As a Welshman, living in Japan for almost 20 years, and having been on the Llangollen for 2 weeks in the late 70s...... Yours, young fella, was by far the best pronunciation! Even my Japanese better half was impressed! We enjoy your videos,,,,please keep em coming! Thank you.
I'd wondered about Llangollen pronunciation as so many pronounce the first Ll unlike the next ll. Now I've heard the logical linguistically correct pronunciation! Hurray
So many memories. My ex wife and I owned a small boat which was berthed on the Llangollen canal at Chirk. We enjoyed so many happy trips up and down the whole of this canal and the Shropshire union canal. To anyone thinking about boating on the canal networks, you could do a great deal worse than navigate the Llangollen canal. I thoroughly recommend it.
Thanks for this. What wonderful photography. BTW - long ago I was told by an elderly Welshman that it doesn't rain in Wales! He said, "It's not rain. It's the mountain mist you know!"
Your photography just gets better every episode. The lightening and the damsel fly was was fabulous. I really love your videos. Thanks as always for sharing your experience.
I have only joined you today, as you were highly recommended, but have immediately subscribed for all vids. The beautiful visitor was great and the storm was amazing. Take care and easy cruising.
Hi Andrew. For me it's not just your superb photography, or the very relaxing music, but the sound level that you have set the music at - just right. Can't stand vlogs where you have to keep turning the sound up and down between speech and music. Well done, very enjoyable !
Thanks David. I must admit it took me a while to get the levels balanced - there were a lot of complaints at first - but you're the first person to note that I have it about right, so many thanks, I appreciate that.
Yes wonderful and the damsel fly was good photography but the question that begs to be asked is "what about the mystery blond who opens all the locks , liftbridges etc ? Who is she ? Is the Llangollen the canal of love ? This is exciting!
Hi Andrew, I’m sure that canal was worth the wait. It looked special and enhanced by your photography. The storm was spectacular. Just between you and me I think you have a stalker that hangs around locks! You take care. Hutchinson & side-kick.
Hello again Admiral Hutch. Yep it's one of the best and the best is yet to come. I shall probably spend the next two months here, plenty to explore. Stalker? Blimey I hadn't noticed. This canal is known for it's kindly lock-fairies you know!
Tales From The Swan's Neck Yes Andrew I’ve heard of those lock fairies! The Morgens are Welsh lady spirits that lure unsuspecting narrowboat men into their web! Are you planning to meet up with your boys in the not to distant future? You and your water sprite take care. Landlocked lubber and crows nest companion.
Very nice, loved the photography. I find your choice of music very complementary. I also liked the stills of the damsel fly...great! Thanks so much for the time it takes you to put this together. - Nancy
Hi Can, not everyone is free to move yet. I'm not sure people who have boats in marinas are allowed to stay on board overnight until the 6th July. Also none of the holiday boat companies are operating yet so there are huge fleets of holiday boats tied up on the Llangollen. Should I change the name of the channel to Boat Party I wonder...?
Hoorah. Your back. Been a long wait since your last vlog. Wow your hair looks great. Really enjoyable viewing again. Thank you Andrew keep well take care of yourself. Dee
Thanks Dee. Sorry it took a while, but I wasn't happy with what I'd done so had to re-edit the whole thing. Then it was a problem finding somewhere with a good enough signal to upload. Hopefully you won't have to wait too long for the rest of the canal. Oh and as for my hair - thank you. I can't say I'm looking forward to the hairdressers reopening!
Well hellloooo. Not in Wales yet - although I've passed in and out a couple of times. Despite the name only the last 8 miles are in Wales, and a couple of small sections which add up to about a mile and a half. Looking forward to the rest of the trip.
That Dragonfly Nature at its most stunning , Does look a fantastic canal to travel. Talking nature your Hair is still on the wild side, not that I'm jealous lol
@@talesfromtheswansneck I love things like that. You do a vary good job of capturing moments. I watch a bunch of Narrowboat folks. There’s interesting folks out there. Your’s be the one I look forward to though!
Another beautiful vlog, Andrew. Your photography is excellent. We have traveled the Llangollen four times -on a hire boat from Cheshire Cat Narrow boats. We love it! Thank you for sharing your journey. Bryan & Donna, Quebec, Canada.
Another gem Andrew . Nice seeing you where you enjoy yourself .....at the tiller. Very special photography skills you have.[i sounded like Yoda there ! Stay safe matey and keep em coming Regards Stuart from the frozen North👍
Wonderful Andrew, this canal remains one of my favourites and it's great to see you on the move again and so enjoying the beauty of the Llangollen. Watching you tie up with the 'nappy pins' as I call them reminds me of the frequent perils of sole boaters... when another goes by and rips the pins out. Last year on the GU a wide beam went past, quite slowly I must say, but completely ripped the stakes I'd driven in so carefully to hold my boat!!! I only just managed to hold it from bring dragged into the canal 😃😲 Wonderful photography as usual💤💤💤💤thank you
Thanks Patrick. Good question. By and large the canals are kept open, occassionally dredged whilst still open. They are sometimes closed in places for remedial work. There are 'stop-planks' usually close to 'pinch-points' (bridges and locks) which can be used to dam the canal so that it can be drained for maintenance or if there has been a breach.
This vlog was you at your best. Great mix of nature, history, and general repartee. Your close up shot of the dragon fly wing was fantastic. Thanks for bringing back my memories of the Llangollen. My wife and I did that canal on our honeymoon in 1976. Though we've cruised close to 20 different canals since then, it remains our favorite.
"Light Fantastic" - Are you a fellow Terry Pratchett fan? - Great episode by the way (as they always are) both me and the wife love watching your vlogs. Hoping to be on the canals ourselves once I take my early retirement.
@@talesfromtheswansneck Yes we are looking forward to it. Your excellent vlog helps. I think the biggest hurdle to overcome before we move to the canals is I've got to convince my wife that the Narrowboat needs to be called "Enterprise".
@@talesfromtheswansneck "I am quite excited about getting into this canal." It was a double entendre. As you were clearly, outwardly, unenthusiastic, I thought it was an adroit commentary, maybe not.
Lovely video....love the bits with no background music and even when you did use background music it was calm .... WHO is the lady?..... Loved the last frame of lift bridge ( think that's what you said it was called ?!). Looking forward to next vid
That was lovely. I do miss your pink lightning over there is much gentler than the aggressive blue/white we have here in Queensland. Thanks Andrew. Cheers
Thanks Annie. Having lived in the frozen north I find anything above 22 uncomfortable, so the 30 degrees we've had has been a bit much. That said, it's ok if the boat is moving.
The grass heads of child hood memories, thank you for that moment; I was especially happy about the bonus Buttercup in that scene. Once again an inspirational video and a facet of the screenplay is born. I loved that work boat Phoebe with all the cut trunks aboard and the guy stood in her hull, CRT fire wood? Do they hire contractors for tree surgery and then sell the wood? He looked a happy dude anyway!
The guy in Phoebe is a carpenter/ joiner/ craftsman and makes and sells his woodwork as he travels. Yes he'll pick up wood along the way as many of us do. Sometimes the CRT employ contractors, sometimes they do it themselves. It surprises me that they don't sell it as this could provide a good revenue stream I would have thought. Often they leave the cut wood along the towpath or in work barges (such as Bala in episode 33 at 1:24).
When I was considering this lifestyle I would watch Country House Gent so I guess I have a debt of gratitude there. I don't remember seeing the Llangollen episodes though. Perhaps I should go back and have a look.
@@talesfromtheswansneck I was watching his Amazon footage and not RU-vid. That was how I found out about Narrow Boats. I’m fairly sure he was in Wales but it may have been someone else. I am an Old Fart you know.
Terrific photography, as always. Loved the damsel fly close up. What lens did you use for this? Must be a macro lens on a DSL. But just gorgious! Welcome back to the world of motion. Best wishes from all (or at least most) of us, I'm sure.
Welcome back. Great thunderstorm sequences. These images made me wonder about the danger of lightning strikes on a narrowboat - where do you hide? Onboard? Any feelings of nervousness? John, Ontario, Canada.
Hi John. When I experienced my first thunderstorm on the boat I was a little nervous, yes. However, i have been told that the boat acts like a faraday cage - I just hope that's right.
Tales From The Swan's Neck : it’s certainly the advice when caught at sea in a GRP (Tupperware) boat to earth the mast by wrapping the middle of the anchor chain a few times around the foot of the mast and dropping the two ends into the water on either side of the boat. Supposed to leave you with a load of scorch marks and melted plastic rather than a bloomin’ great hole right through the boat where the mast used to be if the worst happens. Never got to try it out in anger though, fortunately!
If the lock and lift bridge fairies are anything like the traffic light fairies my family believes in, you need to pay a tithe to keep them sweet. I hope you have or they’ll be very upset with you.
LOVE your videos - but it does make me miss the Nirvana (friend's narrowboat) and our trips..... Not very good at steering, myself but my friend said "Don't worry if you nudge another narrowboat - it's like "kissing" another bowling ball on the Crown Green. But beware the "Tupperware!" Hit one of those and they're going down! 🙄
Thanks Shirley. Now I've never considered the consequences of hitting a 'tupperware' before. Your friend is right, they wouldn't last long. Might make an exciting vlog...!
I know the replace the lock gates every so often, but what about the iron work on the paddles. They look very old. Could they still be from the original canal build? Good vlog by the way.
Lock gates usually last about 30 years, although more modern gates have a life expectancy of 50 years. I'm sure the ironwork will be inspected when gates are replaced, but much of the ironwork will still be original. This stuff was built to last.
Hi Graham, welcome aboard. I'm afraid I don't do 'boat tours', as a matter of security and privacy, I hope you understand. I hope too that you enjoy some of my other adventures and experiences.
I wondered that too Sue, but apparently it's rather like being in a car during a storm, safe because of the Faraday Effect. - I hope! But, like being in a house, it's advisable to unplug things like computers and sensitive electronics.
Sorry, I think I’ve pressed the thumbs down by mistake 😢. I really enjoy your vlogs so please ignore it, I’ve also gone back in and given a thumbs up hoping this will overcome it
Hi Andrew love the videos but I am a bit concerned because all of us in Llangollen can’t travel 5miles outside our area and are asked only to go out for food or to see the doctors but but come here now. We are a very welcoming town but this isn’t helping us sorry.
Hi. Yes I'm aware of the travel restrictions into Wales which is why I'm taking my time. Recent rumours are suggesting the border at Chirk will open on the 13th. I can't wait - but I guess I'll have to.
