The weekend

 Saturday 25th 

Setting off from our mooring we soon passed the old Cadbury Depot. 

Established in 1911, the depot processed local milk into chocolate crumb and transported it via the Shropshire Union Canal to Bournville. 

Saturday's journey was a tale of embankments and cuttings. One of the newer canals it no longer doggedly followed the contours of the land but took a more direct course through the countryside. 

Our first experience of this was the Shebdon Embankment where you sail high above the land below you. 

Just beyond that was the Anchor Inn. Somehow we always seem to sail past and never get to go in. 

I have been advised that we did go in once in 1975. Blimey, that's over 50 years ago! 

Then came Grub Street Cutting with its high bridges. 

Did you see the telegraph pole in the middle of the bridge? 

The trees in the cuttings are magnificent. Like something out of the Lord of the Rings. 

Then came Norbury Junction. The branch canal used to lock down to Newport. 

However, no longer. 

Welcome to Gnosall. 

We stopped in Gnosall to take on water before entering Cowley Tunnel.

It's only 81yds long. 

It used to be 690yds but because of faults in the rock it had to be opened up. 

We motored on for another 5 miles and stopped for our usual steak supper in Wheaton Aston.

Sunday 26th 

Well, what do you know? A smidgen of rain. Well, it was hardly serious rain more like a sprinkling of mist over a fevered brow. 

We are now on Stretton Aqueduct crossing the A5 Watling Street. That road gets everywhere.

Just look at the stone dressing on those columns. Bridges and aqueducts were built as things of beauty. It's a sadness that today everything is governed by cost. 

Here we are looking back towards Brewood, pronounced Brood. It's a lovely town but we really wanted to push on and cover as much distance as we could. 

Today we had our first sighting of a Kingfisher. It was the captain who actually caught sight of the flash of blue, I missed it totally. 

Another lovely bridge and look at the balustrade around the top. All for show and no expense spared. 

Passing the Wolverhampton Boat Club just before we reach Autherley Junction and turn onto the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. Otherwise known as the Staffs and Worcs. 

Immediately before the junction is a stop lock. As we were leaving the lock another boat tried to turn into the canal. It is a sharp turn and a blind entrance but a toot on the horn gave him enough warning to back out and let us exit first. 

Having spent much of the day on wide canals it was a complete change to experience the narrows. This is a narrow cutting through the rock with only three passing places. Fortunately, noone was coming the other way. 

We stopped about 2 miles further on at Cross Green near the Anchor Inn. 

Sunday night and roast chicken again. A bit more rain but it didn't last long. 

Knighton

 Lucky me, only 5 locks today. 

Before we set off we walked into Market Drayton for a bit of shopping. After that we emptied the loo and admired one of the trad boats heading down to Audlem.

Within a mile of setting off, the first of the Tyrley Locks. 

A lovely set of locks surrounded by trees. 

But have a look at the rock that the navvies had to get through. No JCBs, no diggers, just pick axes and dynamite. 

We made it to the top lock in just under an hour. Pretty good going for us since one of the gates refused to open until I stopped trying to force it and gently pulled the gate with one hand. 

We're now entering Woodseves Cutting. A very narrow cutting where we were advised to travel at 2mph only. 

This landslide shows you why we need to keep our speed down and not create a wake. 

Because of the depth of the cutting the bridges are spectacularly tall. 

In many places the towpath was running with water. Luckily this stretch was all stone but there was plenty of evidence of landslips where water was seeping through the soil. 

Once we got out of the cutting we could see in the distance The Wrekin - a grey hump in the middle of the picture. 

We found some mooring rings before Knighton in what we thought was a nice quiet place. Surprise, surprise, the local farmer had other ideas and was combining the field right next to us until late in the evening. There he is going over the bridge. 

Actually it didn't disturb us at all and we are glad that there are people like him keeping the country fed. 

On to Market Drayton

 They never tell you when you get married to check the length of a girl's legs. That's why I've ended up doing 16 locks today. You remember, long legs and you can step across the lock gates. 

I even started the day off by walking to the first lock. Here's the captain driving the boat away from the mooring. 

It's interesting to note the different types of huts used by the lock keepers and linesmen. 

Some big, some small. 

We actually made good time getting to the top of the Audlem flight. Only a couple of hours to clear 11 locks. At the top lock (above) there is a small canalside stall with homemade pies and pasties, cakes, cold drinks, etc. We bought a couple of pasties and a pork pie and supper and lunch respectively. 

Then on to Adderley Locks. Note, the captain's still driving. 

Mind you we did get stuck on the ledge at one of the locks and I had to forgo any intelligence I may have had and resort to brute force to get us off. The only problem with brute force is that I was sitting on the narrow gunwale with my back against the cabin and when I extended my legs to get us moving I nearly slid off into the canal. To avoid that calamity I quickly slid along and gracelessly lowered myself backwards into the well deck at the front. Now, not a pretty sight but try to imagine me on my back, legs in the air, in a narrow space thinking: how do I get out of this position? I managed somehow but the captain was quite concerned for my safety since she couldn't see what was going on. I'm sure that someone with shorter legs would have done it more gracefully. 

A glance back at the turnover bridge. As you look at the bridge, the horse would come along the towpath, through the arch, over the bridge on the right hand side and recommence towing on the left hand side. 

A nice welcome sign as we enter Market Harborough. 

The renovated canalside in the centre. 

And, at the weekend, a floating market. It seems to be doing a good trade already and it's only Thursday. 

Not all the old buildings have disappeared. 

We moored up close to the road into town. We also helped a Canadian boater to squeeze in behind us and I had fun playing with the ropes to give him a bit more room to get in. 

No walks today, I've already walked nearly 3 miles just up and down the locks. 

Should sleep well. 

Memories of Audlem

 We set off from Nantwich at around 11 o'clock. 

Passing the moored boats, someone called to us that there was a buzzard in a tree opposite.

Being up on an embankment meant that we were level with the top of the tree and had a good view of this bird of prey. 

Next, just round the corner, Nantwich Aqueduct. 

The Nantwich Aqueduct is a radical 1826 civil engineering design by Thomas Telford that uses a lightweight cast-iron water trough instead of heavy traditional stonework. 

And here we are floating across the main road. 

The first lock of the day at Hack Green. Please note that I drew the short straw and the captain is driving today. It was all carefully explained to me that because my legs are longer I can step across the lock gates to shut them both. 

At Hack Green there is a 'Secret Nuclear Bunker.' Usually there is a sign to this effect but I missed it this time round. 

Remember the mile posts on the Macclesfield Canal, all stone. Well these are the cast iron ones on this canal. 

We are now at the foot of the Audlem flight of 15 locks. 

18 years ago on our first ever trip in Polgara, this is where it started to snow. Something we had not prepared for. The captain looked like Michelin Man in jumpers and waterproofs. 

3 locks done and we're at the Shroppie Fly. This is where the snow had started to settle. 

Audlem Mill, next to the Fly, is up for rent and the lovely shop is no longer there. 

The entrance to these locks is very narrow and the bye wash is quite strong. It's a given that you won't enter many of the locks without touching the sides. 

We went through one last lock and then stopped for the night. We didn't fancy tackling the remaining 11 locks straight off, so we went for a walk instead.

Our first stile of the day.

The second one was a bit superfluous, just standing in the middle of the field. 

What an imposing church. The church stands on a hill in the middle of the village. We had a good old mooch around the town and then back to the boat. 

We were lucky to get a mooring because there is going to be a gathering of old working boats this coming weekend and various moorings have been reserved for participants. Mind you, we did get stuck on the shelf which we noticed when the boat started to lean over at an angle. For some reason this canal was built with a shelf along most of its length. Many folk have tyres floating in the water to keep a distance from the bank. All we did was to push the boat out a bit and kept our fingers crossed. 

A peaceful night was had by all with no odd bumps in the night.