Tuesday 30th August 2011 - Wheaton Aston to Adderley

The man at ‘Black Prince’ told us that to get around the 4 Counties Circuit we had to be in Market Drayton by Tuesday night.  We decided that we would prefer to be a little ahead of schedule so made the decision to start at 7am this morning.  I took the first shift and we were away at 6:55.  Again through lots of cuttings and across embankments, past Little Onn and Gnosall (a very pretty little village).  We Actually went through a little tunnel (80 yards long).  Had to put our light on but it was nowhere near as difficult as we had imagined it might be.  We pulled into Norby Junction to top up with water.  We were told that while we had plenty of water for a few days it was easier to top up each day as there was not a lot of pressure and to fill the tank from empty would take ‘forever’.

Our first tunnel

From Norby Junction, we went through an area called Grub Street Cutting.  You could almost think of yourself as being in South America.  Lots of vegetation overhanging the very narrow canal.

Grub Street Cutting - Hope no-one comes the other way

Fortunately, we did not meet anyone coming the other way.  We called into The Anchor Inn which advertised canal souvenirs.  We thought (well Richard thought it would be good to have a T-shirt of the trip and I thought ‘what’s good for the goose, is good for the gander’).  The lady running the Inn informed us that they did not open until midday but did offer to open the souvenir section and sell us 2 T-shirts.

There were tall bridges

From there on was on past a Cadbury factory with a jetty on the canal that was used for supplies.  Not used anymore but interesting all the same.

Lunch today was at Wharf Tavern (right on the water).  We were able to berth opposite the pub and walk across a bridge to eat lunch.

Back on the water, we headed to Market Drayton where we arrived around 3:30 after travelling through a series of 5 locks, our first on this canal apart from the stop lock at the beginning.  Went for a walk into town.  Had a cup of coffee at ‘Butter Cross’ coffee shop and visited the supermarket for a few supplies.

And Short bridges

To get ahead of time we decided to head off again for another hour or so along the canal.  After passing through another set of 5 locks near Adderley we berthed for the night just before Coxbank.

Sat outside for a while with wine and nibbles appreciating the solitude (disturbed by one boat going past and a few cows in the nearby paddock).  Chicken salad and spuds for tea.  A game of cards then off to bed.