Left Lower Frankton at 7:30am (15th), unbreakfasted, along the gently wiggling bit to Hindford. All OK but not special, started to clank along the bottom, especially half a boat length downstream of the bridges. At New Marton Locks struggled into both chambers, especially the 2nd which necessitated bow hauling with full profanities.
One thing that we do appreciate on this canal is the regular 48 hour rural moorings with rings and adequate depth. Why is this not a feature of the canal system nationwide ? Breakfast was taken at one such mooring above New Marton. Boiled eggs. Then the bottom clanking got worse. Cant blame the eggs for this but seeds of doubt were sewn about reaching Langollen. Progress through the aqueducts and tunnels was very slow, the only passage experienced with greater resistance to progress has been Ghosty Hill tunnel. Things improved in the concrete channeled approach to the F-place with the P-queduct but we have stopped in Trevor Basin. A walk along the towpath towards the L-place was encouraging but reports of difficulty further on incline us to favour a bus trip to the end of the canal. Beeky
