Seeing as much as we can of Llangollen

The weekend in Llangollen, (Who can pronounce that correctly?), panned out very nicely thank you.  I am not sure of the exact day but we went on the steam train (I love steam trains)  we were fortunate as when we went the steam engine was working, (the following day was the "Diseasel"), steam engines are to my favourites.

Ticket brought and quick sticks we got a first class compartment to ourselves.  Whistle blows and the seat were tested for bounciness, they were average.  Not as bouncy as The Severn Railway two years ago. 

The valley that the train goes up is so very very beautiful, it goes along besides the river for lovely viewpoints.

After a picnic lunch with all the family, we all went in search of ice-creams in the town centre and walked alongside the river through the pretty park.

Supper was only cheese and biscuits!

The next morning we cycled further along the canal, on this section now is restricted to the horse drawn pleasure boats only,  its really only a feeder section now, we went to the Horseshoe Falls.  Just as how it had been said to me, all is now revealed.

The manmade Horseshoe Falls.

This is the off shoot that goes onto and makes up the canal, the river flows off to the right hand side of the picture.

The Falls in the distance and this is the inflow.

The river at this point has the manmade falls, part of this section of river is "Diverted' into the very beginning of the Llangollen Canal, it flows the length of the canal and eventually goes into a reservoir, but thats miles away.  So clearly at the start here, the river and the canal are at the same height, but not for long.  There's a wee building holding a pump, or something else thats makes a pump like noise and off it (the canal) goes, first stop The Chain Bridge Hotel.  

This place started life as a house cum office cum pub for the canal company while the Horseshoe Falls was built, offering accommodation, although this is not stated in the Hotel's history,   HERE,    I'm pretty sure I read it in the Llangollen museum.  It then became a small country pub and then small hotel in the 1920's and then I would imagine extended in the 1960's judging by the architecture.

This bridge was built in 1929 after the previous one had been washed away.  This photo of a photo in the hotel is of in the 70's when it flooded, its not clear I know but the white on the left of the photo is raging white water going over the bridge!  It held but was close in the 80's, but refurbished in 2015, so I feel very pleased to have walked over it, (Actually it bounced in a most disconcerting manner).

While we sat drinking coffee, a chap walked over the bridge and called to us, a tad bemused, we didn't know him....  but it turns out Glyn is a BlogReader, is on holiday here and recognised us!  Lovely chatting to you Glyn, I hope you have fun in Scotland.  

We cycled back towards the basin at Llangollen on the towpath only to hear another greeting of Hello Bloggers!  An unknown person this time, so hello to you too, sorry we didn't meet.

We knew it was coming and it did, rain I mean, we walked into town buying David a new rainproof jacket for the boat, then a visit to the museum of the town, then dinner at The Corn Mill, an exceptionally good establishment serving high quality food at reasonable prices.

I had paté, lamb in red wine and cherry and almond tart with custard.  I could hardly move afterwards....