Norbury Junction to Gnosall - Shropshire Union Canal

Thursday 24^th to Friday 25^th October

Stop Gate

Thursday – We are meeting our friend Jane today at the Junction Inn for lunch. We walked up to meet her in the car park and when she drove in, she had a passenger, it was her husband Malcolm, we were surprised to see him as we thought he would be working but he had pulled a muscle in his neck which was very painful and he couldn’t move his head and as he drives a tractor he can’t work at the moment, it was lovely to see him and Jane and it was a lovely afternoon with excellent food and great company.

Shelmore Embankment

Coming to a Bridge

Friday – We are on the move today only about two miles to Gnosall but we wanted to go early to beat the rain that is forecast so we set off just after 9am in the dry although it was quite damp and overcast.

Line of Ducks

We chugged along Shelmore Embankment which has stop gates at each end and past Shelmore Wood.

Nice Views

We went under a couple of bridges.  The canal was very quiet today and hardly any boats were moving, we had the canal to ourselves.

Another Bridge

Soon we were approaching Gnosall and went under the old railway line which is now a walking trail and moored up before the next bridge just as it was starting to rain.

We went for a walk up into the village in the rain but it wasn’t too heavy.  There is a pub up in the village called The Horns which when we were last here wasn’t open but today it was so we went in for a drink.

Lots of Trees Here

Mile Marker

Going under the old railway line

Moored at Gnosall

The Landlord was very friendly and said it had only been open three months, it was very nice inside and also very clean. There is a picture on the wall telling the origins of the Horns Inn which basically says that Humphrey Bannister and his father were servants to Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.  The Duke  rebelled against Richard III, the rebellion failed and Richard III offered £1000 to anyone who would turn him in.  Bannister dobbed him in and the Duke was beheaded but Bannister never got the reward as he was deemed a traitor

Bannister then came to Gnosall where he kept a pot house and called it The Horns.  He continued here for a few years and then was publicly executed at Stafford for manslaughter.  An interesting piece of history.

Picture in the Pub

We then walked back to the boat.  We are staying here now for a few days as we are off back to Bristol on Monday for my nephew’s wife Narissa's funeral.  Unfortunately she lost her battle with cancer but she was so brave and such a wonderful person and fought right to the end, she will be greatly missed but always remembered. When we come back, we will move onto Wheaton Aston, a few miles down the canal, where we started our trip back in April.

We have had a lovely trip this year, we especially enjoyed the Llangollen and Montgomery canals and always enjoy the Shroppie.  We have covered three Counties, Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire and we crossed into Wales over the Chirk Aqueduct.  In total we did 203 miles, 119 locks and 19 lift bridges.

Lovely Harry

Ruth and Peter

We managed to meet up with our Audlem family, Jane, Malcolm, Dave, Anthea, Sheila and Tony, Harry and Brock lots of times this year which was great.  I had my 60^th birthday and they helped me celebrate.

We did some dog sitting for friends, we had Smuggler to stay for a month and Harry for a couple of weeks and we thoroughly enjoyed them both staying. 

Jess

Rosslyn, Michael & Griffin

We met up with friends Ruth and Peter who we know from the G&S and also Martyn also from there and met John, Sharon and Smugs in Nantwich and spent a couple of days together before going our separate ways. We made new friends Paul and Jess.

Kev's cousin Lorne and hubby Trevor visited us and we had a lovely evening with them catching up as Kev had not seen her for a long time.  Another of Kev's cousins Rosslyn, hubby Michael and Border Collie Griffin came up for a week and stayed in Overwater Marina in the caravan park and we had a great week with them touring the area by car and also a couple of day trips on our boat.

John, Sharon & Smugs

Audlem Family

Lovely Smugs

Kev's Wares

We experienced the wonderful but terrifying Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and felt like we were floating in the sky! We found new places to visit, lots of cafes, pubs and farm shops.  The weather wasn’t so good this year but it didn’t stop us getting out and about.

Going over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Our Advertising Boards

We are now going to be staying on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal and part of the Shropshire Union canal for the Winter, the same area as the last two Winters as it has worked really well for us.  I am working in Bristol again in the week over the Winter and Kev will spend his time chugging around and staying put for a few days doing jobs and making stock for the floating markets we intend to do next year as we are now official Roving Traders called Gordanneus Crafts making personalised wooden names, photo frames, wall art, animal silhouettes and lots of other things so that should keep him busy over the Winter!

This will be our last post for a while but we will post from time to time so you can all see how we are getting on.

Thanks again for following us, it makes doing this worthwhile when we know our friends and family enjoy seeing what we are up to.  We will be back travelling the canals and rivers of the UK next year and hope you follow us then.

Kev & Sheila

xx

The Anchor, High Offley to Norbury Junction - Shropshire Union Canal

It was quite misty as we set off from our mooring but dry so that was good.  We are just going a couple of miles today to Norbury Junction.

Misty Morning

Passing the Anchor pub

Coming to a Bridge

Grub Street Cutting

We went past the Anchor Pub and on along the canal we went. We soon came to Grub Street Cutting where there are lots of trees each side of the canal which makes it quite dark and dank going through here.  There are some boats which moor on this stretch, they have been there for years but I couldn’t think of a worse place to moor especially in the Winter time.

Still Misty

High Bridge

As we were going along the cutting we came across a day boat which had gone too far into the off side bank and had got stuck but by the time we got to them they were off the side and managed to get going again, otherwise we would have tried to pull them off. These cuttings are cut out of rock and you should stay away from the sides as often there is rocks and boulders under the water which you can get stuck on.

Coming to Norbury Junction

We chugged on and then came to High Bridge with a masonry strut, carrying a short telegraph pole, built across its tall arch.

Norbury Wharf

Cafe at the Wharf

We went on a bit further and then we were approaching Norbury Junction. We went under the bridge, past the Wharf and the Junction Inn, stopped at the services for water, then moored in the visitor moorings a short distance from the services.

Ducks by the Boat

We had lunch then in the afternoon we went out for a walk, down the towpath then down onto the road, under the canal and ended up at the Wharf. There is a café/shop/chandlery at the Wharf so we had a look in there then had coffee and cake sat outside as although it was a bit chilly, it was a dry bright afternoon. We then went back to the boat.

We are staying here for a couple of days now as tomorrow we are meeting our friend Jane for lunch in the pub so looking forward to that. Then on Friday we will chug on to Gnosall.

Moored at Norbury Junction

Bridge 47 to The Anchor at High Offley - Shropshire Union Canal

Off We Go

We are on the move again today and it was dry as we set off from our mooring.

Coming to Shebdon Embankment

We went under a bridge and then was on Shebdon Embankment which has stop gates at each end in case of a breach and then they can shut the gates to hold the water back.

The Old Cadbury Factory

Old Sign on the Old Cadbury Factory

Little House by the Canal!

Pheasants on the Towpath

Also there is a factory there which is now Premier Foods but used to be owned by Cadbury and they used to transport milk powder and chocolate crumb there to the factory at Bournville in Birmingham. We chugged on past there soon came to Shebdon Wharf where Bethsaida Covers moor.  They make boat covers and did ours 10 years ago and we will probably use them again when we have new covers next year.

Shebdon Wharf

Many Moored Boats

As we were chugging along, there was a group of pheasants on the towpath, they all disappeared into the hedge as we got close to them.  There was also a Heron which kept flying in front of us and then landing on the towpath and going off again just before we got to him.

Heron on the Towpath

Off He Goes

Along this stretch there are many moored boats and we chugged slowly past them.  They go on for a couple of bridges and soon we were past them and we moored up just before the Anchor pub at High Offley.

We had lunch and lit the fire as it was another chilly day.  In the afternoon we did a few jobs.

We are staying here tonight then moving onto Norbury Junction in the morning.

Moored at The Anchor Pub

Goldstone to Bridge 47 - Shropshire Union Canal

Saturday 19^th to Monday 21^st October

Cheswardine Church

Hound in the Pub

Fox Hiding Away

Saturday – We didn’t do much just went for a walk in the afternoon up to the village of Cheswardine. There isn’t much there, a few houses, a nice church and a pub.  We had a look in side the church then went to the pub.  It is a Joule’s Brewery pub and they have carved hounds heads dotted around the pub and each has a name.  There is also a carved fox but he is harder to find as he is tucked away but we found him.  When we walked up it was dry but while we were in the pub the heavens opened and it poured down. By the time we had finished our drinks it had stopped so we decided to try and get back in the dry and we almost made it, it was just starting again as we got to the boat so we didn’t really get very wet which was good.

Wharf Tavern

Swans by the Boat

Climbing out by the Pub

Off We Go

Sunday – We met our friends Dave and Anthea for lunch in the pub, the Wharf Tavern, opposite where we were moored.  We all had the Sunday Roast and superb it was too.  Dave and Anthea then came back to the boat for a drink and ginger cake which I made as it is Dave's favourite.  We had a lovely afternoon with them chatting and laughing.  When they were ready to go, we walked them to their car and said our goodbyes although no doubt we will see them again soon.

Sun Coming Through the Trees

Many Moored Boats

Today (Monday) we are on the move just a few miles and the sun was shining as we set off but quite chilly this morning.

We passed a long line of moored boats and went under several bridges.  We met one or two boats coming the other way but the canal is generally very quiet now.

Nice Views

Lovely Autumn Colours

Mushroom in the Hedgerow

We went on for a few miles and moored up just before Bridge 47 in a very quiet spot.  We lit the fire as it was chilly and soon the boat was nice and toasty.

We just chilled out in the afternoon and decided not to go for a walk today but sit in the warmth by the fire.

We are staying here tonight and then moving on a bit further in the morning.

Moored at Bridge 47