There and back again, or twice across the big’ un!

Plans have changed again a little, meaning that we have to be back near Chirk by Friday morning. So instead of spending a few days cruising down to Trevor and back we went a bit further today.

Why not just stay where you are?, I hear you say. Well the tank is only big enough to hold a week’s worth of water, and we won’t be heading up towards the terminus till after Christmas, so we needed to top up and the nearest tap is just before Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. And it was a nice day…

Whitehouse Tunnel, a little shorter than it’s neighbour at Chirk.  

The new owners of Yarwood are keeping it smart.

The canal swings to the left to run above the Dee valley, past the old Froncycyllte lime kilns and moorings. The Langollen horse boats, James Brindley and William Jessop are here, out of the water for blacking.

Through Fron Lift Bridge…


…and approaching THAT aqueduct.


Off into space above the Dee valley


We got to the far end, turned around at the junction, and came back over again!

Cefn Mawr Railway Viaduct, about a mile downstream.

I stepped off, leaving Mags in charge for a minute or two…
…she wasn’t impressed!

It is an awful long way down, but the views are spectacular!

After crossing back over we pulled in for water, then retraced our steps, pulling in behind Yarwood just before Whitehouse Tunnel.

I’m glad we weren’t going through the tunnel!
The latest batch of wood is very smoky!

Yesterday I’d got the new water pump installed, so today it was the second little trouble to be dealt with. I took the stern fender off, poked a hole right through it using a mooring pin and big hammer, then threaded a length of 8mm nylon rope through said hole. With a loop at each end this will be the attachment for the mounting chains, replacing the old corroded links. Should do the job.

Locks 0, miles 4½