Retirement with No Problem

Weekend – Cowley to Norbury Junction, Shropshire Union Canal, 3.25 miles 0 locks

Lots of walking over the weekend, plus a trip into Stafford.  We enjoyed our mooring at Cowley for a couple of days, it was very quiet and gave us time to catch up on one or two boat jobs that needed doing. Saturday early evening was spent watching England getting beaten by Wales in the Rugby.. but it was a good game, far better than the last English effort!

On Sunday we pulled the pins after watching Countryfile and moved down to Gnosall where we caught up with Charles on NB Moore2Life.  Annie had gone south to visit the family, so No Problem provided ‘meals on steel’ for Chas by way of a Sunday Roast!!

He joined us onboard after which I took a hike along The Way for the Millennium seeing if I could make it to Newport.. nearly did too, just a half mile short.  There are an awful lot of fields to the north of that with reeds growing in them.. Presumably for thatching?

You can see they stretch way into the distance too.. The Way for the Millennium Walk stretches from Stafford all the way to Newport, a disused railway.  For sure it is a lovely walk, and it’s flat doing what this canal does on high embankments and deep cuttings..

Out again on Monday and this time a more hilly walk with the Wrekin Beacons (I think) in the background..

Plenty of wildlife of a type!….

And we passed the biggest chicken barn I have ever seen.. just as I was passing it there was a huge noise the whole length of one side opened at the bottom and out came all the chickens into the yard!  I suppose they call these free range then..

Meg went to the vets for her booster jab, and amused everyone in the surgery when I asked her to step onto the scales, I didn’t expect her to actually do it.. not only did she do it on her own.. but she promptly laid down and went to sleep!!

No doubt the walk was sufficient on Monday!!

Pins pulled this morning to make our way to Norbury Junction and to Norbury Wharf Boatyard where No Problem is due to have her bottom blacked tomorrow..

Lovely dry towpaths just outside Gnosall, we have moored here before in the past on this embankment.  Again it is very quiet, no main roads to speak of in this area..

We are going off down south while they do the blacking.. It might be a bit cold in the dry dock for living aboard without a fire.. so an opportunity to visit the family over half term. 

Here we are outside the pub at Norbury.. we are off out in a minute for a couple of pints.  We have some exciting plans in store when we come back with extensive trips to uncruised places.  I’ll let you know when I come back.. have a good week and good weekend.. be back Monday..