Sunday 8 September 2013

It has been a very long time since my last post, so apologies to all who follow it.  My only excuse is that we have are returning along the same route that we travelled earlier in the year, along the Trent and Mersey Canal.

We spent a few days on the River Weaver, over August bank holiday.  Which was very relaxing.  Had some lovely sunny weather and found a quiet mooring where the dogs could just spend time on the towpath and we could chill out with an ice cream or a beer.  An uneventful trip down and back up in the Anderton Lift.

A busy few days when we came off the Weaver with plenty of locks and Harecastle Tunnel to negotiate.  Turned up at the tunnel just in time and were waved through by a very cheerful tunnel keeper.  Mind you we had planned on having a coffee while we waited so didn't get that until we were through.


No time for coffee at Harecastle Tunnel!


We are pretty much headed back to Market Harborough now, however with plenty of time to spare before we are due at our winter mooring we decided to spend some time exploring the Caldon Canal.  The Caldon Canal branches off from the Trent and Mersey at Etruria and although initially very industrialised around Stoke on Trent and the Potteries, later travels through some lovely countryside and is very quiet and peaceful.

Etruria Junction onto the Caldon Canal

Statue of James Brindley (who built the Trent and Mersey Canal)

Bedford Street staircase lock at the bottom of the Caldon Canal

Graham operating the staircase lock

The Canal was originally built to transport Limestone from quarries near Froghall.  A further branch was later added that carried the Canal to Leek.  There is an aqueduct that carries the Leek branch above the main branch.  We were heading for Leek first and having filled up with water and emptied the toilet at the services we headed for the junction.


Approaching the junction to the Leek Branch

Turning onto the Leek Branch

 The Leek Branch is an attractive and quiet stretch of water with a tunnel at the end leading to moorings.  Because the last half mile of the canal and the basin has been filled in the canal now terminates somewhat abruptly.  Due to this you now have to turn longer boats when exiting the tunnel and reverse into the moorings.  This seems to put some people off and they either moor before the tunnel or just come through turn round and head back.  We found a good mooring and stayed overnight and the next day.  Did some shopping at Morrison's and had a look around Leek, which has a small but good town centre.

Leek Tunnel 
 Inside Leek Tunnel



Heading out of Leek Tunnel 

This looks like a lovely place to live

This looks like a row of cottages but seems to be two properties


Having completed the trip to Leek, we headed down to Froghall.  This branch of the canal is very narrow and twisty and is a test of steering skills in some places.

Turning the junction from the Leek branch and heading for Froghall

Coming into Hazelhurst top lock

Cottage at the lockside

Looking back at Hazelhurst bottom lock

Hazelhurst Aqueduct, which carries the Leek Branch over the main line.

Working flint mill museum at Cheddleton



Consall Station on the Churnet Valley Railway (operated by enthusiasts) has the platform and waiting room cantilevered over the canal, which is very narrow at this point with room for one boat only.


The waiting room looks a bit precarious to me!

Consall Station
The tunnel at the Froghall end of the canal is unusual in being very low and narrow.  We were unsure whether we would fit through.  However the boat just brushed under the tunnel profile that was set up on the last lock so we decided to give it a go.  We had to take down the chimneys and exhaust stack and Graham even removed the tiller pin.  It was tight but we did it.  It was well worth doing as very few boats even attempt it and there are very nice moorings in the basin.

Froghall Tunnel





Lovely moorings at Froghall Basin and only one other boat there.


We stayed for two nights on the excellent moorings in the basin.  Such a shame that not many boats manage to get through the tunnel.  We walked back to Consall Forge to the pub and sat in the garden enjoying a beer.  The dogs were quite interested in the chickens, but behaved remarkably well.

  We are now moored near Etruria Junction having spent 10 days on the Caldon Canal.  We will be heading back onto the Trent and Mersey tomorrow.

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