Audlem to Adderley via Audlem Locks

A pictorial stroll along the Shropshire Union Canal

A pictorial stroll along the Shropshire Union Canal

Image captured at the beautifully tranquil Audlem today, 22nd June 2022 (Author’s Collection).

Greetings and salutations from a rarely sunny Shropshire and before the heatwave disappears yet again from the shores of the UK! For a verbose speaker and writer, I always endeavour to keep these particular articles bereft of my usual long winded and often tangential ramblings, so what is follows is a brief disclaimer, introduction to this stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal and a minimal running commentary on the images themselves. I sincerely hope all of these will combine together to provide a heavy, image led pictorial journey of a sunny day that made me smile.

Disclaimer: As per my previous articles on the canals in the picturesque UK county in which I live, I don’t claim to have any experience of either a canal boat lifestyle or the inner workings and trials and tribulations of life on a houseboat/canal boat or narrow boat (whichever you prefer). I just find the peace, tranquillity and the quirky nature of an almost bygone way of existence and determination to live your life in this way, and in a floating house too, endlessly fascinating. I also bask and prosper in the sunshine, love the sights and sounds of canal life juxtaposed with the earthy nature and countryside that surrounds it, and simply discovering a new piece of the canal waterways puzzle never fails to raise a smile on my face. Guaranteed (Guaranteed) to receive oodles of smiles and “Good Afternoon’s” from the human beings you meet and watching dogs leap into a canal in search of a well thrown stick or ball can’t fail to amuse the child in all of us.

Introduction: The article from www.ramblers.org.uk linked at the bottom of this paragraph, whilst geared towards rambling and not just the canal walk, will still provide you with a far more detailed and certainly expert view and description of my ramble today, so I’ll sum up my personal experience thus:

I loved my previous visit to Audlem some months ago and so it was an easy choice for a return trip on such a beautiful day. After chatting with a local and fussing his gorgeous dog, I had two choices (1) In the direction of Nantwich and a not particularly spectacular (apparently) long stretch of canal or (2) In the direction of Adderley and the rather more enticing prospect of seeing 15 locks. So I naturally plumped for the latter and was incredibly well rewarded for such a simple decision. Audlem to Adderley is approximately a 7 mile stretch and I managed 5, but this was on top of the 6 I’d already walked that afternoon and cramp was slowly settling in for the day! The joy of this particular stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal was undoubtedly the locks and many of the 15 were in active use as I strolled along the banks of the canal. Just resting on such a lock and giving thanks to the beneficial sunshine as the water rushes through the locks and yet another canal boat hoves into view was a repeated pleasure that led to many a strange conversation and many more smiles!

All images captured on 22nd June 2022 and from hereon in I will only provide a minimal colour commentary to well over 50 images that I hope you will thoroughly enjoy.

Walk detail - Ramblers
The Ramblers - Britain's walking charity working to protect and expand the places people love to walk and promote…www.ramblers.org.uk

Parish Church of St James and the Great Audlem (Author’s Collection).

View from Bridge 78 at Audlem on Weaver Way and the 12th of 15 Locks along this near 7 mile stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal toward Adderley (Author’s Collection).

View from Bridge 78 toward central Audlem or correctly known as Audlem Mill (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

Bridge 78 at Audlem and first we’ll travel toward Audlem Mill through the tunnel before turning around to visit the remaining Locks toward Adderley (Author’s Collection).

Audlem Mill (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

One of many favourite images captured today with “The Shroppie Fly” public house to your right (Author’s Collection).

Moorings at Audlem Mill and back toward Bridge 78 and the 12th Lock (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

Perfect timing as someone leaves Lock 13 further along from Audlem Mill (Author’s Collection).

Lock 13 at Audlem Mill (Author’s Collection).

Back toward Audlem Mill and onward toward the vast majority of the Locks (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

Onward toward the remainder of the Locks along this quirky and beautiful stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal (Author’s Collection).

One of my many favourite images captured today (Author’s Collection).

Magnificent view from the next Lock and another pleasing image from today (Author’s Collection).

Lock number 10. I adore the snake like view into the distance (Author’s Collection).

A mother with her ducklings! (Author’s Collection).

Another view of Lock number 10 (Author’s Collection).

View from Lock number 10 (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

Lock number 9 and another image I adore from today (Author’s Collection).

And a view onward from Lock 9 (Author’s Collection).

Lock number 8 with 7 in the distance (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

Lock number 8 with both number 7 in the distance as well as Bridge 77 (Author’s Collection).

View from Lock number 8 and back from whence we came (Author’s Collection).

Bridge 77 and onward to Lock number 6. Another favourite image from today (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

Onward to Lock number 5 (Author’s Collection).

Another favourite image captured today (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

View from Lock number 5 (Author’s Collection).

I adore Norbury Junction and will be using that picturesque location as a starting point for another canal stroll this summer. I haven’t visited either of the other two locations and aim to do so this summer too (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

Another “Perfect Timing” moment (Author’s Collection).

Bridge 76 and another Lock ahead (Author’s Collection).

Perfect Timing (Author’s Collection).

Yep. Another favourite image captured today (Author’s Collection).

Second to last Lock (Author’s Collection).

View from the Lock and again back from whence we came (Author’s Collection).

Toward Bridge 75 (Author’s Collection).

Bridge 75 and our final Lock (Author’s Collection).

Perfect timing (Author’s Collection).

Onward to Bridge 74 (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

View from underneath Bridge 74 and onward to Adderley (Author’s Collection).

I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed this pictorial meander along the Shropshire Union Canal. If so, please see the links below to firstly the six mile walk I completed before this cramp inducing marathon and two articles I originally posted in November 2021:

Ladyline to Woodseaves Cutting
A pictorial stroll along the Shropshire Union Canalmedium.com

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

A November stroll along the Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire borders (Part 2)
Autumnal postcards from Gnosall, Ironbridge, Norbury Junction and Shrewsburymedium.com