More rain, but not as heavy as forecast although Macc and I got wet on our early walk. As it wasn’t raining too much we decided to get going straight after breakfast. Macc now likes to come and help with the engine checks.
We set off just before 8.30, and just around the corner is the impressive Woodseaves Cutting.
Lots of the cutting is narrow, so it’s just as well there was no-one else moving. Even on a non-rainy day the cutting feel lush and green. When we got to the top of Tyrley Locks, we found the top one already full. There’s an attractive collection of buildings here.
As each lock emptied, I went down to the next one — and all four of the others needed filling. But each was ready by the time we got there. Locks 2 and 3 are out in the open, but 4 and 5 and heading into a cutting.
The bottom lock always appears to be in perpetual autumn, because there’s always leaf mulch around and it’s pretty dark in the rocks.
We did all five locks in about 45 minutes, which is pretty good going — and the rain had stopped which was a bonus. The by-washes were running well, but even the one at the bottom is better now it’s sent along the canal rather than right across it. There’s a bit more cutting at the bottom of the locks, and the end of it is watched over by this chap.
The approach to Market Drayton is on a big embankment, which goes over a road and a river. We moored up before the first bridge; it was only 10.30. Adrian has spent most of the day working on charity business, while this afternoon I’ve been doing food shopping. Market Drayton isn’t well supplied with supermarkets, having Asda, Lidl, and Morrison’s, which must surely be the bottom end of everyone’s list. Asda is closest so I went there first, and then tried Morrison’s for all the things I couldn’t get.
4 miles, 5 locks. (326 miles, 199 locks)