First mate Libbys log, stardate Tuesday 25^th June 2013, mission “to boldly go – just not sure how far” , captain Jay assigned to rear steerage, Libby on front point, both crew members were wearing life jackets that very attractively crept up thus removing our necks, they effectively hid any waist we may have and made us appear Neanderthalish.

Put in 3 man canoe just past Shrewsbury weir at 10.00 – into it went – tent, 2 mattresses, 2 sleeping bags, 2 water containers, bag of food, stove, pans, cutlery & crockery, small fishing stool, 2 bags of clothes and toilet necessities.

I had printed off a river map and directions – the sun was shining, we felt very pleased with ourselves

first direction - Holywell or Goffs Island Pass left, so we went on the left side – massive tree across river, fought our way through undergrowth!

next direction - Pimley Island left, again fought our way through tons of vegetation, came out with bits of tree embedded in our hair and decided the instructions meant to pass by on left shoulder – in other words – use the other side!

Went under a railway bridge – train came under Telford bound – this was to be a pattern – every time we went near a railway bridge, no matter how sleepy, a train was conjured up.

An hour and ½ later we managed to escape the meanders of Shrewsbury, finally left the bypass bridges and headed for Atcham past Paradise meadow and playgroups of Canada Geese chicks being looked after by a few lady geese.

After 7 miles of paddling we stopped just past Atcham bridges on a pebbly beach for sandwich and cake opposite Atcham church where Lib & Ger got married nearly 35 yrs ago, lovely bench provided, looking up at Basil in the churchyard.

Pushed off from there and meandered around for 1.5hrs to find Atcham church looming ahead! Came upon a kingfisher, flycatchers, buzzards, swallows, swifts, thrushes and tiny warblers in the undergrowth.

In the main the view was closed in by bushes and trees and opened up occassionally to distant views, we passed some lovely sandstone cliffs where the river was very shallow near Wroxeter.

We were making good time and had a yearning for a cuppa, so spotted a possible site and pulled across. Problem – it was muddy immediately under the bank and sloping, J managed to get out & held canoe while I struggled – badly, I ended up on my knees in goose poo, tangled up around Js legs, in fits of giggles, how I didnt go in then I dont know! Anyway we had tea – admired a different church, Wroxeter this time, and got back into canoe. Our balance was improving!

Passing under bridges we realised the river was almost always shallow near them, as there would have been a ford there in olden days and we had to pay attention not to ground the canoe.

We pulled up to Blake and Julias field around 4.00, disturbing a small flock of lapwings that were resting on the beach – we had travelled 15.5 miles. Got the canoe unpacked and hauled the stuff up the bank. Tent erected, site sorted, meals on wheels arrived in the shape of Julia & Blake bringing pie chips and peas and ginger cordial - brilliant. Their extended family joined us with toddler intent on throwing herself into the river and baby requiring cuddles. Jetski arrived, accident occurred with Julia and Blakes son requiring driving to A&E as he'd cut top of finger off unloading jetski, party dispersed, 2 lads stayed to jetski up and down for a bit, they refused to have Jay as a passenger (unsafe) so she had a quick pose on the seat, jetski packed up, quiet set in. As sun set Jay and I snuggled into our sleeping bags to read and fell asleep thinking wed be up with the larks.

I woke at 8.30!! Put kettle on, Jay woke – breakfast and ablutions made, campsite repacked, on water at 10.00.

The next stretch to Buildwas, consists of wide meanders through the flood plain with the river flowing over a shallow sandy bed. I have often stopped the car to admire it and it was just as lovely paddling through, with views out and along to Buildwas cooling towers in the distance. We were accompanied by sandmartins winging over us, they nested along the sandy river banks in this stretch, oystercatchers fed on the beaches.

4 open canoes loaded with lads were our companions along this stretch, they were on a day trip to the rapids complete with crash helmets. We watched them go past us for the final time as we had our sarnies sat under the Albert Edward bridge, near the cooling towers as a coal train chugged overhead.

We entered the Ironbridge gorge and waved at the people along the street and on the Iron bridge

Nervously anticipating the next stage, a mile past Ironbridge are the rapids, this is what our directions said about them “Jackfield Rapids. Land left to inspect.These used to be grade 2, but following bank stabilisation work on the south bank in 2001 has become more difficult. Now grade 3 or 4 in some levels. There is now a stopper and a difficult wave train for the less experienced.”

We pulled in just before and looked at them, this link shows you the level of the water!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koTJwsIOw58

Thanks to advice Jay received we decided to paddle them – but first unloaded the canoe. The customers in the pub garden on the opposite bank all got up to watch the capsize happen! We set off – I wanted to go upstream a bit to get settled, but Jay said – lets do it or we'll get too nervous, so we set off paddling like mad, making sure we avoided the large backwave and so nearly hit the rocks at the edge, but we fended them off and got to the beach below and emptied the water out, ferried our bags and had a celebratory cuppa and piece of cake, bowing to the clapping pub crowd!

Well we were chuffed, a bit damp but heads far too big & we set off still congratulating ourselves. A mile further on we passed a group of Merganzers perched on a tree in the middle of the river and turned the canoe to photograph them, camera out of dry bag, tree aroached on left – tree not soft willow, but big branch that pushed Jay out of boat and toppled canoe. We were spluttering and grabbing bags and canoe and turning the canoe back up and finding our feet – luckily it was about chest deep where we capsized and thigh deep where we pushed to the side. Horrid deep mud with leeches on the side, threw bags out onto nettles, bailed out, emptied out the food bag the tent bag and Jays clothes bag that had filled with water. Jay had bashed or twisted her knee and couldnt bend it easily. My camera went down into the water as I grabbed an oar and I lost a borrowed sunhat from Blake, one river shoe and a glove, all Jays stuff stayed put, albeit muddy. We got back aboard and set off again more nervously, luckily it was warm and our lifejackets helped warm us.

The next part of our adventure we were looking for a site to dry out, but we were going through a wooded valley, so no joy, then it opened up at a place I had seen on Google earth and we came to a farm with a river beach, we pulled in and I went up the river bank to inspect – it was a just mown hayfield in the evening sun – perfect, I hopped along the field with one shoe to find the farmer who took pity on 2 drowned rats and let us camp there. There was a tree near the edge of the field where Jay hung her clothes as I pegged the tent out to let that dry. My clothes and sleeping bag were fine, & Jays sleeping bag was in my dry bag, so that was ok. I gave Jay some clothes to wear – we arent quite the same size! Our food was mainly ok – the middle of the bread loaf was ok, the cake was a soggy mess, everything else was sealed and the matches were dry – we were ok!! Mattresses drying in the sun, we celebrated with cans of g&t and crisps and olives, drank a toast to Jay and Steves anniversary – very civilised. Hardly any signal to phone anyone, but managed to get through to Ger & Steve and reassure them we hadnt drowned. 2 walkers passed by and chatted. While perched in the grass Jay watched a kingfisher go by, it was an idyllic spot in the evening sun near a beautiful little suspension bridge.

Cooked a meal of couscous, chopped tomatoes with olives, sundried tomatoes and spicy sausage – yummy. Snuggled into tent as the sun went down and listened to the evening chorus from the woods all around, owls joined in. We had paddled 11.5 miles that day.

Next morning we did awake with the dawn chorus and had a cooked breakfast with the 3 eggs that survivied the splash – We were in the water at 8.00

Paddling slightly more cautiously today for some reason!! The river is not so meandery and we paddled down long stretches before passing impressive sandstone cliffs and we reached Bridgnorth for 10.00 and decided to have coffee.

Grounded the canoe on the approach to the beach at Bridgnorth near the old bridge and had to walk it over the stones – I used one of Jays shoes (shes size 4, Im a 7!) pulled it up and Jay sat guard on a bench in the sun, I foraged succesfully for a coffee and bread shop

sat on bench in the sun sipping hot coffee, crunching biscuits, watching green finches and looking up at the town.

Jay found a nice young man who ran a canoe hire company, canoe Bridgnorth to Arley, he takes canoes, gives you train tickets back on steam railway.

Refreshed we launched – slightly trickily as the current was quite fast despite it being shallow, avoided fishing lines and set off to Arley.

Had lunch on a beach watching the steam railway chug past with people waving and train tooting, past a cute little passenger ferry witch winched passengers across – oh the photographic possibilities were endless!!

Got to pretty Arley to be met by same young man who watched our canoe while we wlked about, I bought an icecream, Jay muched an apple, the drizzle had begun but it wasnt cold and Jay didnt think the rain would stay. Watched the steam train chug off.

On reembarking into the canoe we were given instructions by the young man (think he had adopted us!) where to get out of the river at Bewdley and about 2 rapids in the next stretch, & which side we needed to be on to tackle them. We set off into the now constant drizzle and met so many anglers we got quite fed up trying to avoid their lines. We got to the rapids and charged down the first bit then came to a bit of a drop down over a shelf with a reverse wave below – bit scary since we had a loaded canoe and didnt feel quite so invincible, we paddled like mad again, took a wave of water over us soaking our trousers and knicks – yes too much info I know!! - but canoe stayed upright and we continued on in the rain to Bewdley. We lugged canoe and bags up river bank to carpark in the pouring rain and waited for Steve, poor chap was stuck behind an accident and we had a bit of a damp wait , but we washed our feet in a warm puddle in the car park and stood under Jays brolly. Steve arrived, we loaded canoe and luggage, then stripped off and found some nearly dry stuff to wear – all this was watched by couple having picnic in car, felt like charging them for the show! We had apddled 17.5 miles that day, 44.5 miles altogether – not bad for a couple of gals who were trendy in the seventies!

Would we do it again – yes!!

Were we still friends – yes!!