Down on the Monty

On our way back along the Llangollen Canal we took the opportunity to go down the Frankton Locks on to the Montgomery Canal so this is the story of that excursion. The Montgomery Canal used to go all the way to Newtown in Powys but not all of it is navigable today. The section that joins to the Llangollen is only 7 miles long and terminates at Maesbury Marsh. But as the photos show it is likely that in the next year there will be another couple of miles of navigable water thanks to the Montgomery Canal Partnership who are working to restore more of it.

We don't think you can have too many pictures of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct!  Here a boat follows us back over the Aqueduct over the River Dee.

There have been a lot of buzzards around recently. We often hear the characteristic mewing much like a cat and then look around the sky for a soaring buzzard or two - they usually come in pairs.

Here you can see Leo waiting to go down the New Marton Locks. These two locks are reputed to be the busiest on the system, largely due to the number of hire boats on the Llangollen and all boats are going there and then coming back so all use the locks twice.

At Frankton, the Montgomery Canal turns south away from the Llangollen. It goes down four locks which must be booked in advance and are only open from midday to 2 pm each day. This view is looking down from the staircase of two locks towards the two single locks lower down.

Here we are in the bottom of the two staircase locks.

And here Leo is waiting below the staircase while a boat came up in the next lock. As the lock below filled for, the water level in this pound dropped to leave poor Leo leaning over and Ian needed to push the boat down the mud bank back into the water.

Below the third lock is this plaque. Tom Rolt together with Robert Aickman formed the Inland Waterways Association which was key in the struggle to prevent the canals being filled in and closed at the start of a wave of restoration.Below the Frankton Locks the Weston Branch goes left. This was intended to be the start of a canal to Shrewsbury but was never completed. A small basin remains with services for boaters. We made use of the services and had lunch before carrying on to Queens Head which is both a village and a pub.

 On the way we passed Rednall Basin shown above which used to be a wharf for loading goods.

The milestones on the Monty are similar to those on the Trent and Mersey Canal.

We had a superb meal at Queens Head.  Ian had the best paella he has ever had - mussels, clams, calamari, prawns, chicken and chorizo. On Thursday we went on to the present end of the navigation at Maesbury Marsh. In the picture we are approaching Maesbury Marsh and a very dark cloud.

This is Gronwen Wharf where boats presently have to turn round. And it gave us another Silver Propellor Point as well.

Then we went back through the lift bridge shown here and moored next to a field of horses before having lunch at the Navigation Inn (another good eating place). In the afternoon we explored the village with its little "tin tabernacle" church and then carried on along the unnavigable canal.

We liked this notice at the canalside cafe where a trip boat is based.

And also this twisted chimney on a cottage in the village.

At Bridge 84, two bridges beyond the end of the navigable canal, we found a barrier and work going on beyond it.

After a new-looking section with water we came to another barrier beyond which .....

..... there was no more water.

Until we reached more water in a completely restored section of canal.

This is a huge winding hole at the end of the restored section of canal. Along the straight side there are ample moorings so we guess this will be the location of a canal festival on opening day.

On Friday (13th September) we set off in good time to arrive at the Frankton Locks by midday. This bridge (no 75) has been so padded with wood around the slots for stop planks that the clearance for boats is tiny.  You do have to be careful going through these really tight bridges.

Another narrow spot at Heath Houses.

We arrived back at Frankton in time to fill with water before going up the locks back to the Llangollen Canal. The picture shows Leo up the first two locks and getting ready to go into the bottom lock of the double staircase.

And here we are coming out of the top lock back onto the Llangollen canal.

Finally on this posting, a couple of butterflies seen later on Friday afternoon during a walk from our mooring near Ellesmere. The first is a Comma butterfly - can you find it in this picture?

Here it is with its wings open.

This one we think is a Small Copper butterfly sharing a flower with a hoverfly.

Because of difficulties with internet signals it is now a few days since we left the Montgomery Canal. Today (Monday 16th September) we left the Llangollen and have returned to the main line of the Shropshire Union Canal. But more of that next time.