The Shropshire Union Canal has been a breeze averaging 5 locks a day & the odd day where I did none! Well that all ended when we came to Audlem & I managed my personal best to date of 15 locks in a row going down the flight. Our canal guide said it would take two hours. Not happening when you are the 2nd of 3 boats going down, & only 1 boat coming up in the whole 3.5 hrs it took to complete. Every lock bar one had to be filled before we could use it. Still, locking is a very social event & my new bestie of the day was John on the boat behind us. He would catch up to me as I was finishing & shut the gates & paddles with me. We'd have a yarn & move on. We did this all the way down the flight. The weather was in our favour, & amazingly all week the sun has shone.
Another tick on the bucket list was achieved this week by spotting a Kingfisher & actually getting a photo before he darted off. Then we saw another one! Still looking for an otter.
We got stuck in Lock 5 of the Adderley Flight. Just when you think you will have your feet up having a cup of tea in 20mins, fate tells you differently. The gate would just not completely open refusing to let the boat out. How does this happen when the boat in front of us had no problem? No poking with the pole (tool of trade) would release the gate. Rescued by a fellow boater who had a mega pole. An hour late on that cup of tea. Canal Time!
The Shroppie Fly by the way were the express boats of their day. The Shropshire Union Canal was the main route from Liverpool to London.


Pubs
The Boat Inn - Gnosall
The Shroppie Fly - Audlem (after 15 locks I needed a drink)
Sights/Activities
Secret Nuclear Bunker (cold war command bunker)

NB Spotting
Wea-ry-Tired (We're retired)
Aldoittomora (I'll do it tomorrow)

Total Lock Count
106