A canal stroll into the past — Part I

Whitchurch to the “Staircase” at Grindley Brook.

Whitchurch to the “Staircase” at Grindley Brook.

A pleasure boater approaches Lock Number 5 (of 6) at Grindley Brook on the Llangollen Canal, 18th May 2023 (Author’s Collection).

Part 1 (of 2) of my recent canal side strolls into a centuries old past is a brief 3 mile walk from Whitchurch to the “Staircase” lock at Grindley Brook and a repeat of a similar walk undertaken on a sweltering Sunday morning during last Summer’s heatwave. Having completed over 2/3rds of the 66 miles of Shropshire Union Canal, twice, I turned my attention to the nearest ports of call along the Llangollen Canal and this brief walk is about the best there is.

Bookending this 3 mile stroll is a canal wharf at Whitchurch as well as a number of quaintly old fashioned “Stop/Lift” bridges through to the famous “Staircase” set of 3 locks at Grindley Brook and the 3 individual locks that follow it as the Llangollen Canal continues to wind its way through this tiny Shropshire/Cheshire border village en route either north to another set of beautiful locks at Hurleston near Nantwich or south to Llangollen in Wales.

Part 2 follows tomorrow and a special on yet another of my visits to beautiful Audlem Mill on the Shropshire Union Canal. There is a bumper crop of pictures contained within this particular edition as quite simply I was having far too much fun!

But first, Part 1 and as always, all the images that follow were captured by me on Thursday 18th May 2023 and I hope you enjoy this brief pictorial stroll back in time.

All you could wish to know about this Shropshire Market Town.

One of a number of “Stop/Lift” bridges that dot this small stretch of canal at Whitchurch and here is Number 31 or “New Mills Lift Bridge”.

To the right is Whitchurch Wharf, the left a winding canal route to the “Staircase” at Grindley Brook. Straight ahead and past your welcome to Whitchurch is a turning circle, stop junction and the end of the canal before a wooded walk into the centre of this Market Town.

A mile and a half after leaving Whitchurch, here is a reverse view of the walk undertaken as you arrive at Grindley Brook Wharf.

Your instructions for using the “Staircase” locks at Grindley Brook.

Manned by volunteers during peak months of the year, here a pleasure boater begins his descent down the “Staircase”.

View from the bottom of the “Staircase” locks.

Suffice to say, this is a highly recommended stroll, walking boots or not!

Reverse view from Lock Number 4 at Grindley Brook after walking around the bend from the “Staircase” locks.

Forward view from Lock Number 4 toward Number 5 straight ahead.

Reverse view from Lock Number 5 back toward Lock Number 4.

Forward view from Lock Number 5 with Number 6 around the approaching bend in the canal.

A favourite image captured today: Lock Number 6 ahead together with Bridge 28 of the Llangollen Canal named “Grindley Brook Bridge”.

View from atop “Grindley Brook Bridge” and a railway bridge hidden by the trees straight ahead.

After walking through the railway bridge tunnel this image is representative of the canal miles ahead all the way north to the end of the Llangollen Canal at Hurleston. Long straight stretches of canal dissecting beautiful English countryside, 13 separate locks and 27 individual bridges before the canal merges into the Shropshire Union Canal at Hurleston.

A beautiful final view as we begin our stroll back from whence we came.

Lock Number 6 at Grindley Brook in full working order!

Thanks for reading. There are now over 100 separate articles contained within my “UK Travel” library for you to enjoy from the canals of England and Wales through to castles, cathedrals and centuries old ruins that dot the border between these two countries. Alternatively, here are my three most recently published articles:

True Love Lives
“On lollipops and crisps”medium.com

Beautiful Gnosall in the Spring sunshine
“These are a few of my favourite things”.medium.com

Spring sunshine from Norbury Junction
and a favourite spot on the Shropshire Union Canal.medium.com