Gallery! Pictures of Boats, Places, and People.

Our first cruise, 1985, Barmouth on the Trent and Mersey, with Jen and sons Andrew and Phillip on board.An ideal canal for the first time sailor, the Llangollen lived up to all we had been told...and then some!

Barmouth, first night on the canals, Llangollen Canal.

The Duke of Bridgewater pub, now derelict, at Kidsgrove.At the time it was one of the best pubs we visited, good beer, nice food, and a selection of friendly canal folk to chat to.

Me, Jen, Andrew relaxing after a hard days locking around the dining table, which converted into a bed. Kidsgrove in 1985, in the Anglo Welsh boat Barmouth. We did three cruises in Anglo Welsh craft before trying Black prince.

May, 2005. A top mooring spot at the Bridge, Napton. We have moved on to shared owning Stella, with the Ownerships group by now.

Jen at the Bridge, one of our favourites

The annual Canal Cavalcade, held at the Paddington basin each year.

One thing we have gotten used to. On the canals a very sunny day can quickly change.......

.....into a NOT so sunny day! But it's sall part of the fun!

Braunston Mariner, Grand Union Canal, an old canal centre, still has a great atmosphere, despite developement.

At the top of the Turley flight is a small Turley Wharf with a couple of mooring spots.

One has to get there early, as there are not too many of them, but with the handsome 1837 building overlooking the former discharge and collection point, it is a nice spot to spend the evening.

And, it is just a brisk stroll to the Four Alls pub.

Just up from the junction at Frankton is the marvelous Narrow Boat Inn.

Now it’s not the traditional old Canal Pub in that it didn’t quench the thirst of the old working boatmen.

In fact it is a recent custom built pub put up by the adjoining boatyard.

And, mooring is not always easy, and we have trekked a fair way a couple of times when having to moor down the towpath a bit.

But it is worth the effort, as it is a warm, friendly place with cozy cubicles and ample dining areas. A pint out on the front lawn, watching the boats glide past is one of life’s joys.

Market Harborough is an attractive town on the Leicester section of the Grand Union canal.

It is an easy town to like, with its village atmosphere, winding streets, and interesting shops.

As one can see, it can be tricky mooring around Market Harborough. The main basin is taken up with the Canal time Fleet, and private boats, so the moorings along the towpath are in demand.We were quite a way back, and this is as close as we could get to the towpath.

Heading from the Llangollen Canal on to the Shropshire Union Canal involves negotiating the 4 locks at Hurleston.

The flow of the Llangollen makes a fair gush of water running across the canal at the foot of the locks here, and makes maneuvering into the locks trickier than usual.

You never know who will wander by on the canals. Here on the Shropshire Union, at the Coole Pilate leisure Area near bridge 84, we were joined by some of the locals for breakfast

.....and this family joined us one morning in the Ellesmere basin. As you can tell by the yellow tub on the deck, this was in 2001, in the middle of the Foot and Mouth problem. Ever time we boarded our boat we had to wash our shoes in this tub.

Ellesmere provides excellent moorings in the arm. There is also watering facilities for rubbish disposal, watering, and pump out.

The Bosley locks, on the macclesfield Canal, are located in some of the finest scenery on the system.

Here we are awaiting the emptying of the lock, while holding our boat against the flow of oncoming water!

This lock has a bit of manoevering room, unlike lock 2.

This is Milton, on the Caldon Canal.

Milton is a very canal friendly town, with good moorings, plenty of shops, and most importantly, a good pub, the Millrace.

How goods this.....

If you are ever thinking of cruising the Caldcon, here is a good reason why you should.

This is, of course, the fab Holly Bush at Denford.

A great pub, nice town nearby, and great neighbours!

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SBI!