Thunder, lightning and hailstones!!

Up Grindley Brook staircase locks with a bit of help from the lock keeper...Luckily everyone was going up!!

One of several lift bridges on the way...its good to take turns with these-I was getting muscles like Popeye.

We moored up for the night at Whixall moss.

There are lots of curlews and Pewits on the nature reserves.

Oh no its my turn again....

 

This was an enormous scrap yard but they are hoping to turn it into another nature reserve. They have cleared most of it and next year they are hoping to build a visitors centre.

A bit further on and you come to the first of the meres-Cole Mere, which is mostly hidden behind the trees and is used by the local sailing club. This is the only place in England where the Least Water Lily grows wild.

We moored up near Blake Mere for lunch, hoping to see some Kingfishers but we were out of luck.

We decided to go down the Ellesmere arm and  nip into Tesco's for some shopping.. We had only just set off again when the heavens opened and we made a very quick stop.

The weather wasn't much better today....  the welsh mountains were just visable in the distance.

As we approached the locks the black clouds were getting closer on one side..

And blue skies on the other side..

Even the cows were lying down.

We had only just gone past the cows when the lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled. We decided to stop and moor up so it could pass over- as we were tying up the boat, hailstones the size of golf balls started to fall- ouch!!!

I thought Greg had jumped ship already and got his bbq ready.

We headed through Chirk towards the aquaduct.

You can just see the rooftops of the houses below.

At least it s stopped raining now.

Just about to go over the aquaduct.

Out of the tunnel and time to moor up for tea. There are lots of boats all heading in the same direction so I think it may take us a bit of time to get over the Pontcysyllte  Aquaduct tomorrow. Hopefully there will be plenty of space to moor up when we get to the mooring basin at Llangollen.

Happy Days