GONGOOZLING ON THE
SHROPPIE 
The history of canals and
their use in Great Britain dates from Roman times.
First dug for
irrigation and for connecting separate rivers to increase travel inland, the
canals were used for transporting goods and eventually became an integral part
of Britain’s industrial revolution. Narrowboats are wooden canal boats built to
fit the narrow locks of Britain and were first drawn by horses from a towpath,
then driven with steam and then diesel engines. Because of the narrow locks
boats need to be less than 7 feet wide, and shorter than 72 feet, although some
locks are just 57 feet long.
Janet's family lives just
over a mile from the Shropshire Union canal and there is pedestrian access at
the Nantwich Aqueduct at the end of Welsh Road. The narrowboats and canals are
a beautiful sight and whenever we get the chance, we try to gongoozle. Actual
word! A gongoozler is: “Someone who enjoy watching boats and activities on
canals.”
Apart from the serenity
and a glimpse of a lifestyle not readily found in the United States, there is
for us an alternate reason to gongoozle…beer, but you already knew this dear
reader. One day we spent the afternoon walking along the Shroppie Canal to the
Barbridge Junction with the Trent Mersey Canal. Then we lingered over beers at
the Olde Barbridge Inn. As the boys ran around in the playground, we watched
the narrowboats slip by.
Another canal that
eventually junctions with the Shropshire Union is the Llangollen Canal. That starts
in Wales and eventually passes Canalside Garden Center in Wrenbury where one of
the family works. When we visited him last weekend, we watched a narrowboat magically
pass, but not before a small wooden pedestrian bridge had to be hand cranked
open by a “crew” member on the narrowboat!
Wrenbury lift bridge
CANALSIDE GARDEN CENTRE WRENBURY
It’s a beautiful world. There is a list of canals and maps available at the CRT and if you’re interested to being more than a gongoozler you can hire a boat for the day at Nantwich.
Interested in buying your own narrowboat? Go here:
Or, just gongoozle the
day away at the canal side pub of your choice.
Thanks for reading.
Love Janet and greg
© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj
My 2nd novel - THE MUSIC MADE ME CRY
No comments:
Post a Comment