Adderley (Bottom of Locks) to Market Drayton (Shropshire Union Canal)

Leaving our mooring at Adderley

It had been raining in the night but thankfully by the time we were ready to go, it had stopped but no sun, very overcast and a bit chilly and wet underfoot.

Coming to Adderley Bottom Lock

Working up the Adderley Flight

We have five locks to go up today, Adderley locks.  We weren’t moored far from the locks so I walked to the bottom lock and opened the gates and Kev brought the boat in.  These locks aren’t very deep so don’t take long to fill.

The next two weren’t in our favour, so I had to empty them first but it didn’t take too long and these locks are in lovely countryside. 

Passing the Hotel Butty Duchess

We met the hotel boat Duchess coming down, it is a butty so has no engine and they were pulling it in and out of the locks.  They had left the motor boat at the top of the locks so had to take the butty down first then go back for the motor boat.  Their trips were finished now and they were taking the boats back to their base so there was only two of them.

In Adderley Top Lock

Farm at the top of the flight

Autumn Morning on the Canal

Craning the lock gates off the lorry

We were soon at the top of the flight  where the farm and farm shop is and then chugged on along the canal and moored up in Market Drayton.  We moored opposite Talbot Wharf where there was CRT work boats and they were loading lock gates and beams onto the boats ready for the works they will be carrying out over the Winter. Some were going to Audlem locks and some to Tyrley locks, we knew that as they were all marked up.

And onto the Work Boat

We had lunch then walked up into the town and did a bit of shopping.  We also walked up to The Tin Shed which is an outlet factory, it was really good, it had designer, M&S, Next clothes, it is worth a walk up to it. Also next door was the Supermarket Factory Outlet which sold furniture.

We walked back to the boat and then a while later, Kev trotted off to the Chinese takeaway for our tea.  When we were at Audlem, we had Chinese from this takeaway with our friends and it was really good, so we had to try it again and we weren’t disappointed, it was delicious.

We are staying here now until Monday as tomorrow Storm Brian is coming and so we will batten down the hatches and sit by the fire! 

Moored at Market Drayton