It’s funny though. We get to know the dog’s names, but never the owners’.
Usually we spent the winter taking a slow trip to Llangollen, then an equally slow trip back to the Shroppie main line at Hurleston. But this year we’ve done a lot of backtracking. Not that I’m complaining, there’re worse places to be!
Today it was payback for yesterday’s fine weather. Dull and drizzly first thing then light showers later. Still quite mild, though.
A little brightness as we left Frankton Junction, but it wasn’t to last.
There’s still plenty of wood left on the very shallow offside between Bridges 67 and 66.
The canal winds around Val Hill, one of several sandstone ridges rising above the undulating Shropshire plain.
Most of Shropshire and goodly parts of the adjoining counties of Cheshire and Staffordshire were under one vast expanse of water following the last Ice Age. The water slowly drained away down what were to become the estuaries of the Dee, Mersey and Severn, leaving rich alluvial farmland, peat bogs and mosses over Whixall way, and the meres around Ellesmere. Higher ground like Val Hill and the Llanymynech Hills would have been islands.
There are popular moorings near Coachman’s Bridge, probably due to their proximity to the road. Boats often overflow towards the bridge, like this fibreglass cruiser right next to it.
That's just asking for trouble!
Aah, sweet!
It started to rain as we pulled in on the service wharf at the Ellesmere maintenance yard, but it only lasted long enough for us to fill with water.
Ellesmere Yard, with a boat in the dry dock
Water tank filled and rubbish and recycling disposed of we turned into the arm to moor, finding plenty of space. We’ll be here for the weekend now.
Locks 0, miles 3½
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