Moving across to Wales

We are perhaps fortunate to be on the Llangollen canal. Many reports from other canals mention ice! Geoff heard that there was ice on the Montgomery so it was just as well we did not go that way. We all stopped at Chirk Bank on the English side of the aqueduct. Later in the afternoon we walked across to enjoy the view as the sun dropped to the horizon. The surrounding countryside has changed. Now the canal hugs the steep hills twisting and turning above the valley before jumping across to the other side. We had filled the diesel tank at Burland for £1 a litre (self declare) and that was 2 1/2 weeks ago! “Guess we must be a bit less than half full by now.” We had passed one hire boat company but they do not sell the stuff to passing boaters. Luckily for us Chirk Marina would fill our tank if we can get in about midday. They were breaking up the ice in the morning. We got in OK and they charged us 95p/l and accepted our ‘declaration’. The EU still insists on two rates of tax on our fuel. There is one rate for moving the boat and one for ‘domestic’ use.

Geoff got to Trevor first. He reported that there was a space but only along side Seyella and it was icy! Geoff and Mags was waiting and escorted us across the grand ‘Ponty’. “It is an amazing and quite scary thing to cross over the valley so high up.” There is only a thin metal wall on one side and a walkway on the other.

We squeezed passed all the hire boats and under a very low bridge to get to the visitor moorings. Rock n Roll is waiting for visitors before coming over.

Wherever we are we have to make the best of it. Gremlins can attack at any time! Ann’s camera suddenly complained about its memory being full! Geoff managed to reformat the memory after getting the days pictures off. Then we could not get a signal from the ‘Sky’. The terrestrial signal provided a list of channels but no picture! Geoff to the rescue again! He lent us his spare Digi box so we then got pictures. Time to think about getting a new digital TV. Apparently LED is more efficient than backlit LCD.

I wonder when the Canal & River Trust will have its own website? I found ‘The Waterways Trust’ but that is not quite the same. DEFRA is worth a look for news about the new Trust.