A special morning…

I had a great long run this morning, just over 10 miles on the lanes and back roads either side of the canal. The temperature had dipped to below -4°, so it was a bit chilly till I got warmed up, and I had to be on the lookout for icy patches, but I really enjoyed it. Then, after a bite to eat, Meg and I took a walk back up Adderley Locks.




On the way back down again, a real treat…

He’s spotted us…

Good vantage point – Oi, we’re over here!

A bit higher…

I had to use maximum zoom for the last couple of pics, so they’re not brilliant, but so much better than I’ve been getting from the back of a moving boat!

Made my day.

On such a fine day it would be a crime not to cruise for a bit, so we did – for a bit.

It was near on midday by the time we got going, but we were tied up again near Cox Bank, near the top of the Audlem flight, by just after 1 o’clock.

Off towards Audlem

Fantastic light and shade.

Audlem Lock 1

The Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, now the main line of the Shropshire Union, was built in competition with the early railways, and so had to be efficient. The locks were grouped in three main flights, at Tyrley, Adderley and Audlem. Audlem is by far the longest flight, 15 locks over 1½ miles drop the canal 93 feet. But it’s a lot quicker to work a flight like this than to deal with the same number of locks scattered over a longer distance. The windlass-winder stays off, and can trot down to set the next one while the current one is emptying.

We only did the top two today, tomorrow we’ll drop down a further nine to the moorings near Audlem village, leaving the final four for maybe Tuesday.

Locks 2, miles 1½