Goldstone to Market Drayton - Shropshire Union Canal

Friday 26^th to Sunday 28^th April

Mandarin Duck on the towpath

Friday – We met our friend’s Sheila and Tony and their lovely dog Brock and had an excellent lunch in The Wharf Tavern and a lovely afternoon when they came back to our boat for a cup of tea catching up and having lots of laughs.  It was great to see them and we will catch up with them again soon when we get to Audlem.

Saturday – It was a washout and very windy so we were confined to barracks.

Coming to Woodseaves Cutting

Woodseaves Cutting

Today (Sunday) we are on the move a few miles to Market Drayton and we have the five locks at Tyrley to do.

Lots of Rock

Still in the Cutting

We set off along the canal, it was dry but overcast and quite chilly.  We soon came to Woodseaves Cutting, a deep rock cutting.  It is very impressive as it was cut out entirely by men without powered machines.  It is less than a mile this section but you can only pass boats in certain places, we were lucky today as the canal was quiet and we got through there without seeing a boat.  You can see how deep the cutting is by how tall the bridges are.

Very High Bridges

Tyrley Top Lock

We chugged on and soon came to Tyrley Wharf where the buildings there date around 1840.

We got rid of rubbish we had in the bins provided and I filled the top lock and opened the gate.  This is the Tyrley flight of five locks.

One out, one in

Waiting for the next lock

We were soon through the first one and a boat was coming up so I left the gates open and Kev waited for them to come out the lock then we went onto the next lock.

Going down another lock

These are nice locks in lovely countryside but quite a lot of trees and they are not very deep so don't take too long to get through.  There was another boat coming up so we did the same again and when they came out the lock Kev went in and they went on to the lock we had just come out of.

Coming to another one

Fierce side wash today

There weren’t any more boats coming up, so Kev sorted out lock four and I went down to the last lock to set that as this last pound is very rocky and you can't get into the sides to get off.  I then walked back to the lock Kev was in, opened the gates and he went on to the last lock while I shut the gates on this one.

Tyrley Bottom Lock

We were soon through the last lock and on our way, a couple of boats passed us and then we were at Market Drayton and moored up in the visitor moorings before Bridge 62.

Now that is a tiny boat!

The town is quite a walk from the canal, but we needed some food shopping, so we walked up into the town.  There are quite a few shops including a small Asda,  a Morrison’s and a Lidl. We got all our supplies and then headed back to the boat.

We are staying here a few days now as on Tuesday we are off to Shrewsbury for a day out and Wednesday is market day in Market Drayton so we shall stay for that, then off we go again getting ever nearer to Audlem!

Moored at Market Drayton