Thursday and some of Friday

 

After the thrilling first part of our travels on Tuesday afternoon, we then crossed the aqueducts at Clink and Pontcysyllte. Both of them are actually metal troughs across the top of the masonry aqueducts. If you looks very close you can see me waving as we were crossing.Certainly that is a unique approach to travel. The views were amazing.

We first crossed the Chirk Aqueduct which was opened in 1801 and is 722 feet long and 69 feet high. 

Pontcysyllte is the tallest and longest aqueduct in Great Britain. It was designed by the civil engineer Thomas Telford and was completed in 1805. 

The name means in Welsh "Bridge of Cysyllte- a township in the Llangollen parish. 

   We have gone from highest heat to weather that I think is more normal.

The aqueducts were slow going but great fun. The river below had rapids and at other spots we saw kayakers.

Later in the day we motored into Llangollen Basin and moored for the night. Incredible fish and chips were delivered to us by Christopher while they waited for their dinner.

Next morning they all headed out to ride the Llangollen Railroad. The building of the line was completed in 1862 much later than anticipated. Vast numbers of people were employed to finish the work, but in spite of their working on Sundays (to the disgust of the locals- the bad winter of 1860 brought the work to a halt.

The  first passenger train arrived on June 2, 1862. The line closed to passenger traffic in 1965 and to goods in 1968 and the station and tracks were left to fall into a ruinous state.Fortunately local enthusiasts came to its rescue and they now operate steam and diesel trains over 8 miles the direction of 8 miles toward Corwen. The Motor Museum but unfortunately it was not open this day. They also operate a working 1950's car  garage.

Kathryn and Bruce continued on to hike to Castell Dinas Bran, the ruins of the Castle built for Eliseg, Prince of Powys. The town know as Bran, which can be seen from the waterway while approaching the town, was thought to have been have built this original fortification by a Prince named Bran following a dispute with
his brother Beli. He later burned it down. It is thought also to have connections with the Holy Grail. The visible remains are from the late13th century. 

We are going through a really narrow spot. Got grounded and had to all move to the bow to get unstuck. The Dartford Warbler itself has a small. galley where Bruce is able to turn out a wonderful breakfast of soft boiled eggs over salted onions, peppers and potatoes with cheese. Yum!!

The Galley

Wonderful Breakfast

Beds- 18" wide

Beds are small but comfy and the bathrooms have all you need. There is a small double size bed and four twin beds. There are two bathrooms. Closet doors open out to create sort of rooms between the three sets of bed. There is space to sit on the bow and the stern but it has been way to chilly and rainy for us to do that. 

Bathroom has a shower

Tomorrow will also be rainy and cold so we have altered our plans to see more area in a slightly different canal. As we bump down the way moving steadily ahead I find myself thinking canal boating is a great metaphor for life. You have a plan but you never know what's around the bend and how plans might need to quickly change. 

There are huge blackberry bushes along the way that are not yet offering about to be ripe blackberries so someone will have the benefits. We have the great benefits of family, laughter, cards, food and lovely sights along the way.