A cut above the rest on the Shropshire Union Canal

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Friday, 19 March 2010

Woodseaves cutting is as amazing as the two major embankments on the Shroppie

The Shropshire Union Canal enters Woodseaves cutting through Cheswardine Bridge. Two bridges tower over the cut, High Bridge (57) is the highest and towards the northern end of Woodseaves is Hollings Bridge (58).

High Bridge in the distance

The scene must have been amazing - blasting, digging and puddling down in the dank, dark channel that has been cut through the rock. It is no wonder that the channel is very narrow and passing a narrowboat coming the other way is difficult.

The sides are almost vertical, the towpath very wet and the vegetation climbs high above reaching to the distant sky. Since it was built there have been repeated landslides and we spotted a minor one today, just near Hollings Bridge.

Landslip

We did not encounter another narrowboat in this cutting, but there was one behind us. I looked back as we left Woodseaves, just after Hollings Bridge, but the photo does not really show the steep sides.

Looking back at Woodseaves cutting

So Tyrely Lock flight was ahead of us. This too is cut through areas of rock and can be a troublesome flight! In the past we have grounded in the pounds, caught our skeg on a large rock (on Twelfth Night) and been really stuck, and fought the very fast bywashes!

The top lock is attractive with the lock cottages. We noted that the water point is still out of action! Another boat had just ascended so the locks were all set for us. Lock two had very leaky gates so John had to fill it but we descended the flight in almost record time.

We were followed by the other boat and as they emptied the lock above us the by-washes became very fierce. Despite a dicy shoulder (making tiller work a little more difficult!) I was able to enter and leave the locks at speed to prevent bashing the Epiphany!

Looking back to Lock 2 - a fast by-wash on the left

We met two boats coming up, one in the pound between lock 4 and the bottom lock. Below Lock 4 there were two fierce by-washes and I almost surfed out of the lock with the throttle full ahead! This narrowboat was waiting as we opened the gates of the bottom lock.

Exiting Tyrley bottom lock

The cutting immediately below the locks is still narrow and has always been very shallow so we dawdled along until we were past Tyrley Castle Bridge (61). Then the canal opens out on the approach to Market Drayton, our destination for today.

The winter harvest is in at Tyrley Castle farm