We left the day after the rain on quite a nice morning chugging off towards the emergency stoppage at the top lock on the Meaford flight. I like this section of canal on the Shroppie Nice views westwards and within an hour and a half we were passing Goldstone Wharf - this is normally a stopping point as the pub serves value for money food. There is water here and a winding hole. The new occupant of the wharf cottage that has a mooring in the (ex) winding hole has for some reason put a rope across the winding hold and moored his/her boat in the hole which is called True Grit - they whoever they are are W$$$ers and I still cannot understand how this cannot be a winding hole as its a wide point of the canal and no need to go onto the gits property to wind - beggars belief. Karma is on its way to them !!
Anyhow before that we chugged thru Woodseves cutting looking ever more perilous to a full on landslip and stoppage. We had a boat follow us well behind and just as we were exiting around the last blind bend a boat with 8 souls came into view - the helms-woman panicked and had the boat sideways in short order. We were able to hold in a small hollow on the offside.... we did let them know there was another boat and maybe good to hold but they ignored us and bombed off for another sideways across the canal moment ?
The locks at Tyrley were set up for the emergency stoppage on the Monday and we were moving Friday last week 17th May. I suspect C&RT were expecting lots of boat movements as they had a terrific flow going through the locks or rather bywashes. The bottom lock bywash was as bad as I've seen it and of course we had the added challenge of a boat following us down. The effect of this is they are adding full locks of water down the flight maxing the bywashes. Even by opening the two top paddles as we exited the lock to wash us out and try and put the bywash water thru the lock there was still a torrent hitting Percy broadside as we exited the lock. I got pushed over but not crashed into the rock wall as is the risk - this bywash has to rate as one of the worse and therefore most dangerous on the system we have cruised to date - quite horrible.
This is what we call Leai's bench. I've a couple of photos taken many years apart of me and Leia on this bench. We still miss her fiercely.
We then has a nice cruise through Market Drayton and moored short of the Adderley flight. C&RT are saving money and no doubt being environmental by not cutting the tow path even at known mooring points. as soon as we moored the boat was boarded by lots of spiders - I set to cutting back the veg and putting a line of insect repellent on the gunwale. We went for a lovely walk and ended the evening in peace and quiet. Just under 4 hours cruising I think.
Spider city
2 comments:
I don’t think you mean Meaford in the first sentence do you?
No … not sure where that came from
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