Creeping through the clag.

'twas a bit thick this morning, lock eleven was just visible through the murk

but twelve was totally lost.
Undaunted we set off for Coole Pilate, that is pylatt not peelahtees, it has nothing to do with any exercise system. The name means a croft growing pill oats and even Wikipedia doesn't know what they are or were.

We stopped at the services on the old wharf for water and to ditch the rubbish and it seemed to be clearing as we went down lock thirteen

by the old lock cottage, but by the time we had cleared the last of the locks and were crossing the aqueduct

over the infant River Weaver it was closing in again.
Safely tied up on the S.U.C.S. moorings the sun is just starting to peer through the clag. The satellite dish is set for the rugby and owing to the proximity of these moorings to the mast at Hack Green Secret Bunker we even have a belter of a mobile signal.

Watch this space.........

If I see a Shroppie Fly, with apologies to Dumbo.

Audlem must be one of the most visited villages on the system, not just by boaters but by the hoards who descend upon it on fine summer days. It's not surprising as it is an attractive place with a handy small supermarket, is that an oxymoron creeping in there?, butchers and a deli/bakers.

The parish church dominates the square with the old butter market nestling below.

In the middle of the square stands a memorial to Dr. Richard Baker Bellsye who was the local doctor for forty years until his death in 1877, he was obviously highly thought of.
There are a couple of interesting buildings that don't normally get much attention.

The old County Police Station in Cheshire Street, built in 1900 and now a private house and a bit further along,

the most imposing entrance to Audlem Cemetery, a monument to the Victorian obsession with death. It was built by the cheerful sounding Audlem Burial Board, I bet they were a real laugh down the pub.
But having completed our little bit of shopping, most importantly a few bottles of Shepherd and Neame's Spitfire ready for the last weekend of the Six Nations, we set off to sample the changes at

The Shroppie Fly. Originally a canal warehouse it became a pub in 1975. Recently it had fallen into disrepute and was closed for a while. It is now open again under new management.

The interior has been brightened up without spoiling the ambience.

The menu is all good old fashioned pub grub, Jill chose the Chicken Melt and I went for a steak, they were both excellent, as was the Timothy Taylor Landlord that came from the signature bar,

actually an old narrow boat but, regrettably, not a Shroppie Fly. It is in fact part of a wooden B.C.N. Joey boat. Not that it matters.
Fully replete we returned onboard for a postprandial snooze.
Moving on tomorrow, aiming to be at Coole Pilates for the weekend. On Saturday the "Do not disturb" sign goes out for the last three games.

If cousin Val, in Port Perry, Ontario happens to read this can you leave a comment? The old man gave me an email address for you but it doesn't appear to be correct.

Watch this space..........

Audlem Locks.

We reached the top of Audlem Locks and were met by Dennis, one of C&RT's volunteers. He came all the way down the locks with us, going on ahead and setting the locks while Jill and I worked the boat through. We did the first eleven locks in an hour and a half thanks to his help.

The bywashes still have plenty of water coming down, makes for some gripping steering in the short pounds.

An interesting building alongside one of the locks, it's supposedly old stabling for the boat horses but it's on the offside of the lock. How did the horses get across to the towpath? Was there once a moveable bridge across the lock? A thought provoking conundrum.
We have moored on the pound below lock eleven.

Not exactly busy at the moment, that's the Armadillo on the right.
May try the the refurbished Shroppie Fly tomorrow.

Watch this space..........

At Audlem with very little mobile signal.

One thing I had forgotten about Adderley, there is absolutely no signal there. Even to make a 'phone call you have to walk up to the bridge and hope.
It was a most pleasant weekend, moored just below the locks the only road is the single track lane to the nearby farm. No traffic noise, not even any aircraft. With the good weather I even managed my first days fishing this year. Three gudgeon, better than nothing. The main event though was the Six Nations and a good win for England against Wales which gives us the Triple Crown.
This morning we have moved on to Audlem and guess what? The signal position is only marginally better and it is refusing point blank to download any pictures, every time I try it disconnects and says no service. May try again later.

Watch this (Pictureless) space...........

Market Day at Market Drayton.

Wednesday is market day. Totally unable to resist the pull of the chance of a bargain.

Just about everything you can think of will be on one stall or another.

It attracts people from all over the surrounding area. There was one stall that looked like a museum of old woodworking tools. No space on the boat. Not that I could use them if there was, give me a piece of wood and some tools and you will end up with some very expensive firewood.
Allison from Adderley Wharf Farm Shop (Top of Adderley Locks) has a stall there, the shop isn't open at the moment as there aren't enough boats going through to make it worth while. It will reopen when traffic picks up, her cakes are legendary. You should see the pork chops we bought, plus home cured bacon and their own sausages, a gourmet delight.
Jill acquired some new slippers and me? Well I couldn't resist it, a tat stall, lots of old fishing tackle and there in the middle a beautiful split cane rod. A bit of haggling and I got it for twenty-five quid. Perfect condition, even the varnish is good. I've just had another shelf put up for my rods so stacks of space, mind you I had to promise Jill that I would get rid of another rod. Hope she doesn't remember.

She even guarded it for me while I took some photo's.
Off to Adderley tomorrow, lovely moorings there, a nice quiet weekend.

Watch this space...........

We put High Offley behind us.

We have broken out from the High Offley - Norbury Junction circuit. This morning we set off for Goldstone Wharf but halfway there we decided that, as it was a beautiful day, we would push on to Market Drayton, Jill has a strong dislike of Woodseaves Cutting and wanted to get it behind us.

At High Bridge a fallen tree spans the cut and a little further on there was further evidence of the storms.

It was a slalom, trying to avoid the remains of several trees whilst dodging the sunken rocks that infest this stretch. All good fun.
Tyrley Locks were in benevolent mood, the flow down the by-washes had lessened and with virtually no wind they were a doddle.

Some of the top gates were a tad leaky but overall the flight is in good nick and well kept.

The bottom three locks take you through a wooded cutting that makes this one of the most attractive flights of locks on the system.
It was mostly a glorious trip, the kind of day that makes you realise why we live this lifestyle.
The local birds are all getting busy with nesting, today we saw buzzards, yellowhammers, skylarks, bull finches and lapwings as well as the usual collection of nondescript little brown jobs.
Now at Market Drayton for a day or two.

Watch this space..............

Waxing lyrical about countryside, pubs and pigs.

Another weekend spent in and around this splendid edifice. It now is listed by CAMRA as a, "Heritage Pub", because of its history and the unspoilt Victorian interior. To me it epitomises what an English pub should be. It's also situated in a beautiful stretch of country.

On a bright spring day it's an ideal place to walk of the excesses of the previous night.

High Offley Manor and St. Mary's church dominate the area from the skyline while the canal runs down below in the valley,

through Grubb Street cutting. The old stone bridge that carries Grubb Street over the canal has its own tiny wilderness

clinging to it's mellow stones.
From the churchyard, on a clear day,

you can see beyond The Wrekin to the hills of Wales.

Winston Churchill once said, "I'm fond of pigs, dogs look up to us, cats look down on us, pigs treat us as equals." We passed these two as we walked, they ambled over to see us but didn't appear to be very impressed and wandered off to inspect their food bowls, presumably hoping that something edible had materialised.
Lunchtime will be our farewell drink in The Anchor and then it's Hey-Ho for the wandering life.

Watch this space................