UPDATE 12 May 2004 (Day 5):
Another dull and overcast day, perhaps a little colder than before, and we got off to another early start. Soon after we left the civilisation of Market Drayton the sides of the canal bank began to rise around us and we entered a cutting. Here the canal had been cut through thick sandstone and you could still see the drilling marks on the rock. 

Early start

Deep cutting

As we looked back from the lock at the end of this cutting we were impressed by the amount of work it must have taken to drive the canal through this rocky section without the power tools and heavy plant of today.

Tyrley Locks

Lock Keepers Cottage

After a brief respite above Tyrley Locks we entered an even deeper cutting, called "Woodseaves" that was like entering a new damp world of almost tropical vegetation. It was very muddy and hard going and in places was virtually blocked by fallen trees and undergrowth. Fortunately it was passable and we made it though without incident, but it certainly slowed our pace for a while.

Cutting gets deeper

And muddier

Indiana Jones?

After stooping for a sandwich at Knighton, near a large factory hidden in the Shropshire countryside, we got underway again. We came across an old vintage steam powered narrow boat in fantastic condition and shortly after spotted an old Daimler car in equally good condition on the opposite bank. Goodness know why it was there, it even had its own portable garage.

Old Steam Boat

Old Daimler

We then entered a long stretch of canal that was pretty dull with nothing much to see or photograph, although we did spot a stroppy dog who thought we wanted to steal his boat and an odd-one-out duckling that seemed to have tagged on to the wrong family. 

It's my boat

Lost?

Jump for joy

Eventually, after several miles of this dull concrete sided canal and hard tow path we were finally approaching the spot where we would leave the canals behind, causing Peter to do a little jig and nearly break his ankle!

We had completed 78 miles of canal tow paths and were very pleased to be entering the last phase of the walk as we joined the "Way for the Millennium", a a trail that had been created using a disused railway track, similar to our own Middlewood Way.

Last bridge

78 miles & end of the canal section

Way for the Millennium

Initially the track was very pleasant and attractive and made a welcome change from worrying about falling into the water but, unfortunately, it was not finished and around a mile before the end the quality of the path deteriorated into thick and heavy undergrowth.

Easy going

Very pretty

Not finished

Even, worse was to come. After we emerged near the end of the Way, we found that work had started from the other end and the final section was heavily rutted by ankle-turning tractor tracks. Fortunately we survived this unscathed and reached the end of the track and the end of today's section of the walk to find John waiting for us in a lay-by where the track met the A41. It's from here that we will start tomorrow's section, which is all by road.

Thick undergrowth

Deep ruts

Welcome sight

We were delighted to be joined for the evening by Darryl, our friend from New Zealand, and his girlfriend Victoria. Darryl is our biggest individual sponsor, at £1 per mile! We enjoyed a great meal and several fine pints of Bank's beer at the Junction Inn, Norbury, where we stayed overnight in their car park.

Total distance covered is now 83 miles and we expect to do around 15 more tomorrow to get us to the finish. Looks like we should have called it a 98 mile stroll!