Another warm day and, for the first part, very bight and sunny but yet again all changed around midday and thin grey cloud appeared.
We set off in good time - but the rest of the day was rather more laid back! We level cruised towards Brewood where we planned to stop for a little shopping,
Chillington Hall is home to the Giffard family and the present building - which we could not see from the canal - was built around 1724 and was the third building on this site. It was intended to be an impressive statement and included a long, tree lined avenue as its main entrance. When the canal was constructed by Thomas Telford around a century later, as perhaps his last major engineering project, he specially designed this ornamental bridge. The Giffards have been close confidants of royalty and other leading members of society since they came lover with William the Conqueror. During the time of Henry the Eighth they were known to be religiously conservative but the family did well out of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Not long after, the elegant spire of Brewood Church came into sight, the view helped by the fact that the canal runs over a substantial embankment at this point and looks down on the fields close to the village.
There was plenty of room to moor on the Visitor Moorings close to the main bridge and road into the village centre. In summer time, especially at lunch time, this stretch cane be very crowded.
As soon as we moored we walked to the shops. We were not yet ready for a proper re-stock but picked up items from the butcher, the baker and the two small supermarkets. We did look at a van selling 'Grimsby' fish but decided against buying anything - it would need to go into the freezer anyway.
As we were walking back to the boat we spotted an elegant horse drawn carriage approaching. Alas, a mis-operation of the phone camera meant that we missed a better close up as function was not restored until it had tuned down a side street and was disappearing into the distance!
It was not quite time for a lunch break so we continued towards Wheaton Aston. Along the way we passed a old butty Phoebe moored up with o-one on board. We think that it was originally built in 1945 for use on the BCN but we are not certain so if anyone knows better, do leave a comment!
We crossed Stretton Aqueduct which carries the canal over the old Watling Street. Once a very busy A5, today it was rather quiet, no doubt as most drivers find the nearby motorway more convenient.
A large patch of trees on one side of the canal seem to have succumbed to one of the diseases that periodically destroy complete species. Luckily it does not yet seem to have spread to o far no crossed to the other side of the water.
Just before Wheaton Aston we moored to have lunch. Once we set off again we had a flurry of activity.
First came the solitary lock between the start at Autherley and concentration of locks around Market Drayton and Audlem. Below the lock is a service facility which we made good use of before finally calling at the well-known Turner's Garage, famously one of the most competitive suppliers of diesel to boaters. We put as much as we could into our tank!
We continued another couple of miles but had already decided to stop early today, but finding a place to come alongside an also have a tv signal reduces the options. We managed to find a spot, at least as good as yesterday, again wit the guidance of Waterway Routes. The photo shows just how straight the canal is for most of its length. Every couple if miles or so their is a slight change of direction.
Having settled down to take things easy we felt a boat going by (it is always more noticeable with the shallow edge along this canal) We looked out of the window and realised that it was Ellis (see the blog for) and we quickly dashed out to shout hello. They pulled close (ish!) to the towpath so that we could have a longer chat this time. However, after a while Andy was concerned about making progress go their next date with guests at Nantwich so we reluctantly had to let them continue their journey. They also have help promised for the Audlem locks . . .
7.3 Miles - 1 Lock
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