Stone to Tixall Wide

 Sunday June 13 Stone to Great Haywood and Tixall Wide (10 miles, 4 locks)

Annie moored at Tixall Wide

Stone now has new canalside housing which extends southwards through Aston to the scenic and well designed Aston Marina, which looks a great place to moor.  

The country between Aston and Samson locks offers some lovely mooring spots with steel piling. Kayakers zoomed past Annie.

We found two boats in front of us at Sandon lock, so had to queue for the first time this year, for this and both Weston and Hoo Mill locks. No surprise with all the owned, hired and boat share Narrowboats and cruisers out this weekend. We were both happy to help and chat with all the boaters and walkers about this Sunday, enjoying the sunshine.   This gentle Trent valley is very pretty, with buttercups, elder flowers and cow parsley, plus lots of Canada Geese families. We spotted three ex-Ownerships shared boats, Rodbaston, Rowington and Cheddington (we had two shares in their NB Osprey before buying Annie). 

We saw a very unusual bird eating from a garden bird feeder!!

There were both permanent moored and plenty of moored touring boats to pass, so it was after lunch before we reached Great Haywood. Here, we filled up with water and 110 litres of diesel, and emptied loo holding tanks in the Elsan. 

John bought a new Nicholson’s Guide book 4 for the Four Counties Ring (£16.99!). John had to pass through the famous junction bridge and back into the fairly emptybasin for the diesel.

We were lucky to find an empty prime mooring at Tixall Wide, a favourite lake-like beauty spot and mooring for many of us boaters, a mile away from the junction and Shugborough Hall, once the home of photographer Lord Lichfield.

In Stone

 Saturday June 12 a day in Stone (0 miles)

After several busy days, we have paused to enjoy Stone, one of our favourite places to visit. With hire bases here, at Aston marina and at Great Haywood nearby, boats are passing constantly.

We started by having a leisurely walk into town, visiting charity shops etc, then the church standing on the hill behind the High Street. We tried the coffee and cake at the Marks & Spencer Food Hall beside our moorings, and they were pretty good. We watched kayakers from the adjacent leisure centre practicing on the canal. 

Later, we returned to town and found the Morrison’s to stock up with food. This turned out to be behind the High Street and beyond the church, a short walk from the boat!

This sunny evening we visited the Star Inn by the lock, and had a decent pub meal (pie & chips, burger & chips) with good hot chips. The Pedigree real ale was good, too.

Stone, Staffordshire

 Friday June 11 through Barlaston to Stone (5miles, 9 locks)

 

Liana suggested we set off early, so just before 0800 we were through Trentham Lock, idling along past the Wedgewood factory and shop, then through the neat suburban gardens of Barlaston, including the inevitable new canalside housing. It’s great that these narrow Trent & Mersey locks have lock bridges at the tail of each lock: It helps a lot. 

We passed several boats bound for Stoke and the Harecastle Tunnel.

Just after Barlaston, John spotted that the lovely house with its own wharf arm is for sale. Ooh, if only! 

We enjoyed the three mile country scenery on the way to Stone, which showed more new redevelopment. We crossed over with  several boats, first on the four Meaford (“Method” to locals) locks and later on the four Stone locks themselves.  

Joules brewery is now an engineering company, a local gentleman told John as he waited opposite the Stone Canal Co basin. This now has a well designed theatre/pub, echoing the Joule brewery buildings, nearly finished at its north end.

Along the way, we spotted several interesting boats, including NB Lady Hatherton, a 1898 Inspection launch, working boat Clematis and a bare working boat hull with just an engine inside at Fuller’s boatyard.

There were free moorings above the bottom lock by the Star Inn, but we moored just below it, near the M&S Foodhall.

Middleport Pottery

 Thursday June 10 Westport Lake to Middleport Pottery and on to Hem Heath (7 miles, 5 locks)

After a busy few days, we took our time and eventually set off to Middleport Pottery. On the way, the now derelict Longport Pottery saddened us. Surely it should not be allowed to be vandalised and demolished? 

We moored at Middleport Pottery close to working boat Dane. We paid for a guided tour, given by helpful volunteers, visited several small businesses making and selling pottery, furniture and art, plus the pottery shop. We bought a solid small stool to use when steering on the boat, and enjoyed coffee and scones. It’s worth a visit! 

We travelled along the green corridor, once pits, potteries and steelworks, passing the modern colourful flumes of Waterworld to Etruria junction with the Caldon Canal. 

Following another boat, we descended the five Stoke Locks, alongside railway and dual carriageway, past the Dolphin boatyard. This seems to do all sorts, including a shooting range!

Once through the “tunnel” under the A50, we passed the huge incinerator chimney and the football stadium (Britannia was a much better name, imo) hidden by trees now, we reached countryside. A light shower persuaded us to moor in Hem Heath, where quiet visitor moorings are close to a Toby Carvery. We ate onboard, watched tv and read. We both enjoy Springwatch. Stone tomorrow!

The Boggart under Harecastle Hill

 Wednesday June 9 through Harecastle Tunnel to Westport Lake, Stoke (5.5 miles, 12 locks, 1 tunnel)

Sunshine greeted us again, so after breakfast we completed the last locks on Heartbreak Hill.

First we trickled along in the sun towards Lawton Treble Locks, now three single locks but once a triple staircase which was slow and wasted water.

Above is a picture of the Northern Portal of Harecastle Tunnel. Note the orange water caused by tiny ironstone particles in the spring water here. This sediment is noticeable as the canal here is quite shallow in places!

Liana worked hard with a little help from a single hander in front, which speeded things up a little. After six locks, we had a short breather before the five Red Bull locks. We crossed over with a few boats on the way. A CRT volunteer helped us through the lock outside the Red Bull Inn itself. 

After one more lock we arrived before Harecastle Tunnel, where we were asked to wait for an hour. We were happy to rest and have lunch before our passage through this 1.6 mile long tunnel. We received instructions from the lock keepers and checked lights and horn before setting off.

The new LED front light was a great improvement.

We didn’t see the famed Boggart which is supposed to haunt this tunnel! The south portal area has been landscaped. Icelt by the lock keepers. Well done! 

We continued a mile to Westport Lake and moored. We visited the modern-looking visitor centre and walked around the large, scenic lake, a local beauty spot.

Later John’s cousin Paul and wife Frances popped over from their country home in Cheshire. It’s great to catch up after such long periods apart. We visited the Canal Tavern by car (no real ale ready) but Paul and I had a couple of pints of excellent Three Tuns ale at the Blue Bell nearby.

I couldn’t resist adding this wonderful picture of them both with their family, including my cousin Ruth and Uncle Dick, a fine gentleman.