Norbury Junction to High Offley

Saturday 2nd July 2022

Saturday 2nd July 2022

View from beneath Bridge 42 or “Old Lea Bridge” near High Offley in the direction of a future walk along the Shropshire Union Canal, Knighton (Author’s Collection).

With rain falling 40 odd miles away in Birmingham and ruining a proposed afternoon of watching the cricket Test Match between England and India, I decided to play dice with the weather Gods and was well rewarded with a dry and sometimes bright 3 mile amble from a favourite spot, Norbury Junction, through to High Offley, 5 eccentrically shaped canal bridges, 2 herons and a whole host of duck and swan families later.

I keep my verbose writing nature in check with these articles so my usual disclaimer follows, then over 20 images captured this afternoon that I hope will paint a virtual canal side stroll in the heart of the English countryside.

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 “Hello’s” 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.

So much for all that!

*All images were captured by me today, 2nd July 2022*

Beautiful Norbury Junction is our starting point for this 3 mile stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal “Cut”, but not in this direction! Here, with the Junction itself partially obscured to the left and the “Junction Inn” public house to your right, the direction is south toward Autherley Junction and a stretch I’ve covered at length in previous articles. We are travelling north toward Nantwich but only 3 miles, and the hamlet of High Offley.

View from atop Bridge 38 or simply “Norbury Bridge”, and the first long stretch of canal awaits.

Couldn’t resist capturing this image before departing as a variety of swans and ducks enjoy the expanse of canal at Norbury Junction.

In the opposite direction we travel, and we depart Norbury Junction for High Offley.

The first, and always pleasing, “Perfect Timing” moments of the stroll.

From a land that time has forgotten.

Canoeists on the canal. Whatever next!

A pleasingly strange “High Bridge” or Bridge 39 on the outskirts of Norbury.

Bridge 39 or “High Bridge”.

View from atop Bridge 39 and another lengthy (and uninteresting) stretch of the “Cut” ahead.

Bridge 40 or “Water Bridge”.

View from atop Bridge 40 and another lengthy stretch of the canal and particularly popular with fishermen.

Another “Perfect Timing” moment, though the fisherman looks totally disinterested!

A favourite image captured this afternoon with Bridge 41 in the distance.

Bridge 41 or “Grub Street Bridge”.

View from beneath Bridge 41 and on toward our final destination of High Offley.

View from atop Bridge 41 with a lengthy stretch of canal ahead to our final destination.

Many pleasing reflections as the weather breaks overhead for our arrival at High Offley.

Final stretch ahead with Bridge 42 or “Old Lea Bridge” in the distance.

Bridge 42 or “Old Lea Bridge”.

The “Anchor Inn” public house near High Offley.

View beneath Bridge 42 and on toward Knighton, a future walk already pencilled into the calendar for another day this Summer.

View from atop Bridge 42 toward Knighton.

And a view from whence we came to finish, and a rather pleasing view it is too.

Thanks for reading. I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed this pictorial stroll on an overcast, yet pleasantly warm afternoon and kind gift from the weather Gods.

If so, can I perhaps point you to the recently published and complimentary editions in this series of walks along the Shropshire Union Canal linked below?

Brewood to Wheaton Aston
Before the thunder and lightning of 30th June 2022medium.com

Baddington to Audlem
via a secret nuclear bunker (yes, really!)medium.com

Wheaton Aston to Little Onn
An evening stroll beside the Shropshire Union Canalmedium.com