Grindley Brook to Willeymoor - Llangollen Canal

Sunday 21^st and Monday 22^nd July

Sunday – We chilled out in the morning and late afternoon we walked down to the pub, The Horse and Jockey to meet Rhiannon.  It was lovely to see her and catch up.  We had a drink sat outside then we went inside where we had a table booked and had a really nice meal.  We then walked up the road to the boat and had a gin or two!

Rhiannon at the boat

Friends Together

At the top of the staircase

Monday – It was a lovely sunny morning when we got up, we had breakfast then headed off to the water point.  We are going down the Grindley Brook locks today and Rhiannon is going to come with us as she hasn’t done locks before and so it will be nice.  The six locks only cover about half a mile, it is a staircase of three, then three single ones so we will moor at the bottom and can easily walk to her car.

I went and spoke to the lock keeper and he said a boat was coming up and once he was out, it would be our turn.

Nearly down

The boat came out of the lock and Kev and Rhiannon brought the boat in.  The lock keeper helped me operate the lock and soon they were in the middle lock then the bottom lock and out of the staircase and onto the three single ones.

Going down the staircase

Working down the locks

Rhiannon got off the boat and she did one side and I did the other.  They are not very deep locks and there was a boat coming up so the locks were set for us.  We were soon through the three locks and Kev chugged under the railway bridge and moored up just after.

Rhiannon hard at work

Another nice day

We had a nice cold drink and then it was time for Rhiannon to leave so we walked up to the pub where she had left her car and said our goodbyes.  It was great seeing her and having her to stay and having a good catch up and hopefully she will come and stay again and I will definitely see her when I next go back to Bristol.

We then went in the garage shop for some bread, then walked up the locks to the cafe and had a coffee and an ice cream sat by the locks and watched a couple of boats go through.  We then walked back to the boat.

Jess on the towpath

We decided to move on about a mile and one lock to Willeymoor where there is a pub which we didn’t try on the way down so thought we would try on the way back.

Povey's Lock

We set off along the canal and passed Paul and Jess who were moored up.  We chugged on and soon came to Povey's lock.  I got off and had to fill the lock and then Kev brought the boat in, I opened the paddles and down we went. 

Once through there, we chugged on around the bend and moored up just before the pub and the next lock.

It is really hot today so quite nice to get moored up and sit inside where it was quite cool.

We are staying here tonight then moving on a bit further tomorrow.

Moored at Willeymoor