Ladyline to Woodseaves Cutting

A pictorial stroll along the Shropshire Union Canal

A pictorial stroll along the Shropshire Union Canal

Image captured on the Shropshire Union Canal 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 troubling tangential ramblings, so what 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.waterways.org linked at the bottom of this paragraph will 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 got lucky. I was initially in search of the wharf at Market Drayton and frustrated at not finding it I followed my nose to Betton Mill and I believe I found the canal between Betton and the starting point of Ladyline. I also believe I’ve read elsewhere that this strip of the Shropshire Union Canal has been named as the “6 Bridges” as you pass bridges numbered 60–65 on this flat 3 mile (6 mile roundtrip) from Ladyline to the utterly beautiful Woodseaves Cutting. From Market Drayton to the locks of Tyrley, this was a hugely pleasant and happy accident, and from hereon in I will only provide a minimal colour commentary to 38 images that I hope you will thoroughly enjoy.

Tyrley to Market Drayton & the Shropshire Union Canal Walk
Follow this leisurely walk to Market Drayton and back, following the route of the Shropshire Union Canal. See locks…waterways.org.uk

View from the canal bridge in the direction of Nantwich (Author’s Collection).

Luckily I followed my nose the right direction and here from the bridge toward Market Drayton and beyond (Author’s Collection).

This just seems somewhat quintessentially English to me (Author’s Collection).

The first of the 6 bridges along this stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

The first of the afternoon’s “Perfect Timing” moments (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

I plan to visit both ends of this stretch of the canal by the end of the summer and see where my wandering feet take me. I hold Norbury Junction close to my heart and with great affection and will be using this as a starting point for a stroll before the end of the summer too (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

Near Betton Mill on the outskirts of central Market Drayton and another fortunate “Perfect Timing” moment (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

The old and the new (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

Approaching Talbot Wharf at Market Drayton and canal bridge numbered 63 (Author’s Collection).

View from Bridge 63 and a longer view of the stretch of canal already walked so far (Author’s Collection).

Opposite view toward Talbot Wharf and Bridge 62 (Author’s Collection).

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

I got lucky again (Author’s Collection).

View from Bridge 62 and back toward Talbot Wharf, Market Drayton (Author’s Collection).

Opposite direction from Bridge 62 on onward to Tyrely (Author’s Collection).

The stretch of canal between Market Drayton and Tyrely is the longest without any discernible tourist or walking point of interest (Author’s Collection).

See above comment! (Author’s Collection).

We finally reach Bridge 61 (Author’s Collection).

A particular favourite image captured today (Author’s Collection).

Another favourite image as we travel onward to Tyrley Flight (Author’s Collection).

The beginning of Tyrley Flight and five canal Locks (Author’s Collection).

Tyrley Flight/Tyrely Locks (Author’s Collection).

(Author’s Collection).

Yet another favourite image captured today and another example why I walked with cramping legs but more crucially, a huge smile (Author’s Collection).

See above comments! In spades (Author’s Collection).

Perfect timing as our friends make their way through a Lock (Author’s Collection).

View from one Lock back to another as we approach our final destination (Author’s Collection).

Approaching Bridge 60, another Lock, the beautiful Tyrley Locks cottage and onward to Woodseaves Cutting (Author’s Collection).

My favourite find of the afternoon and if anyone would like to purchase this on my behalf I’ll pay you back sometime in some magic beans and lame jokes (Author’s Collection).

Bridge 60 and the final Lock opposite the beautiful Lock Keeper’s Cottage building above (Author’s Collection).

Tyrley Locks (Author’s Collection).

From one Lock, back to another and another favourite image captured today (Author’s Collection).

Onward to Woodseaves Cutting (Author’s Collection).

I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed this pictorial meander along the Shropshire Union Canal and if so, please see the articles linked below originally published in November 2021:

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