Skip to main content

A beagle's life on the water by Stitch

I live with a sailor and his wife.  I've been saved the discomfort of sailing on the high seas but boating is now part of my life.  That's our boat - Knot a Yot!  turning round in a winding hole as a crew member watches from the towpath - then helps the sailor to get it facing in the right direction.  


 We've had a few adventures on this barge since getting it last October.  Throttle cable snapped on one trip, battery failed on another when I fell in not once but three times.  Now I suffer the indignity of wearing a life jacket and still occasionally fall in then float to the surface and wait to be hauled out.


We've been boating ever since we got the barge.  At first we went out from Whixhall Marina; more recently from Ellesmere.  Personally, I prefer to moor up somewhere away from other boats where I can go sniffing along the towpath (on a lead - they still don't trust me) and watch out for other dogs and ducks going past.
Whixhall Marina was lovely.  I made friends with Oz (Malcolm's dog) who lives there all the time. Whixhall Moss was pretty with lots of ducks, geese, swans and other birds (that I couldn't get hold of).  


But it was adventure we were seeking and this week - even though it's February and we've just experienced Storm Eunice and Storm Franklin - we headed off from Ellesmere to explore the Montgomery Canal.  We'd hardly gone a mile or so when we were grounded!  The pole got used, then when land was in reach they pulled on the ropes and eventually we were on our way keeping away from any branches sticking out of the water.  After a night near a pub called The Navigation (really nice and friendly - even to dogs) we reached the Frankton Locks ready to decend.  I wasn't too sure about that.

Those locks were deep.  I made sure I was on the outside for the next set of locks.
They were named after someone who'd helped get this canal navigable - Graham Parker.

I now had a new position - foreguard - to warn of oncoming ducks and other hazards (my ears also serve as a windsock).  There wasn't as much wind as on the previous few days - one stretch of the canal not only had trees flattened to one side, but one huge one across the canal itself.  Luckily the nice men at the Canal Trust had cleared just enough room for us to get through.
And so we continued our epic journey down to the end of the navigable section at Maesbury Marsh where we were told by some canoeists that the Navigation Inn was great for food and allowed well behaved dogs in. I do behave sometimes.  On that occasion we were disappointed.  It was closed!  The next day we turned round and headed back to Queen's Head where we stopped at another pub for lunch.  The Queen's Head was open - but not for dogs.  They went in without me!  
Today we headed back up the remaining locks and onto the Llangollen Canal heading for Ellesemere. 

We said goodbye to Frankton and, as the sun shone in the clear blue sky, I kept up my watch for ducks and low bridges.  I'm quite looking forward to my next boating trip - next week!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dog Watching

I’m sat here in the back of the boat dog watching.  The little yappy ones I don’t bother with.  Those my size like the spaniels and collies are more interesting.  Occasionally I see another beagle, good looking like me, but, if I see something large like a German Shepherd or a Labrador I’ll really bark.  That’s when I get shouted at. They brought the boat round from Tattenhall Marina on Friday, stopping at the top of Beeston Iron Lock on the first night.  On Saturday we entered the Llangollen canal so I got lots of interesting walks along the towpath.  It rained on Sunday but we had lunch in a pub in Wrenbury and I got the scraps. By Monday night we’d reached the top of the staircase locks in Grindley Brook (thanks to the helpful volunteers) but had to go home on Tuesday for appointments.   As they’re having a new shower fitted, we came back here to Whitchurch that same day and spent yesterday at Cholmondley Castle Gardens where there were loads o...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prestatyn to Llanddulas

'Come on,' I barked.  'Let's go before the gulls wake up.'   We were on a walk along the promenade from Prestatyn to Llanddulas, 12 miles away. The sea was still a bit choppy after the storms on Monday and the wind was breezy but there was a blue sky.  I met another beagle (off the lead!!!) but it was old.  There were lots of other people with dogs or children or on bikes.  He was on his bike and met us half way at the Bike Cafe by the Foryd Bridge in Rhyl.  Had a long drink and got some biscuits. He stayed with us for a while as we passed lots of work on flood defences along the seafront passing the funfair on the way to Pensarn Beach.   There we stopped for a rest and listened to the bingo caller in the amusement arcade.  The joys of a seaside holiday!   He cycled back to the car and we followed.  She had to be pulled most of the way.
Post a Comment
Read more

Wet and windy walk to Abersoch

  We left Hell's Mouth and looked back at the waves crashing on the beach.  It wasn't promising. As we walked over the top of the headland we got close to the edge.  It was steep.  'I don't think I want to go any further.'  She didn't listen.  We headed on in the wind and the rain.  Sometimes we nearly got blown over.   See that headland?  That's where we were heading. Oh no!  That's miles away. 'Please can we go back,' I woofed as the wind blew me against the fence. She didn't listen.   Then we reached this field. I couldn't see 'breeding bulls' anywhere so we continued.  Notice I'm the one in front. Eventually we reached the top and started walking in the direction of Abersoch.  We never actually got there.   Ian was waiting in the first carpark by the sea.   I enjoyed having a rub down and a drink.  She had to wait to get back to get out of her wet things.
Post a Comment
Read more