Friday 27 - Sunday 29 May 2016

On Friday we chugged on for 14 miles and through the Tyrley flight of five locks until we reached Market Drayton which unfortunately isn't as lovely as the last few places we have stopped at - typical as this is where we have decided to stay until Monday as mum and dad are coming to pick Lou up on Sunday.  

We had a good mooch and shop in town on Saturday and cooked for mum and dad on Sunday as we didn't want to go out for another grotty pub meal - the place I had thought about going to had actually been repossessed on 11 May and was rated 33 out of 47 restaurants in Market Drayton on Tripadvisor!

Of course whilst we stood still the weather was glorious!!

Goodbye The Boat Inn - Would definitely like to come back here one day.

Happy Fisherman - catch of the day!

Passing along Grub Street Cutting and under High Bridge with a masonry strut, carrying a short telegraph pole, built across its tall arch.  

All the bridges along Grub Street Cutting are high - can you see how narrow the canal is here.

And of course it wouldn't be the same if we hadn't met a boat coming the other way!

Tyrley Wharf at the top of the Tyrley Flight of five locks.   

Thankfully the navigational notes warned us that there is an underwater obstruction on the towpath side between locks 4 and 5 so you mustn't leave lock 4 until the top gate of lock 5 is open.  The bywash at the bottom of lock 4 is also very fierce - we saw it push one boat against the rocks and trees - glad that wasn't us!

'Ow do (that's what they say up here!) Mr and Mrs Trunk.

Arriving in Market Drayton.

All weekend we watched this male swan chasing this female duck.

Every time she got in the water he chased her out and every time she got out...

He chased her back in.  The mum and cygnets are way up the canal - you would have thought he could have given her a break - why she didn't find a new stretch of canal is amazing - she must be exhausted.