First, James. I have been so lucky to get him. Going to take a lot of training but he learns very fast. I can let him off the lead when there is nothing about but have to keep a constant eye for people, dogs, bikes - anything that moves and he will be after it. If nothing is about he will immediately come back when called - at full tilt, which is lovely to see. I took him for a wlak at 6am the other day. All very quiet, so I let him off the lead. I forgot about rabbits! Crashing into the bushes in hot pursuit but he came back after a while. So, some photos of James before the catch-up.
And a video of him amusing himself
James at play
7 May
Could not resist a short dawn cruise on the Montgomery
Overnight mooring before the 4 Frankton locks and my return to the Llangollen canal
After my dinner there was a knock on the boat. It is the owner of the hotel boat moored next to me asking if I would like the portion of Tiramisu, which one of their (foolish) guests had turned down. The best I have ever tasted -many thanks.
TODAY: 7 miles; 4 locks; 2 lift bridges (same one twice turning round)
TOTAL: 227.5 miles (36 miles broad, 7 miles river); 117 locks (21 broad); 11 lift bridges
TODAY: 7 miles; 4 locks; 2 lift bridges (same one twice turning round)
TOTAL: 227.5 miles (36 miles broad, 7 miles river); 117 locks (21 broad); 11 lift bridges
8 May
Passage through the locks starts at day so I go out at 1130 only to see the lock-keeper disappearing back up the flight. He has told the hotel boat to start through so I say I will follow them. The advice is to ask him first - when I ask why, the reply is "on here he is God" so I walk up the flight and get his agreement to start up.
As I am entering the flight of 4 locks I see a couple walking back down looking very disgruntled. Chatting to the Locckie he tells me the man approached him to say "I am booked for passage tomorrow but WANT to go through today and get off this f****** awful canal". Not the way to win friends and his request is denied - had he asked politely there would have been no problem. The next day gales were forecast so his rudeness may have cost him dear! As can be seen from the photos above, it is a beautiful canal.
One of my crowns has broken off and I manage to get an appointment with a dentist in Ellesmere so I make for there.
The hotel boat coming past an attractive cottage where an historical narrowboat (cannot remember the name) was built in days gone by.
The 48hr moorings on the Ellesmere arm. Very handy for shops (and dentist) and a large Tesco a stone's throw away.
TODAY: 4 miles; 4 locks;
TOTAL: 231.5 miles (36 miles broad, 7 miles river); 121 locks (21 broad); 11 lift bridges
10 May to 21 May
The dentist hopes the
tooth can be saved and a new crown fitted so I am here for about two
weeks. I move out of the arm and up the canal about half a mile to a
nicer spot to moor, with a 14 day limit.
Meet up with a lovely couple, Richard and Pam. Unfortunately one of their cats has gone astray so they are staying longer than planned in the hope he will turn up. I offer to print some posters for them but discover that, as I connected through a router at home, I need to hard-wire the laptop to the printer to establish the initial connection. The cable is at home!!!
My troubles go from bad to worse and, after the dongle stopping working, my iPhone takes a dive into the canal! I now have absolutely no internet connection and a ver poor signal on an old O2 phone - I have to walk up a hill to get any sort of signal.
I take a walk through the woods to calm down and admire the lovely wild flowers:
Part 2 to follow.
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