Foxxie terrorised at Gnosall

Blog written on Wed 21 July but unfortunately (for first time ever) absolutely no internet connection at Goldstone Wharf on the Shroppie

This week we have done … Brewood, Wheaton Aston, Gnosall, Goldstone Wharf - all on the Shroppie.

Ha ha !! guess how many locks we’ve done this week?? (answer at bottom!) I’m missing them !

Weather pretty much same as last week - cloud, drizzle, rain and some sun ---- have I done a Sleeping Beauty and it’s now winter time again ??

Not much action here on the Shroppie - even villages in short supply! Wheaton Aston had one very small Spar - Gnosall was a bit more with a couple of very small supermarkets and a butcher with 3 pubs visited, none of which unfortunately were anything to write home about and we haven’t eaten out now since July 5 (I remember the date cos it was Dai’s birthday) so are now on the lookout for somewhere!

Dai’s breadmaking still going well - I think he’s just about cracked it and we can throw the electric breadmaker away. One of the great things about retirement is that we now have the time to do things like that !

We moored at The Anchor Pub Tues evening cos it’s (apparently) quite a famous pub on the Shroppie. It is literally in the middle of nowhere so how on earth it makes any money is anyone’s guess - they don’t even do food. Just two really small rooms and there were only 4 people in there - perhaps it started heaving after we left ? Dai loved the beer (Wadsworth 6x) and I normally do, but it just didn’t taste right to me so we ended up only having the one.

Foxxie was terrorised whilst we were moored at Gnosall by a white duck! ok, so she did have 3 little white ducklings but no mummy duck before has ever left the water before to come onto the bank to quack violently at Foxxie and put her into retreat ! And poor old Foxxie wouldn’t know what to do with a duckling other than gaze at it adoringly - she’s such a wuss !

Since last blog we have done … 16 miles and 1 lock
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 586 miles and 632 locks.

This is the most photographed bridge on the canals - so I am told.    It is on the Shroppie, Bridge 39 where the bridge is so high because the canal is in a cutting that the telegraph pole has to go in the middle of the stonework.   Oh, and by the way, it is called "High Bridge" !!

here is High Bridge from the other side where the tree cover didn't make it so dark and you can see the entire bridge

The famous Anchor pub at ---- wait for it ---- Anchor Bridge 42

Well, we think it was a buzzard but too far away to tell for sure