The Final Stage

My daughter F and son J joined us for the last stage of the Sandstone trail which we have been walking this week. We met them in Whitchurch, left their car there and drove in my car to our start point at No Man's Heath.

There was not much detail in the guide book about this leg so my expectations were low. The first point of interest we reached was Old St Chad's. The church was built in 1689 and can only be reached by tracks across the fields. Just to the left of the tower is an external staircase which takes you into a gallery. Unfortunately the church was closed so we couldn't go inside and take a look. The small building to the left was built as a meeting room but now houses the horse drawn parish hearse, built by a local coachbuilder, which was last used in the 1920s. We had our picnic lunch in the churchyard under the shade of the yews and Cedars of Lebanon.

A little way further along the trail we came on Pearl Farm. A beautiful half timbered house which was built in 1607. From there it was a short walk down to the Shropshire Union canal at Willeymoor lock. We dallied there watching a steady stream of boats negotiate their way through these tricky locks.

From there it was a pleasant 3 mile walk along the canal to our finish point, under the triumphal arch in Whitchurch. Before reaching Whitchurch we passed Grindley Brook where the canal rises forty feet, first through a series of three locks and then a stair case of three chambers. A great deal of skill was required by the boaters to make their ascent. At the top lock is a very fine round-bayed lock keepers house, probably designed by Thomas Telford. The resident lock keeper was on hand to help the boaters through these locks.

We enjoyed watching the boats going through the locks as there are no locks on our local Bridgewater canal. NM helped to open and close lock gates. I am getting worried that she is getting keen on this canal lark.