A November stroll along the Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire borders (Part 2)

Autumnal postcards from Gnosall, Ironbridge, Norbury Junction and Shrewsbury

Autumnal postcards from Gnosall, Ironbridge, Norbury Junction and Shrewsbury

A beautifully Autumnal scene on the Shropshire Union Canal at Gnosall, 6th November 2021

This is the second and final part (until 2022) in this particular series as with the dawning of November I decided to go exploring locally. There are many and varied reasons for this, ranging from the ridiculous (I had to get myself up and out of bed after watching far, far too much early morning baseball from America) to the sublime (I adore a good brisk stroll and have an Aquarian and Pomponian need to be somewhere near water) and also because it’s a wonderful fillip for one’s mental health to be away from the buzz of suburban existence and returning somewhere toward nature.

Disclaimer — I am a Southerner by birth and have a huge affinity for the sea, seaside and candy floss. But I also have an affinity for rivers, streams and canals and simply find them spiritually and soulfully soothing. Quixotically I’m not a lover of the traditional English countryside (though you are about to view a large amount of this in the following postcards) but despite my Southern, beach loving demeanour, I have come to appreciate the nearby countryside in these three adjacent English counties and I hope these postcards convey this growing appreciation.

Normally I am a rambler of many words but not here. I will add a simple narration to the postcards and leave you to hopefully enjoy them. I also do not claim any experience or vast knowledge of the rivers and canals systems depicted, but just enjoy the auras and ascetic values these beautiful areas provide in abundance.

Gnosall, Shropshire, 6th November 2021

Messing around on a canal between The Navigation Inn and The Boat Inn, 6th November 2021

L to R View from the bridge at the Navigation Inn to a few feather friends I made along the way! The autumnal scenes on the Shropshire Union Canal and The Boat Inn, 6th November 2021.

I couldn’t resist including the bottom left picture as it aesthetically pleases me!

A beautiful stroll between the Navigation Inn and the Boat Inn, Gnosall, 6th November 2021.

Gnosall is a tiny parish/village that lies between the Shropshire market town of Newport and the Staffordshire town of, well, Stafford! This is yet another of those occurrences of driving through this busy thoroughfare route between the two English counties and never stopping to smell the roses, sorry, canal. So I finally did and again I caught lucky with the weather and enjoyed a leisurely stroll between the two pubs noted above and a longer meander along the canal either side of the pubs. It’s an idyllic part of the Shropshire/Staffordshire countryside and after hassle free parking at The Navigation Inn I rather enjoyed my amble beside the canal boats and the feathery friends I made along the route.

Shrewsbury, Shropshire, 5th November 2021

L to R: Statue to commemorate the Boer War which faces St Chad’s Church (see below), Shrewsbury Abbey and the town’s very own slinky spring! Beautiful reflections on the River Severn from the Boathouse Pub, and the magnificent Shrewsbury Castle, 5th November 2021.

L to R: Which way is it to Shrewsbury Abbey?! Some of the magnificent Tudor architecture that abound in Shrewsbury and other large Shropshire market towns. A view up the hill to the main shopping district and Charles Darwin keeping watch outside Shrewsbury Library, 5th November 2021.

L to R: A view across the River Severn, Shrewsbury Boating Club and a “Screw with a View”. The magnificent entrance to Shrewsbury Castle and childishly enjoying trying to capture glaringly overexposed sunshine and how it can affect reflections and a picture as a whole, 5th November 2021.

L to R: St Chad’s Church and the white Boar War Memorial before on the right we have a “War Memorial” that seems anything but a memorial to me (but if you know, you know, right?). The epitome of a Shropshire market town and another wider view of Shrewsbury Library.

Shrewsbury is, I believe, the largest town in Shropshire and yet another “passing through” route for me rather than relaxing into a long stroll around the town, so this I changed on a rather enlightening as well as thoroughly enjoyable Autumnal afternoon stroll. I’ll keep this brief as I want the “postcards” to speak for themselves but the three hours I spent ambling around this Shropshire town was a pleasure as I’d never before appreciated the vagaries and the beauty this town has to offer.

Norbury Junction, Shropshire/Staffordshire border, 1st November 2021

The peace and tranquillity of Norbury Junction, 1st November 2021.

The peace and tranquillity of Norbury Junction, 1st November 2021. The guest house for my son’s first Christmas is the large house far left in the top left picture.

I adore Norbury Junction and if it wasn’t for my kind Brother in Law Steve I wouldn’t have found this gem until 3 years ago. Many years previous to this Steve hired the large guest house overlooking the Junction for my son’s first Christmas and what joy we all had walking along the canal with the dog, getting lost within the confines of this huge house and of course my son screaming the roof off the pub on Christmas Day morning! My son and I have since returned for many bacon sandwiches and games of “Battleship” sitting beside the canal and this was a regular destination for me with a delightful lady whom I drove to work whilst I was driving a taxi. As soon as I had confirmation of this particular “job” I secured a snack or three as I knew that as soon as I had dropped my passenger to her destination I too will have arrived, for 30 minutes or so, and a breather from work with a book, a snack and the majestic view for company.

Ironbridge, Shropshire, 2nd November 2021

L to R: “The Grand Old Lady” and her accompanying town and a chance for some fish n chips and a chat with my favourite iron bridge. The view of “toytown” as I call Ironbridge and the Lady herself after that afternoon’s hailstorm! 2nd November 2021.

L to R: The Grand Old Lady beneath the glare of a weakening sun and the World War Memorial. Toytown as viewed from the bridge itself and a close up after the hailstorm. View of the Grand Old Lady from the War Memorial and the magnificent views across toytown, 2nd November 2021.

Regarding Ironbridge I really should point you in the direction of virtually all of my written blogs here as “The Grand Old Lady” figures in most of them. I’m either lamenting at my leaving of her, expressing how this World Heritage Site has an aura and atmosphere all of it’s own, how it’s proudly remained 150 years behind a modern world and how I call this place one of my spiritual homes. I also talk to the Grand Old Lady and have done for years and have my own named bench for my frequent visits. She doesn’t talk back by the way, but she’s a fine listener of one’s troubles. I just adore this place and was privileged to have lived here for 4 years and to have taken up residence on my bench (my bench indeed!) and spent countless hours either daydreaming, reading, talking to my dear old Mum or with the thousands of tourists from every corner of our world, and even if they ignored my well intentioned ramblings, I bet they loved this place every bit as I do.

Ironbridge, Shropshire, 2nd November 2021. Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this, please do consider “Part 1” of these November strolls. Link below.

A November stroll along the Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire borders (Part 1)
Autumnal postcards from Audlem, Bridgnorth, Codsall and Coven Heathmedium.com