Back up onto the Llangollen, and a shopping trip to Ellesmere.

On Thursday we moved the short distance to the moorings on the stub of the Weston Arm. A bit cloudy and warmer, all the previous day’s ice had melted overnight.


Triangular bird-boxes along the canal.

I wonder if the design is for a specific species, or it just easier to make them that way?

Up through Graham Palmer Lock, around the corner and under Bridge 70 took us to the moorings where we stayed until this morning.

Plenty of room on the Weston Arm moorings.

The weather was a bit mixed over the weekend, we’ve had rain and snow, wind and sunshine. Often all within a few hours! But the highlight was a visit on Saturday by Dave and Lisa who we haven’t seen for nearly 2 years. They were part of our convoy that crossed the Wash back in 2015…
We had a great few hours, catching up before they had to up and leave. They tend not to cruise in the winter, so they’d come up by car, stopping for a few days at the Chain Bridge Hotel up the Dee from Llangollen.

So today, after filling the water tank and disposing of the rubbish and recycling, we moved up to the bottom of the Frankton Locks.

A beautiful start to the day today. Calm and cold after a frosty night, with just a thin smear of ice on the water.




We got to the bottom lock at 11:00, an hour earlier than the scheduled “window” of 12 till 2. But Chris the lockie was pottering about at the staircase and told us to set off as soon as we were ready.

The two single chambers were empty with the lower gates open, so it didn’t take long to pass those.

Lock 3


A little bit of history, here, too…



Tom Rolt’s book, Narrow Boat, is probably the most common book on boater’s bookshelves.

Coming up the staircase pair.


We thanked Chris, then set off, turning right at the junction and heading for Ellesmere. The canal twists and turns around the rising ground of Val Hill, and there’s two bridges here that have only recently re-opened after a 3 week closure for underwater repairs.
They’re still clearing the equipment they used.

Nice new brickwork

All of the structures on this canal tend to get a bit battered, due to it’s summer popularity.

What, never seen a boat before?


Just over an hour from Frankton Junction we arrived at Ellesmere, passing the maintenance yard and turning into the Arm to moor.

Ellesmere yard and Beech House

One trip to Tesco’s has made a start on topping up the stores, I’ll be going up into the town tomorrow for a few more bits before we set off, heading back towards Wales.

Locks 5, miles 5