From Brewood to Gnosall

Friday 12th July, 2013 at Gnosall.
Another beautiful day - could this actually be summer? This is wonderful!
After breakfast, we walked into Brewood to buy a "few bits".  We're so glad we took the trouble because we discovered all sorts of little gems of shops: Maiden's the Butchers, Cooper's the Grocers and delicatessen, a bakery and a rose covered haidresser's shop.

But best of all, we found "Lazy Days" the lovely tea room.  Everywhere we went, we were warmly welcomed.  How nice!

Speedwell Castle (below) is a curiosity on the Market Square, supposedly built with the winnings on a horse of the same name! He must have got very good odds!

At Wheaton Aston, R washed down the starboard side (we did the port side and roof yesterday), then we topped up with water and diesel at Turner's, renowned for his good diesel prices.

A lovely gentle cruise to Gnosall followed. Just before Gnosall is a narrow cutting the sides of which are about 70 ft high.

At the end is a short tunnel, cut straight from the rock. Incredible to think that both the cutting and the tunnel were cut out with just picks, shovels, wheelbarrows and the occasional stick of dynamite.

Thomas Telford was the engineer on the Shroppie and is renowned for the massive alternating cuttings and embankments needed to maintain a 20 mile stretch of canal with no locks.
There were many boats moored all through Gnosall, but we found a pretty mooring opposite the Boat Inn and across the water from Terry Robertson's house.

Terry was our instructor on our Helmsman's Course in 2009 and R had already called him in the hopes that we could get together.  Unfortunately he is away on the Grand Union on his boat "Shropshire Lass", but we hope to get together at the Huddlesford Hertitage Gathering in September as we should be able to get there in time.
 Our good friends Annie and Paddy also live here in Gnosall but unfortunately they are also away at the moment, but we hope to see them early next month.
Today: 8 miles, 1 lock and 3.5 hours.
Trip: 215 miles, 180 locks and 178.4 hours.