Onto the Lllangollen

Nantwich was this morning. Tonight we're moored up on the edge of Wrenbury, a little village some six miles up the Llangollen Canal and only 38 miles and 12 locks from our principal destination on this trip.
It was an easy couple of miles up the Shroppie to Hurleston Junction where the Llangollen begins with a flight of four locks to lift you 30 odd feet up above the surrounding farmland. Then another five locks climbing steadily up toward the Welsh hills found us here at Wrenbury.
We've rather rushed it to get here, conscious of a need to be back at Streethay by mid-August and a desire to beat the hireboat rush along Britain's most popular canal. Yes, we have indeed rushed it becausetwo boats ahead of us is the little Springer Waterbug of our Streethay neighbour, John, who left nearly three weeks before us! He admits he isn't rushing - he's already walked on to suss out tomorrow's mooring just a couple of miles away. John's been everywhere on his little boat: the Thames, London on the GU, the Kennet&Avon and the Llangollen - though not for many years.
It's a shame there aren't more Johns on the cut; people enjoying themselves in small affordable boats. You don't have to be a wealthy retiree in a £100,000 palace to explore the wonders of the waterways.