Dinghy dawdle

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Thought you might like to see these pics of our annual dawdle along the Montgomery canal. The "Monty" runs down to Newtown ( near us ) from near Llangollen, joining with the national canal network there, so you could - if you had time - journey to London and beyond by canal. It was built around 150 years ago, to bring in coal and limestone, and take woollen goods down to London. Believe it or not, mail order was started in Newtown, using the canal system. Anyway, to try and keep the canal open, all sorts of events are held, and the yearly dawdle is an institution. Alex has taken part for years, and has a stack of brass plaques to prove it! Anyone can take part, all sorts of boats are propelled along the 6 miles or so (different stretch of water each year) from canoes to rowing boats, little inflatable jobs and even 2 coracles. So they begin around 10am, dawdle along through a couple of locks, have lunch ......... then dawdle on to the end, where everyone receives a brass plaque. Such a gentle day, and today the weather was perfect, blue sky and sun, so even if you fell in, you didn't mind (much).

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Photos

lunch time
beside the third lock.

last gang
coming through the lock

coracles
they still hold coracle races on the River Severn.

Alex
on the move.

peace restored
once the flotilla has passed.

yellow flags (irises )
the Welsh answer to the Mirror Lakes?

the green chestnut tree
on the way home, has a bird's nest in his mouth!

Comments

[beb]

wishing
i wish i could have been there!!! must have been a wonderful day.

[George]

Coracles
Hey!! Carrie! Those coracles are very "up-market" ! I seem to remember the time when they were made of reeds or rushes daubed with clay !!!! Maybe they all leaked and sank. (maybe they were made from skins, after all?) The modern ones look much better. Lovely idea to have the day on the canal. I would love to do the trip to London!! Shame it is so far away!

[Higblog]

coracles
i think they're made of willow frame, covered with tarry paper. Very thin anyway, and no-one is allowed to touch them except the owners, in case a finger makes a hole!

[Sue Obrien]

Fabulous fun
It looks like you all had a fabulous day. I hope Alex enjoyed his paddling. Sue x