Day at Norbury Junction

Sunday 25^th September

It rained heavily in the night but when we got up it was dry and the sun came out so that was good.  We had breakfast then we set off on our walk.  We walked over the bridge and down the road and then found the path that led up around the wood.  You can’t walk in the wood for some reason, there are big signs saying Keep Out!, so we did!!

Pathway alongside Shelmore Wood

Pathway leading to the road

Nearly back at Norbury Junction

It was a bridle path we followed so a good path and not really muddy even with all the rain in the night, it went up the side of the wood and then eventually out to a small road, really a lane and then back down to the canal, we went under the canal and up some steps onto the towpath and walked along there back to Norbury Junction.  It was a really nice walk.  

Junction Inn

Our new mode of transport!!

We then went in the pub to see if they had a table for lunch, they were fully booked apart from one table for two so we had that.  The Carvery was superb, a choice of four meats and you could have a piece of each, they even had well done Roast Beef and Rare Roast Beef to suit all tastes, there was a good choice of vegetables as well.  I had a dessert of Sticky Toffee Pudding and Ice-Cream and it was yummy.  The price was really good as well £8.50 for one course and £11.50 for two courses.  We really enjoyed it and will definitely stop there again when we are up this way.  There was an old bus in the car park, it could be our next mode of transport!!

We then went over to the café and had a coffee sat by the water people and boat watching for a while.  We made our way back to the boat and weren’t in long when we had a short sharp shower but it didn’t come to much and the sun came back out.

We will just chill out for the rest of the day now and let our lovely lunch go down and then tomorrow morning we will be on the move again, so lets hope the sun is shining.

Shebdon Enbankment to Norbury Junction (Shropshire Union Canal)

We have been cut off from the outside world for the last couple of days at Norbury Junction - no signal! You don't realise how much you use it and depend on it until it isn't there, but glad to say we are now in a better area and can post so here is Saturday's post:

Saturday 24th September

The Anchor

We are on the move again today and the sun was shining as we set off along the canal and past the Anchor pub at High Offley, this is a really old fashioned pub more like a house than a pub and we will certainly stop here next time.

Going through Grub Street Cutting

We carried on and soon was passing through Grub Street Cutting and at the end of this cutting is High Bridge which carries the A519 across the canal, this unusual double arched bridge supports a tiny telegraph pole on the lower arch.  This is all that remains of the continuous line which used to follow alongside the canal.

High Bridge

Heron in Grub Street Cutting

Norbury Junction

On we went and then we were approaching Norbury Junction where we moored up.  This is a really nice place and busy in the Summer with hire base and boat yard.  This was once the outlet for the Shrewsbury, Newport and Trench branches on to the rest of the Shropshire Union Canal system.  There was a long flight of locks from the junction down to Newport, but these are now closed, except for the top lock which is used as a dock.

There is a pub the Junction Inn and a café by the boatyard so we had a walk around and then went to the café for a coffee.

We are staying here tonight then tomorrow we are off to the pub for Sunday lunch as they do a Carvery and also Kev has found a circular walk of about 2 miles we can do around Shelmore Wood so that’s our plan for tomorrow.

 

Moored at Norbury Junction

Goldstone to Shebdon Enbankment (Shropshire Union Canal)

Going through a wooded section

Two bridges close together

Passing the old Cadbury Factory

We are moving on today only a few miles to Shebdon Embankment where Tony of Bethsaida Covers is moored at the wharf.  He made our front and back covers several years ago and over the years have suffered a bit of wear and tear and also sustained some damage when we were in Harecastle Tunnel due to us bouncing from side to side in the low bit!

Bethsaida Covers

Bethsaida Covers Sign

We set off along the canal and it was another nice sunny and warm day.  The canal was quite quiet and we only passed a couple of boats. We went through a wooded section of canal and then under a few bridges and past the old Cadbury Factory which is now Muller.  We were at Shebdon Enbankment where at each end there are flood gates to close off the channel in case of a breach.

Tony repairing our covers

Flood gate at one end

Flood gate at the other

Tony has a visitor mooring so we tied up there and went to his boat to see him.  He looked at the panel on our back cover which was damaged to see if it could be repaired but we decided in the end to have a new one made.  The front cover had a tear which he said he could repair so he set to work to make our new side panel and do the repair.  

Our shiny new side panel

After a couple of hours it was done and we moved across the canal to the visitor moorings.  Kev was going to put the clips etc. on the panel so he set to work to do that.  Tony was very kind and lent him the tools to do it and after about an hour we had a shiny new side panel all back in place.

We are staying here tonight and moving onto Norbury Junction tomorrow.

Moored at Shebdon Enbankment

Market Drayton to Goldstone (Shropshire Union Canal)

At bottom of Tyrley Locks

We are on the move today after spending a few days in Market Drayton.  It has been nice as on Tuesday we met my friend Gill who lives in Shrewsbury and caught the bus over to see us.  It was great to see her and catch up as it has been a few years since we last met.  Wednesday it was market day so we walked down to the town and had a look around there and got the rest of our shopping and also looked in the Chandlery at the boat yard which is very well stocked.   We have had a nice time at Market Drayton but time to move on now. 

Running the Gauntlet into the locks

We set off from our mooring and stopped at the services to get water, etc. then off we went along the canal to Tyrley locks.  There are five locks in this flight and the first couple are under trees so it is always very dark and dank.  Also on most of the locks the bywash is very fierce so Kev will have to run the gauntlet when getting into the locks!

In the sunny locks

Kev's Helper!

There was a couple of boats in front of us and no boats coming down so it took a while to get going up the locks, but there was a volunteer lock keeper so that helped.

At top of Tyrley Locks

We made our way up the locks and when you get to the third one, it is out in the open again so getting into the sunshine was very nice as it was quite chilly under the trees.  Soon we were at the top of the locks and we stopped again at the services to get more water as we had done the washing on the way and so wanted to fill the tank up again.

Stall at the Top Lock

At the top lock there is a house and they had a stall by the lock selling home-made jam and chutney, vegetables, some raspberries and there was a box of eating and cooking apples to which you could help yourself.  Needless to say we nearly cleared the stall with all the goodies we got, nothing like fresh veg and home-made jam and chutney and free apples!

Very Tall Bridge

We went on our way and we went through Woodseaves Cutting which is about 70ft deep and a mile long and was cut out from the rock entirely by men without powered machines.  It is lovely but is very narrow in places and the sides are very rocky so not ideal to meet another boat coming the other way.  There are also a couple of really high bridges.  We saw a kingfisher while we were chugging through but he was too quick for a photo! 

Woodseaves Cutting

We managed to do the whole cutting without meeting a boat.  There was one coming as we got to the end but he had the sense to wait in the wide bit for us to come through so that was lucky.

Wharf Tavern

We chugged on a bit further and then moored at Goldstone opposite The Wharf Tavern which is a great pub.  We went over there for lunch and it was really good as always.  They make their own battered scampi so I had that and Kev had a ploughmans which was huge with Ham and Cheese.  The food is excellent and they are very generous with the portions.

Cheswardine Church

Cheswardine

Community Shop

I'm not walking that far!

We sat in the garden of the pub for a bit and then we did a circular walk up to the village of Cheswardine which has a nice church which was open so we had a look inside and they also have a Community Shop.  We then walked through the village where there was a mile marker for all sorts of places, glad we are not walking that far! We came back down to the canal and then along the towpath, under a couple of bridges and back to the boat.  It was a beautiful sunny afternoon so it was nice to get out and have a walk.

We are staying here tonight then off tomorrow morning. 

Moored at Goldstone