The Shroppie at Tyrley

There's something special about walking by water. I mean, ok, this is a bit brown and slow, but even so walking along the towpath of the good old Shroppie is appealing. The views are good, the countryside is peaceful, usually, and there's plenty of wildlife.

One of my favourite stretches is around Tyrley Locks where the canal rises 33' in a flight of five locks. It's a picturesque and interesting area to visit and this makes it a popular place to watch the narrow boats navigate up and down.

Shortly after Tyrley Farm Bridge the canal goes through the deep Woodseaves cutting under the High Bridge. Beside the dark narrow cut, the towpath becomes a complete quagmire -no idea how deep the mud is and the atmosphere is cold and eerie. So, walks end here, near the cache, with a few minutes on the bridge surveying the scene.

The cache is a small camouflaged container, not large enough for a pen or pencil. Look for bridge 59 and access to a footpath across the canal.