Slow travel

A little village, ancient, lapped by the Solent. Shallow waters, rushing across the shingle to swallow the road. The villagers blocking their paths with a moveable panel. In the church lies the body o King Canute's 8 yo daughter, drowned in the millstream. It is here on the edge of the Solent that Canute ordered the tide to stop, so legend has it. And enough for our first full day, after the battle of the sims, phone packages. Definitely the patient JJ's job.

17/8/2019 Back in 1651 the future Charles II famously hid in an oak to escape detection from rampaging Oliver Cromwell. The thence known Royal Oak has given its name to innumerable pubs. And when Charles II was invited back to England in 1660, he declared the 29th May be celebrated as Oak Apple Day, commemorating his tree climbing adventure on that day in 1651. The public were to wear oak leaves as a sign of loyalty, and children could freely pinch the bottoms of those who didn't, so hence it was known colloquially as 'pinch-bottom day'! The story continues to this day with a scarecrow festival. Any excuse for a festival. The attached pic is of the Shropshire canal, where oaks were planted by the canal company to provide timber for future barges.

15/8/2019 As predicted, a wet morning as we prepare to head north towards Middlewich, a centre for salt extraction. On with the waterproof pants, jacket, souwester, gloves, boots. Not a fashion statement. I take first shift - when I'm saturated, the Cap'n will take over. A rural landscape, quiet, wet. Fields of harvested hay a brown-gold contrast to the green folds and hills. Flocks of black crows forage on the stubble, rising up to settle again to graze. As the canal runs through a tree shrouded tunnel, a quick flash of turquoise. a kingfisher. Its trajectory angling along the canal, low to the water, sweeping up again to pause on an overhanging branch. The photo above taken by a friend 2 years ago- on the tiller,  and with my rudimentary skills, today's kingfisher was safe. A heron, another solitary fisher, stands on one leg on the bank. We find that if you cruise past without looking directly at the hunter, it usually holds its position. Another photo from friend...

14/8/2019 Llangollen gives its name to the canal that winds into the Welsh hills, and the River Dee that runs through the town, gives water to the canal. The horseshoe falls upstream from the town divide the tumbling Dee, with a small channel running to the canal. The chain bridge spans the Dee below the falls, built by a frugal gent in 1817, to transport coal. This meant he didn't have to pay the toll to use the stone bridge nearby. At Llangollen lies the fascinating house and garden of Plas Newyyd. In the late 18th C two women fled their families in Ireland, finding an old farmhouse to rent on the hill above Llangollen. Over the next decades they encouraged friends and family to send them any unwanted old carved oak furniture . It arrived by the cartload, providing the 'two eccentric ladies' with the Gothic style interior they desired. Pieces of furniture were dismantled and used to panel the walls. Pieces edge the bannisters, cover the walls. Some ...

14/8/2019 Some images from our Chirk excursion.                                                                                                                                                                                                        an ent like oak  

14/8/2019 Not only Offa had a dyke, we've discovered, but also a lad called Wat. The same earthern walls, a broad rampart alongside the unnavigable section of the Montgomery Canal in Wales. We were intrigued by the restoration efforts, so walked west from Maesbury Marsh, first along the towpath, then a footpad, until near Pant the dyke emerged.  These dykes date from the 8th C, I believe. From Pant we caught a bus to Oswestry, a fine regional centre, a shopping fix for both of us. The Cap'n has discovered a passion for uranium glass, scouring charity  shops, antique centres, his UV torch in hand. And now  has purchased a large case to pack it in, to get it home. A snap of our quiet mooring in Maesbury Marsh. A fine meal to be had at the Navigation Inn there, and supplies obtainable under an honour system from a small farm shop.

6/8/2019 From the Montgomery Canal we turned west back on the Llangollen Canal, heading to Chirk. High above the R Ceirog, Chirk's specific appeal to us was its castle, as well as the town, neither of which we've ever visited. Edward I built Chirk and other castles, to keep the rebellious Welsh under his royal thumb. Chirk is now a National Trust property, acquired in 1981 - not sure if it was another in lieu of taxes deal. From the canal a little track headed through woodland, over stiles, across fields, and after a mile or so, we arrived at the castle. The grounds, 360°  views, as well as the state rooms, well worth our walk. Oh, and there is always a cafe! Our mooring at Chirk was in a deep cutting, trees meeting overhead, peaceful.