Following on from my tunnel reflections yesterday I have gone for this abstract image from further along the canal.
It may look just like a random reflection but from a certain point of view you can see that it is the reflection of a narrowboat and you can make out the windows and a splash of colour from the blue paintwork.
I have chosen two shots of the Chirk tunnel on the Llangollen canal because although they are very similar they are taken from different points along the tunnel and I can't decide which one I prefer.
I really like the first one because of the longer perspective, the light glinting on the brickwork along the length of the tunnel and the irregular line of the handrail. I also like the ripples from the water dripping from the roof. And then because of the length there is a feeling of being in a tube which I like.
I like the second one because there is more detail in the reflections and the shiny colours.
Now, having "analysed" them I have made up my mind which one I like best...
Recently I was offered a narrowboat for free and I was genuinely tempted by the offer. I have often thought how nice it would be to travel England's waterways on a barge, I imagine it to be such a relaxing thing to do, cruising along at such a leisurely pace enjoying the countryside as well as connecting with England's industrial heritage. I only went off the idea when the question of mooring fees, insurance and restoration costs came up and I realised that for now at least this is not an option I could take up.
But as I thought about, albeit briefly, I recalled this scene from the Llangollen canal between Christmas and New Year. Along the canal there were lots of moorings on the towpath which offered a place to stop for 48 hours before you would have to move on. Then there was the large marina at Chirk and a smaller marina at Trevor where obviously there would be mooring fees. But on the opposite bank I spotted this isolated little camp where the bargee had obviously set up a more permanent camp next to a little clearing with their washing strung between the trees and a bicycle on hand for trips to the nearest town/village. I think this is an idyllic scene and looking at these pictures I can feel myself drawn to this type of life.
The first shot for today is quite deceptive because the tunnel appears shorter than it is. This is the Chirk Tunnel on the LLangollen Canal and is viewed from the small basin at the end closest to the Chirk Aqueduct. It is 421 m in length which is 460 yds if you prefer. It is just wide enough for a narrowboat to pass through with a towpath on the right as you look at it here. It is very dark as you pass through although there is always light at the end of the tunnel. On a cold and snowy day it is also several degrees warmer inside the tunnel than out. This was an interesting point to start the canal walk and we passed through another, shorter tunnel along the way.
I took the second picture to give a sense of what life afloat must be like. I have often thought that living on a boat would be fun, relaxing and a chance to get away from the pressures of everyday life. Free to move around at a leisurely pace with a new view from your window or deck every day.
Of course it is not all idyllic, you would have to seriously de-clutter, you would have to get used to very limited space and on a day like yesterday things like getting your laundry dry become a big issue. This chap had his washing hung over a clothes airer on the towpath but with little to no chance of getting anything dry. Suddenly the idea of life afloat becomes a little less appealing
Today with warnings on the news that weather conditions would be really bad across the country I took a risk and set off for Chirk in North Wales for a walk along the Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal and across the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (built by Thomas Telford and completed in 1805, now a World Heritage Site) that spans the River Dee.
When I left home first thing the weather was atrocious with heavy, driving rain and bitter cold, it seems that those conditions continued all day but at Chirk and along the canal things were a good deal calmer.
As you can see from these two images the sky was mostly clear and blue and although there was a cold wind I was wrapped up well and managed to stay warm for the duration of the walk (8 miles in total).
I have walked here before but in the summer or spring and there are usually lots of other walkers but today it was really tranquil and I think these two pictures give a perfect representation of how peaceful it was. I was thrilled to capture the rainbow in the first shot as it arced across the snowy fields.
I like the solitary tree in the second shot too. If I had had my tripod with me I would have tried a longer exposure to smooth out the surface of the canal and enhance the reflection but to be honest I really like the picture as it is, even with the sunspots. There is a warmth to the image and I will add the tree to my collection of nature's hearts. I know, I am such a romantic but I like to photograph hearts that appear in nature and I am sure that when the tree is in full foliage the heart would not be as visible.
