Market Drayton.

It was a lovely morning to be on the cut and as we set off there was a fair bit of traffic. It wasn't long before we were at the Adderley flight of five locks. It worked out well as there was almost one up one down for all of them, and the one that wasn't the hire boat ahead of us dropped the lock so that it was ready for us by the time we got there. At the top we stopped and went to to the farm shop to try their scones and also got some lamb chops.

The start of the Adderley Flight.

Heron in flight before Betton Wood.

There was a big queue for water at Market Drayton so we just continued past and tied up at the first spot. After lunch we walked into town for some shopping and found an ASDA. We first had a poke about the town. It is a strange place that has obviously been a rich market town in the past but is now not doing too well. It is a bit of a walk from the canal be we have restocked now for a while.

Macy on alert on the roof.

Helen had seen that there was a Joule's pub and the brewery in Market Drayton. We had been to one of the seventeen Joules pubs in Leek and Chester and I really like the beer so Helen suggested that we go and find the pub. It was the Red Lion with the brewery behind. They really seem to manage to refurbish their pubs in a very homely manner and coupled with the beer and very friendly staff I have loved each of them so far. Just to add to it they sell Stowford Press cider which is Helen's favourite. We ambled back to the boat for tea. We prefer having a drink in the early evening rather than have a late night.

Beeton Mill, Market Drayton, with a covered mooring over the canal. Now apartments.

Pill box by bridge 62 protecting the access routes along the canal and the road from less settled times.

Red Lion pub in Market Drayton with the brewery behind. The red cross trade mark is the sixth oldest in the world. During the second world war they were asked not to use it on their drays to avoid confusion with ambulances, so they changed the colour to green and it is still green on their drays today.