Cruise the Shropshire Union Canal with Charter Hotelboat Willow

SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL:
The ‘Shroppie ’, as it’s known, is actually an amalgamation of earlier canals - the Birmingham & Liverpool Junction Canal which ran as a narrowbeam canal north from the Staffs & Worcs to Nantwich in Cheshire, where it met the wide beam Chester canal, continuing the route north to the attractive roman walled city of Chester and then on to link with the Mersey at Ellesmere Port.

It is almost as if the two canals are still separate. The Chester part is typical wide beam canal and, southbound, the change to narrowbeam at Nantwich seems quite dramatic. When compared with the Trent and Mersey or the Staffs & Worcs canal, the Shroppie is a young canal. The newer building techniques are very evident, with long embankments and deep cuttings, and locks arranged closely in flights. The most prominent lock flight is at Audlem - the locks are well maintained and set in an attractive rural setting. Just north of the flight, the Shroppie passes over the River Weaver (tiny here compared with the navigation further north). Audlem itself is also pleasant for a wee wander. Some photos follow - sorry we seem to be lacking in photo quantity for the Shroppie.


Magnificent, but narrow, Woodseaves cutting stretches before us.	A Hotelboat Butty pulls out of the Llangollen onto the Shroppie at Hurlestone Junction	Woodseaves cutting - Just as narrow stretches back behind us (Irene at the tiller - just to prove she can).

Norbury Junction - now an attractive setting for a hire fleet, cafe, and pub - used to be an important junction for a (now derelict) canal link to Shrewbury.	Pleasant Visitor Moorings at Gnosall.	Over the field to the church at Brewood (pronounced Brewed).
		Thanks to guest Tim Sandefer for the Photo.
The much photographed 'Avenue Bridge'.	Canal built the Telford way - straight as possible, using alternating cuttings (attractive when in leaf) and panoramic embankments.	Furthest most southern point of the Shroppie - Autherley Junction - taken from the older Staffs & Worcs canal. The stop lock just through the bridge lifts the canal levels only a very few inches.

South from Market Drayton (for us a regular cruise starting point) the Shroppie becomes very attractive. Although not having as many locks as Audlem, the Tyrley flight of five are set in sandstone outcrops - one of the prettiest lock flights in the country. Some of the deep cuttings such as Woodseaves and Grub Street are particularly attractive on this section of the Shroppie. Not forgetting some panoramic views from impressive embankments. The canal is rural for almost all of it’s length southwards to Autherley where it joins the Staffs & Worcs - but with Brewood as a charming little canalside town on the way - again well worth a saunter.