Wednesday, October 31, 2007

We had a quiet night at Tyrley, and Meg managed to stay dry this morning!

Tyrley Wharf and Top Lock
Off at just after 10:00 this morning, straight into Woodseaves Cutting. This stretches for about a mile, and is very narrow in places. The almost sheer sides suffer from regular rock and earth slides.

The depth of the cutting can be seen by the height of the bridges.
The cutting is through solid rock in places.
Out of the cutting back into open grazing country, we soon reached Knighton, once home of the Cadbury chocolate factory. They used to produce chocolate crumb here using local milk, which was then shipped, by canal, to Bournville for final processing. The factory is still here, producing milk products, and the wharf still survives.

Knighton Wharf
Out onto the massive Shebdon Embankment, where BW are fighting an almost continuous battle to prevent leaks. Piling is currently in progress on the offside.

Piling at Shebdon Embankment.
We stopped for the night a little further on, at Bridge 42.

Another fine dry day with sunny spells. This weather can’t last, surely.

We’re only a stone’s throw from another deep cutting, Grub Street. The spooky atmosphere when I took Meg for a walk at dusk is appropriate for All Hallows Eve!

Locks none, miles 7½

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