I've been working for CRT in the Pontcysyllte Visitor Information Centre since the end of March - you remember - when it dumped 4ft of snow in 24 hours, and I was met at the doors of the info centre with a shovel "if you can dig your way in - then you can start work". The seasonal contract this year was till the end of November, so not being one to rock the boat (no pun intended) I stayed on. I have some holidays to take, so we're on the move to get beyond the Nantwich stoppage by 2nd December, then the plan is to hang around Audlem till Adderley opens & then a sprint to Birmingham for a Cerys Matthews concert (Dave's favourite). I'll be going back for a couple of days at the end of the month to pack everything away for winter in the Info Centre,
So it's au revoir to the Aqueduct Inn till the spring. I must say the Landlord there is great. It's a very friendly place, with cheap and tasty food - as proved by the recent 5 star hygene rating by Wrexham Council. Oh, and of course, well kept real ale. Please call in if you get the chance - there's not much left in Froncysyllte these days, so the pub reopening is fantastic. The colour does grow on you .....
Nice and shiny boat. This look won't last very long though! Beefur was blacked last year, but the amount of cruising we do in winter, it soon gets down to the metal when you're breaking ice!
Ah, the post lady - not really ! It's my mum coming to wave us off out of Wales, over Chirk Aqueduct. She brought my mail as a letter 'looked important'. It was actually my P45 from CRT! They could have waited till I'd actually finished working for them! Charming!
Mum & Dave on Chirk Aqueduct, with the viaduct and the tunnel in the background.
Views down the Ceiriog Valley from the Aqueduct
This is the remains of one of the trees which came down in all the snow back in March, and closed the canal at Chirk Bank. No logs left here! (But there's plenty around!)
My Mum. Isn't she lovely? Bye Mum - see you soon!
