Friday, March 06, 2009

Pushing north west

We have got past the Llangollen canal junction on the left, and the Middlewich branch on the right.  Looking towards the west we can see the Welsh mountains.  For some reason the locks are now wide and two narrowboats can go in together.  At Bunbury the two locks are joined together in a staircase.  We went in together with No Problem.  Normally it is two down and out before two can go up but this time one boat had entered the bottom lock.  

Instructions now required to do the ‘Bunbury Shuffle’.  We go down while the single boat comes up.  Three boats passing each other in a lock only wide enough for two!  

We stopped by Beeston Castle.  I joined Ann n Sue and walked up to the hill and returned while the girls and dogs continued to the top on a sunny afternoon.
Then it was off again next day to get to Chester.  Passing slowly past miles of boats seems to take ages.  I don’t suppose any of them will move into that new marina at Tattenhall.  Five locks in two miles take the canal down to the City walls where we stop.  

After a quick refreshing cup of tea we did the walk round the Chester Wall.  Built by the Romans and still existing after King Charles the first was defeated by Cromwell’s army.

1 comment:

Jim said...

I'm told its possible, depending on lengths, for four boats to pass at Bunbury staircase, but I've never seen it done!
Jim