Chirk to Frankton Junction.

Travelled 7.25 miles, worked 2 locks in a time of 3 hours 15 minutes.

Before I begin today's posting, I apologise that there are no photographs today, unfortunately I only have GPRS and it is so weak, I cannot upload photographs.

I think I can say without hesitation, last night was a noisy old night. It rained heavily all night, which meant there was a lot of hobnailed footed fairies running up and down our roof. The rain sounded like it was torrential at times. I lay awake listening to the rain and Keith sleeping, which he assures me he was not, but I have never known anyone snore when they are awake, so he was most definitely asleep for some of the night like I was. I did nod off occasionally, but then was wide awake again and it was still raining. As dawn began to wake the birds a Tawny Owl was calling in a tree close to the boat, which was beautiful to hear, I never get fed up of hearing owls calling to each other. In no time at all it was a 5am my phone announced it was 5am and our small battery clock sprang into life beeping at 5am.

Why wake so early?

Because we wanted to get through Chirk tunnel, across the Chirk aqueduct and down the Marton locks before anyone else was on the move.

6.10am we left the 48 hour mooring at Crick tunnel in the dry and headed off into the dark, Hadar’s engine thumping away. When we came out the other end it was still dry, although a little gloomy. We crossed over the aqueduct and were then out of Wales and back in to England as we made our way along Chirk Bank. We were saying goodbye to the Welsh Hills and woods for this year and heading back to fields and flat land.

We passed Bascote and Gosport moored up at Rhoswiel, I expect they were heading for the Ponticysyllte Aqueduct for the Olympic Torch carrying, which is happening later this month.

On arriving at Marton Top Lock, the only thing to greet us was a snail with an yellow shell, making its way across the lock beam.

There was no sign of the gentleman in the lock cottage as we descended the first of the two locks.

We did not see a living soul at the bottom lock either. Everyone was either still in bed or just waking up. We left the locks at 8.15am with rain falling heavily and headed on our way, meeting a canoeist coming towards us at Maestermyn Marine.

Keith had a recollection that when we came up this way 6 years ago we met his friends at the Navigation Inn, but I cannot recall which pub we met Graham and Emma at, alls I can remember is it was a pub close to the canal.

Through out our early morning move, we only met the canoe and one hire boat on the move, we were then at Frankton Junction, where we moored up on the empty 48 hour moorings, we were greeted by some sunshine, although the wind had gotten up quite a bit. Many of the hire boats we had passed early were now passing us as they head back to their bases. Keith went off to ring British Waterways to book a slot to go down on to the Montgomery tomorrow and I got on with cleaning and tidying the back cabin. The house coal we burn on the stove causes a lot of dust, especially with the way I keep the fire in at night, so I regularly have to clean the dust away, but it is a small chore for being warm. The TV aerial went up because we know we get a good signal here, so we can watch the news etc tonight.

After having the rest of the wild garlic and mushroom soup for lunch, I made some chocolate brownies as our cake box is empty. The TV is now on and we are watching "Warlock" a cowboy movie from a few years ago, with Richard Widmark and Henry Fonda. The wind is still picking up and there are lots of boats on the move, to and from Llangollen. I am really looking forward to tomorrow.