

Previous Year : 2011 The Bona Boater's Trips Following Year : 2013