Guess who's back at Ellesmere.

On the way back up Frankton Locks

and Jill is working well, she is a dab hand at this locking lark.

This was once a pub beside the locks but is now a des. res. In the towpath wall in front of it is an odd gap in the wall, I had wondered about it in my usual vague way but the chance gift of a book about the industrial archeology of the Montgomery Canal revealed what it was.

If you look carefully you can see an iron arch above the gap, once intended to prevent the towing line of the horse boats snagging on the brickwork, and the gap? Originally it was a set of steps leading from the canal to the pub, obvious really. I assume that the skipper would nip up the pub while the wife and kids worked the boat up the locks, good scheme.

Now up the town arm again and this afternoon we had a rather grand buzzard as a neighbour.

Watch this space..............