Author: Chris

Friday 15th April
Engine service and test cruise completed, through the wonders of Facebook we learnt that our old longtime friend Marie was staying with some friends in a motorhome at Wolverley, so a 20 minute drive out to the Lock Inn was made and we spent pleasant couple of hours catching up with news and reminiscing about old times.
We reckoned that Chris & her first met through a mutual friend when Chris was nineteen and Marie was a naughty fourteen year old schoolgirl.

Saturday 16th April
We had invited Marie to visit us at the boat and this morning we received a message to say that she was going to get a taxi and bring her friends too.

So after introductions we took them all out on a boat trip back to Wolverley,  stopping at The Bird in Hand for a drink and afterwards lunch was taken on the move.

Marie & Sue had a go at steering with much hilarity while Richard and Geof were lock crew.

We had a easy trip with most locks in our favour and less boats on the move than we expected for an Easter Weekend.

Once arrived back at the Lock Inn more drinks were forced upon us and we were invited back to the campsite for a barbecue which was most enjoyable with a huge variety of food.

We had conducted tours of both their motorhomes before returning to the boat and falling into bed, tired but happy.

 

Sunday 17th April
At quarter to ten we set of back home and managed to share the Easter Day service from Riverside Church at Bewdley en-route by courtesy of YouTube.

We arrived back at our mooring before 3 o’clock ready for our next adventure.

 

On our return from our early spring cruise some maintenance work was undertaken, the solar panels which were fitted about ten years ago were beginning to show their age so new ones were obtained and fitted and at the same time I reduced the height of the roof boxes by a couple of inches to make passing under low bridges easier.

Oh, the domestic alternator decided to pack up as well so that had to be replaced too.

Back in February we fitted a new top loading washing machine which has a bigger washload but involved some re-arranging of our utility room, including re-siting the water pump.  Previous to that I fitted an external aerial for our mobile broadband.

Just the engine to service now and we should be good to go out for a test run before our cruising season starts.

But enough technical stuff, I promise the next post will be about some actual boating!

 

 

 

 

Spring you say? Well according to the meteorologists it started on the 1st March but astronomically speaking it isn’t until 20th March, be that as it may, there was a fine weather outlook for a week or so and we decided give the boat an airing.

Monday 14th March 2022

After visiting the doctor’s surgery for a blood test and visiting Bon Marche to buy Joy some new jeans we set off in sunshine through York Street Lock and headed off towards Kidderminster. It’s an easy trip with just three more locks to bring us right outside Sainsburys where we picked up a few essentials, then it was onward another mile or so to Wolverley where we moored for the night.

Tuesday 15th March 2022

It was a late start this morning, while we waited for the temperature to rise a bit, and some bacon & eggs to be consumed by yours truly.

We left at 11:30 and negotiated Wolverley Lock, we spotted a black mink along the way but failed to get a decent photo.

 

Just another half an hour took us to  Debdale Lock and then through Cookley Tunnel to moor up at Whittington Bridge where there is a nice open spot to catch the afternoon sun.

Wednesday 16th March 2022

As today is the only day rain is forecast we shall stay here and indeed the rain is falling as I type!

 

Monday 30th August

Being Bank Holiday Monday we decided to stay put here at Compton and avoid the anticipated busyness. We did get our ration of orange chips from Peps Plaice today but I regretted the donner kebab meat later!

Tuesday 31st August

We set off before 9 this morning and by midday we had negotiated Bratch Locks and tried up outside The Round Oak and had some lunch, we had though of staying here for the night, but it was still early so we pressed on for another hour and a half, down The Botterham Staircase and moored below Swindon Lock at about twenty to three.

Only 6½ miles, but 13 locks!

Wednesday 1st September

Today we left at 9:20 and retraced our route, we stopped to fill up with water at Greensforge and spotted Ben’s boat again, lunched at Stewponey and found a space waiting for us at Whittington. I started planning a redesign of my solar panel system which involved cutting holes in the woodwork to move a 240 volt socket.

Thursday 2nd September

Today I continued my butchery of the woodwork, photos to follow when it’s finished, and we noticed a queue of boats building up before the lock. It transpired that there was something preventing the bottom gates from closing and trapping a boat in the lock. C&RT were called but by the time they had fixed the problem the queue was about 8 boats long our side and almost as many wanting to come the other way.

After Joy’s art class we made a late departure and did a short hop down to Wolverley, we passed Kate & Heather on nb Morning Mist aka Alarum Productions returning from performing at the IWA Festival at Worcester. We found a mooring at Wolverley right next to the tearooms, but sadly by the time we arrived were closed so I couldn’t indulge myself with one of their delicious scones with jam and clotted cream.

Friday 3rd September

I was busy writing this when nb Sonflower (who we know from Banbury) passed by, after the third boat came up the lock we figured it must be ready for us. As I moved up to the lock-landing I noticed that the bottom paddles were up indicating another boat was coming through, but no, it was two C&RT guys doing some repairs, they kindly took a break from their work to let us through.

One more lock and a few miles and we were stopped outside Sainsburys and went in to get some shopping.

Joy put some potatoes in the oven to bake, and on we went through Kidderminster, Caldwell and Falling Sands Locks. Joy even managed spot a kingfisher today.

We reached Mitton Railway Bridge and moored up for our lunch of jacket potatoes topped with cheese and onion for me and Tuna with lime for Joy.

Passing The Black Star, coming into Stourport, a young lad with his mum were magnet fishing. The boy foolishly cast his magnet in front of the boat and caught us.
They tried to pull it off but it was only by applying ‘full stern’ that they escaped being pulled in. I had to go up to the front end and with difficulty got the magnet off.

 

The lad was very upset while Mum was apologetic and embarrassed. Still no harm was done and we were soon on our and passing through York Street Lock assisted by the crew of a couple of Starline boats who were under instruction and tying up on our mooring a few minutes later.

 

Friday 27th August

Last night we treated ourselves to a Thai meal from Foodshion Garden Chinese & Thai Restaurant Takeaway, they were quite happy to deliver to the boat and I met the driver by the adjacent Betton Road bridge. It was a tasty meal but as always more than we could eat.

This morning we planned an early start hoping to get through Tyrley Locks and Woodseaves Cutting before anyone else was about, unfortunately others had the same idea and we had at least two boats ahead of us, despite leaving at 7:30.
The one immediately ahead was a Countrywide Cruisers hire boat and their crew kindly drew paddles to empty the first couple of locks for us, these are the ones with fierce by-washes.

The first lock went well, but on entering the second the engine stopped dead and we had to drift in. Inspection revealed a large log wedged between the propeller and the rudder, I couldn’t move it so we worked the boat through the lock with the help of a kindly passing boater (and his dog) and pulled it out with our ropes. On tying up outside the lock the log dropped out easily! It turned out that our guardian angel knew ‘our’ area of Gloucestershire well and had a friend living in Charfield.

The rest of the five locks were negotiated without trouble and we got through the cutting, only meeting one boat. At a couple of places it looked like another landslide could occur at any time.

Along the way we noticed quite a number of Sumac trees, which I’ve not seen growing in the wild elsewhere, but recognised as there was one in Granddad Hoddinott’s farmhouse garden.

We passed Knighton Wharf again and our original plan was to stop at the Anchor again, but it was still early so we delayed our breakfast stop until Goldstone Wharf, where we cooked bacon & eggs with black pudding & homegrown tomatoes.

Off we went again past the miles of linear moorings and were amused by this little man encouraging boaters to pass slowly.

 

We stopped at Norbury Wharf for water and a visit to the chandlery to buy some fender rope.

We found a mooring opposite The Boat Inn at Gnosall again at 3:00pm and settled ourselves in. A respectable 13½ miles today.

 

Saturday 28th August

After our journey yesterday we gave ourselves a day off and in the morning, while Joy watched cooking programmes on TV I visited the village shop and in the afternoon and evening we watched films as neither of us felt very energetic.

 

 

Tyseley, the Mikron Theatre’s boat passed by, it was good to see them able to be out performing again, but sadly we have missed their performance at Stourport.

Sunday 29th August

After finding the milk in my morning tea was ‘off’ another walk to the shop was necessary for some fresh milk, scones and strawberries and by 9:30am we were away. Through Cowley Tunnel and in a couple of hours we tied up at Wheaton Aston and cooked ourselves breakfast or was it brunch? Our first lock of the day followed.

We soon encountered a fishing competition which stretched for what must have been three miles, most of the fishermen were quite affable (I don’t think the competition had officially started yet)

 

 

Just to prove the Shroppie isn’t all cuttings & trees

By 2:00pm we were at Brewood, too early to stop for the day we decided so on we went to Autherley Junction where we rose 6 inches through the stop lock back onto our home canal The Staffs & Worcs
[Staffordshire & Worcestershire in case you can’t figure it out]

 

Another hour and we were descending Compton Lock watched by two Asian family groups, the second group were delighted to help opening the lockgates and with the cherry tomatoes I gave them for their help.

We moored just below the lock but forgetting it was Sunday I was disappointed that Peps Plaice was closed so their orange chips will have to wait until tomorrow (shh, don’t tell Joy!)

Almost 8 hours boating today and 15 miles.

 

Monday 23rd August

We were just getting ready to leave this morning when Ben (the welder) passed us again. Soon we were passing the long stretch of moorings at Shebdon and tried to remember where our friends Jane and Gordon used to have their mooring.

After that was Knighton Wharf which used to produce Cadbury’s chocolate crumb and now has Knighton Foods Limited behind the original works which I believe still produces Marvel powdered milk as part of the Premier Foods Group.

Who remembers ‘Marvel’ coming onto the market?

History of Marvel

Marvel skimmed milk powder was first produced in 1964 at the then Cadbury Milk Crumb factory at Knighton in Staffordshire.  It came at a time when not everyone had access to refrigeration, and rising milk production meant production surpluses needed to be used up for economic reasons.  These were the days before long life UHT cartons.

Today’s journey involved passing lots of moored boats with occasional views over open countryside towards The Wrekin in the distance (see top picture).

There were embankments and narrow cuttings, Woodseaves Cutting has suffered several landslips and care was needed when passing oncoming boats.

Three hours travelling brought us to the top of Tyrley [say Turley] Locks at midday, just as the volunteers went off to lunch,  but they did set one lock for us and I walked ahead and set the next lock while Joy was descending. These locks have strong ‘by-washes’ (a kind of overflow) which tended to push the boat off line but with firm application of engine power and Joy’s muscles being exercised on the tiller we managed OK.

Once moored up just outside the town we had lunch and later I biked down to get some shopping at Asda and visit the post office.

Tuesday 24th August

We spent the day at the same place with another visit to town to collect another Amazon delivery of some phone charging leads and found Morrisons on the way back. Meanwhile Joy did her jigsaw and in the afternoon we watched a film on Britbox, Croupier a 1998 film starring Clive Owen as “a cash-strapped writer with an unsettlingly cool demeanour in this stylish thriller. When he takes a job as a croupier in a casino, the after-hours temptations begin to lure him in.”

Wednesday 25th August

Today we went, as my mother used to say ‘There and back to see how far it is’.
First we filled up with water, just through the bridge and then took a slow journey up to the ‘Winding Hole’ [Turning Point] at the top of Adderley Locks.
We spotted narrowboat Davro along the way, we often see them in our travels but there was no sign of the owners or their five dogs.
It took us just over an hour each way and we found a different 48 hour mooring near a path into town.

Joy’s Samsung tablet had been showing signs of old age so we decided to replace it. I took a trip to Argos and picked one up, unfortunately Joy found the buttons very difficult to see, so I commenced the mammoth task of updating the old one. There were several times when I thought I had ‘bricked’ it i.e. made it unusable and I finally gave up well after midnight.

Thursday 26th August

This morning I snuck out of bed before Joy was awake and Hallelujah I got her tablet working again with the appropriately named Resurrection Remix  custom ROM.

Back on the bike again to visit Argos and they kindly gave a refund on the new one as it hadn’t been set up.

Phew! Just in time for Joy to use it for her on-line art class this afternoon.

 

 

Just a couple of hours journey today, as we wanted to visit the historic Anchor Inn High Offley, we wanted to support the business as the landlady of the past many years Mrs Olive Cliff recently passed away but this month her daughter has reopened it on weekends.

What Pub describes it as follows:

An unspoilt example of a 19th century canalside pub. … It has been run by the same family since 1870. The right-hand room has a quarry-tile floor, two high-back settles, window bench and scrubbed tables which create a timeless atmosphere.

As soon as we set off it started to drizzle but didn’t come to heavy rain, we passed through Norbury Junction and High Bridge with the unique telegraph pole incorporated in it.

We arrived at The Anchor in time for pre-lunch drinks and can report that it has lost none of it’s simple charm. It’s like stepping back into the past with it’s scrubbed tables and benches and you can have any ale you like as long as it’s Wadworth’s 6X drawn by the jugful from the cellar.  What better for a Wiltshire born chap.

We had a drink in their beautiful garden before taking a couple back to have with our lunch of Greek Feta & Leek pastries, Mango Chutney and some of our homegrown tomatoes.

After lunch Joy did a jigsaw and I started writing this while we listened to a reading of George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ on BBC Sounds until the internet signal disappeared.

It was a proper Sunday Dinner tonight, lamb shank with carrots, roast potatoes & parsnips.

Friday 20th August

With the Shropshire Union Canal being a relatively ‘modern” canal it employs embankments & cuttings to cut a more direct line than the older contour canals, see the straight lines on today’s map.

Wikipedia tell us
“The SU main line was the last trunk narrow canal route to be built in England.
It was not completed until 1835 and was the last major civil engineering accomplishment of Thomas Telford.”

We left Wheaton Aston before 9:30am and continued without any locks to hinder us and enjoyed views of open countryside through the trees.

There are many offside moorings along the way, some on the remains of old wharves.
Lord Talbot’s Wharf was formerly used by Cadbury’s to transport milk to their milk processing plant at Knighton.

The wharf building is now an attractive home.

We met several day boats on hire from Norbury Wharf, handled with varying degrees of competence.

Today’s notable landmark was Cowley Tunnel hewn through the rock with no need for a brick lining. On emerging we were in Gnosall [say No-Zull or maybe Knows All?]

 

We found a mooring opposite The Boat Inn to which we repaired for lunch, a pint and a mini ploughman consisting of a cheese or ham cob [roll to you Southerners] half a pork pie & half a Scotch Egg, thankfully without the half a plate of salad which I generally waste.

Beside us is a field with ducks, geese, chicken, sheep and goats to keep us amused.

I collected a couple of items from  the village shop and then spent the afternoon creating a new mounting for Joy’s seat, the plan being to give her a better view of where we are going. I shall report on her verdict in a day or so.

I had to bore a 2¼ inch hole through ¼ inch steel plate with another purchase from Amazon, my poor old drill struggled a bit, but succeeded before the battery died!

Saturday 21st August

We elected to stay put today as the weather forecast was decidedly wet and we are conveniently placed for a delivery from Sainsbury’s later on.

Whilst having my morning cuppa at 7:30 am a boat passed by, it was Ben, the guy who did our welding recently, we exchanged greetings and maybe we’ll catch him up tomorrow.

I spent some time playing my accordion this afternoon and after an attempt at Van Morrison’s ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ I was surprised, no shocked, by a round of applause from two ladies standing outside the boat window!

Our Sainsbury delivery was delivered straight to our kitchen window, but minus several items, a common problem these days, it seems.

Another result was that we sold our old TV through Facebook Marketplace, to a chap fitting out a camper van.

Tuesday 17th August

We waited all day here at Compton for an Amazon delivery only to receive an email at 6:26 pm saying  “We wanted to let you know there may be a delay in delivering your [order] expected on Tuesday, 17th August, 2021. We expect the order to be delivered within the next 24-48 hours.”  Well that’s really helpful as I’d paid for next day delivery, an exchange of messages with “Jaydeep” assured me that I’d have my order by Friday “is that OK?”  Well, guess what my answer was, I would take business elsewhere!

Wednesday 18th August

Well, Jaydeep must have powers over the Space-Time Continuum because by 6am this morning my package had arrived at Wolverhampton and by 9:40 I had collected it from Compton Post Office. Shame I’d ordered a another from eBay, so one will have to go back.

We therefore set off through Compton Lock by 10:30am, and after a few minutes saw the blue flash of a kingfisher but needless to say I wasn’t quick enough to snap it.
The water along this stretch to Aldersley Junction is very clear and rich in weed, this is apparently encouraged by nutrients released by the sewage works outfall!

Autherley Junction followed soon and we turned onto the Shropshire Union canal, through the stop lock and stopped at Napton Narrowboats where we got a pump out, filled with water and disposed of rubbish.

We passed under Avenue Bridge, which is a very grand structure insisted on by the landowner as recompense for the canal company bisecting his carriage drive.

This part of the world seems to have a rule that few canal-side village names can be pronounced as it they are spelt. Thus it was that we stopped for lunch at Brewood said, ‘Brewed’.

As we continued our journey we crossed the A5 on Stretton Aquaduct  the railings of which would look better if treated to a coat of paint. Soon after an oncoming hire boat strayed to far away from us and ran aground and we had to tow them free of the debris which had slipped down the embankment.

 

On we went and negotiated Wheaton Aston Lock and found ourselves a mooring with good internet & TV signal.

Turner’s Garage with cheap diesel is just through the bridge and the Hartley Arms almost opposite.

Thursday 19th August

We are spending the day here at Wheaton Aston, this morning I rode my bike to the village shop for a few bits of shopping. and this afternoon is Joy’s art class.

Tomorrow we plan to go as far as Gnosall, any guesses on how to say that?

 

Sunday 15th August

Today we had a visit from Jer & Louise who joined us for lunch at The Round Oak, I was disappointed that the Mushroom Wellington advertised on their website was no longer on their menu so we all settled for a Sunday Roast, but those of us who opted for beef found it tough.

After lunch J & L took us to Currys at Merry Hell Hill shopping centre where we purchased a new television.

Monday 16th August

We were up and away by 9:30 this morning, through the wonderfully named Bumblehole Lock, and then onto The Bratch Locks which are 3 locks in a row which we were soon through with the help of the two lock-keepers.
There was a chilly wind on the journey and Joy made us a cuppa-soup to keep out the cold.

Three & a half miles and five more locks saw us in Compton where we moored up conveniently near the town on a 48 hour mooring to wait for a delivery from Amazon tomorrow.

We ambled down to the town shops for some groceries and on  the way back Pep’s Plaice was just too much of a temptation so we indulged in a bag of their orange coloured chips, which were delicious. These are something of a Black Country tradition being lightly battered, you can read about them here on Birmingham Live.