Apart from a single sharp, but mercifully brief shower, today was a delightful bright and sunny day. Everyone enjoyed being outdoors in this weather.
The adults overslept and the two girls kept very quiet, reading or ipadding (or whatever the proper term is) We managed to cast off just after 9:30 with minimal crew! However, after an hour we had arrived at Market Drayton and everyone was now on duty.
The mileposts on the Shroppie are white lettering on a black background, the reverse of those of the Trent and Mersey (not all canals by any means have mileposts) This makes them, for some reason, easier to photograph.
We found a convenient mooring close to the signposted track into town. In the centre is the old Buttercross, a sign of how important this was as a market town in the past.
A paper from WHS, a locally made stoneground loaf from the deli, some licorice (for Mike) and a bag of pick 'n mix for Jess, and then the few food items from an Asda! Then back to the boat. It is slightly further than we remembered but only a level ten minutes walk, much of which is through a housing estate that has developed over the area where the bridle path once ran straight into town. Before leaving Market Drayton we took advantage of the service station.
On again and it was not long to Tyrley Locks. On the way, Jess and Alice were provided with phase one of their lunch.
Better than pixie doors, perhaps! Not sure it has planning permission, however.
The approach to the locks is increasingly crowded over by the trees and narrows as the channel and towpath are cut from bare rock.
The Tyrley Locks are reasonably easy to work - just as well as the bottom three needed to be turned but we did meet boats the other way in the top two. At the top lock, one of the boats we have met fairly frequently at locks over the past few days had just turned around at the winding hole for Tyrley Wharf and was about to re-trace its steps. As we progressed up the flight the girls helped with the gates but were mainly on the lookout for more blackberries to pick. They recalled previous summers when on the boat and when we have had blackberry crumble and they suggested it for tonight. Alas the brambles near to the flight had already been well picked so there was a meagre portion! e completed the flight in 40 minutes.
At the top the former wharf buildings have now been converted to a smart dwelling.
It is now a level pound to Wheaton Aston lock, some 17 miles away. The canal is famous for its high embankments and deep cuttings - at this time of the year with not too dry a summer they look most attractive.
But deep cuttings have to be cut at the right angle and some of the Shroppie's were made too steep - probably to save money. Since we came this way last, there was quite a slip and the repairs, with stone gabions, is quite evident.
At one point, Christine spotted some good looking blackberries on the offside close to a bridge. Mike brought the boat to the right point for picking until a boat appeared from the opposite direction so we had to move on. Still not enough for a decent pudding.
Just a short distance later Mike steered the boat to the offside and pointed the bow at a really good set of brambles and Jess, with Christine's help, reached enough for tonight. They did have to ask Mike to move the boat just a few inches every few moments! Jess even tried to see if the boat roof would afford a better location (not a lot!)
At Double Culvert Bridge we moored temporarily to walk up to the top of the bridge. Its name comes from the fact that it was built to carry both a footpath and a stream. Although we could hardly see the stream on either side as it is heavily overgrown, Jess and Alice did discover that the woods around the top level are popular for walking - and also exploring.
Two buffalo amongst a herd of cows.
After a long line of moored boats we saw one that seems to have found its own space.
By now we were near the end of Grubb Street Cutting and the chance of an open mooring just before Norbury Junction with the possibility of a tv signal. As much of the straight section up to the junction is Permit Holders Only we felt quite lucky that there was just enough space before the restricted section.
We are rather pleased to report that the main fault with the blackberry and plum crumble, with either ice cream or home made custard, was that is disappeared far too quickly and longer was spent scraping the dishes for the last morsels
14.1 Miles - 5 Locks
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