The get back together get together ...

The convoy is reunited!  Time for a 'pack' walk ...

 ... over the fields ...

 ... in the last of the afternoon's sunshine

 The  Pack!

The Get Together! Great Night!!

Oh what a wonderful morning ....

There was no internet signal on Thursday night so I was unable to publish a posting, so joy of joys, you've got a double helping today!!

... Oh what a beautiful day ...

... after rain and wind last night we woke to a much calmer day on Thursday at our mooring above Frankton Locks on the Montgomery Canal.
As I set off to walk a couple of miles it was 11 degrees at only 9 o'clock as I leave George readying RnR to set off and turn right back onto the Llangollen Canal

Crocuses on the towpath by a canal side property ...

... and views for mile around although those clouds look a bit threatening ..

... looking behind me though into the sunshine was a sight for sore eyes!

Peaceful, rural views abound, this one looking towards the village of Tetchill near bridge 64 Val Hill No.1 ...

... and daffodils in the garden of Canal Cottage

Here comes George to pick me and Molly up at White Mills Bridge (61) ...

... it's 10 o'clock, the sky is beautiful and it's now 13 degrees!

Guess where we are now?  Tesco's of course (Ellesmere)

Gazelle's flying in formation probably from RAF Shawbury
(1 o'clock now and a heady 17 degrees!)

Approaching Ellesmere Tunnel ...

... and passing Blake Mere ...

... and on the other side - Cole Mere (with snowdrops) ...

... and without, but with boats the distance.

Through Lyneal Lane bridge heading for Hampton Bank Bridge ...

... and Balmaha and that's Nessa waiting to say hello! She just text me to say that the kettle was on ... brilliant!

Views around the boats at 4:30pm ...

... after a chat and that welcome cuppa on NB Balmaha ...

... and again in the sunset ...

... and 10 minutes to 7pm

Our turn to host that evening when we did a lot of catching up and discussion of our planned summer cruises over a glass bottle or two of vino colapso! 

The last time we met was on the River Thames at Hampton Court in May 2011 - and here we are again at another 'Hampton' this time on the Llangollen Canal

Half past 7 the following morning and the sun is over the rise ...

... casting long shadows across the fields ...

... and turning the trees into gold - temperature already 11 degrees!

Nessa and Mo have left for Ellesmere and I'm off to walk a while; George unties ready for the off ...

... most of the newer bridges (and a few of the much older ones) on this canal have been lined with corrugated sheeting presumably to protect them from the summer mayhem boaters!

The sky is darkening as we head for the Prees Branch ...

I think that is Bettisfield Church I can see as I with for Rock n Roll to pick me up at Cornhill Bridge (47).
Just past here we felt a bit of wet in the wind so I fixed the back cover on 'just in case'.  We were glad of that because a few minutes later out of nowhere the heavens opened just in time for me to drop George off to do the lift bridges down the arm to Whixall Marina.  It continued to 'throw it down' whilst we filled and emptied the various tanks and had a quick bite to eat ... so no pictures for a couple of hours!

... and near bridge 39 that chair - it was there when we came down this way - very odd!

The sky brightens about 3pm - about an hour to go and 5 lift bridges before we reach our destination and regroup with the convoy at Grindley Brook (I'm at the helm, so again no piccies, sorry!).
So here we are back together again, drinks and nibble tonight on RnR to plan our next move!
Great Stuff!

Wet culverts and deep water ...

 Unlike last Saturday when we came this way the culverts are flowing once again ...

 We've taken a walk up to the locks for a recee.  It's very windy today gusting up to 40mph and getting off our mooring opposite the water point will not be easy!

 In 1921 Cressy carried coal for the boilers at Peate's Mill in Maesbury Marsh

 This would have been the area opposite the plaque where the dry dock would have been.

 You can see here how low this pound was when we came down, today it's a good 18" deeper!

Rock n Roll and an Anglo Welsh hire boat moored in the Weston Arm.  Yesterday the couple on the hire boat were in front of us all the way from Maesbury Marsh and very kindly emptied and opened all the 5 locks for us once they had passed through.

After a slow but uneventful short journey (apart from those gusts of wind) from our mooring we've arrived at the top of Frankton Locks and this is where we'll sit out the rain and wind until tomorrow when the forecast has promise of summer spring with temperature at about 16 degrees - can't wait!

Turn around ...

We've booked passage through Frankton Locks for Wednesday, so today is turn around day ...

 George has lifted Crofts Mill Lift Bridge for me ... it's set at an awkward angle to the canal ...

 ... safely through I'm now waiting for him to lower the bridge and climb aboard again. The blue narrowboat you can see doesn't look as if it's got an engine, it is lived in and has been there apparently for at least 6 years.

 Gronwy Wharf ...

 ... and looking back, the mainline to Frankton and the Llangollen canal on the right ...

... and ahead Gronwy Bridge 82, you may just be able to make out the boom across the bridge hole to prevent water traffic.  The canal is actually in water for about another half mile or so to Redwith Bridge. When we visited here in the summer of 2007 the canal at this point was ready to be watered so we were surprised and a bit disappointed that we couldn't travel that little bit further today. We could have walked I suppose but there were no mooring places near the winding (turning) hole and the towpath was very muddy! ...

 ...so we turned here, I think this functions as an overflow, there is certainly a culvert at the top end where those posts are, but if you look at the picture 2 above this it would only steer the water back into the channel ?? Any ideas?

 We've turned around and headed back and have moored at Canal Central for a bacon butty before we continue, but were disappointed, they'd run our of bacon at the weekend! All was not lost, George had sausage and egg and I had free range poached eggs on a muffin! Tasty!!

 St John's Church on the left is said to have been purchased as a kit from Harrods! (? in 1906?)!  I think the building next door was once the village school (? built in 1923?) but is now a private residence. Anyone got any more information?

 Taken from Canal Central garden ... a very pleasant farm house on the other side of the canal.

In 1852 Heath House, the red brick and timber warehouse by the turnover bridge was once (for a short time) the terminal for a passenger boat service connecting people in mid-Wales to the train via Rednal Basin (see below). The boat would have been towed by a horse and the whole journey from Newton was 34 miles and included 22 locks! (picture taken on Saturday)

 In 1858 Rednal Basin was once the canal access to a bone manure factory to process bones from local abattoirs to make fertiliser.  Today little remains of the factory except the basin which is protected as a nature reserve

 A buzzard looking for a meal ...

 ... I hope he was successful!

The now dismantled Keepers Bridge/Green Wicket Bridge - 

from here to Aston Locks is an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) ...

 ... it is also the start of a very straight mile of canal ending at Perry Aqueduct

Phew, can you smell that?  I bet you're glad you can't!

We're currently moored back on the Weston Arm just below Frankton Locks ready for our ascent tomorrow, I just hope that the weather is kind, it's forecast high winds!!