Autherley to Market Drayton

Thursday 10^th July

Autherley to Brewood

James went to get some last minute things from Morrisons, and, halfway to the bridge, realised that he was still wearing his slippers! Having then put his shoes on, he was still not having a great morning, because he was soon having a conversation with the self-checkout machine:  

He scanned the first item.

“Please place the item in the bag” 

He tried to open the plastic bag and failed. 

“Please place the item in the bag”  

Still struggling to open the bag. 

“Please place the item in the bag” 

“Yes alright, alright! I’m going as fast as I can” 

“Assistance is coming”

Finally getting the bag open, he triumphantly placed the item in the bag.

“Please remove the item from the bag”

“You must be joking”

“Please remove the item from the bag”

“ I guess you’re not!”

A 14 year old with a card came along and swiped it across the screen and said “Carry on!”

 “Can you get me a zimmer frame? I think I’m too old to reach the door without one” No he didn’t really say that but he felt like it.

Sanity was restored a little later when we saw a beautiful kingfisher catching the sun as it flew past.

The Oxford Canal and the Trent and Mersey are contour canals, which avoid the hills as much as possible, and therefore twist and turn a fair bit. The Shropshire Union is what is known as a “cut and fill” canal, which tends to go much straighter, cutting through the hills, and using the spoil to build huge embankments.

There are some very narrow sections along here, cut through rock, so we had to keep our eyes open for oncoming boats.  At one point we went under Avenue Bridge, which is ornate, with balustrades. This was built when the canal cut through the drive to Chillington Hall, owned by the Giffard family since the 12^th century.

Narrow section

Avenue Bridge

Brewood moorings

We moored in Brewood, where the canal is also in a cutting.  In the evening we walked ¾ mile to the cricket club, which Brewood Acoustic Music Club uses as their venue every Thursday. Tonight was a singer’s night (i.e. no guest artist). We sang A Long Way Down and Well Well Well. Everybody had two songs only, as there were a lot of people taking part, many of whom were very talented. We were given a lift back to the boat.

Chris doing a sound check

We were greeted by the sight of a dead mouse on the carpet. The joys of cat ownership. But who owns who?

0 locks, 5 miles, 1 mouse, 1hr40

Friday 11^th July

Brewood to High Offley

On the visitor moorings we had spotted BCF boat Parentis, which we had last seen in Birmingham at Hawne Basin and the Black Country Festival last year. We went to introduce ourselves to Jon and Maggie, as we had only seen them in passing last time. Parentis went first, and we followed.

Jon and Maggie on Parentis

We soon crossed the A5 on an ornate aqueduct, where cars and lorries were rushing along while we gently passed overhead.

A5 aqueduct

We stopped to use the facilities in Wheaton Aston, just after an isolated lock, and then we visited the famous garage to get some fuel. At 71.9p per litre it must be one of the cheapest places on the system. Hazel also nipped out to buy some milk.

Wheaton Aston Lock

Later we saw another kingfisher, and also a cormorant.

Cowley Cutting was very dramatic, which high rock walls on both sides.  There was a boat coming through Cowley Tunnel, so we tucked in to the side among bushes to let them pass.  Before we had a chance to pull out again, another boat appeared in the tunnel. In the end four boats passed while we were in the undergrowth. So who’s in a hurry anyway?

Waiting in the bushes

 Cowley Tunnel

There were lots of moored boats, making progress slow. Among them we spotted BCF boat Lyla B.  No one on board.

We wanted to get halfway to Market Drayton, so we didn’t stop at either Gnosall or Norbury Junction.  Pronunciation needs advice around here. Brewood is pronounced “Brood”, and Gnosall is pronounced “knows all”.

Norbury Junction

We passed under High Bridge, with its telegraph pole built in, and we took the compulsory photo.

High Bridge

We ended up at High Offley, where we moored behind Parentis. Later we took some cake and had tea on their boat.

We went for a drink at the Anchor pub, which is like a private house with a bar in one of the front two rooms.  They served Rosie’s Pig cider.  We sat in the garden, and Jon and Maggie joined us. A very pleasant end to the day.

The anchor at High Offley

1 lock, 13 miles, 4hr50

Saturday 12^th July

High Offley to Market Drayton

Parentis left early (as they usually seem to do).  We followed about an hour later.

There don’t seem to be any marinas on this part of the canal, but there are lots of boats moored on farmland, and it means that navigation is slow along here.

Lots of moored boats

We were soon high above the countryside on the Shebdon Embankment, where they had a breach five years ago, when we were due to come this way last. We had to return from Chester via the Trent and Mersey instead.  This time we think we spotted where some remedial work had been done, but it was hard to tell.

At the end of the embankment there is an old Cadbury’s factory where goods were shipped to and from Bournville by narrowboat. This was soon followed by Woodseaves Cutting, with a very high bridge, called High Bridge. There must be a history to the names of some of these places.

Cadbury’s factory

 Woodseaves Cutting

High Bridge

Tyrley Top Lock

Tyrley Locks was good – boats going both ways. We met a lady who saw our Christian logos and said “Are you coming to St Mary’s tomorrow?”  “Yes”, we said, as we had already checked out the churches and decided to go to that one.

As we came down through lock 3 we saw that lock 4 was against us, even though a boat had come up through it.  There was no boat in sight at lock 4, so we came out of 3, not sure why 4 had been emptied.  Then we saw a boat coming up in 5.  He had obviously set 4 as well. He was on his own, and it turned out to be Brian and his dog Ghost on Kyle. We were moored with them at the Pershore River Festival last year.  He explained that because of rocks below the water it was impossible to moor up between the two locks, so you have to set them and steer down the middle from one to the other.  When we came to use the locks, we found a notice, attached to the lock beam, to say exactly that.

Rocky walls at Turley Locks

                       

Coming out of the locks, we came across a BCF boat, Cockney Sparra 2, with David and Susan Allen, moored a little way before the Market Drayton Visitor moorings. We had seen them last year on the Staffs and Worcs.

Typical Shropshire Union milepost

At Market Drayton moorings there was one space left, two boats in front of Parentis.

Hazel went shopping, returning by bus.  James went for a stroll to see who was there. No one else we knew.  Last time there were lots of rabbits on the playing field. This time not one.

5 locks, 9 miles, 3hr50

Sunday 13^th July

Market Drayton

We walked to St Mary’s church where we received an excellent welcome.  There was a music group with keyboard, and two other instruments that we couldn’t see behind the music stands. They could have done with more volume. Everyone was asking if we knew Malcolm and Stephanie Grey-Smart.  We also met the mother of the lady on the locks, but the lady herself was not there.

St Mary’s, Market Drayton

 Before the service

Timber framed buildings in Market Drayton

We had lunch at Red Lion – can’t cook roast potatoes, otherwise good. It is a micro brewery (Joule’s)

We bought a new iron in Argos, and some provisions in Lidl, before going back to the boat for zzzzzzzzz.  This seems to be becoming a pattern.

In the evening we went to the Methodist Church for @7, with modern worship songs plus a challenging talk from Mark Williamson. This is a churches together event every two months. We met a couple (Paul and Grace Bishop) who had been part of BCF when they had a boat called The Rose of Sharon. They have now sold the boat and bought a house.  They gave us a lift back.

Market Drayton Methodist

Nibbles on board.  No boating today

Stafford to the Shroppie

Saturday 5^th July

Several of the boaters round here seem to know each other, and there appears to be a live aboard boating community.

It was hot enough to warrant putting in fly screens.   There are several things that come through windows, not all of which are welcome:

Air  -  Light  -  Noise  -  Smells  -  Insects  -  Rain  -  Hugo

We took a bus into Stafford. They are very frequent, with several to choose from.  We visited some shops – shoes for Hazel, learning curve for James at Phones4u, maps and bus info from the tourist office.  We visited the “Collegiate Church of St Mary”, where there was an impressive display of embroidered kneelers

Collegiate Church of St Mary, Stafford

The Church kneelers on display

We had a very economical lunch: £1.50 chicken kebab and chips, followed by a visit to Wetherspoons for a drink.  This was a converted cinema where they were showing the Wimbledon ladies final.

We did some sightseeing, going first to St Chad’s, an interesting Norman church, followed by the museum, housed in an ancient timber framed house on four floors.  Called the ancient High House, it is the largest timber-framed town house in England, built in 1595.

 

 

Ancient High House, Stafford

 

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses spreading the word in Stafford

Then a visit to Sainsbury’s and Wilkinson’s before catching the bus back.

Nibbles and wine in the evening.

No boating

Sunday 6^th July

Stafford

Back by bus into Stafford (aren’t these bus passes useful?). Then breakfast at the Butler’s Bell  -  eggs benedict was excellent.  This was another Wetherspoons pub. Two in Stafford!

A quick return to Sainsbury’s and Wilko to check out picture frames for our canal map – no use.

Then to morning worship at Trinity Church, a Methodist / URC establishment. The theme was discipleship. The reading was the calling of Samuel.  Well-known hymns led by a talented lady on piano.

Trinity Church, Stafford

Back by bus to the boat, before setting off.  After a few yards, James remembered that he had planned to inspect the propeller, so we tied up again after the bridge, and removed the mangled remains of some item of clothing.

We only went one mile to just past Stafford Boat Club, where we found a lovely mooring with a meadow on one side, and a field on the other. 

Moored south of Stafford

We had a little doze, and were woken up suddenly as we were hit by a passing boat that couldn't keep a straight line. No other boats coming or going. Mumbled apologies.  We noticed some empty beer cans on the boat.

Then we watched the Wimbledon men’s final. A nail biter of a match between Federer and Djokovic.   In the middle of it we were hit by another passing boat!  Again some apologies. The helmsman must have been about 14.

After the tennis, we took a walk to the lock and back to savour the evening air and see who was about.  A beautiful sunny evening.

Evening sun

As we went to bed there was a bird singing in the dark. From the song description in our bird book it could have been a sedge warbler.

0 locks, 1 mile, 0hr35

Monday 7^th July

Stafford to Gailey

A sunny start to the day, with several boats coming down, leaving Deptford Lock in our favour with a small lock queue above it.

Acton Trussell seems to be a modern village, affected by the noisy M6 just across the fields.  The church was isolated in farmland. Perhaps the village moved due to plague?

Under the M6

The canal went under the M6 (and so did we!), bringing us into Penkridge. Hazel went shopping, while James used some hot water for a shower (not enough earlier).

We met the guy on Matthew Flinders, who used to moor on the Wey in Pyrford Marina.

After Penkridge Lock we used the facilities, and while the water tank was filling, James nipped to the convenience store for eggs and black olives.

The canal returned to the M6 for a while, and we moored at the first available quieter place, above Bogg’s Lock 34.  Cloudy

The M6 thunders past

Longford Lock

What’s the spiky thing for?

There was a strange looking piece of lock furniture at Longford Lock – a thin vertical iron bar with a rounded top. Does anyone know what it might have been used for?

9 locks, 7 miles, 4hr35

Tuesday 8^th July

Gailey to Hatherton

There was heavy dew early and morning mist, followed by bright sunshine.

Morning mist

We ascended the final two locks to Gailey. A hire boat was following us up the locks and he was asking directions to the Black Country Museum, followed by Chester!  He has two weeks.

We disposed of some rubbish at Gailey, as we seemed to have emptied lots of things since Penkridge yesterday.  The round tower here is one of the features of this canal.

Gailey Round House

At Calf Heath Wood, some years ago they built a chemical factory on the towpath side, with pipes going across the canal to other buildings in what had been a perfectly good wood.  Now the newer buildings seem to have been mostly demolished, but the pipe bridges remain.

Chemical factory at Calf Heath Wood

We passed Calf Heath Marina, but couldn’t see any BCF boats, even though there are some listed in the BCF directory.

Then came the junction with the Hatherton branch, which used to lead eventually to the Curly Wyrley at Pelsall (Fishley Lane Bridge). There are plans to restore this through route.

Hatherton Junction

Just after this there is an old moat by the canal, with just a square island in the middle. Presumably thus once had a fortified house.

We moored for the day just before Moat House Bridge (Br 74).

We did a lot of washing -  clothes, the boat roof, the plates and cutlery

Hugo caught a small bank vole.

Then came some heavy rain, which we had anticipated. It rinsed off the boat roof nicely.

2 locks, 4 miles, 1 mouse

Wednesday 9^th July

Hatherton to Autherley (Shropshire Union Canal)

Rain in the night meant that the hood was all wet.  Two herons were sitting in the middle of the field opposite, wondering why they weren’t catching any fish.

Just round the corner, sandwiched between the M54 and the sewage works, we came upon a fishing competition just after bridge 70. It is a strange experience, boating through long carp rods.  The fishermen leave it till the very last minute before getting their rods out of the way.   Some lift them up; some move them to one side, either towards us or away from us. Others withdraw them, taking them apart as they go. This usually means it is time to replace the bait. 

Fishing competition

Under the M54 bridgeworks were taking place with scaffolding and protruding planks narrowing the canal.  Perhaps this was practice for what came next – a “Very Narrow Cutting” according to the Nicholson Guide.  It was cut out of rock, with a passing place at one point. Thankfully we met no other boats.

Rock cutting passing place

 

Thankfully our boat is narrow too

In fact we had met no other boats all morning, but just after the cutting there were two boats coming towards us. Then a short gap and two more, then another single one, then number six was a Viking hire boat called Torvern.  There was a BCF logo in the window, and it turned out to be Malcolm and Anne Jones from Bristol, with sister Christine and daughter Ruth.  Both boats found reverse gear with lots of revs, and we tied up to the big concrete pillars under Blaydon Road Bridge, and had tea and cake on the hire boat.

 

BCF boat hirers

After a sociable hour of catching up, we moved to Autherley Junction. A boat was just emerging, and turning to port to head in our direction, so we held back and waited for them. By the time we were turning in (bow thrusters are useful) there was another boat waiting, coming from Wolverhampton direction.

Autherley Junction

Autherley Stop lock drops down into the Shropshire Union with a fall of about two inches.  The guide says it was there to stop the Shroppie stealing water from the Staffs and Worcs, but if that were so, wouldn’t the lock have been the other way round, going up into the Shroppie?  Perhaps it was there to ensure that boats stopped and paid their dues.

We paused at the shop to buy a fender – no joy. We did collect July’s copy of Towpath Talk and Tillergraph.

We discovered that there is no elsan point here, despite one being shown in Nicholson.

We moored just before bridge 2, by poking our mooring pins into holes in the concrete piling, and then we went to visit Morrisons.

Moored on the Shroppie

We are hoping the see Malcolm and Stephanie Grey-Smart when we get to Market Drayton, but we have had no replies from them either through Facebook or email.

We also phoned Chris, the lady who is running the folk club in Brewood tomorrow night, just to check things out. It sounds fine.

1 lock, 5 miles, 2hr15

Hopwas to Stafford

Tuesday 1^st July

Hopwas to Streethay

As we were leaving Hopwas, past the visitor moorings, we spotted a grass snake swimming in the water. That’s two this year!  Then we entered the beautifil Hopwas woods, where James once had a conversation with an owl.

 

Hopwas woods

There was then a convoy of  boats coming the other way, we counted at least seven. This happens when there are no locks to separate out the boats, and everyone decides to leave at once.

At Hademore we noticed that the badger setts were very active.  There is some piling opposite, so one day we may decide to stay there overnight and keep watch.

It was very hot and humid. We passed Huddlesford Junction, which is the eastern end of the Wyrley and Essington Canal, under restoration.

We spied a good mooring at bridge 84 – Stoney Step Bridge, where there was piling and shade and a wide towpath, so we decided to stop. We got the chairs out on the bank and enjoyed a pleasant rest in the shade.  Hugo seemed very relaxed – no nervous reactions to yesterday’s episode with the dogs.

Relaxed Hugo

0 locks, 4 miles, 1hr45

Wednesday 2^nd July

Streethay to Handsacre

One disadvantage of shady moorings is that trees drop little spots of sap, plus bits of twig, and our roof was well decorated by the morning. 

Six  boats went past before we set off. We also saw Ein Cariad (BCF boat), with Bernard and Anne Hughes seen last year in August near Kinver.

At Fradley James walked down one lock to empty a cassette as there is a bit of a gap before the next facilities.  As we went through the little swing bridge, and turned left onto the Trent and Mersey Canal, we joined a line of boats waiting for the locks. We were 4^th in the queue.

At Fradley there are permanent moorings for several boats between the locks, leaving space for only one boat on the lock bollards.  Other boats in the queue have to hang onto them or tread water in the middle. A silly arrangement.  CRT should remove some of the moorings and make them for lock use only. Victor Meldrew.

A New Song came down the locks, Brian and Jean Branch (BCF)

As we cruised through the lovely countryside above the locks, we couldn’t help but think about HS2, which will cross in three places within a mile, ruining this beautiful stretch of canal.  

We moored at bridge 56, just before Handsacre.  There was another boat called

Ormiston, and the lady had a cat called George. He and Hugo seemed to get on fine, lying a few feet from each other, and with no arguments.

3 locks, 8 miles, 1 swing bridge, 4hr00

Thursday 3^rd July

Handsacre to Wolsey Bridge

The route from here goes past the Armitage Shanks factory before going through Armitage Tunnel, which had its roof removed in 1971, and then a concrete bridge was put over the top to carry the A513.  The canal cutting is very narrow, with no room to pass another boat, so Hazel walked on ahead to stop any boats entering from the other end.

Armitage Tunnel approach

Armitage Tunnel

Just after Hawkesyard Hall is a water tap with very good pressure, so we stopped to fill our water tank.

Then we passed the ugly power station with its cooling towers, before mooring just before bridge 66 at Rugeley for shopping.

First stop was Morrisons, just south of the canal, as they market their own brand of cider, almost certainly made by Weston’s.  Sadly they didn’t have any.  The shop was really busy, and the checkout queues were long, so Hazel went off to do one or two other bits while James packed and paid for everything.

Back to the boat to stow all the cold stuff, and have lunch before going to the brand new Tesco just north of the canal. There James came away with some Wyldwood cider.

When we left the mooring, we found we were following a very slow boat. Tickover is fine when passing moored boats, but when you reach an open stretch of canal you are meant to put on a few more revs, especially if there is another boat behind you.

We crossed the aqueduct over the Trent, noticing how the railings had been nicely painted by a volunteer work party just recently.

Following slowcoach across the Trent Aqueduct

The, just round the corner, our slowcoach in front indicated that he was about to turn in the winding hole.  He was just out for a jolly.

We continued on to the Taft – where we saw Peter and Julie waving from the house, so we stopped for tea (as you do).  Their new dog Amber was full of energy, stealing bits of foliage to play with.

Peter, Julie and Amber by Maid of Oak at the Taft

We moved on to moor at Bridge 70 (Wolseley Bridge) with good views of Cannock Chase.  Ein Cariad went past again.

The electrical wiring challenge

James decided to do some electrical work that needs doing. We have two 12v sockets, which originally were for a small lamp, plus the TV.  When we installed the TV,  we found we needed a signal booster, which also needs a 12v socket, so the lamp was unplugged, and the booster was plugged in.  There is no master switch for the TV so to switch it on or off we have to unplug it. The plan was to combine the wiring for the TV and the booster into one plug, using one socket, and use the other socket for the lamp as originally planned. The lamp has an online switch in the cable.  This part of the operation was successfully achieved. 

The other part of the plan was to replace the unswitched TV socket with a new one that has a switch. When the old socket was unscrewed from the wall, and the new one examined, we discovered that the new one had much smaller brass terminals, and we couldn’t fit the two pairs of wires in.  James decided to use some connector block to reduce the two wires to one, which could then fit easily into the terminals. All that was needed was two short pieces of electric wire. James had one, a red one about two inches long.  He was debating whether there was enough to cut it in half to make two lengths, when along came Mistol.  They went past but Rob had seen the engine hatch open (the electrics had been turned off) and he came back to see what was wrong and if he could help.  He said he had some electric cable on his boat, so we walked up to where he had left Tricia trying to moor. We helped her get the boat tied up, and then Rob produced various bits of cable he had kept “in case”.  Having acquired a suitable short piece of black cable, James was able to connect it all up and it worked!

Rob and Tricia came aboard to help us finish off some wine and nibbles. A very good evening.

Rob and Tricia

0 locks, 7 miles, 3hr00

Friday 4^th July

Cannock Chase to Stafford

Wolseley Bridge mooring

A sunny day to start with.  We got going early (only one boat had already passed), and we waved at Rob and Tricia as we headed for Colwich Lock.  On a previous occasion here we were  boat no12 in a queue, and we didn’t want a repeat of that.

The boat in front was Daydream and they enquired about BCF.   By the time Gabriel was in the lock there were three boats waiting below, including Mistol.

 

Colwich Lock

 

Canalside cottages at Haywood

We caught up with Daydream at Haywood Lock and gave them a BCF leaflet

At Great Haywood junction we turned left into the Staffs and Worcester Canal, and Hazel  stepped off to dispose of our rubbish.

 

Leaving the Trent and Mersey at Great Haywood Junction

 Crossing the Trent once again

Continuing through Tixall Wide we realised that here there was no railway noise as the line went through a tunnel under Shugborough Park.

 

Tixall Wide

 

Tixall Lock

We discovered from walkers that the farm shop at Milford Bridge 105 has now gone, and there is now no right of way over the bridge to the village of Milford. The bridge itself is a turnover bridge, allowing horses to cross from one side of the canal to the other without unhitching the rope.

  Milford Bridge

We moored at Radford Bridge 98, with a plan to take a bus from there into Stafford to do some shopping and sightseeing.

The wallet incident

As we were gathering up phones, keys etc, we discovered that Jame’s wallet was missing.    We both searched throughout the boat several times, looking in ridiculous places (even under the engine hatch!) and decided that he must have lost it or had it stolen.  James had last used it at Morrisons in Rugeley.  It contained credit and debit cards, plus James’s bus pass and driving licence, as well as some cash.

First we rang Morrison’s, and then Tesco, but neither had found it.  The we checked online banking to see if the cards had been used. They hadn’t.  We phoned HSBC and cancelled the cards. New ones are now being sent to our address in Suffolk.

Then Hazel rang Barclaycard to cancel James’s card.  As she was talking with them, James was looking through some other cards he had in a small box, and discovered the Barclaycard, which had not therefore been in the wallet.  Just in time – we were able to stop the cancellation going through.

Then we rang Surrey County Council to arrange a new bus pass. Not so easy.  James has to go in person to a local library to arrange it and pay £5.  He may have to pay for bus rides for a while.

Then we considered the driving licence.  This was the worst problem as we are hiring a car in two weeks to go to Jasmin’s birthday party in Leatherhead. 

We decided to ring the police in Rugeley, and went through a long conversation with someone there.  As James was talking to them, Hazel had another look in James’s shoulder bag, which has several pockets, and found the wallet! We had both looked twice already, but missed it.  BIG SIGH OF RELIEF!

By then it was too late to go into Stafford, and it had started raining heavily, so we decided to stay put, and go in tomorrow instead.  If the buses run on Sunday, we may go in again to go to a church.  Trinity looks good (Methodist and URC combined).

Chilli con carne and strawberries for supper

3 locks, 7 miles, 3hr15