cow cake

Most Shroppie locks are done now

The morning was chilly with bright blue sky. We cast off as a boat exited the lock putting the last two locks of the flight in our favour.

 While the Captain was in the first lock I walked on and opened the gates of Audlem top lock. By the time I had walked back to close the gates for the Captain a boat appeared round the corner and a man ran forward and closed one of the gates just as our boat entered the lock. 

The Captain tooted his horn and the gate reopened just in time for him to glide through.

peaceful waters

By the time we cruised round to the Adderley flight two boats had pulled out in front of us and one behind. I was thankful there was a boat behind as we had been warned that the middle lock leaked so badly it was very difficult to open the gate. At least there would be somebody to help if we got stuck. A lady (from the hire boat behind) opened one of the gates for me at each lock, saving me from walking round the chamber and back again.

near Market Drayton

As we climbed the five lock flight the lead boat had no trouble with lock three as it had help from a crew coming down. However the boat ahead of us stayed in the lock for ages so the Captain went forward to help. It took four of them to open the gate.

When we reached the upper level in lock three the Captain let our boat nudge the upper gate while the three of us pushed. It worked.

Covered  loading wharf

 At the top lock the farmer came to check his meat and cake stall and pushed open one gate for me. While I twiddled the paddles he chatted with the Captain. Lottie tried jumping up to him while the boat was still six feet down. She failed and fell backwards. Her body landed on the gunwale and her hind quarters fell overboard. The Captain pulled her back on board where she seemed unhurt apart from her dented dignity from having green slime on her thigh. Lottie eventually disembarked and wandered over to the farmer’s stall.

“Don’t eat my cakes,” he said to her then added. “A few weeks ago I came to check the stall and found a cow scoffing the cakes. My wife was not amused after all her hard work. Yes it was one of my cows.”

We dithered at the shop after the farmer left and eventually chose a cherry pie with a tub of clotted cream and put the money in the honesty box.

at Betton bridge

After I closed up (seeing that there was nobody coming towards us) I opened one paddle to drain the chamber for the lady on the boat behind to say thank you to my friendly helper. It was a pleasant cruise into Market Drayton where we moored for lunch.

After filling with water we set off again, the Captain more relaxed. We met a boat in the narrow cutting leading to our last flight of locks on the Shroppie, so the first two locks were set for us. It was lovely to just push open the gate. As our boat rose in the first Tyreley lock a hire boater coming down opened the next lock for us rather than turn it around so that we moved up the flight swiftly.

young Geese

Sadly Lottie squeezed into the field beside the middle lock of the five. She found large chunks of cow poo there which she devoured much to the Captain’s dismay. What goes in must come out so we have a smelly evening ahead of us. The Captain insisted she was kept on the lead for the remaining locks but the damage was done. The windows will be needed for ventilation.

We saw the first young goslings today. they were so low in the grass it was hard to see them at first.

I steered through the narrow Woodseaves cutting and was fortunate not to meet any boats. We moored up half an hour later for the night. The moon shone through clear skies making this a beautiful evening.