Wheaton Aston to Brewood

Before the thunder and lightning of 30th June 2022

Before the thunder and lightning of 30th June 2022

St Mary’s Catholic Church of Brewood, 30th June 2022 (Author’s Collection).

Sunshine and showers they said. “They” also said a biblical thunder and lightning rainstorm was imminent too, but that was scheduled for my return journey later. I managed to dodge both the wrath of the weather Gods as well as receiving the good fortune of the dark clouds parting midway through this 3–4 mile stroll along the Shropshire Union Canal in the beating heart of England and by the time of my arrival just over an hour after setting out from Wheaton Aston, the weather was as joyously sunshine filled as depicted in the headline image above. Brewood (pronounced Brood) was reached after an hour’s stroll beside the canal and yet again I had the very great fortune to be accompanied along the straightest and dare I suggest ugliest stretch of the canal by not one, not two, but three herons! Oh to see those creatures take flight and soar and swoop before resuming a favourite spot further down the canal. Add in some swans and a whole host of ducks and their various broods (see what I did there?), six bridges and some quixotically and quirkily unique parts of this stretch of the “Cut”, and it made for a beautiful amble in the breaking sunshine.

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.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this lengthy virtual pictorial stroll of a surprisingly sunshine filled amble beside the Shropshire Union Canal. The link below is an old walking guide for this very route and the first link of three at the denouement of this article is a companion piece and return journey to the one captured here.

Shropshire Union Canal, Towpath between Wheaton Aston and Brewood | Canal & River Trust
A long-distance walking event, organised by the RAF Walking and Road Marching Association, is taking place on Saturday…canalrivertrust.org.uk

*All images captured by me on the afternoon of 30th June 2022*

Bridge 19 or “Tavern Bridge” in central Wheaton Aston.

View from atop Bridge 19 and the stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal leading to Wheaton Aston Lock and “Wheaton Aston Bridge” or Bridge 18.

View back toward Bridge 19 with a couple of new found friends! This is in the opposite direction to which we are strolling and heads toward the lengthy aqueducts of Wheaton Aston and onward to Gnosall and Norbury Junction, all of which have been covered in previous ambles along this particular canal.

“The Hartley Arms” public house as we depart Wheaton Aston.

So many pleasing reflections.

Final mooring spot before the Lock at Wheaton Aston.

View from in between the two Lock Gates with Bridge 18 or “Wheaton Aston Bridge” in the distance.

Bridge 18 or “Wheaton Aston Bridge”.

Bridge 18 or “Wheaton Aston Bridge”.

View from atop Bridge 18 and the first of four lengthy stretches of the canal ahead toward Bridge 17 or “Lapley Wood Bridge”.

Representative of the four lengthy stretches of canal ahead as well as the welcome break in the weather!

Bridge 17 at Lapley Wood.

View from atop Bridge 17 and one of my favourite images captured this afternoon.

Another “Perfect Timing” moment at Bridge 17 this afternoon.

And another rather pleasing memory from this afternoon’s amble beside the canal.

Perfect timing again on the lengthy stretch of canal between bridges 17 and 16.

I always include these pleasing representations of a bygone era.

The long stretch of the “Cut” between bridges 17 and 16 are spectacularly unspectacular, so here’s the open countryside and the rough weather thankfully on its way elsewhere.

(1) More pleasing and warmer weather ahead as we cross the Stretton Aqueduct Bridge and are halfway toward Bridge 16 or “Broom Hall Bridge”.

(2) More pleasing and warmer weather ahead as we cross the Stretton Aqueduct Bridge and are halfway toward Bridge 16 or “Broom Hall Bridge”.

Hello Horace!

Bridge 16 or “Broom Hall Bridge” and yet more pleasing sunshine breaking through the trees onto the “Cut” and the provider of so many pleasing streaks of sunlight and reflections.

A favourite image captured this afternoon from atop Bridge 16 with Bridge 15 or “Skew Bridge” ahead as well as the holiday park on the canal side to your right.

View from beneath Bridge 16 and another favourite image captured this afternoon with the canal reflections indicative of the improving weather overhead.

Heading toward Bridge 15 or “Skew Bridge”.

View from atop Bridge 15 and the long stretch ahead leading to Brewood.

Reflections. Reflections. So many pleasing reflections.

Another in a long line of favourite images captured today.

“Countrywide Cruisers” on the outskirts of Brewood.

At “Countrywide Cruisers”.

Not a particularly aesthetically pleasing bridge but here’s number 14 or “Brewood Bridge”.

View from the “Bridge Inn” public house across the canal and St Mary’s Catholic Church of Brewood in the near distance.

The “Bridge Inn” public house at Brewood.

St Mary’s Catholic Church of Brewood.

St Mary’s Catholic Church of Brewood.

Thanks for reading. I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed this pictorial stroll of a warming and weather favourable Friday afternoon in the heart of England.

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

Norbury Junction to High Offley
Saturday 2nd July 2022medium.com

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