A Few Days at Gnosall

Friday 16^th June

We are off on the bus today to Newport and Telford.  The bus stop is up on the bridge so not far to walk from the canal.

Newport

We got up to the bus stop and soon the bus came along.  We got a day saver ticket which you can use to visit many towns and villages in the area so good value, it was £6.20 each.

It is about a 20 minute bus ride to Newport and we got off there.

Church at Newport

It is a nice town with plenty of shops and a nice church, although unfortunately it wasn’t open.  We did one cache while we were there, it was opposite the church and in a busy street but we managed to do it without being muggled (people who don’t cache are called Muggles!).

Where we had lunch

We then got back on the bus and went to Telford.  We went there once before and was very disappointed as it had no outside space the shopping centre is the town centre, very strange, but apparently they have now made some outside space with a lake and restaurants and bar and joined it to the Town Park which was already there but not easily accessible from the shopping centre.

Lake at Telford

The bus takes you right into the shopping centre so we mooched around there and made our way to the outside space and yes there it was, it has transformed the place, there are several restaurants there and children’s play area, a lovely lake and walks around it.

Lovely outside space at Telford

We had lunch in the Four Corners Buffet restaurant, they do Mexican, Indian, Chinese and Italian food and really good it was to, all really fresh and hot and plenty of choice.

After lunch we had a walk around the lake and sat at one of the tables in the lovely sunshine for a while.  We then headed back into the shopping centre and got the bus back stopping off at the Aldi on the way to get some shopping.  It was a really good day out.

Saturday 17^th June

We are going to the village carnival today so that should be fun.

Floats Procession

Town Crier

Stan Robinson's Lorries

Lovely old car

The procession through the streets started at 1.30pm so we went up the street and stood with lots of other people for it to pass by.  There were a few floats and the lorries are lent by a local lorry firm Stan Robinson to the carnival each year, he also had one of his new trucks and one of his old lorries in the procession, what a difference between then.

There was also vintage cars and tractors, the blood bikes, the town crier, the carnival princess in a horse drawn carriage, walking entries pushing decorated wheelbarrows and a marching band.

Vintage Cars

Marching Band

We then followed everyone up to the field and the procession went around the village and then into the main arena where they were judged. There was also a 10K run and they finished at the field, we declined to enter this time!

Walking Entries

On the Field

They had lots of stalls around the field and we had a go on a few of them. There was a tombola bottle stall and it was well known for having lots of alcohol on the stall as it is the only stall at a fete I have never had to queue to have a go and there was a queue all afternoon!

There was a tea and cake tent, strawberries and cream, an ice-cream van and lots of other things.  We watched a dog demonstration in the ring and also a dance class doing bollywood.

Bubble Football

Oops I am the wrong way up!

It was really hot on the field so we sat in the shade for a bit and then we watched Bubble football.  It was great fun and the boys doing it seemed to be having a great time. You have to kick the ball and knock over your opponents if you can at the same time.  There was a lot of knocking each other over going on, not too much kicking the ball and sometimes they went upside down and then couldn’t get up the right way, it was very funny to watch and a good time was had by all.

There was a grand draw and we waited for it to be called, but was unlucky.  Never mind we did win on the game Play your cards right, we won a toy guitar!

When it was all over, we wandered back to the boat after a great day out and just chilled out here tonight.

We are moving onto Norbury Junction in the morning.

Little Onn to Gnosall (Shropshire Union Canal)

There was no sun this morning as we set off and a bit chilly, but as we travelled on, it got brighter and eventually the sun came out and it was a lovely sunny day in the end.

Turnover Bridge

We went under a few bridges, one of then is called a turnover bridge as it takes the towpath from one side to the other and then came to Cowley Cutting which is quite narrow and cut out of solid rock and guess what, we met three boats coming the other way but there was room to pass so that was okay.

Cowley Cutting

Cowley Tunnel

We then came to Cowley Tunnel which is 81yds long.  It is unlined and has a towpath along one side.  The original intention, however, was for it to measure over 700yds long but the brittle rock strata and a mass of tree roots caused most of the tunnel to be opened out to form a deep cutting.

In Cowley Tunnel

Cafe/Antiques Shop

Soon through there and luckily there were no more boats coming the other way and we were at Gnosall and pulled into the visitor moorings which were a bit under trees so then we pulled the boat up but then decided the other spot was better so we pulled it back and tied up. 

Gnosall Church

We walked up into the village which has a post office, take-away, garage, Co-op and a café/Antiques shop so we went in there for lunch.  We had toasties followed by home-made scones that the lady had made this morning, Kev had a savoury Cheese and Bacon one and I had a Cherry and Almond one and very good they were too.  When we left, the lady gave us a couple of scones to take home with us, how nice was that.

Greenway walk sign

We then walked on up to the church and went inside where a lunch club was being held. One of the helpers came and chatted to us and said they run it once a month and there was plenty of desserts left and did we want some with a drink but unfortunately we had to say no as we were stuffed with  the lunch we had just had in the café, but it shows how friendly they are in this village.

Greenway path

We then walked back down the other road to the Convenience Store where they sell local strawberries and really nice bread, etc. and then back to the boat.

Hello, is anyone home?

We chilled out for a bit then decided to go for another walk onto the old Railway line which is called the Stafford to Newport Greenway and do some caching.  We went under the bridge where there are some more moorings and these were in lovely sunshine so we went back and got the boat and moored up here.  I don’t know the things we do for our solar panels!

We then walked up to the next bridge and got on the railway line, it is a nice walk with a good path.  We did a couple of caches then got back onto the road and back to the boat.  When we got back, two ducks came to the boat to be fed and the female kept looking in the window!

We are now staying here for a couple of days as tomorrow we are off on the bus to Telford and Newport and Saturday there is a carnival being held in the village here so we thought we would stay for that then chug off after.

Moored at Gnosall in the Sun!

Wheaton Aston to Little Onn (Shropshire Union Canal)

We stayed put yesterday in Wheaton Aston and did a circular walk around the village and did some caches on the way.  There is a farm, Bridge farm just up from the canal, in fact the chickens are in the field by the canal so we bought some eggs from there on our way back to the boat.  There is a also a Spar shop and a post office/one stop shop in the village as well.

Lovely sunny morning

Tree Lined Stretch

This morning we are moving on, but first we pulled back to the water point and filled up with water then headed under the bridge and stopped at Turners to get diesel, this is one of the cheapest places to get diesel on the canal, it was 56.9p a litre, really cheap.

Church Eaton Church

Lovely window in the church

Pub in the village

We filled up, then went up to pay and while we were doing that one of the villagers came in and said that the villagers were having their milk stolen off their doorsteps and also the bread which is left outside the One Stop shop in the early hours of the morning is being stolen as well and so they were going to look on various CCTVs around the village including the one at the garage to see if they could catch them.  The garage man also said someone had been mugged recently, the first mugging ever in the village, well it all goes on in Wheaton Aston and it seems such a sleepy quiet village!

Outside Gym

We set off along the canal under a few bridges and along some stretches which were tree lined and moored at Little Onn, just before Bridge 24 in a lovely open sunny spot as we are planning to have a BBQ tonight.

Our tea cooking

We had lunch then went out for a walk up into the village to the lovely church, St. Editha’s, a Norman structure with the spire added to the tower in the 15^th C.  The east window dates from about 1400 and almost fills the wall.

We then walked back through the village, past the pub which unfortunately wasn’t open, past the open air gym, we would have joined but membership was full!!   We went back to the canal, along the towpath and back to the boat.  We also did 7 caches on the way and found all of them today.

We then got out the BBQ and cooked our tea as it has been a lovely sunny day and very warm.

We are staying here tonight then off again tomorrow.

Moored at Little Onn

Brewood to Wheaton Aston (Shropshire Union Canal)

Monday 12th June

We are on the move today but before we left, we walked up to the village to get some rolls from the Bakery that is there, it is really good and the bread and rolls are lovely.

Stretton Aqueduct

Just down the road from the Bakery is W. Maiden & Son Butchers.  It is a really good butchers and they make all their own pies, sausage rolls, pork pies including the pastry, scotch eggs, they cure the bacon and boil the ham and make sausages and burgers.

We bought a variety of things and then headed back to the canal and set off.

Heave Ho!

We chugged along, the canal was very quiet today and we went over Stretton Aqueduct. This solid but elegant cast iron structure carries the canal over the A5.

We went on and soon came to Wheaton Aston lock.  A boat was just coming out so in we went, what good timing.  I emptied the lock and down we went and the Kev took the boat out and moored at the water point.

Coming out of Wheaton Aston lock

Once we had filled up with water, we moved down to the visitor moorings.

Another unique cache container

We had lunch then went out for a walk and to do some caching.  We walked down a lane and onto a footpath and found the first cache.  It was a container covered in a piece of grass, very ingenious.

Nest in the hedge

Wheat field we walked through

We walked on along the lane to the next one and had to search around for quite some time before we found it and just along the hedge from it was a birds nest with three eggs in it, we made sure we didn’t disturb it, there were no birds about though, but hopefully they will come back when we have gone.

We carried on and then went on to a footpath through the fields to do a couple more and eventually we got back to the canal.

We walked along the towpath and managed to do a couple more caches then arrived back at the boat.  It was a nice circular walk and one we will do again.

We are staying here now for a couple of days.

Moored at Wheaton Aston

Bridge 8 to Brewood (Shropshire Union Canal)

We stayed put yesterday and just chilled out and went for a walk.

Leaving our lovely mooring

Another narrow bit

It was dry as we set off this morning along the canal, There is a couple of really narrow parts on this stretch but got through them okay without meeting a boat coming the other way although the canal was quite busy this morning and a fair bit of movement.

Avenue Bridge

We chugged on and went under Bridge 10, it is called Avenue Bridge.  It is a private ornate balustrade bridge which carries the driveway to Chillington Hall, owned by the Giffard family since the 12^th Century, across the canal. This type of ornate bridge was constructed for powerful landowners who would only grant permission for a waterway to cross their land if such a structure was built for them.

Nice view of Brewood Church

On we went and soon we were coming in Brewood, there is a nice view of the church before you get to the moorings.

We went under another bridge and moored in the visitor moorings. They are not the best as they are under trees but you get a bit of sun this time of year, mind you it is not that sunny today so doesn’t matter too much.

Brewood Village Centre

Barnfield Sandbeds

We went for a walk up into the village, it is quite small but has a few shops and a good butchers and bakers.  They were shut today being Sunday but we will pop up there tomorrow morning to get some things before we chug off.

Information Board

Unique Cache Container

We then went to do a couple of caches, one was right in the village and we soon found it, then walked to a place called Barnfield Sandbeds.  It used to be a sand quarry and has undergone a makeover to turn it from an overgrown and abandoned site to a publicly accessible open space.  The 14 acre site taken over by South Staffordshire Council in 2008 opened in July 2010.  There is a nice circular walk around it.  There was a couple of caches, we did find one and the container was really original, made to look like a pine cone.  Unfortunately we couldn’t find the other one, but never mind we found two today so that is okay.

We then walked back to the boat.  We had a couple of rain showers but also some sun as well.

We are staying here tonight then chugging off after we have visited the Butcher and Baker tomorrow morning.

Moored at Brewood

Compton (Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal) to Bridge 8 (Shropshire Union Canal)

Yesterday (Thursday) we stayed at Compton as we needed to do some food shopping and also rain was forecast.  We walked up the hill to the Lidl and manged to get there and back without really getting wet.  We just then chilled out for the rest of the day.

Waiting to go into Compton Lock

In Compton Lock

Passing Addersley Junction

Going under lots of bridges

This morning the sun was shining as we set off from Compton and into Compton lock.  Luckily it was set for us so we didn’t take too long to get through and chugged on along the canal under lots of bridges and then came to Addersley junction which is the junction with the BCN Main Line which takes you up the 21 Wolverhampton locks and into Birmingham.

Entrance to the Shropshire Union

Turning onto the Shroppie

We met a few boats coming down the canal and then we came to Autherley Junction and turned onto  the Shopshire Union Canal(the Shroppie).  There was a boat coming out so we waited our turn then into the stop lock we went.  This lock has a rise/fall of only 6 inches.  The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal Company insisted upon a stop lock at this point in the canal to prevent the new Birmingham and Liverpool Junction canal (now part of the Shropshire Union canal and built by Thomas Telford in 1830) stealing water from the older Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal (built by James Brindley and opened in 1772).

Passing the Wolverhampton Boat Club

We got through the lock and stopped at the water point to fill up.

Lovely spot at Pendeford Nature Reserve

We then chugged on along the canal, this is a lovely canal and one of our favourites and Audlem Family watch out as here we come!!

We passed the base of the Wolverhampton Boat club who we met when they were out on a trip last week and they started off at 5am in the morning to go through Wolverley lock and didn’t stop going past us until 7am!  Wish we were going past them that early, see how they like it!!

Going under the M54

We then passed Pendeford Mill Nature Reserve which is a lovely spot where the canal narrows and there are cows and geese in the field.  We went on  through a very narrow bit then the canal opened out and was quite wide.

We went on a bit further then moored at the visitor moorings between Bridges 7 and 8.  It is a really lovely sunny spot in the middle of nowhere.

We are now staying here for a couple of days to chill out and do a few jobs.

Moored at Bridge 8