Shortbread and good udders.

The two Lovelies George and Carol who had volunteered to help us here at the Audlem Locks, a flight of 13 or so were arriving at about 10am.  

We were moored up at the very bottom and here the first two or three are spaced out, so at about 9:30 we set off and started those ones. 

The first one we met a boat coming down, the husband was winding down the paddles with great gusto , when he finished he leapt onto the roof, jogged along the roof and jumped down to drive out.... He's lively I said to his wife, 

Oh yes he is, he drives me mad, never sits still for five minutes, 

You can get treatment for that these days, says I

Yes I know and together we both said "A bang on the head" I did tell her that my husband does not have that problem.

The two treasures arrived and off we set after hugs and kisses.  

George went ahead prepping and Carol and I stayed with WaL and in turn we too each went ahead.

Here is Carol finishing off and George walking.

Action shot of Carol.

We finished two locks short of the top.  We were going to have breakfast together, this was a open spot whereas at the very top you are in dreaded trees.

We had bacon rolls, pink sparkle (Thank you Carol I shall look out for that one again in Morrisons) followed by that porridge cake, this time an odd combination of apricot and pistachios, but thats almost empty larders for you.

They told us before they departed of how the famous Shroppie Fly has been taken over but this time by a couple who've had previous experience in the town with a tapas bar...  

Even though we had supper organised I felt it was important to not only try out but also to support canalside pubs, so after a pleasant afternoon reading we trotted off downhill.

 As we went crunching on carpets of acorns as we went, evidently this is a mast season for acorns, the towpath all along is carpeted with them.

So supper was beef stroganoff with tiramisu.  Good value I thought for very good food and super service too.

Recommended.

The next morning we did the two remaining locks of the  Audlum flight finishing at the farmhouse with the farmerswife bringing out freshly baked pasties (David choice one) and I couldn't resist her shortbread.  Still warm and absolutely not on my regime but oh my word how delicious they are.

Highly recommend!  She even takes card payments.

I happen to mention that we too were farming, yes and dairy farmers... (I use the expression WE lightly) and oh no we sold the cows and brought a boat... The husband's face looked askance at me not exactly a frown, she said oh my husband could never do that!  The lady followed me out again with stocks to go onto her covered stall of cream teas, scones jam and clotted cream.

Tell your husband that he has some fine heifers here says I.  They are good aren't they?  Fine enough for the Dairy Event 

(That's prestigious show for the finest dairy cows in the land) 

I didn't say that David had shown our cows there in the past and won prizes.

So attractive these fallen leaves on the water.  

On the Adderley locks now, a very pleasant run of five, we passed 3 or 4 boats making it a doddle.

So here below and out of sequence is a good quality cow, not one of the heifers as they'd walked away.

 Note the topline, nice and straight, the depth of her chest, not too bony, the good attachment of the udder to her body but we can't see the feet but feet are very important too. A nice Holstein cow.

Periodically there will be tests for you.

Hopelessly out of order. Its taken ages to do these photos and then they are in the wrong order, where I am now trying to upload these photos is driving me bananas.  

Please bear with me until normal service is resumed.

We stopped briefly in Market Drayton to service the boat.  David walked over the bridge to the boatyard there to buy some black rubber tubing and some shackles to adjust the bow fender with.  He was very pleased with the cost, under £5.  I was very irritated that the rubbish receptacle being closed. but we set off soon afterwards to do the last five locks here at Tyrley.  Rubbish point there okay, in fact a local lady resident was using the bins.....

The locks at Tyrley can be problematic after rain due to their fierce by-washes that can bash a boat bandy.  I changed into my wellies for the most attractive walk up to the first lock, I was dazzled by a Kingfisher too.  This walk has always been muddy, everytime, except for today.

The lovely walk up to the first lock.

Beautiful open undulating hills at the top of the Audlem flight.

The charming Farmers wife who even closed the gate for us, buy her shortbread!

So we reached the top of all the locks on the Shroppie, bar one more at Wheaton Ashton, plus we reached the limit of my affection for the Shropshire Union canal, from here on I dislike it.  Too many trees, too many bushes and rubbish interweb.

I went in to have a shower and wash my awful boat hair.  David sailed on with a podcast on on his bluetooth hearing aids, sometimes he puts that on when I am with him and just occasionally says "yes" to keep me quiet...

He moored up at Goldstone Wharf  with the help of two other boaters who kindly adjusted their ropes and we could squash in.

Supper was chicken pasta, its one of those 500 calorie meals per person to make up for the tiramisu last night.

 

Oh I say, one of these charming cottages is for sale, any takers?