I wrote this a few days ago but have only been able to post it today Thursday 13 June as I now have an excellent signal at Acton Trussell which may have something to do with the M6 junction 13 nearby.
The weather has changed with a day of cloud and showers with more forecast to come. The Shropshire Union Canal was one of the last to be built 1830-1835 and Telford used very impressive building techniques ie bold embankments and deep cuttings. The amount of material the navvies moved using only hand tools and horse and carts is just mind blowing.
We walked into Brewood (pronounced Brood) the other day and had lunch and very good coffee in
The Mess Bistro in the Market Place which was excellent.
We have now nearly completed our journey down the Shroppie which has been a delight despite the shelf which has made mooring a bit of a problem. We are moored just past bridge 8(Tuesday11th) and tomorrow weather permitting should see us turn left at Autherley Junction and head north up the Staffs & Worcester Canal towards Great Haywood.
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| A sign as you enter the 80ft deep Woodseaves Cutting |
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| In a very atmospheric cutting |
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| I thought these were strange bushes but we think they are some sort of thistle |
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| Going towards the first of the Tyrley Locks in another cutting |
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| I think this could be the equivalent of a Thames River launch on the Canal |
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| The unlined Cowley Tunnel near Gnosall only 81 yards (pronounced No-zull) cut through solid sandstone |
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| A view of busy Norbury Junction although a junction no more as the branch down to Newport closed a long time ago. |
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| With so many embankments on the Shroppie, Brindley had these stops locks at each end, if there was a breach they would automatically close |
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| Another stop lock but a different style |
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| Another of the fine bridges in a Shroppie cutting Avenue Bridge 10 |
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| A strange place to moor a boat at Stretton Wharf |
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| There really are some strange boats on the canals! |
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| This is more like a river cruiser in need of some tlc at Stretton Wharf |
