Week 6

20:41 10/07/2010 3.95 miles 13 locks
Long flog to Audlem and back up the 13 locks, the ladies managed to shop whilst I was taking on water and chatting to Dave from Greensleeves. Very hot but overcast and muggy all day. Ended with a BBQ.

20:39 9/07/2010 2 miles 4 locks
Excellent quick trip down the Hack Green locks turn around and back up the locks with the gates all set for us by a following boat. Visited The 'Secret Nuclear Bunker', a possible seat of government in case of nuclear attack.

19:58 08/07/2010 3.2 miles 13 locks
Had a BW boat moored above us last night, guess what, in the morning they were broadside on across the canal, apparently not trying to turn just 'lost it'. 'We do know what we are doing they We were soon down the rest of the flight in to the Audlem moorings to set off shopping. Great place to shop Audlem, one of most things, and it is nice to see shops that were empty last year now with occupants. We were soon on our way again and through the last of the locks. We moored on a Shropshire Union Canal Soc. mooring before Hack Green. Mixed weather, no real rain, but not much sun.

16:05 07/07/2010 8.55 miles 12 locks
Early start from Goldstone Wharf hoping to beat the rush through Woodseaves cutting. We succeeded in this not meeting a single boat. The locks at Tyrley had just the right amount of traffic, one boat in each lock going each way, so we had a fast and uneventful passage despite the fierce bywashes. We soon passed Market Drayton and were soon in the 5 locks at Adderley, all without rain. The weather deteriorated then and as we came out of the last lock the rain really started, however we moved on down to the top 2 locks at Audlem, seeing 2 Kingfishers as we went. We are now safely moored with the rain having stopped and the sun trying to come out. What a difference having extra 'crew' makes to operating all those locks.

17:39 06/07/2010 9.99 miles
 Quick run in the sun up to Norbury Junction for the usual services and then on through the cutting, which starts with the interesting double arch with inset telegraph pole. Not much traffic and a nice stretch of canal. We started to list the birds seen so far, Herons, Crows, Kingfisher (1), Cormorant, Buzzard (see photo last week), Baby owl being harassed by Magpies, he was sitting tight on a pole. Swans, Ducks, Geese. Not doing too bad so far.The final stretch of the canal starts to give views over to Wales, not to be visited this year. Moored opposite the pub and tried for a phone signal, but rubbish, that's canal travel for you. Tomorrow we head through Woodseaves cutting (narrow) and then through 12 locks, so I suspect an early start and a good breakfast is called for.

20:06 05/07/2010 8.2 miles 1 lock
Moved on from Bridge 7 to Brewood to await the arrival of Alison, worked well, taxi delivered her just before 1, and we were soon underway again, heading through very straight canals towards Norbury. As usual on this canal there are miles of on-line moorings, why don't they build marinas here rather than up the Leicester Section? Found a good mooring in Gnosall ready for the run through Norbury.