On Friday evening I got a message from Tony at Bethsaida Covers, if we could get to Shebdon Wharf on the Saturday he would measure up and make up the templates for our new cratch cover. Oh yes!
We left at nine o’clock and by half-ten we were there.
Leaving Goldstone Wharf on Saturday morning
Wide open spaces near Soudley…
…and a bosky cutting at Knighton.
At the northern end of Shebdon Embankment stands a factory specifically sited to take advantage of the extensive dairy farming in the area and the proximity of the canal for transport.
Knighton Wharf
Shebdon Wharf is at the far end of the massive embankment and this is where we pulled in for Tony to work his magic.
It’ll be about 10 days before the new cover is finished, he’s very busy, so we’re planning to meet him at Penkridge for fitting when it’s ready. So we set off this morning heading for Norbury Wharf.
The embankments are protected by stop gates at either end to prevent a massive water loss in the event of a breach. I’m not sure that the one at Bridge 44 would be that effective though…
Passing the long lines of moored boats between Shebdon Wharf and Anchor Bridge we could finally get out of tickover as we approached the gloom of the second deep cutting at Grub Street.
Both of the large cuttings are named for local hamlets, Woodseaves evokes images of thatched cottages and a village green complete with duckpond, whereas Grub Street just… doesn’t.
The channel through Grub Street Cutting is wider and deeper though, and sports High Bridge (Woodeaves has one too, a marked absence of imagination methinks…) with bracing across the arch mounting a disused stumpy telegraph pole.
High Bridge No. 39
Gives a whole new meaning to “getting your ducks in a row”…
Leaving the cutting Norbury Wharf is only a half hour up the cut, and we pulled in just before the bridge to check out the situation on the wharf. There was a boat having a pump-out that we waited for but then we were able to get on ourselves for a top up of diesel and a replacement gas bottle.
Then we pushed across to the services to fill the water tank, empty the loo and dispose of rubbish and recycling at the already overflowing bins. Nothing unusual this summer.
We moved up onto the 48 hour moorings to stay the night. Tomorrow we’ll be off again, with the weather turning wet and windy towards the back end of the week we want to get down nearly to Brewood while it’s fine. We’ve got mail to pick up at the Post Office there.
Locks 0, miles 7½
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