Day 16 we moved from the Shropshire Union canal onto the Llangollen canal.

This is probably one of the most popular canals, and certainly one of the most recognised; nearly everyone knows about the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which we will reach in a few days time. This is a bit like going from a moderately busy motorway onto a really crowded B road (with passing places). The difference between our first week when we barely saw another soul and now is enormous. At least you sometimes get some help with the locks! Generally a very rural cruise today with the occasional encroachment by major roads, can’t say I was at all envious of the queuing traffic we saw on A51 as we went underneath it. We saw more wildlife today including the first moorhen chicks which really do look like little black pom-poms floating on the water. We also saw a large number of herons, swallows and a lapwing.

A lovely quiet mooring with a view of a field of cattle reached just as it started to rain.

Day 17 a busy day on the Llangollen canal, 13 locks including the Grindley Brook locks which includes a staircase of three locks and two lift bridges; one of which stops a minor road at Wrenbury, there is something that feels a bit powerful when you can shut a road (however briefly). Very tidy rural countryside but the canal is fairly busy; I’m really glad we’re not here in August! Typically the first two boats we met, before 9am, were at bridge holes. We got through Grindley Brook locks really quickly despite having at least two boats ahead of us, moored at the top as it looked like it was going to rain, managed to get a few jobs done before it actually did rain.