Bridge 24 (Church Eaton) to Gnosall - Shropshire Union Canal

Saturday 6^th to Wednesday 10^th April

The Captain waiting for the off!

Off we go

High OnnWharf

Turnover Bridge

We have stayed put the last few days in a lovely open sunny mooring near the village of Church Eaton, there is not much there only a pub and a church but it does have a bus service so on Monday Kev got the bus to Stafford, he had to walk up to the village about a 20 minute walk to get the bus as it started from there but on the way back it went over the canal so it dropped him off on the bridge near to where we were moored. We had a nice few days there but today we are on the move.

Cowley Cutting

Kev untied and Smugs took his place at the back of the boat and off we went along the canal and the sun was shining although it was a bit chilly.  We went under some bridges and past High Onn Wharf and along a very straight section of the canal.

Reflections in the water

We chugged on and met a couple of boats but the canal was not very busy at all, nice and quiet.  We went under Turnover Bridge, this is where the towpath changes from one side to the other.

We then came to Cowley cutting which has very deep sides but is wide enough for two boats to pass and we did meet a boat here and passed okay.  This section is very wooded and the reflection of the trees in the water was really nice.

Squeeze in!

Cowley Tunnel

Next we came to Cowley tunnel.  This short tunnel was originally intended to be much longer -690yds – but most of it was opened out at an early stage during construction (in 1831) because of dangerous faults in the rock, and now only 81yds remain and the tunnel is unlined.

In we go

In Cowley Tunnel

We chugged through the tunnel although it is more like a wide bridge and when we came out the other side we were in Gnosall and we moored up in the visitor moorings before the next bridge.

Out we come

Kev took Smugs for a walk and when he came back, we had lunch and then I went for a walk down to the Bakery, it’s a great shop and does sell lovely bread and lots of other things as well.  I then walked on down the road and up the other road to the hairdressers where I went in and made an appointment to have my hair cut tomorrow then walked on up the road and back to the boat.

Smugs was sat outside as Kev was doing some work in the front of the boat.  It has been a lovely sunny day but quite chilly, I think we will be having a fire this evening.

We are now staying here for a few days, then on Sunday we will chug off again just a few miles though not too far, you know us can't travel too far in one day, that would never do!

Moored at Gnosall