5 locks at Llangynidr, March 2024 (Mon' & Brec' Canal)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 มี.ค. 2024
- Friday 15th March 2024:
The weather forecast suggested that Monday would be the best day this week, and it wasn't wrong! So I took off to Llangynidr to catch up with the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.
The canal only has 6 locks along it's entire length, and 5 of them are here in Llangynidr, closely spaced, raising / lowering the water level some 48 feet from the top lock to the bottom one.
Didn't see any narrowboats on the move, but there was some lovely birdsong and plenty of ducks around. Not to mention the fabulous scenery, and the locks themselves of course, which were constructed in 1799... yes, that's 225 years ago!
I took my old Nikon D200 SLR camera with me (not used that one in years!), and although the battery packed up after a very short while, I did get some nice shots in, some of which I am including in the video.
Weather permitting, I'll be out on the Brompton next time. 😊
Hope you enjoy the video!
Jeff
By the way, if you do enjoy the video, then please consider subscribing - it really helps me to grow the channel!
You can see more of my videos, including my journeys along the canals, and of my Brompton bike at:
/ @gladysthenarrowboat - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Hi Jeff, enjoyed the video and great pictures 👍
Thanks Iain - very glad you liked it! 👍
Thank you for taking me down memory lane. I opened those locks for Janet to go through. I think it got to be one of the best canal in the uk. Was interesting to see the water levels a year apart.
I thought it would bring back some memories Gerald! Yes, I remember seeing you at the locks! It's definitely one of the prettiest canals I've seen on all of my travels 👍
Hi Jeff, What a nice day out, so calm and peaceful. I think the weather is turning now so hopefully there will be plenty of good days ahead to enjoy walks and cycling. Yes Jeff, I've finally purchased a new hybrid bike to replace my old and incredibly unused mountain bike that is hiding in the shed. Actually although old and unused for sometime (the bike not me) it's still in great condition and either of my two sons will use it to hopefully accompany me when I start cycling on the canals again. I took advantage of the Halfords sale and saved £100 on the Voodoo Marasa hybrid bike. I'll be building it next week and away I go. Although we do have some lovely stretches of canal in Birmingham there's nothing that matches the picturesque stretch in your video and I imagine it looks spectacular in the summer months. Being a keen angler I instantly noticed the fishing stages along the bank, 11 minutes into the video. Some nice still photographs Jeff, especially that beautiful Mandarin duck. I don't think I've ever seen one of those before. The ducks on our Birmingham canals carry knives 😂. Enjoyed the video Jeff, looking forward as always to the next one.
Thanks Dave - yes, it's hardly an exciting video, but it was a very enjoyable few hours and if I'd been stressed out beforehand, then it would have been better than any tranquilizer. I was so lucky with the ducks - they were very friendly, and, like you, I'd never seen a Mandarin before. I had to do a double-take when I first saw him. I was in two minds about including him in the video - in case anyone went looking for him with bad intent - there are some sick people around... but hopefully nobody like that will ever watch my stuff anyway 😊🤞
Hey - well done getting the hybrid! It should be great on most surfaces, so you will have to start out on those canals now mate - or once this ridiculous weather starts behaving! I have a hybrid and must get out on it one of these days - I'd definitely use it on the canals, although it's not so portable as the Brompton. You must keep me posted on the routes you do!
The Mon & Brec is undoubtedly very pretty - for 99% of the way. But the Worcs' & Birmingham has some great stretches too - admittedly some of them are very bumpy. You could take the train to Worcester and ride back some of the way from there - some of the towpath in that early section is truly excellent.
Can't say I've been attacked by your Birmingham Ducks yet, but they sound pretty vicious! 🤣
Thanks again for commenting Dave!!!
Looks like a Mandarin duck. When you said in your teaser, that there’d be a surprise. I wasn’t expecting international travel. That’ll teach me to watch all of the presentation before commenting. The Mandarin looked so much more flamboyant out of the water.
As to jumping the comment gun. I’ll probably still just wade in.
Thank you for including us in your walk. The mention of kayaks, canoes and a fancy duck. What more could one want… other than a narrowboat of your own on the water?
Thanks DC! Yes, the Mandarin was dazzling when in the water - but when he hopped out and was within 10 feet of me, I was really gobsmacked! Hopefully you'll spot him yourself one of these days 👍
Indeed, what more could one want? Well, as this is called Gladys the Narrowboat...then YES, a bloody boat! To say I am totally frustrated is like saying football is a game of 90 minutes, involving two teams of 11 players, with plentiful kicking, pulling, biting, punching, and swearing. And a rowdy crowd too!
Carry on jumping in with your comments mate!
It’s nice to see your DSLR in use. Can’t beat a proper full size lens.
Hi MT! Thanks so much for noting the camera - yes, photography was a main hobby of mine for a number of years. (I did 2 weddings for friends - very stressful, yet enjoyable - but landscape, transport and wildlife are my favourites).
I have 5 Nikons, 2 of them being 35mm film bodies - though I rarely use those two now. On this trip, I dusted off my D200, which is a great camera, although lower specced than my newer one (D3500, which is lighter and cost half as much). I do feel the D200 produces a sharper image. I had to order a new battery though - just £8 on Amazon now, whereas an original Nikon battery was about £40 I think back in 2007). I used a 28-200 on this walk, which is my favourite zoom. Lovely piece of glass. My largest is a 500mm tele, which is a chunk of a thing to lug around, but I may give it a run-out one of these days.
Looking forward to your next one! 👍 This Monday, I am hoping to take the Brompton out on a train ride once again 😊
@@Gladysthenarrowboat Wedding! Yes I can imagine. I don’t think I would ever want to do photography for a wedding ☺️ I need a new Canon battery for mine but like yours they’re expensive so I expect I’ll do the same. It works but doesn’t hold charge long. I rarely take it on cycle rides unless I have a very good reason, usually for the 300 lens. I have an f2.8 17mm zoom which gives excellent DOF but again, it’s weight isn’t it. Hopefully you can get the camera out more often when your new battery arrives. Looking forward to seeing the Brompton again. FYI, I went in the Brompton shop in Covent Garden last week. Lovely place, lots of glossy bikes in lovely colours 🚴🏻♀️
Well, I was really into photography at the time, and had an A3+ photo printer, which produced very good photos (but 8 ink carts), but yeah, the weddings were quite a challenge. All turned out good I'm happy to say on both occasions!
Quite right - the weight is an issue - I'd not take it on the bike, although the D3500 might just be ok. It has a fabulous battery life compared to the 200 and much wider ISO - that was the reason I bought it, after visiting the Concorde site at Filton in Bristol, when I was disappointed by the low light quality of the 200.
Oh wow, I bet that shop was cool 😊There are some nice new colours this year - although most Bromptons I see when out and about, are black. I'm really happy with my Bumblebee Yellow 👍
Hi Jeff, watched this twice, once on my phone and on my Lt as my Android won't let me comment.
It reads "this action is not allowed'?
Iv'e gone through the procedure to rectify the issue but no joy.
Loving the photo's of the ducks etc some great shots, and that a very good camera (Top Job)
and you have a good eye. I think the rain we've had has done good to the canals, even though a lot
of boaters would disagree with me, it's freshened them up.
Thanks for the contents of your VT's very sharp and interesting.
As always take care and Stay Safe.
Hi John, thanks for the double-watch! Yes, there's something odd about commenting/liking on an Android. Others have told me the same thing as you - and for myself, I can sometimes reply to comments using my mobile when I'm away from home, but sometimes I cant... so almost all of my TH-cam work, including replies, is done on my pc. I use software called Power Director 365 and also have it installed on my laptop - although I need to switch the license over from one to the other whenever I want to change, which is a a pain. Technology sucks sometimes eh?!
Thanks for liking the still photos😊 . I can take stills with the GoPro, or freeze a frame of video, and I often do that, but the SLR, with a nice chunk of glass, always gets a better shot. I'm going to try to do more of that stuff now - although, as I mentioned in a reply to @MadisonTen, it's quite a weight to lug around on a bike.
Weather permitting, I'll be out on the Brompton tomorrow for next week's video! 👍😊
A kayak has an enclosed cockpit while a canoe has an open cockpit. Some people refer to the latter, as open canoes, as technically both craft can correctly be called a canoe. I prefer to separate the two. Both kayakers and canoeists, often refer to themselves as boaters or paddlers; some delineate this to open boater.
There’s numerous intended uses for each hull+deck shape for each craft. But very basically, the longer the hull, the more inclined its nature to stay gliding in a straight line. The shorter the hull, the less it will glide in straight line and the more manoeuvrable it is. Each characteristic and indeed a mix of the two, is desirable for each intended final use or a craft that will be good at one or more uses. The main difference for the beginner, is how much can be safely packed in each craft. For the kayaker, the deliberation is often around, can I still take a 1L water bottle or just 500ml? For the canoeist, the question is more along the lines of, if I’m going to pack the kitchen sink, will I take the single-drainer or the double-drainer? Then they’ll pack both.
Then there’s SOT or sit-on-tops, which is basically an open platform, with a modded deck. This caters mainly for the people who like the idea of a kayak; but are either afraid they’ll not be able to exit an enclosed cockpit in an emergency. Or are physically incapable of entry into/exit out of a non-adapted cockpit. Also, SOTs are almost unsinkable, being made by blowing air through a big heated plastic tube. Which is held between a two-piece mould. They tend to be a technical bubble, as they’re hollow and filled with air. They are also very heavy to carry, typically 30kg and greater.
On a dry day with no current and little wind:
•Kayaker sometimes gets wet but will enjoy getting wet if it happens
•Canoeist often remains mostly dry and would prefer to stay so. But won’t grumble about it if it happens
•SOT paddler always gets wet. For one thing, they’re always sat in a puddle of water, with their feet in two separate puddles. They don’t mind their bottoms & feet sat in water; but complain if anything else gets wet.
I own and paddle a kayak and a canoe. I’ve never seen the allure of a SOT. I’ve paddled both kayak & canoe, solo & tandem, on flat water & whitewater. With the addition of poling a canoe, (standing in the canoe and using a pole to propel the craft against current in shallow and or rocky water and or to move upstream through rapids).
Also canoed with sail. Where a small, often spinnaker like sail is rigged together with a canoe pole for the mast, (plus a paddle for boom if you wanted) with either lines or knotted to the bow and or boom. Mainly used to be propelled swiftly on open reaches of flatwater. From a few hundred metres to many mi/km at a times. But can also be used to move upstream against current on wide rivers and estuaries.
Warning. When navigating near and or in estuaries and or in coastal waters. It is essential you familiarise yourself with the prevailing tides at that/those times of the year.
It’s also essential that you know and carry the weather forecast with you on the day/s you intend to paddle or sail. Just in case the weather is coming in faster or slower. Wear a watch strapped to yourself or buoyancy aid, (phones get dropped, lost, can run out of charge).
For coastal waters, carry flares and know how to use them. CHECK their dates.
You should also be capable of and able to self-rescue in adverse weather+water conditions; and be capable of and able to rescue others in your group.
It is essential that these skills be gained; and successfully practiced many times BEFORE you paddle or sail in or near estuaries and coastal waters.
If you’re kayaking or canoeing, wear a PFD or bouyancy aid. As life vests are a one-use item. Older designs also have an inflation cartridge, that only activates if submerged in saltwater. So if you go in in freshwater, you’ll have no additional buoyancy. And CHECK the cartridge’s expiry date.
Carry a 1st Aid kit suitable for paddling-sailing. Not essential but it’ll come in handy elsewhere, is to attend a 1st aid course.
Don’t think, what if? Think, when.
You’ll think twice about mentioning kayaks or canoes again. Just be happy I haven’t included my entire knowledge on these subjects.
Well DC... I must admit it - you walked into my trap here! When mentioning canoes and kayaks / and wondering what is the difference, I fully expected that you'd pick up on it, and be the one to answer! And you have!
But WHAT an answer! Thanks so much for this comprehensive explanation! Liked your 'getting wet' descriptions... I reckon I'd be a canoeist if anything!
Great advice about buoyancy aids etc. too.
Will I think twice about mentioning kayaks or canoes again? Well, I'm sure there's a lot more that you have left to tell us!
Thanks again for another constructive comment DC 👍😊
@@Gladysthenarrowboat- Ah yes, congratulations! I didn’t see your cunning and subtle trap. And properly fell in… I’d be useless as a spy.
Haha! Well DC, I don't think I'd be much better!
Thanks for the info.