Audlem in Gossip magazine

As regular readers will know, the AudlemOnline webteam send an article about Audlem to the publishers of the popular Whitchurch and Market Drayton Gossip magazines each month.

The September article was illustrated with Steve Hyder's splendid photo – see to the right – and said:

Audlem's canal attractions

With its canalside pubs and attractive towpath, strolling alongside the fifteen locks at Audlem makes a very pleasant walk with much to see. Interpretration panels by the towpath describe the operation of locks and the canal's history.

Touchscreen computers have been installed in Audlem Mill and at the Overwater Marina detailing the life and works of Thomas Telford as well as a wide range of tourist information featuring award-winning films, photographs and information.

The towpath is extremely well maintained by a team of Canal & River Trust volunteers and walkers have the choice of a southerly walk towards Coxbank and Market Drayton which passes the majority of the locks or northwards towards the Overwater Marina.

Kingfishers are seen as are herons, grey wagtails and, above, buzzards which have colonised the area around Audlem. Otters have returned to the canal in recent years.

There are walks off the canal going southward along Audlem Vale (which returns to the village); to Green Lane; to Kinsey Heath and Swanbach; to Coxbank and, nearly a mile beyond the Shropshire border, and about 2 miles from Audlem, to Highfields and to Adderley.

The stretch of canal southwards passes ten of Audlem's fifteen locks and has been described as one of finest walks in lowland England. A mile south of Audlem, just beyond Coxbank and a wooded section of canal, is the Cheshire/Shropshire border, unmarked but the basis of Audlem's boast to be 'The First Village of the North.'

Walking northwards along the canal towpath, there is a run of locks which passes Moss Hall (a footpath leads eastward across the pasture in front of Moss Hall back to the village and provides fine views) and then the Old Stables at the Bottom Lock where narrowboats can turn about.

There are views across the lakes at Moss Hall before the canal crosses the River Weaver. Further on, the Overwater Marina is seen to the left and can be reached via footpaths after crossing Bridge 80. At weekends, the Audlem Lass boat service plies between Lock 15 and the marina and carries 4,000 passengers a year.

With 11,000 narrow boats a year passing through Audlem, there's normally plenty of activity and much to see with the locks in action and interpretation boards to show how a lock works, life on the canals or information about the canal's builder, Thomas Telford.

Back in the village there's also many attractions and three pubs and several cafes for welcome refreshment.

More details on Audlem's attractions can always be found on AudlemOnline with news every day. The website had a major upgrade and redesign at the end of August to celebrate its 10th Birthday and make the website easier to use on mobile devices, phones and tablets.

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.