Day 17 Moored at Ashwood

Monday 15 July - it's a beautiful, sunny day and we have a day off moored up just before Rocky Lock. It would be an eventful few hours...

While we were relaxing and enjoying the break, a walker came by and asked for a cup of tea.  It turned out that he, David Collins, is walking from John O'Groats to Lands End (JOGLE as opposed to LEJOG) to raise money for Cancer Research UK.  He's about half way and using this canal's route to enjoy some level walking along the towpath, vital considering he's carrying an 18.5kg pack. We wished him all the best and were delighted to support his magnificent effort - here's the link

  David about to set off again, after a cuppa and chat

An hour or two later, we were surprised to see a small narrowboat reversing past us - with some difficulty, since narrowboats don't steer easily in reverse!  The steerer and his young grandson explained that they'd reversed from the next lock but one, so actually come up backwards through the lock immediately below us.  The reason being, Gothersley lock was leaking so badly that they'd been unable to open the top gate to descend the lock.  This was worrying news, as we had to get to Kinver through that lock!  We decided to recce it and phone the Canal & River Trust (CRT) if it seemed impassable. 

 

 An ominous sign?!  Only an old puffball

Another ominous sign... had a gate fallen off?? 

Gothersley lock

 Inspecting the damage

  It turned out the problem was VERY leaky bottom gates, which meant the lock was emptying faster than it could fill.

A phone call to the CRT out of hours service, to report the leak.  Hope we can get through tomorrow without too much delay.

Day 15 - 16 Compton to Ashwood

Saturday 13 July and we head for Awbridge and from there to Ashwood.

Leaving our mooring at Compton

 View from an emptied lock, ready to exit

 Catnap purring along

 This canal has, instead of long weirs by the locks, these circular ones

 Unusual pillastered rail over Awbridge lock, also shows the bottom lock gates and (the other side of the wall) the cobbled path which boatmen would use

 

 Passing 'Saul' a beautifully painted and designed new boat, based on an old 'tug'

 

 'Saul' from the bow

Dusk at our nighttime mooring below Awbridge lock

Sunday 14 July and an early start to continue our journey and ready to tackle the Bratch, which is a flight of three locks with a particular sequence of filling and emptying.  There's a resident lock keeper, to ensure correct procedures are followed.

 Approaching the Bratch

 Detailed (and more or less intelligible!) instructions.  Thank goodness there's a lock keeper.

 

 As with all flights, there's an audience

 Catnap in lock number one, being inspected by audience

 Lock keeper keeping a careful eye on proceedings.  The red-topped paddles have a mystic significance - they have to be opened in order

 Jan exiting, under watchful eyes

 Finally, we leave the Bratch behind us

 ... to find Botterham locks, with fine cast ironwork bridges

 

 The forest is taking over

 Try saying this quickly

 Denis working paddles at Botterham

 Imposing bottom gates, taken looking back from below the bridge

 Leaving a lock, Denis waiting to close gates

Lining up for a narrow lock entrance

 Evening approaches and we moor south of Ashwood marina.  We've seen many herons, but this one stayed still long enough to be photographed.

 

Day 14 Cross Green to Compton

Friday 12th July and our urgent mission is to reach the village of Compton and the laundrette!

 Jan's grandmother used to say that if there's enough blue sky to make a Dutchman a pair of trousers, it will be fine. This looks promising.

 

 Just before Autherley Junction, where the Shropshire Union canal goes off right towards Chester, there's a very narrow cutting known as 'Pendeford Rockin'.

 

 Only one boat can pass through at a time - and there are passing places to wait if oncoming boats appear.  This is nb Montgomery Pickles following us south through the cutting.

 It gets so narrow that care is needed to avoid the boat bouncing off the rocky sides

 An oncoming boat appears and we nose slowly ahead - the passing place is on the left so we expect him to turn into it and wait for Mongomery P...

 

 ... instead the boat (which shall remain nameless) passed us and did a pistols at dawn with Montgomery P in the cutting.  The story later related was that the oncomer had to retreat in the face of relentless good nature.

  Order restored, Autherley was reached and shopping at the nearby Morrison's planned.

 First mention of Stourport, where the canal meets the river Severn and our next destination.  Chester is signed right.

 On the way to the shop, here's the old lock cottage and tollkeeper's booth next to the 'stop lock' at Autherley

Unorthodox route to the shops, through Autherley wood

 This one's for Joan and Marmalade

 'Duckingham Palace'

 

 Colourful roadbridge graffiti

 Hanging garden

 Boats moored three abreast coming out of Autherley

 More graffiti

Steering under imposing double railway bridges

 

Luxuriant willows

Arriving at Compton about 4pm, we did all our washing - simple chores but satisfying.

Day 13 Gailey to Cross Green

Thursday 11 July, fine but overcast.

A mile after Gailey is an extensive stretch with a chemical works both sides of the canal.  Heavy security in evidence and 'no mooring' signs.  This was once called "The Black Works" because it produced lamp black used in shoe polish, for stove blacking and in paints.

 Who or what was Long Moll?
 

 Denis has a long standing interest in the origins of the 'Green Man' - here's a fine example on the side of a boat

 and another, this time embossed

 "Please pass at tickover, or my wife will turn you into a frog"

 Hatherton Junction, where the canal we're on used to connect with the Birmingham Canal Navigations. There's a restoration society dedicated to re-opening the Hatherton Branch and, in the east the Lichfield Branch to make a new cruising ring.

Max headroom a bit limited under this bridge

The equivalent of campaign medals for the keen boater. Each represents a portion of the network visited, or even a single feature like a particularly long tunnel.

 

Rain threatening as we moor for the evening at Cross Green, as it turned out near a free range chicken farm with early rising cockerels

Wildlife pic of the day