We'll soon be off the Llangollen.

Doesn't time fly when there's no usable signal for the jolly old dongle. After sitting out the Easter weekend near Bettisfield just watching the happy boaters go past in the wind and rain we braced ourselves on Tuesday and headed off to Grindley Brook.

Jill really enjoyed her tussle with her old adversary, eighty-eight turns to lift it. I am better suited to more cerebral things, like steering. It just happened to be lunchtime when we arrived at Grindley Brook so we adjourned to The Horse and Jockey, excellent beer and food, the only drawback was the hailstorm that pounced on us as we walked down the locks, it didn't 'arf sting me ears.

As we strolled back after lunch I came over all artistic and captured this image of light and shade, Jill said I'd never been artistic, only artful, a gross calumny on someone who has only ever displayed the utmost probity in all things, mostly.

I was amazed to see that they had replaced the hydraulic pipes on this paddle gear, it would be so much more sensible to replace the gear and dispose of these horrors. they are fine for lift bridges but are definitely a health hazard on locks.
Yesterday we leapt onward to Wrenbury, still no signal so we had dinner in The Dusty Miller, made pigs of ourselves and nearly broke the bank.

Blackthorn in flower, I like to think of it more as this years sloe crop.
Finally, near Burland, this years first brood, well the first we've seen.

Altogether now, "Aaaaaahhhh".

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