Coven (Staffs & Worcs Canal) to Bridge 8 (Shropshire Union Canal)

Friday 21^st to Saturday 22^nd August

Ducks Enjoying the Sun

Going under the M54

Coming to the Narrow Bit

Friday we stayed put and went for a walk into the village in the morning.  It is a year today that my mum passed away so we went up to the church but unfortunately it was shut so we sat in the church yard for a bit.  We then went to the Butchers, it’s really good quality meat and they make lots of different flavoured sausages so we got a few of them and some cooked ham and a few other things.  In the evening we had fish & chips from the shop in the village and we weren't disappointed, they were as good as the last time we had them.

Coming out of the narrows

Saturday – We are moving on today and it was a dry day but quite cool and windy as we set off from our mooring.

Pendeford Rockin

Giraffe by the Canal

We chugged on under a few bridges and also under the M54 motorway and then came to the very narrow bit cut out of the rock once known as Pendeford Rockin’ after a local farm, there are a few passing places, but it is very narrow in places.  

Autherley Junction

A boat was just coming through so we waited for him to come last then we went on.  The canal was very quiet this morning and we didn’t see anyone else.

In the Stop Lock

We got through the narrow bit okay and went on and then was approaching Autherley Junction, where the Staffs & Worcs canal meets the Shropshire Union canal.

The Old Toll House

Wolverhampton Boat Club

We turned right onto the Shroppie and immediately at the junction is a stop lock with a fall of only about 6ins. It was insisted upon by the Staffordshire and Worcestershire company to prevent the newer canal (the Shroppie) stealing water from them.

A bit of blue sky

Coming to  Bridge

Geese and Cows Together

Autherley Junction is an important and busy junction, where in 1830 Thomas Telford brought his Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal ( now part of the Shropshire Union system) to join the much older Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal (built by James Brindley and opened in 1772.  There is a former canal toll office here.

Geese in the Water

Hello!

Coming to the M54 Again!

We got through the stop lock okay and then stopped at the water point a little further on.  Once the tank was full we carried on passing the Wolverhampton Boat Club and making our way up the Shroppie going under a few bridges and soon we were approaching the moorings between bridges 7 and 8 where we moored up.

Passing a Heron

This was where we spent the lock down weeks so it was a bit like coming home!  It is a lovely mooring here and there was only a few other boats, so plenty of spaces.

Another Narrow Bit

We are staying here now for a couple of days then we will head to Brewood and take Gemma Panda back to the Bakery where she lives, she has enjoyed her trip with us and it’s been fun taking her with us, but she is looking forward to going home.

Moored at Bridge 8