Three Aston Locks and the Cornish are here!

Monday, 05 April 2010 20:00

We were nearly at the end of the Monty but ....

Aston locks were next - three of them spaced out over the next mile

Beside the top lock is the entrance to Aston Nature Reserve. We ventured in for a quick look. Daffodils and sheep abounded by the lake and Oswestry Golf Course behind the reserve was being well used!

Nature reserve and golf course

Aston Top Lock had a strange hut beside it! When we were here before it was just an ordinary stop plank holder without a roof, now it is empty and looks more like a shelter for very small people!

Where are the stop planks - or shall we picnic under it when it rains?

We met a Cornish couple on narrowboat Andante coming up. The lady helped me, doing the lock "drekly" as she assured me they were in no hurry! They were from the Truro area and she was Camborne-born, so we had a good natter and I introduced the "Redruth-born " boy to her. The old rivalry is always there

A neat and tidy sight

The above bywash is in red brick with what we call a "lock counter" beside it. All that can be seen of the counter is the solar panel that runs it - it counts the number of lock fulls as narowboats go up and down.

Below is the Lock Keepers house

We continued to the middle lock which has a foot bridge over the tail, making bottom gate opening and shutting an easy task for John!

Footbridge over Aston Middle Lock

At Aston Bottom Lock is a derelict building. I am not sure of its purpose but it is open to the elements and gradually deteriorating. There is a cavity underneath and I wondered if it was something to do with the nearby sluice to the wet land on the off-side.

Lock building

We left the locks behind us and made our way towards Maesbury Marsh - a very interesting canal village .......

Montgomery Canal, Heath Houses to Aston Bottom Lock

1 hour 13 minutes, 1.7 miles, 3 locks