Spring Cruise to Llangollen - the story so far

We shall be keeping Albert at Debdale for a few weeks whilst we wait to have her hull grit-blasted and blacked, so I thought I had better record our trip so far. We left Yardley Gobion for Birmingham via the Grand Union back in mid March and then got caught up in the snow and ice in Birmingham. After a few days back at home, while the weather improved, we travelled through Wolverhampton and up the Shropshire Union to Llangollen with our friends the Kinnings in Blue Pearl, mooring up in the town basin at Llangollen. Our return was via the Middlewich Branch and the Trent and Mersey, leaving Albert a few days in Aston Marina whilst we travelled home again. Our final leg was from Stone to Debdale going through Leicester.

All this was 345 miles and 310 locks with at least 20 moveable bridges, 78 small aqueducts and 16 tunnels according to CanalPlan AC. The highlight just has to be crossing the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in glorious sunshine but with snow on the hills and towpath - just memorable.