On To Wightwick Manor.

 Tuesday 26th September 2023 at Wightwick Manor.

Our original plan for the week was to take the two boats to Wightwick Manor, a beautiful Arts & Crafts and Pre-Raphaelite house near Wolverhampton. Despite the delays over the weekend, we decided to do a fairly long day and go to Wightwick Manor anyway. MM set off first because M wanted to do some shopping in Autherley.

On the way we passed over the narrow A5 or Watling Street Aqueduct.

We always enjoy looking down on the very straight Roman road below. Not too much traffic today.

This is a canal of contrasts, it is either on an embankment overlooking the countryside or in a deep cutting with trees making an arch above our heads. The trees above are always beautiful in the dappled sunshine.

This is a very ornate bridge that carries a wide avenue towards Chillington Hall, the home of the Giffard family since the 12th century. Ornate bridges like this were often a requirement on the part of wealthy landowners in return for allowing the canal to cross their large estates.

Just short of Autherley Junction, we moored up to go to Morrisons for a "few bits". On the way we passed this public gym equipment in an otherwise uninspiring park on the edge of a housing development. Clearly not much used. Perhaps it would have seen better use in the middle of the development rather than tucked away almost out of sight in a corner. Otherwise, a great idea.

We stopped off at Autherley Junction to see our friends Peter and Annie but sadly it was their day off, We'll try again tomorrow on the way back!.

At the junction, we went through the stop lock and turned south on to the Staffs & Worcs Canal.

Just to the south is Aldersley Junction where the Birmingham Canal climbs through the 21 Wolverhampton Locks. We have been to the top of the locks, and to the bottom, and we have walked much of the locks but never actually done the flight on MM; the last time we tried, the locks were closed for repair for months. One day, perhaps!

At Wightwick Manor, we turned both boats between the two Wightwick locks and moored up for the night. Tomorrow we'll visit the house, just a short walk away.  We joined Jenni on Rufford before dinner for a lovely glass of red wine and some fruit cake!

Today: 11 miles, 4 locks and 4.5 hours.

Trip: 284 miles, 120 locks and 152.4 hours.

Deja Vu Through Gnosall.

 Monday 25th September 2023 in Wheaton Aston.

Our reward for yesterday's trials and tribulations was breakfast together in the excellent Norbury Café this morning.

The café is charming, awash (!) with boating memorabilia and a well stocked little grocery shop behind.

On the shelf above the menu board is a range of Measham ware, highly prized by the old boating community.  M thinks it's hideous!!!

 

MM was moored through the bridge, so R had to back her through the bridge before turning round in the confines of Norbury Junction basin.

Norbury used to be a proper "Junction" as a canal to Shrewsbury once joined the Shropshire Union Canal here. Sadly, all that is left now is a short arm that is used for boat moorings. In its heyday it must have been a very attractive route.

Having got MM facing in the right direction, we set off again towards the south with Rufford following on behind.

Not very long after we had that "Deja Vu" feeling as we re-entered Gnosall past the water point where we moored on Saturday. All credit to whomever had planted lovely little flower beds round each of the two water points.

We contiued on to Wheaton Aston where we found a nice sunny mooring below the lock so that M could put the washing out to dry.

 Today: 8 miles, 0 locks and 3.1 hours.

Trip: 273 miles, 116 locks and 147.9 hours.

Rufford's Flooded Engine Room

 Sunday 24th September 2023 Back in Norbury.

Sunday morning dawned bright and clear but sadly the night had not passed without incident. 

 Strange noises emanating from Rufford's heating system woke Jenni, Will and Ed up in the night. On investigating in the engine room they found some four inches of water flooding the engine room. The bilge pump had not come on automatically as it should have done, so Will switched it on manually and drained most of the water. Unfortunately, the water had been so deep that it had also flooded into the compartment under the engine, which does not have a pump as it should never get wet. Jenni called the Ownershare people who manage the boat while R and M went in to the Gnosall Co-op for the usual  "few bits". Not much traffic, as you can see!

Back at the boats, R got into Rufford's engine room and started bailing water out of the bilge and from under the engine. As this meant standing in the black greasy bilge water, he took his shoes and socks off. Despite scrubbing his greasy feet afterwards, M suggested that R wear socks to bed in the night to protect the sheets from any residual black grease! He was a good boy and dutifully went to bed in his socks!

As the source of the water, some 10 gallons, could not be ascertained, it was decided to return to Norbury, where an engineer could be consulted. In order to go back to Norbury, we had to head south for two miles to find a place to turn around. So, the two boats headed south through Gnosall's Cowley Tunnel.

At the winding hole, we turned both boats, Jenni first, and we waved to each other as we passed by.

"Deja vu" as we came back into Gnosall. We definitely had that "been here before feeling"!

Finally, we arrived back in Norbury where the marina owner assured us the the boat was fine and the water had probably come in from the front well deck. Unusually, Rufford has no drain directly from the well deck, so any water in the front well deck flows in a long pipe to the engine room bilges. Either someone had left a hose running at the front or had got the well deck flooded in a lock.

 We agreed to stay the night in Norbury and meet together for breakfast in the café in the morning.

Today: 7 miles, 0 locks and 3.1 hours.

Trip: 265 miles, 116 locks and 144.8 hours.

Meeting up with Rufford.

 Saturday 23rd September 2023 in Gnosall.

A bright start to the morning as we set off down to Norbury Junction to meet up with Jenni, Will and Ed on their share boat nb "Rufford" which they have for the next week.

From the canal embankment there is a clear view of the Wrekin in the distance standing high above the surrounding plain.

This is the historic "Knighton" site that used to be one of Cadbury's main facilities for making chocolate crumb; all the ingredients and finished product were carried by canal boats. The wharf is now unused, looking quite derelict in fact, and the factory behind now makes Bird's Custard!

Grub Street Cutting's famous "double" bridge with its long since redundant telegraph pole is an iconic image. It looks so bizarre!

Soon after midday we arrived at Norbury, moored up and went to the excellent cafe for coffee (R) and a plate of chips (M). The junction is very picturesque; once the former Shrewsbury Canal joined here on the right of the photo.

Rufford is based here and Jenni, Will and Ed were due to pick her up this afternoon. As Will has had a slight accident, they were pleased and relieved that we will be travelling with them and can help out if necessary.

They arrived mid-afternoon and we helped to unload the car and to load the boat with all the necessities of life for a week. It's astonishing how much "stuff" you need to bring on a shared boat, as all your personal items have to be taken off at the end of allocated time; for example, this includes all bedding and towels.

We agreed to head south and as we left Norbury together, we passed our friend Angela on her boat that moors here.

Gnosall is not far down the canal and we arrived after only an hour or so. We know Gnosall well and are very fond of the town.

We moored up MM temporarily to fill up with water and then moved to moor up for the night behind Rufford; she is just visible through the bridge hole.

It was great to see Jenni, Will and Ed again and catch up with them. We look forward very much to spending the next few days together.

Today: 10 miles 0 locks and 3.7 hours.

Trip: 258 miles, 116 locks and 141.7 hours.

Market Drayton and Tyrley Locks.

 Friday 22nd September 2023 at Goldstone Bridge.

Awoke to a pretty morning and a rainbow in the sky. Lovely!

Market Drayton is only a mile down the canal, so we set off after breakfast intending to have lunch there before tackling Tyrley locks.

This is the famous "Butter Cross" in the middle of Market Drayton; we walked in and we had lunch in the "Buttercross" café overlooking it.

After going to Morrison's for a "few bts", we walked back to MM and set off the mile or so to Tyrley Locks. Just below the lock flight is the colourful character known as "Sid's Nook". He appears to be more and more dressed up each time we pass but goodness knows how, as there is no access from the bank on his side!

The five Tyrley locks are cut through solid rock.  It always amazes us how the trees manage to root into the rock so tenaciously in a way that is positively serpentine.

Our luck still held through the locks as all but one were for us; for that lock there was a single handed boat coming down so M helped the chap through. 

The top lock has a most attractive group of buildings beside it; they have been used for all sorts purposes since the early 19th century - schoolrooms, reading rooms, courtrooms, warehouses etc. Now they are private residences.

The "Shroppie" is a Thomas Telford canal; unlike Mr Brindley, he didn't worry about contours but drove his canals in straight lines through cuttings or over embankments as necessary. Just south of Tyrley is the first major cutting called Woodseaves. The depth of the cuttings can be judged by the height of the bridges that cross them. Tremendous achievements, given that this was all done by hand in the days before mechanical means.

We saw two kingfishers in the cutting. This one stayed on ts branch without moving as we passed. Its head is actually there if you look closely - it is partially obscured by a leaf.

The cutting, being very deep and steep, is quite unstable and there are frequent landslips. This one brought a huge rock down to the dge of the canal.

At Goldstone Bridge, just south of the cuttng, we moored up where we knew there were 48 hour moorings with rings.

Today: 7 miles, 5 locks and 3.1 hours.

Trip: 248 mies, 116 locks and 138.0 hours.

Lots o' Locks

 Thursday 21st September 2023 at Adderley.

A lovely early morning on our last day in Audlem (for now). We were greeted by a clear blue sky but an uncertain weather forecast.

In recent days we have seen a rush of boats doing the Audlem flight very early, so we decided to wait until mid-day before tackling the locks. So, there was ample time for breakfast at No.11. On the way we saw this mobile fish van and M purchased a lovely pair of whole trout fillets for our dinner They were expensive but absolutely delicious.

In No.11, we were tempted by their array of "three storey" cakes but sensibly decided to have a proper breakfast.

A lady customer had a beautiful German Mountain Dog called "Darcy" who was very well behaved but greatly interested in his owner's toasted teacake!

Just after 1:00pm we moved up to the first lock, No.13 on the flight, and then into Lock 12.

The Audlem flight passes through lovely countryside with rural views on either side. Not too many photographs as we were busy with the locks and the rain did come and go all the way up. But the light was clear and very good for photographs. Beside lock 11 is a very attractive counry park, which we gathered is much used for local events.

We had a very "good  road", as narrowboaters call it - out of 13 locks, all but two were for us and those two were  full because another boat was coming down. Beside the top lock is a stall, on the left of the photograph, which sold excellent homemade cakes and we bought a couple for our afternoon tea.

We kept on going and did the five locks of the Adderley flght as well. Our luck held and all but one lock was for us and that was again because there was a boat coming down.

Next to the top lock there used to be a farm stall which used to sell all kinds of meat, pies and cakes including M's favourite pork pies, all homemade or home reared by the neighbouring farm. Sadly it has now gone; we assume that Covid was largely responsible.

Just above the Adderley top lock we moored up for the night. These locks are all about six or seven feet deep and are very easy to do. Good team work, 18 locks at an average of 10 minutes per lock. The mooring must rank as one of the most peaceful we have ever found; the only sounds were birdsong and cows mooing by day, and owls hooting by night. And, apart from two dog-walkers, no one passed us on the towpath for the entire time of our stay. It was bliss!

Today: 3 miles, 18 locks and 10.4 hours (including six days power!)

Trip: 241 miles, 111locks and 134.9 hours.