Roses are red....

... and just about every other colour of the rainbow!

5th July

I mostly photograph the built world but I have been struck by the beauty in the flowers all around us.

I have therefore made a point of photographing the flowers on my garden this year - particularly the roses. They come and go almost unnoticed, and certainly under appreciated. Here is a sample of this years crop:

Longdon to Rodington - Shrewsbury Canal

Longdon to Rodington

Shrewsbury Canal

4th July 2010

This western canal was abandoned during the war, and had ceased to see any real trade some ten years before that. A private boat passage (a skiff, not a big narrowboat) was recorded in 1937 so to all intents and purposes this waterway has been abandoned for 80 years.

That long period has seen the removal of most structures and nearly 70% of the actual channel, so finding any remains is something of a bonus.

One rather attractive relic is Wharf Cottage in Longwaste, just north of Longdon. The canalside cottage boasts a name board with a narrow boat on it, but these days its cars that move along the line of the canal, not boats. The cut, the basin and everything else has gone, just the cottage stands.

Wharf Cottage Longwaste

From here the trail goes cold for a  couple of miles. We zig zagged across the countryside, crossing and recrossing the line. At most points we could tell where the canal had run  but the evidence was the merest depression in the ground and without a map to inform us it wouldn't have been discernable. What is more, most road crossings were by way of lift bridge which have long since gone, leaving a few trace foundations which may, or may not, be canal relics.

Poppy fields

After a barren few miles punctuated only by some glorious poppy fields, we rolled into Rodington, site on  no less than two queducts.

Rodington Aqueduct

Firstly there was a brick tunnel running beneath a high embankment with a weed choked trench on the top. Then there was the river crossing next to some common land. Sadly this river crossing has been removed and the waters slide past the truncated ends of the embankments.

Time for a lunch break beneath the hanging fronds of a weeping willow next to the river before setting off once more before finding a final bridge, number 25, at the end of a garden and now used to store scaffolding.

Bridge 25

Then it's back into countryside and fields where there should be canal.

Longdon upon Tern Aqueduct

Longdon upon Tern Aqueduct

Shrewsbury Canal

3 July 2010

This was one canal relic I had really been looking forward to seeing. I have read about it and seen photos of it, I have even been told of it by Jim of nb Starcross and written up a report of it in my UK Aqueducts blog, but I had never actually seen it.

There is loads of history to this structure, which Telford inherited and cut his teeth on, but I dont plan to repeat myself. If you want the history click here.

Longdon upon Tern Aqueduct

This aqueduct is a listed structure, sitting well back from the road in the midst of fields, stretching over the River Tern carrying nothing but the imaginations of canal buffs. The farmer has granted permissive access so you can take a closer look providing you respect the land and close the gates.

The aqueuct is that curious mix of brick and iron, due to its unusual conception. Whilst it does have a passing resemblance to a wartime bailey bridge, it has a certain grace about it, possibly even beauty.

I think I will let the photo's do the talking for this post.

Original brick arches with Telford's Iron Channel

Ironwork detail - bolts and plug hole

Jaws into the aqueduct

Spindly legs and wobbly sides

Corrosion - nearly perforating the iron

Long Lane - Shrewsbury Canal

Long Lane

Shrewsbury Canal

2nd July 2010

Long Lane marked the start of our cycle ride, a lay by off the main road. The logistics of these trips can be quite complicated as we like to do a one way ride. Jeff was deposited at the roadside complete with bicycles whilst Dr D and I set off in both cars looking for an as yet unidentified parking space somewhere near the far end of the canal.

One plan was to go right into Shrewsbury and park near the prison but that meant an extra 40 mins batling with the city centre traffic. Instead we opted to look around Uffington, which marks the start of a towpath cycle way which extends right into the city centre. As luck would have it the church hall has a decent car park with no "no parking" signs, so we left the Mondeo and its cycle rack there and Dr D drove back to Telford.

Long Lane Bridge

Long lane was quite a canal centre in its day, with its now demolished wharf and two bridges, numbers 16 and 17. Bridge 16 came as something of a surprise, standing complete with its brich arch curving gracefully over a short stretch of canal. It seems that the Shrewsbury and Newport Canal Society have been having a go at this site, which is very visible from the adjoining A5, clearing out the rubbish and making a little pearl to attract public support.

Whilst this in water, progress is brought to an abrupt halt in the form of a dropped road deck with no obvious way across. A big problem for another day. Rinky dink engineering solutions involving automated rising aqueducts have been mooted but in my experience, simple is almost always best.

Native English Iris thrive in the boggy sections

There is little to be seen of the next mile, a bit of water near the railway line but generally the track has been ploughed under the field and it's as if it never existed at all.

Eyton Lock- Shrewsbury Canal

Eyton Lock

Shrewsbury Canal

1st July 2010

By rights we should have started our cycle ride from Wappenshall Junction, picking up where we left off last time. But with little of the Shropshire Canal remaining before Longden on Tern there seemed little point, and by advancing our starting point were were just within striking distance of Shrewsbury itself.

Eyton Lock

However, we didnt want to miss any significant features on our travels so we drove to Eyton en route to Longden.

Eyton Lock Keepers Cottage

The canal through Eyton still carries water, but now its a drainage channel rather than a navigation, with Eyton Lock chamber containing a flood control wier.

West from Eyton Lock


Eyton Lock



Eyton Lower Lock


Eyton Lower Lock

Eyton Lower Lock

In addition to the lock there is also a classic lock keepers cottage, standing to the north of the canal line but now surrounded by arable fields instrad of narrowboats. The canals route remains obvious from the long stand of trees, but the propensity for lift bridges hereabouts mean that tangible remains are very thin on the ground.