Ffffffffrrrrreeezing

The temperature today has not lifted above freezing all day and the white frosty coat on the boats, along the towpath and on the trees has stayed put.  The sun has been masked by the grey clouds and we have really felt the cold today. Despite the cold, the canal is not frozen yet, just a little ice at the edges, so we moved on as it's almost certain that we shall be stuck soon.

 Leaving Norbury Wharf through the avenue of moored boats, enjoying the reflections and stillness.

 Passing the traditional boatman's pub, The Anchor at High Offley.

More wintry trees

We watched this buzzard flying around before landing to watch us pass.  We told Jumble to keep hidden inside, in case he was spotted!

Fantastic icicles along Woodseaves cutting, (rather blurry as taken from back of Tacet as we were moving).

So far along this Telford Canal we have only worked 1 lock.  Telford was keen on great engineering feats and so the canal line has been fairly straight finding its way along high embankments and deep cuttings and aqueducts over rivers and roads.  It makes quite for a contrasting journey as we are sometimes high above the fields and farmland around us and can see for miles, then down in the dark damp rocky cuttings where life is sheltered and ferns, mosses and tall thin trees stretch up to the light, feeling like a rainforest, (a chilly one today!).

Then this afternoon we came to the Tyrley locks, 5 of them taking us down through the red sandstone rock and into Market Drayton. We shall see what the morning brings regarding the weather, will we move, or will we stay?

Norbury Junction - Market Drayton
11 miles, 3 locks