Ladies At Large

While Andrew was away at Shrewsbury Folk festival,  I had been planning to go cruising with chum Sarah Ping. The stars did not align however, so the plan was to have a dash to Whitchurch for a canal festival once he was back. However, a friend of mine who as well as singing (how I know her) is also into sailing, and was keen to give narrowboating a go, since she was at a loose end over the next few days.

So welcome aboard Anna Bitowski!
We set off on Thursday morning, each with a random bag of stuff from our fridges, and headed off for the Llangollen. A volunteer lockie on duty wafted us up the hill, where we paused for lunch and some fab free range eggs. 
Where on the summer cruise we might have stayed put, we were having so much fun and the weather so fab that we pushed on to Wrenbury, and dinner at the Dusty Miller.
On Friday morning we went into town now that we knew what gaps there were in our provisions, and then set off again. Anna started taking turns at the tiller.
and proved to be a natural. There were a few isolated locks: at the Willeymoor,  the pub was open for the first time in my experience!
Povey lock: disreputable brickwork.
and then Grindley Brook:
and more volunteer lockies. By this time it was 5pm and we were ready to stop: excellent peaceful moorings, on rings, lovely view.

I was keen to get up to Ellesmere so while Anna had a leisurely start I jumped onto the tiller at 8am. Another beautiful day and the canal was quiet which made the overgrown sections easier.

We arrived at insanely lovely Blakemere for a late lunch:
and then walked around to The Mere, Ellesmere town, and back to the boat.
Sunday morning already, and we had to tear ourselves away from this pretty spot
and get Anna back to Whitchurch. She was sailing through next day so the plan was for her to walk to the station, get the train to Nantwich,  walk to her car, then drive the 20 minutes back to the boat to collect her luggage. 

Anna was doing a lot more steering by now and visibly gaining in confidence, taking the boat through lift bridges while I lifted and lowered them. We paused at the Mosses as there was a new lookout point and information boards explaining the importance of the site.

We arrived with a good couple of hours to spare and our choice of mooring,  and in due course walked up, passed the imposing St Alkmunds church
to the station. 
The plan worked except that the train was cancelled with no bus service or replacement! Fortunately she was able to get a taxi: no need to walk across Nantwich , good: lots more expensive, bad. But what a great few days, thanks Anna!

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