The Shroppie remains one of our favourite canals, though we met a guy the other week who'd tried it once and didn't like it. It's such a contrast to the dreamy windings of the Staffs and Worcs, with its cuttings and embankments, long straights and remote air. As the Pearson's guide says, it's hard to remember that you are only a few dozen miles north of the Black Country.
The guy who hadn't been taken with it sounded to have seen it at its worst, with wet and windy weather making navigation a chore. It has to be said, the continuing growth of on-line moorings is a problem. Travelling times are much longer the the typical 3 lock-miles per hour, because you spend so much time creeping past moorings at tickover.
We set off from last night's mooring at around half seven, expecting to do the nine miles and one lock in about three hours. Instead, it was after half eleven before we'd tied here at Gnosall. Some of the delay was caused by increasing levels of traffic, not at Wheaton Aston Lock, where we had a straightforward one up one down routine, but at some of the bridge holes, and particularly at Cowley Tunnel. Sheila held back in the cutting before the tunnel for one boat, and ended up letting another two through before it was our turn.
No matter, we were still on our mooring before lunchtime. We've done a bit of shopping in both Gnosall Heath and Gnosall itself, just enough to see us through to Friday, when we should be in Market Drayton.
After that, traffic may become even more of a problem, as we negotiate the Adderley and Audlem lock flights. Talking to a boat coming the otherway, it seems Middlewich is being a real bottleneck just now, but that may have eased off by the time we get there.
At least on the Shroppie, there's no shortage of water, thank to the generous donations of the population of Wolverhampton, whose water treatment plants feed both this canal and the S&W. It seems things are getting pretty difficult further south, with both the GU Leicester Line and the Oxford on very short working times indeed.
5 comments:
It is pretty shallow on the Leicester Arm - I think they have 2 reservoirs empty and the remaining 2 very low.
We came through the pound below Lock 18 (where the stoppages start) and it was almost impossible to steer - I guess there were only inches of water below the baseplate - the edges were exposed mud - and that's at the lock mooings!
Sue, nb Indigo Dream
Its possible for two boats to pass in Gnosall "tunnel" (all 81 metres of it!) although oncoming boaters may not think so!
Jim (Starcross)
Thanks, you have just explained why the shroppie is the colour it is!!.
I have finally caught up with your blog! Tomorrow I go on holiday again, so will have to try and catch up a bit quicker.
I didn't get to say before how much I enjoy both the news letters at the national and your blog
Thanks for your comment about restrictions on the GU Leicester Arm. We had planned to return to our moorings at Poynton from the Grand Union (MK area) next month via Foxton, the Soar and Sawley. Now replanning our route! Sue(nb Cleddau).
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