The rain is much needed, not least for the canal reservoirs. After last year’s floods this year we’ve drought restrictions on the Leeds and Liverpool in the north to the Gloucester and Sharpness in the south.
Two boats each way per day across the Rochdale Canal’s summit is going to seriously screw up some peoples cruising plans.
Goldstone Wharf
We’ve still got water here in the midlands, though. We got away this morning around 10, heading for Norbury. Lots of boats around in either direction. With our normal cruising speed of 2½ MPH and tickover past moorings, we were soon leader of a line of 4 boats. Still, if you’re in a hurry you’ve chosen the wrong mode of transport!We let 2 or 3 go past, and others pulled in for a lunchtime pint at the Anchor at High Offley while we plodded on, enjoying the scenery.
Long lines of moored craft made for slow cruising.
Shebdon Embankment carries the canal over a valley near Knighton.
There was a Cadbury’s dairy here, making use of the extensive supply of milk from the surrounding lush pastures. Cadbury’s used the canal to ship products from here to it’s main factory in Bournville, Birmingham.Cadbury Wharf, Knighton.
On Shebdon Embankment.
The rolling landscape means that after the embankment the canal dives into another cutting, this time the delightfully named Grub Street.
Grub Street Cutting. Just been overtaken...again!
Grub Street itself crosses the cutting over Lambarts Bridge.I wonder if anyone cruises through this cutting without taking a picture of High Bridge, with it’s stumpy telegraph pole in the split arch.
I don’t!
A mile from the cutting we pulled in near Norbury Junction, we’ll stay here for a couple of days now, let the weekenders have the water.
Locks 0, miles 7½
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