Narrowboat Trip on the Canals of England and Wales May  2002

Renting a "narrowboat" for a week with Ron and Gert Van Putten, we travelled slowly (4 mph) from Middlewich, England to Llangollen, Wales on the Shropshire Union and Llangollen Canals and back. The distance covered was approximately 112 miles round trip, and included going through 25 locks each way and through 3 tunnels and over 2 major aqueducts. Link to the narrowboat company we rented from

The "Hazel"  - 57 feet long, 7 feet wide our home for a week

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View from the stern of the "Hazel" Tied up at the bank for the first night

Approaching one of the many very narrow bridges

A pedestrian lift bridge that we have to operate ourselves

Typical scene along the canal in the Welsh hills

The River Dee 150 feet below us as we cross over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wales

Ron and Gert working a lock on the canal

Ron at the helm as we meet and pass another narrowboat

Hump-back bridge framing a pedestrian lift bridge

Getting on board in the rain at Ellesmere

Threading the needle through another bridge!

At the helm in the rain - another brief but rare shower

You are visitor number

Following another boat approaching the Chirk Aqueduct

Lunch on deck courtesy of Carole and Gert