What good fortune, if you are going to run out of gas, make sure you are just the other side of a bridge to a boat yard, in this instance the very obliging man at Talbot Wharf provided us with two full bottles of gas. The BW sanitary station on the other side of the cut allowed up to do a poor mans self pump out and fill with water and then we were ready and waiting for Steve and Caroline.
Against all the forecasts the sun was still shining when they arrived and after a quick cup of coffee we set off. We did tell them about the flight of five Adderley locks, but kept quite about the fifteen Audlem ones. Steve hadn’t forgotten his lessons from their previous visit and soon made short work of these locks, he was quite happy to cross the gap between one top gate and the other whereas Jacquie and I won’t. After a pause for lunch and against advice that it was going to poor with rain, we whizzed down eleven of the fifteen locks, with me cycling on to set up the next lock. We moored, walked down to the busy Shroppie Fly for a pint or two and got back well before the rain arrived. All thoughts of playing cards after dinner disappeared as one after the other we fell asleep.
Bank Holiday Sunday was dry but chilly. Steve and I enjoyed a stroll around the village of Audlem and I am glad to say that in contrast to Market Drayton, it looked smart and prosperous.
Back on SKYY we passed the, not so, secret Nuclear Bunker at Hack Green, I plan to visit this after we return from the Llangollen arm. Lunch was taken on the outskirts of Nantwich and in the afternoon we approached Hurleston Junction. It’s a tight turn immediately after a bridge and straight away four locks take you up onto the Llangollen arm and it’s an awkward junction and it’s best to drop your lock wheeler off before you turn into the junction, although there is a resident lock keeper to assist you.
It would seem that water points are few and far between so I suggest filling up above the top lock. We pushed on past another couple of locks before stopping for the night in a quite wooded location.
By lunch time on Monday Bank Holiday we got as far as Wrenbury and moored between the two lift bridges. Dusty Millers provided an enjoyable lunch and although we arrived early the management were soon overwhelmed by the holiday rush and we gave up on the deserts, opting to return to SKYY and polish of Jacquie’s apple cake and custard.
After some difficulty in contacting a taxi firm we waved goodbye to Steve and Caroline at 3.30pm as a taxi returned them to their car in Market Drayton, some twelve miles by road and two and a half days by boat, but whose is counting.
It would seem that water points are few and far between so I suggest filling up above the top lock. We pushed on past another couple of locks before stopping for the night in a quite wooded location.
By lunch time on Monday Bank Holiday we got as far as Wrenbury and moored between the two lift bridges. Dusty Millers provided an enjoyable lunch and although we arrived early the management were soon overwhelmed by the holiday rush and we gave up on the deserts, opting to return to SKYY and polish of Jacquie’s apple cake and custard.
After some difficulty in contacting a taxi firm we waved goodbye to Steve and Caroline at 3.30pm as a taxi returned them to their car in Market Drayton, some twelve miles by road and two and a half days by boat, but whose is counting.
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