Goldstone Bridge to Market Drayton (Shropshire Union Canal)

 We decided to leave early today as we have to go through Woodseaves  Cutting, it is very narrow and not much room to pass, so hopefully this way, we won’t meet anyone. We set off, it was a dry day again, a bit cloudy at first, but the sun came out.  Hard day today, as we have five locks to do and travelling about 4 miles, wow how will we cope!!

Woodseaves Cutting

Chugging through Woodseaves

Leaving Woodseaves

We got to Woodseaves Cutting and went through.  It is an impressive cutting considering it was cut out entirely by men without powered machines, makes you wonder when you go through it, how they did it.  We were in luck, we didn’t meet one boat.  As we were chugging through, we heard a lot of squawking and saw a hawk which had some prey in its beak being chased by a blackbird, I don’t think the blackbird had a hope of getting any of the prey, but you never know! 

Tyrley Wharf

Went on to the top of Tyrley locks and stopped for water.  The groups of buildings at the top of the locks are dated 1840 and are called Tyrley Wharf.  Then it was time to go down the locks.  The first, second and third locks were against us, so I had to set them before we went down, but when we got to the fourth lock and fifth locks, boats were coming up, so that was good as we went quickly through them. 

Leaving Tyrley Locks and the queue behind!

 

There was a queue of 3 boats waiting to go up, that was lucky, we were going the right way for once!  When we came out the lock, because of the moored boats, we got stuck on the side, but Kev got us off and on we went to Market Drayton and moored just before Bridge 62.

We went up to the town and it is quite a nice town with plenty of shops, three supermarkets, Asda, Morrisons and Lidl, also Argos, all the big banks and Wilkinson, so a good place to stock up on provisions.

Had a wander around, then back to the boat.  We are staying here until Thursday as on Wednesday there is a market and we thought we would stay and see what it was like.

Bridge 42 to Goldstone Bridge (Shropshire Union Canal)

 It was another lovely sunny day as we set off up the canal.  Past Shebdon Embankment and also past the old Cadbury’s factory,( now producing only dried milk) whose goods used to be carried to and from Bournville (on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal) by narrow boat.

The Wharf Tavern, Goldstone

Through lots of bridges, we moored jut past Bridge 55 at Goldstone opposite The Wharf Tavern.  We chugged 5 miles today, a long way for us, we now need a sit down!  It’s a really nice mooring, the pub is very good and there is nothing else much around. The pub has a caravan park and it is packed this weekend.

Mooring at Goldstone Opposite the Pub

We decided to walk to a small village called Cheswardine about a mile away away, so off we went.  Well, what a nice surprise, it is a really nice village and it has two pubs, The Fox and Hounds and the Red Lion. At the side of the Fox and Hounds pub, there was a Community Shop.  It wasn’t open, but they had a covered newspaper stand with newspapers which had been pre-ordered and you just took your newspaper and put the money in the newspaper stand.  They also had some loaves of bread with the price on and you just put the money in the newspaper stand.  We also found a stall selling fresh free range eggs, so that’s breakfast sorted!

Walked back, it went very dark and started spitting with rain, but luckily it waited until we had got back to the boat before it rained properly, didn’t last for long though.

We are staying here tomorrow as well as we are having lunch in the pub, then will chug off on Monday.

Norbury Junction to Bridge 42 (Shropshire Union Canal)

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The sun was shining and it was already hot as we set off from Norbury Junction up the canal to Bridge 42, about 2 miles away!!  The canal was quiet, only saw a few boats chugging along.

High Bridge

We went through Grub Street Cutting and under High Bridge with a masonry strut, carrying a short telegraph pole, built across its tall arch. The telegraph pole is now redundant, a relic from the days when the Shroppie’s straight course made it a useful route for wires to follow.

The Anchor Inn

On up the canal and moored outside The Anchor Inn just before Bridge 42.  It is a very old boatman’s pub and has been in the same hands for over 100 years, it is unique with two very small rooms, its just like going into someone’s front room, well worth a stop.

Mooring outside the Anchor Inn

Staying here overnight, then heading off tomorrow.  We are chugging about 5 miles tomorrow, not sure how we are going to cope with such a long journey!!

 

Gnosall to Norbury Junction (Shropshire Union Canal)

 Sunday 8th June

We are setting off today.  It was a bit overcast, so we thought we would wait for a bit before we walked up to the butchers and good job we did as the heavens opened and there was the mother of all thunder storms, it took a while to go over, then it brightened up, so we went up to the butchers, a really nice shop and the meat looked really good, bought a couple of things, then went to the local shop to get some strawberries which come from a farm just on the edge of the village and are picked fresh everyday, they are yummy!

Back to boat and chugged off, we had just left the mooring and Kev stopped to let a boat come through the bridge, there was plenty of room for him to pass and he came through the bridge okay, then instead of passing us, he decided for some reason to increase the revs and ram us into a moored boat, three bottles of wine fell off the rack, but luckily didn’t break, Kev said a few choice words to the driver, but he didn’t reply, never even said sorry, he was in a world of his own, probably high on something. 

Went on up the canal with no further incidents and moored at Norbury Junction.    A boat came in for diesel with two chaps on it, they had just picked up the boat and didn’t have a clue how to steer it!  One jumped off and the other chap eventually got the boat near to the diesel point and threw the chap on the side a rope, if you could call it a rope, Kev has longer and thicker shoelaces than that rope!  Somehow, they managed to get in and tie up, one of them was wearing a Rush t-shirt, well that explains it all really!!  They set off without too much difficulty in the opposite direction to us, thank goodness!

It was a beautiful hot sunny afternoon, so we went up to the Junction and sat outside the café with a coffee and watched the world go by. 

When we were at the cafe, a swan family came for their afternoon tea at the cafe.

This is the first swan family we have seen since we have been on the narrow canals.  Went back to boat and chilled out.  Staying here until Friday.

Tuesday 10^th June

The sun was shining again today, which was good as my friend was visiting us today.  Gill arrived and we set off up the canal for a chug, it was lovely and warm so Gill and I sat in the front and Kev was our steerer.  Turned the boat around, then stopped in a lovely rural place and had lunch.

Set off back to Norbury Junction and guess what, there was another thunder storm, but Gill and I didn’t get wet, only poor Kev, never mind, he had a brolly!  It stopped in time for us to moor up and the sun came out and it was a lovely evening.  Walked down to the car park with Gill, it was really great seeing her again and catching up.  Hopefully we are going to meet up again when we are in Chester as she can get the train to there from where she lives, so that will be good.