Back to the Fron

We're now back in our mooring at Froncysyllte, as Dave has started work at Chirk Marina getting the Black Prince and Crest narrowboats ready for the summer season.  We didn't have time to stop at Mad Jack's (Pub) this time, as we'd had too much of a jolly time over the last few days meeting up with friends.  Never mind, we'll have many more opportunities to visit over the summer. 
We're in very familiar territory now......

Frankton Junction.  We'll no doubt be disappearing down the Monty for a few days when the boat traffic gets too much to bear!

Past Mr. Badger's house near Maestermyn

Hold on - this isn't familiar at all!  A field full of plastic sticks between the New Marton locks!

Any ideas? No prizes for the right answer, but what on earth are they?

We pass some lovely gardens on the way, this one is at the Lock House at New Marton top lock.

Alot of thought has gone into this one, I should have taken a close up of blokey's pipe and beer bottle.  They also sell free range eggs, which are fantastic.  (Between Br 14 & 15)

My Nain (gran) had one of these in the back 'workshop' we used to have great fun with it as kids "helping" with the washing.

Getting nearer Chirk now - Kronospan smoke dominating the skyline

Croeso Y Cymru (Welcome to Wales).  The crossing of the River Ceiriog on the Chirk Aqueduct [click] signals our return to Wales.  Alongside it, the Chirk Viaduct [click] , built 50 years after the aqueduct, and 30 feet higher, to demonstrate the superiority of rail transport over canal transport.  As soon as you get off the aqueduct, it's straight into Chirk Tunnel [click for lots of pics]

Once out of Chirk tunnel, at last  they're doing something to the towpath.  This was the last bit of towpath which hadn't been 'done' and as you can see from the pics, it was (and still is) a quagmire.  Impossible to walk through, luckily there is a path through the woods above.

Couldn't see any drainage pipes being installed though.  I'm no engineer, but I wouldn't have thought a plastic membrane underneath the new stone would do much to alleviate the flooding on the path.  Like I said... I'm no expert, so let's wait and see.

This is all that remains of Black Park Wharf, opposite Chirk Golf Club.  I've got a lovely photo of a family leading a horse drawn boat way back when, in my Edward Wilson book of the Llangollen Canal, but as is always the case, I can't find the book.

The 'layby' outside Chirk Tunnel has been complete, and there's now room for 3 large boats to moor up and visit the village, or explore the castle.  All that remains to be done now is to install some rings, as it's getting all churned up by people having to bang mooring spikes into the rock hard ground. It's so frustrating that such a lovely job has been done on it, making moorings for boats to use the village, but not quite finishing the job by not putting in a few rings.  

Notice outside Whitehurst (Whitehouses) Tunnel, like the one at Ellesmere, says 'Two way traffic'.  There's hardly enough room for one boat to go through, never mind two!  I wonder if anyone will try it over the summer!

At last - some new trees.  We've been seeing trees being chopped down for the last two months, and this is the first time we've seen new trees planted, these are assorted fruit trees at Whitehurst.

Getting closer now, the Cefn viaduct visible through the trees.

Here we are, back home, BBQ has been dusted down and outside table and chairs in position ready for the sun.  We'll be on our mooring till September, when (all being well) we'll be off again for the winter.  That doesn't mean we're not going to cruise around here though .....