Weehee! No ice up here!

All the broken ice we made yesterday consolidated overnight as the temperature once again dipped well below zero.

The Weston Arm junction this morning.
We missed a trick yesterday; we should have moved up to the lower lock landing of the Frankton Locks in the afternoon, then we wouldn’t have had to break ice again this morning.
But then, the other two boats moored in the arm would have struggled to get without me spending a happy 20 minutes chopping it up before heading up to the locks this morning.

Waiting for the lockie below Frankton Locks

A beautiful day as I head up the locks to see if he’s arrived yet

We set off up the locks shortly after mid-day, and met a downhill boat between the top single lock and the double staircase.

NB Maggie May going down, our Maggie coming up.

Just over 30 minutes after starting up we left the lockie to look after the two boats following us, and headed out onto ice-free water on the Llangollen main line.

Look, no ice!

We had a wonderfully quiet cruise towards Ellesmere, pulling in near Coachman’s Bridge. No crunching of breaking ice from the bow, or rattling of the broken lumps around the prop. Bliss!

There were signs of approaching spring in sheltered spots along the canal…

Crocuses

Catkins

And the first spring lambs!
OK, they’re out of focus, I had to take the picture through the hedge from the back of the boat. Am I the first blogger to post pics of lambs this year?

I got the latest wood acquisition sliced and diced when we stopped. Not sure whether we’ll be heading for Ellesmere tomorrow or Sunday. We do need some shopping…

Locks 4, miles 2