The Hodma'dod: Crossing the border

Well, we are now in Wales (as of Saturday7 Sept) We arrived on the Llangollen canal last Sunday and have had a leisurely few days savouring its delights and meandering across almost to Ellesmere.

Sarah had her meal at the pub mentioned last week. It was about an half hour walk from where we were moored although we could have taken the boat closer but it wasn't a bad day to walk there and the only disappointment was that they don't allow dogs in. The landlord was very chatty and introduced us to his dog an Australian terrier which was a new one on us. It looks like a cross between a corgi and a Yorkshire terrier but very sweet.

Having arrived on the Llangollen everyone told us that we must visit Snugburys Icecream which is made on a farm about a mile from the canal so on Sunday afternoon we went to find them expecting a small operation in an outbuilding and having to ring the door bell to find someone to serve us. We were, to put it mildly, wrong. As we approached there were more and more people milling around and it was like Blackpool on a bank holiday. With the best part of 30 different flavours of ice cream to choose from we decided we had to revisit on the Monday for a second helping and also bought a tub to put in the fridge.

The other attraction on the farm apart from the ice cream was a giant statue of a Darlek made of straw bales (see below) There is something like 6 tones of straw and 5 tons of steel in it and it stands 35 feet high and has a movement activated voice which says - what else but - "Exterminate" In previous years they have made merecats, bears and trick cyclists amongst others and its obviously a great local attraction.

We meandered our way down to Wrenbury for a couple of nights there and had an unexpected visitor. Sarah was sitting at the table knitting with the duck hatch open to the towpath when the puppy from the neighbouring boat sticks its head in and then happily clambers onto the table wagging its tail saying how happy it was to be there. The girls were not so impressed but were relieved when we handed it back to its owner.

On then to Whitchurch, first having to negotiate Grindley Brook with its 6 locks with 3 being in a staircase. We had seen very few people in the morning but when we arrived at the locks there was a small delay in going up for us but by the time we were due to ascend the staircase the pound at the bottom had 5 boats in it with 3 going up and 2 down. I would hate to negotiate these locks during the height of summer it must be worse than the M25 on a Friday night.

Whitchurch is a delightful town, probably about the size of Bury St Edmund's and, with a short arm leading towards the town, mooring was easy. The walk into town took about 20 minutes but was almost all on a footpath through a nature reserve which has recently been created. The idea is to try and bring the canal nearer the centre of town on its old course and it would be terrific if it happens but I somehow think it unlikely. The town itself has a great mixture of local shops and we came back laden with supplies including 2 yummy cream cakes. e were even lucky with the rain holding off whilst we were in town, this (Friday) probably being the worst day of rain we have had.

After 2 nights there we stopped for a night at Hampton Bank and then this morning moored near Cole Mere and walked around that then moved on a mile or so to moor up for tonight overlooking Blake Mere.

Tomorrow we plan to visit Ellesmere and then on Tuesday go and spend a few days on the Montgomery canal.