SATURDAY 17th AUGUST |
Mike, Wendy, Ian, Peter
Greensforge to
Gnosall |
At Autherley junction we passed onto the "Shroppie". It was
a good day for meeting cats, horses (including one very beautiful roan foal),
ducks and geese. There were more swallows, swift and martins than usual,
presumably because the sunshine has encourage the insects.
Autherley
 |
Stretton aqueduct
 |
South of Brewood
 |
Brewood
|
GUCCC
pair
|
Cowley
tunnel
|
At Gnosall we moored at 18:37 with our old friends John
& Hilda Bowles on nb Titania. The evening brought pleasant birdsong,
including a late cuckoo. I went to The Boat (Marston's) with John.
DAY'S RUN : 23.5 miles, 17 locks in 11 hrs 19 min.
SUNDAY 18th AUGUST |
Mike, Wendy, Ian, Peter
Gnosall to Audlem |
Norbury Junction
 |
A slow start at 07:16 was made slower by being hard
aground - only the leap to the back cabin floor of a blue cotton octopus
got us off. At Norbury junction we used water, pump-out & diesel facilities
at Shropshire Union Cruisers, then crossed to moor the other side for
breakfast: Peter' savoury stuffed pancakes. After breakfast the weather got
ever wetter. |
Knighton
|
Rocket
bridge
|
Tyrley
|
At Betton Wood, shortly after Tyrley locks, we stopped to
socialise (on a disgustingly muddy towpath) with one of two Dartline boats
heading the other way crewed by a mob of folk we knew from Phoenix Players . So
this was why Peter wanted us to come this way! We stayed at this mooring for a
late lunch. The weather was dry soon after we set off again, but with no
promise of holding. Below lock 11 at Audlem, at 18:57, we decided to moor,
partly because there was room (which there may not have been at the wharf) and
depth, and partly because we'd been porpoising* a very slow boat indeed which
was good neither for its nerve nor ours.
* As in "There's a porpoise close behind us and he's treading
on my tail." DAY'S RUN : 19.6 miles, 21 locks in 9 hrs 41
min
MONDAY 19th AUGUST |
Mike, Wendy, Ian, Peter
Audlem to Wheelock |
Barbridge
|
Middlewich
|
.Next morning the weather was pleasant, but the radio
weather forecast was pessimistic. We started at 07:16 through the nicely-kept
last few locks at Audlem and went as far as Nantwich aqueduct, whence we walked
into the town for shopping (quite good despite being Monday).
We restarted around noon and at Barbridge Junction joined
the Middlewich Branch, where we ran into heavy rain. We passed through Wardle
Lock (which was built by the Trent & Mersey Company in order to retain full
control of the junction) and Middlewich junction, where there was a lot of
traffic. The weather was now slightly kinder as we headed south on the Trent
& Mersey and moored at Wheelock wharf at 19:55. DAY'S RUN :
25.5 miles, 15 locks in 10 hrs 35 min
TUESDAY 20th AUGUST |
Mike, Wendy, Ian, Peter
Wheelock to Hanley |
There was a lovely dawn, but it was too rosy-fingered to be
trusted and came on to rain before we started. Peter & Wendy were
raring to go at 06:00, so Wendy bullied Ian & me with frumenty at we
finally set off at 06:47. We stopped above Thurlwood locks for stage 2 of
breakfast in foul weather. For that reason we made it a long stop, setting off
again well into the morning. It was very windy, and Ian was struggling against
it at the helm. Where there are single locks there were queues. We saw the
Admiral class boat Grenville in use as a maintenance boat re-gating one
of the Lawton locks.
 |
Tunstall
 |
 |
|
Harecastle Tunnel |
|
Burslem |
|
 |
Longport
|
 |
By the time we found ourselves queuing for Harecastle tunnel
the weather had turned dry, and we exited the far end in sunshine. At
Etruria junction we turned onto the Caldon Canal and were again queuing, this
time for the staircase locks. Fortunately nobody wanted to come down, so we
could work up efficiently, even if that did rather lower the pound above. We
moored at 18:18 in Hanley Park and had a barbecue.
Bedford staircase
 |
Etruria
 |
Hanley
 |
DAY'S RUN : 13.5 miles, 29 locks in 9 hrs 8
min
|
