Tag Archives: Norbury Junction

Saturday 12 April – Delays and Log Trouble

Easter 2025, , , ,

Distance travelled: 16 miles (by boat from Norbury Junction Visitor Moorings to Audlem Top Lock Visitor Moorings)

A detailed map showing a route from one location to another with a highlighted line indicating the path. Various other places, roads, and geographic features are visible on the map, which is marked with labels for reference.
All our canal route planning came from CanalPlan

Locks: 10. Total so far: 73

We were meant to have a really long boating day today so we set off early. My Dad got up even earlier to fill up our water tank. It was surprising how long it was taking – we must have used a lot of water…

Then we found out one of our two toilet tanks was FULL. We figured out later on that the toilet flush was constantly running from the water tank into the sewage tank. So that’s why we needed more water and to get a pump out.

Luckily not only was there a pub and swans at Norbury Junction there was also a hire boat base who could pump us out! So our early morning start eventually saw us waiting around for two or three hours until we got it all sorted out.

But once we got going we were back on more of the impressive embankments and dramatic cuttings of the Shroppie. There was also this funny “double” bridge which contains this old wooden pole that for something called ‘telegraphs’. That was how people sent messages more quickly than letters before telephones and text messages and emails and apps. People say a ghost lives here…but we didn’t see anything like that.

It was another glorious day on the canal. And even though we’d had an annoying start everything was going well.

Until it wasn’t.

We started to go through the Tyrley Locks (you say it “Turley”). Dad and I went ahead to set the next lock. We opened our gate and looked behind expecting Rakiraki to sail towards us. We could see her bow but she wasn’t moving.

What had happened?

She was properly stuck. A really, really large tree log was in the water and it had got wedged between the wall of the lock and the hull of the boat. Rakiraki couldn’t move at all. Totally jammed. Other boat crews tried to help us but nothing worked. So we had to call on the Canal and River Trust.

They came with tools and even then it took them ages. They had to try and saw through the log until it gave and the boat dislodged. We were stuck for three whole hours! So grateful to the Canal and River Trust for getting us moving.

A narrowboat is positioned at the entrance of a canal tunnel, with a person standing on the towpath nearby. The scene includes grassy banks and stone steps leading to the water, framed by the curved arch of the bridge above. Reflections of the boat and surroundings can be seen in the calm water.
Two people are operating a narrowboat in a canal. One person, wearing a maroon shirt, is pulling a rope from the boat, while another person, also in a maroon shirt, is standing nearby on the bank. There is a stone bridge in the background, along with trees and a house. The scene is set in a rural area, showcasing a leisurely outdoor activity on the water.

We were supposed to get to Audlem and do a load more locks but because of the toilet trouble and the tree trouble we only made it to the top of the flight. We now only had one day left before we had to give the boat back but we were still quite a long way away, tomorrow was going to be hard work.

Friday 11 April – Straight Lines, Speedwell Castle, and a Swan’s Nest

Easter 2025, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Distance travelled: 23 miles (by boat from Gailey Visitor Moorings above Lock to Norbury Junction Visitor Moorings)

Map showing a route marked in blue, connecting various locations in a part of the countryside. Several points of interest and landmarks are labeled along the route, which travels through a mix of urban and rural areas.
All our canal route planning came from CanalPlan

Locks: 2. Total so far: 63

A canal boat is traveling along a misty waterway, surrounded by trees and power lines. The sun is rising in the background, casting soft light over the scene, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere. A life buoy and ropes are visible on the boat's deck.
A narrowboat floats along a misty canal at sunrise, with soft sunlight illuminating the scene. Trees line the banks, and a life buoy rests on the boat's roof alongside a coiled rope. The atmosphere is tranquil and serene.
My Dad is annoyed that the stuck his finger over the lens in the left hand image, so he asked ChatGPT to fix it. It’s a good effort but it isn’t right is it.

I used to think all canals were just bendy and slow with lots of locks. But today wasn’t like that at all.

A young girl in a bright orange life jacket stands alongside a narrowboat named "Eleanor" at a sunny canal dock. Lush greenery and blooming trees surround the area, while other people are seen in the background. The scene captures a charming outdoor setting.

We joined a new canal called the Shropshire Union Canal, or the “Shroppie” which people call it for short. It felt totally different. We travelled 23 miles and only had to do TWO locks. One of them only changed the water level by 10 centimetres, which is basically nothing.

That’s all thanks to Thomas Telford—the same man who made Harecastle Tunnel from earlier in the week. He didn’t bother following the land, he went through it. He cut through hills, built embankments and bridges, and did everything he could to make the canal level and straight. The Shroppie was the last narrow canal built in England and opened in 1835. When it was new, people called it the “main line”. It was like a motorway for boats.

A view from the top of a canal boat, showcasing a blue cover, orange life buoy, and a length of chain. In the background, tall trees line a path, and fence borders the canal as it crosses over an aqueduct, against a clear blue sky. The setting appears peaceful and rural.
Going over Thomas Telford’s Stretton Aqueduct that crosses the A5 – which follows the route of an old Roman Road!
A narrow, tranquil canal surrounded by lush green trees and steep, natural banks. The water is gently rippling under a clear blue sky, with a path running alongside the right side of the canal. The perspective looks down the length of the canal, creating a sense of depth.
This is an example of how Telford would ‘cut’ through the landscape to carve out the canal.

We stopped at a village called Brewood (which is actually pronounced “Brood”, weirdly). On the way to the playground we passed “Speedwell Castle”. Apparently someone built it in the 1700s after their horse won a race.

Three-story brick building with large, arched windows, featuring intricate designs. The structure has a prominent entrance and is situated at a street corner, with a sign indicating it is a hotel. The surrounding area includes additional buildings with traditional architecture, under a clear blue sky.

Even better than that fancy building was stopped at a bakery. And then stopping there again for cake on our way back to the boat. Yummy.

Back on the boat, I learned a game called Citadels with my godfather Dave. It’s a card game where you try to build a city and do sneaky things. I think I got the hang of it!

We finished the day at Norbury Junction. A long time ago, the Shrewsbury Canal joined here, and some people are trying to bring it back. Right now, the junction is home to lots of moored boats—and also to a pair of swans sitting on their nest. I didn’t get a photo, but I did catch a glimpse of the eggs when one of the swans shifted around. It felt like a secret moment.

A narrowboat is moored by the edge of a calm canal, beside a concrete path. To the side a swan is sat on top of its nest, incubating eggs.

We had dinner at the Junction Inn, sitting in the garden by the water as the sun set. The light made the whole canal glow golden. Today was a really good day.