26th-29th of May 2016. A train, a hill and a paddle-board (and some fish!) .

On Thursday we pottered around Llangollen and on Friday Robin had his leg dressed at the Health Centre. In the afternoon we took a steam train ride up the Dee valley.

Our train :)

Afterwards our 48 hours was up so we turned round and moved the boat a mile or so out of the town. We followed a horse drawn boat up to the basin and it was eerily quite after the noise of Harold's engine. It must have been a very peaceful way to travel when the canals were first built and all boats were horse drawn. We moored below the hill on which are the remains of the Castel Dinas Bran and we decided to walk up it the next day.

The very quiet horse drawn boat

Harold turns in the basin with Welsh hills behind him.

To the left you can see the unnavigable stretch of canal going off towards the horseshoe falls.

View of the Castel Dinas Bran from our mooring.

So on Saturday we cycled back to the town for our climb up the hill. There were a few people but it was mostly sheep-free. Scooby was kept happily occupied seeking out fresh rabbit droppings to keep him going until his next meal. The sun was out and the hills were hazy and it was very beautiful.

In the afternoon Robin went paddle-boarding and then did some fishing, catching nine lovely little roach. Scooby had a power nap and then spent the afternoon barking at every bank holiday walker and cyclist passing by.

On Sunday Carole and Sean joined us for the day again and we made the reverse journey across the Pontcysylite aqueduct, this time with Sean steering much of the way across.

The Pontcysylite Aqueduct, taken from Chirk.

Then to Chirk where we had to wait to get through the tunnel as heavy traffic came through the other way. We were following a hen party boat who sang all the way through the tunnel, which certainly made it a more surreal, if less spooky experience!

Captain and crew

We introduced Sean to locking at the two New Marton locks, although with all the boats waiting to come the other way, there was a surfeit of lockers. Where were they all at Tardebigge.....

We found a sunny spot to moor near where our crew had left their car and Sean continued to show his adventurous spirit with some paddle-boarding and fishing. Robin excelled himself as instructor and Carole as supporter. Jo made the tea and took photos!

After all this excitement we had burgers for tea and sadly said goodbye to our friends. We hope to catch up with them again next weekend, before we leave the area completely.
Tomorrow will book a passage through the Lower Frankton locks onto the Montgomery canal. Only eight miles have been restored, but we should try them.