Penkridge nearly.

After leaving Brewood yesterday we moored about two miles out of the village below Hunting bridge. A nice spot adjacent to a vast heady field of rapeseed where we washed clothes and boat.

We had planned to get up early today and make our way to Penkridge but best laid plans and all that, we woke at 9:00 and got going at 10:00. It was a threatening sky on the way to Autherley Junction where once FL is through the 6" stop lock we turned left onto the Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal, the sun came out and the jumpers came off.. A very narrow cutting where you pray you don't meet oncoming traffic is passed before we duck under the M54 motorway an east/west route in & out of north Wales.

The canal continues on the level (without locks) snaking around the contours of the landscape to Gailey where we fill the water tank and dump what needs dumping. Here is our first lock for a while then a second and third ... that will do for today ... we are insight of Boggs lock, which will be the first lock for tomorrow, two miles short of Penkridge.

Longhorns

Hayfever sufferers beware.

Moored below  Hunting bridge

Waiting for Autherley Junction stop lock

Blossom on the water.

Deepmore Bridge.

First goslings of the season.

I have been researching how Devils Garden on the river Weaver got it's name, the best explanation is from Frodsham's Brewery who also make an ale using the name....must try it!

"It would seem that Devils Garden is a name the locals have given to an ex marl quarry in Kingsley. When the quarry closed it became a marshy area and it is reputed that animals including dogs and even people have fallen in NEVER to be seen again!"

Brewood

Had a walk around Wheaton Aston, used the Spar shop for supplies, a visit to the canal side garage  for some kindling, they sell red diesel for 57.9p per litre, unfortunately FL's tank is full. We decided to get going even though the sky's were darkening.

As we pulled away from the bank I held back while a boat reversed through Tavern bridge and winded at the winding hole, a great piece of manoeuvring in these conditions, without the use of an electric pole button.

Purchased 4 rope side fenders from a boater on the water point before Wheaton Aston lock our first lock since Market Drayton 17 miles away.

We had a short journey to Brewood where there would be an excellent butcher's and a glass of Marston's Pedigree in The Bridge waiting.

Free range apart from the fenced enclosure in Wheaton Aston.

NB Neglect.

Thought of Ernie.

Wheaton Aston

Sue collected our package  from Gnosall post office and we got away from the bank at midday after taking on water. Once through the short  Cowley Tunnel the trip to Wheaton Aston is a rural treat, deep cuttings lead to high embankments and arrow straight sections of the canal passing through some fantastic Staffordshire countryside. Even the rain didn't dampen the enjoyment of the cruise or our spirits. We were safely tied to the bank on the Wheaton Aston 48 hour moorings by 14:30.

Kingfishers are difficult to photo, Sue managed to get this one.

Wood Eaton Bridge..

Rye Hill Bridge.

Straight cut.

Cute duckling hurrying to the side hatch for lunch.

Fed and leaving with siblings.

Errol Brown

We are staying in Gnosall till we receive a package from home which should be here tomorrow. It will also give me a chance to get over a lower back problem that's been niggling for a few days now. The result of too much slouching in the cabin chair maybe. It's true what they say only two groups of people actually bend properly (at the knees) to pick an object off the floor, toddler's and us back sufferers.

Had another explore of the village today. I was surprised to see an open sign on The Navigation Inn as their website says CLOSED TILL FURTHER NOTICE. I went in to find out what was going on, no one else in the shabby looking interior of the bar area except for a relief manager who expects it to be closed for renovations in the next few days.

Had our tea in the Boat Inn, a very popular place, at 17:30 we managed to get the last table available, the food and ale were both excellent.

Boat Inn 

Election day - we won't be rushing to find a polling station as being IOM residents we don't get a vote.

Errol Brown  MBE - was part of one of my favourite bands from the 70's, I was sorry to hear of the Brixton boy's passing.

Gnosall

We were up and away by 07:30 todays forecast was for more high winds and rain. Our plan was to get to Norbury Junction and fill the diesel tank before the weather hit, the plan worked, the cruise to Norbury was mostly in sunshine. After we had filled with 59.9p per litre diesel and grabbed a bag of coal the rain started.

We carried on to Gnosall in the worsening downpour but none of the expected wind. It was still raining when we moored, I walked to the local post office to see if they do the 'Poste Restante' service. They were happy to do it for "passing through" boaters, I got the impression continuous moorers would have to make other arrangements.

Pictures from the www as it was to wet to take the camera out today.

St Laurence

Gnosall High Street

Boat Inn Bridge

Two bridges and an MBE fenderer

We were just thinking about moving on this morning when the wind and rain turned up to spoil the day. We decided to stay put while Sue got busy on her latest cross stitch project and the rain stopped I went for a walk to Norbury Junction, although it was still blowing a hooley most of the walk is sheltered in deep cuttings. I was glad I was wearing my wellies as the towpath was a muddy bog in a few places.

There were a couple of interesting bridges I wanted to have a closer look at on the way.

Dual purpose bridge underneath the stone slabs a stream crosses the bridge.

The canal from the bridge

...and the bridge from the towpath

Looking down on the long term moorings at Norbury

High bridge must be the most photoed bridge on the system

High Bridge built in 1833  is a Grade II listed building, the telegraph pole was erected in 1861 by the United Kingdom Electric Telegraph Company now British Telecom.

Cute. 

Opposite the Anchor pub is Mal Edwards MBE (the best people are on the cut) he makes rope fenders from his narrowboat Becky, we needed a new front fender and a bigger button on the stern so I popped over to see him and came away with two neat fenders.

It's raining, I didn't want to get them wet !

St Mary's, High Offley.

A good day for cruising, no wind and a warm sun in a cloud strewn sky. Leaving Tyrley Wharf behind us, we cruise through the deep narrow Woodseaves cutting with it's high unstable banks. Some reinforcing work has taken place since we were last here, we lost some blacking on the jagged rocky towpath side as we pulled over to allow boats going north to pass.

Wire reinforcing cages filled with rocks will blend into the scene in time.

Popular trees in rows.

Shebdon Embankment

Knighton bridge (46) with Newport road bridge (45) after.

We moored above Anchor bridge at High Offley, you can see the church of St Mary on top of the hill from the canal, we had a nice stroll to look at the village and church.

St Mary's

You can only attend a service on alternative Sundays these days.

From St Mary's we walked down to Lambarts bridge and back along a soggy towpath stopping at the Anchor for a 6X. An unusual establishment as you can see into the landlady's front room from the tiny bar area. It also has a tidy looking touring caravan park in the adjacent field.

The Anchor

We saw Blue Tits going in here.

A Guinness tap tiller pin.

Sue's been baking fruitcake and bread.

Tyrley Wharf.

We had a bit of a hiccup this morning, the engine cut out after running for five minutes. I suspected it was fuel starvation by a blockage in the pick up feed in the tank, remembering what an old sea dog had taught me, I removed the pipe to the water separator sure enough fuel wasn't getting to the separator, just a simple job of connecting a tube to the tank side fuel olive and blowing to clear the blockage. Connected it all back and she fired up....I will need to get the bottom of the tank cleaned at some point.

We set off with Roly on board who had kindly offered his help to get us up the Tyrley locks. Bev walked Phantom aka Psycho and Freddie up to the top lock where we said our goodbye's till we meet at our winter moorings in Stone.

I keep trying to get Sue to do the lock gate step over, but for some reason she refuses... say's her legs are too short!

Photo opportunity at Tyrley top lock. Thanks for the help Roly.

We filled the water tank got rid of the dumpables and moored on the 48hour  Tyrley Wharf visitor moorings  Sue is baking cakes and bread while I have had the paint brushes needle and thread out to stitch up a few loose zip seams in the cratch cover. This cover needs to last until we get a new cover later this year.

This pair are as hard as nails, no one in Market Drayton messes with them, they are not afraid of anything along the towpath.... barking dogs just get a steely stare. They don't have much of a voice and don't like the water.

Market Drayton.

We moved up the Audlem flight, at one lock I looked up to the next and noticed a volunteer lock keeper opening the gate for us. You can always tell a volockie by the uniform -  blue shirt, auto life jacket and flap cap. Great, I told Sue to close the lock up we were exiting.

I apologised to the single handed boater at the next lock for shutting the gate on him, I explained why, he wasn't a happy bunny even though Sue offered to walk back and open up for him, well don't get up in the morning and decide to dress like a volockie then mate!

We stopped two locks short of the flight of 15 paint brushes were out to put a bilge coat on the rear deck gutter.

Gutter painted, the weed hatch (in red) was painted while we were on the Weaver.

Today after we washed the starboard side of FL's paintwork we continued up the last two Audlem locks, we still needed fleece's even though the temperature was up on the last few days. Sue bought some shortbread from the farmers wife at the top lock.

After a mile of cruising through mainly dairy farms we start the climb up the five Adderley locks, here we met up with Jill and Malcolm who are moorers at Aston Marina.

Time for a catch up with Jill

Fields of yellow Rapeseed flowers.

We are now moored at Market Drayton in front of friends Bev & Roly on NB Klara. It's always fun meeting up with this laid back jocular Welsh duo. Later we all met up with Rob & Sally at the Talbot A great night was had with good ale, food and very good company.

Saturday - We walked into Market Drayton to get some supplies, we also needed some sitting out on the bank chairs. We found chairs in a discount store, so we will be ready for the next bout of sunshine...it's raining at the moment. A quick stop at the local Weatherspoons for a late breakfast before I returned to FL with the seats and Sue went on to Morrisons.

Cross stitching

When I was in the Shroppie Fly the other day, I was imagining the 19C boaters and their families enjoying an ale at the bar and get togethers for celebrations. How wrong was I, the Shroppie Fly used to be an old warehouse and was only converted to a pub in 1970 long after the real working boats were gone. 

A 100 yards from the converted warehouse is another canalside tavern the Bridge Inn this was built in 1830, so that's the one with the history in it's fabric, I thought I would try it out before we left the area. I wasn't impressed, not welcoming at all, the Pedigree was cloudy and pulled by a sour faced bar person, a huge TV over the fireplace was on and loudly showing a Japanese ninja assault course program, the interior has been bashed about and extended to such an extent I don't think any of the old boaters would recognise it. I didn't stay, I went back to the 1970's pub because even though it hasn't any 19C history it's very friendly and the beers good.

If you have ever wondered what Sue is up to while I paint or walk to the pub, here it is, Sue can spend hours at a time looking through a magnifying glass to get the stitches in the right place.  

Iron Bridge

Mile marker at Aston lock, the halfway point on the T&M

Bygone era.

To remind us of that other home.