Repatriation: Day 3

Today is another that replicates a day of our trip in 2013.  Then it rained all the way down the Shroppie but then the sun cam out when we’d turned onto the Staffs and Worcs; today it was cloudy all day, with several showers.  We set off at 8am, with the first landmark being Cowley Tunnel, the only one on the Shroppie, only 81 yards long, and blasted out of the rock.

A couple of hours later we got to Wheaton Aston, and pulled onto the diesel point at Turner’s Garage.  Surprisingly, it’s the first time we’ve filled up here, even though they are known as one of the cheapest places on the whole network.  It’s self service, so I filled it to the brim.  Meanwhile, Adrian walked into the village for eye drops and onions (no connection between the two), and found not only a village store but a pharmacy, which we don’t remember being there.  Once I was finished at Turner’s I moved onto the water point, where we filled the tank and started a wash load.  A motor and butty was there when I arrived, but they soon moved off up the lock.  Once the water was full I walked up to the lock, where a hire boat was coming down, and Adrian brought the boat.

There was work under way to various boats at Stretton Wharf, then we crossed the A5 on the Stretton Aqueduct.

At Brewood, Countrywide Cruisers had quite a lot of boats in and being moved around.  We carried on, meeting boats at bridges and narrows. By the time we got to Autherley Stop Lock, we had caught up with the motor and butty, which turned out to be a candy shop.  They needed to get both boats through, and one was coming the other way, so Adrian went to help while I held alongside a couple of Napton hire boats.

Eventually it was our turn; the shallowest locks had taken longer than any other so far!  We turned left onto the Staffs and Worcs, a stretch we haven’t done since 2013.

At the narrows known as Pendeford Rockin’, where the canal goes through rock, I was about to enter the first narrow section when I spotted a boat coming, so pulled back into a passing place.  The steerer told me there was no-one behind him, but by the time I was in position to go again, I saw another one coming.

‘There’s no-one behind us’, they said.  ‘That’s what the previous guy said’, I replied.  Anyway, we got through without meeting anyone else.

While the Shroppie has long straight sections, the Staffs and Worcs has twists and turns, with bridges on blind bends.  We carried on past Calf Heath Marina, and through the chemical works where no mooring is allowed.  At Gailey Lock, a boat was coming up, so we could go straight in.

There was additional help from a chap from a boat waiting below the lock to come up.  In fact, there were five boats waiting.  We moored below the lock at 5.30, having now come under the A5, and with so many waiting boats we ended up within sight of the next one.

21 miles, 3 locks.  (47 miles, 30 locks)