Stone

I had a wander into Stone, there’s an information plaque just behind my mooring which gives an account of ‘The Story of the Canal’

In brief, the idea was to link the merchants in Liverpool with the potters in Staffordshire. After the necessary Act of parliament was passed on 14^th May 1766 the first committee meeting of the ‘Grand Trunk Canal Company’ was held at The Crown Inn, Stone on 10^th June 1766 where James Brindley was appointed surveyor and Josiah Wedgwood treasurer. Locals greeted the plan with enthusiasm which was reinforced when the canal company decided to locate its headquarters in Stone. Work began on the Stone section in 1771 and required the construction of the four locks, the opening ceremony was a little too enthusiastic with a newspaper report declaring that ‘the arrival of the boats up the canal at Stone ended with great damage  by the repeated firing of the cannon. One of the locks and a bridge fell in and much damaged another by which damage the boats were unable to return. 

Damages were estimated at £1000.00, they knew how to party J

However despite that start the Market town of Stone thrived and today it is still important in canal culture. My walk around found a pleasant town with a great number of Churches, I counted six at least and here’s a couple of the more substantial ones.

St Michaels and St Wulfads

Christ Church

and another

A walk up the High Street

Lead me to The Crown and Anchor, I don’t think this is the one previously mentioned, there were as any pubs as churches, but this was the prettiest in my opinion.

A fairly large pleasant town, not overly large but lively although the market wasn’t operating today, there is a Morrison’s and a Co-Op which allowed me to top up. 

Barlaston and beyond

Yesterday I went for a walk around part of Barlaston, the upper part, it would seem that the village is split by the railway and canal and I decided the upper part looked more interesting to me.

Walking up the hill I passed a lot of empty buildings that formed the now closed Wedgewood Memorial College, I think it was made up of five ‘Houses’ this one is/was Estoril House.

The green at the top of the hill with its Centenary signpost and War memorial

Lots of substantial properties on the walk to the village and some nice little rows of houses once you got more into this part.

Opposite this row was one of two pubs I found, this one being the Duke of York.

All the shops etc. seemed to be near the railway at a more central point overall.

The Wedgewood name appeared often and the estate was open for visitors but I didn’t fancy the walk along the lane without paths to reach it.

Beyond this point it opened up quite a bit to fairly new modern looking housing so I turned around and headed back passing the Parish Church of St. John The Baptist, bell ringing practice seemed to be happening which was pleasant J if you like that sort of thing.

I called in the local store and bought a newspaper and headed for ‘The Plume of Feathers’ which is canalside and boasts beneath the pub name (and just about everywhere else inside) ‘with Neil Morrisey’ (of men behaving badly fame?), I seem to remember seeing a documentary of when Neil and an associate bought the pub a few years ago and evidently today (Sat 27^th) he was going to be in attendance to celebrate its 1^st anniversary  of reopening after a refurbishment, whoooeeee, I didn’t stay the extra day to see him. I had a pint of Pedigree (50p dearer than the last pub) and read my paper before heading back to the boat. It was quite a pleasant pub though and the menu looked ok, it was a buff coloured sheet of paper with writing on it J (the snacks were called Neil’s Bites L)

Today I headed off towards Stone, it was overcast and cold, but wrapped up well with 8 locks and a flask of coffee to get through I wasn’t worried about the cold!

Not too much to say about the journey although I did like this tiny bridge hole at the first lock, it’s taken a bit of a bashing.

There are the four Meaford locks first 34-31 a total rise of 32’ 5” (or fall in my case today) before you enter Stone first of all passing a very modern housing estate with some private moorings and quite substantial houses.

And then 4 more locks to get to the far side of Stone which is very famous among the canal community, a market town and the original headquarters of The Trent and Mersey Canal Company, I will be looking around a bit more tomorrow but here’s my approach up to tonight’s mooring.

Joule's Brewery, no longer there, it's now in Market Drayton

The Star Inn pub alongside Star Lock the last of the four Stone locks

Once I got sorted at my mooring I looked on Google maps for a fish and chip shop, it was 436 feet away, if you could walk straight across the canal and through the houses, it's actually only about 5 minutes by road, so that's where I headed.

Tonight’s Mooring

Totals today: 4 miles : 8 locks

Passing through Stoke

I had read lots of bad things about mooring around Stoke and a couple of boaters I had talked to said the best thing was to come out of Harecastle Tunnel and don’t stop until you are through Stoke.

My mooring last night at Westport Lake was one of the few places I had heard was ok, and I have to say, apart from one small motorcycle haring along the towpath about 8pm, my stay was very good. I had pleasant views, TV signal on my small Necvox digital ariel, 4G wi-fi and a very reasonable phone signal, a quiet night with no disturbances, I would stop again if passing this way.

I decided to move again today, I was in two minds to be honest, but I sometimes get a bit bored if I don’t move and the weather looked lovely so at 9am I cast off in bright sunlight and headed through Longport,

Land of the Potteries, still plenty of evidence. A bottle kiln.

one of the towns on the outskirts of the city, and then Middleport and on to Etruria, I think you can tell a lot about an area by the people on the towpath, I have become accustomed to most people saying hello as you pass by, a few exceptions of course, but it was the reverse of that today with people who said hello being the exception, most totally ignored my presence, there are lots of derelict buildings, lots of offices and not exactly pleasant views, the city itself is probably lovely but passing through it by canal is not so.

Etruria Junction was my first lock with the Caldon canal escaping on the left off through Hanley and beyond.

The sun played havoc today, Etruria junction lock on right, Caldon canal on the left

It was another first for me here, before I started my life aboard I had read about a ‘handcuff’ key, also known as a ‘water conservation key’ being needed at some locks to prevent local vandals opening the paddles and draining the pounds between locks, it’s a lock on the winding gear, so I spoke to the lock keeper at Thames Lock, Brentford and asked where I could get one, he said he phoned Canal & River Trust and they said they had never heard of it! Anyway I found one in a Chandlery later and today at the first lock I had to use it.

This rather out of place looking keepsake in a modern housing complex reminded me of something.

Two pints please milkman.

And this name amused me again.

Are you sitting comfortably.

I finally got through Stoke and was back into more pleasant surroundings as I entered Hem Heath, quite a large sprawling looking town with nearly all modern houses.

This little chap had found a good spot to sun himself whilst having a think.

Where did I hide my nuts?

The last lock for today was Trentham lock, a deep lock at 11’ 11”

And then some lovely open countryside lead me to the outskirts of Barlaston where I have moored for tonight and probably tomorrow.

Tonights mooring

Totals Today: 8 miles : 6 locks

Harecastle Tunnel

It was a cold misty wakeup at 6am

I had decided to leave for the tunnel just before 8 as it wasn’t far to go and just the one lock so I had a leisurely breakfast and sorted out some things ready, life jacket (I don’t wear it often but a long tunnel with no towpath it seemed prudent), torch, open all the curtains, camera and phone in a plastic box (tunnels can be quite wet).

At about 7:45 the boat behind me headed off towards the lock, so I readied myself and cast off just before 8, when I arrived at the lock they were about half full so rather than use the duplicate lock I waited, a lady then appeared from nowhere and began to set the other lock, I had passed their boat moored up and she had walked ahead to prepare, we were both ready to leave the locks at the same time when her husband told me to go first and she would close both gates, that was very kind of them, I had met them before at Llangollen and they were helpful there as well.

Arriving at the tunnel there were already three boats waiting on the landing and so the tunnel keeper told me to wait on the offside until they had all set off before going to the entrance, one boat was reluctant to get going so I eventually moved across to the landing area and waited behind him.

Landing area, North portal ahead.

As soon as he finally went I moved into the entrance, listened to the safety chat then I turned on all the interior lights and tunnel light and off I went.

Still cannot get my camera to flash in tunnels, it’s so annoying, I tested it again last night in the boat with the lights off and it was fine, anyway here’s a poor attempt in the tunnel and one just before exiting.

Pathetic 

Doors just opened at the exit

And one looking back at the South Portal

A pleasant enough tunnel as they go, the removal of the towpath makes it quite wide, but very smokey, I think it was the first boat through with a smoking engine, the nicest thing about tunnels is coming out safely at the end into daylight again J

A few facts: The original tunnel was designed by James Brindley and opened in 1777 five years after Brindley had died, there was no towpath so ‘leggers’ were used and it took between two and three hours to get through. This caused a major bottleneck so, reluctantly, the canal company employed Thomas Telford to build a second tunnel with a towpath and this opened in 1827. The first tunnel had taken 11 years to build but the second one with improved techniques took only 3 years. Both tunnels were then used until early in the 20^th century, in 1914 Brindleys tunnel was abandoned, traffic had diminished and subsidence problems rendered it unviable. Electric tugs were used to haul boats through the remaining tunnel into the 1950’s and in 1954 forced ventilation was installed which allowed powered boats to use the tunnel, this is how it is today, subsidence caused it’s closure from 1973-1977 until refurbishment could be carried out, this included removal of the towpath.

The tunnel is 2926 yards long with varying headroom which at its lowest point can be 5’ 9” ( I did have to stoop a couple of times), Tunnel keepers operate at both ends and doors are closed to prevent anyone entering while boats are travelling in the opposite direction (they shut in you in it). It takes approximately 45 minutes to get through and if you don’t appear at the other end after 1 hour 15mins rescue procedures are put into action.

I emerged safely to bright sunlight and continued on my way, I decided to pull over at West port Lake for a cuppa and as it is quite pleasant I have decided to stay here today instead of carrying on.

Tonights Mooring

Totals Today: 2.25 miles : 1 lock : 1 tunnel

The end of the Heartbreak.....

.....well almost.

A late start today, another short cruise to a mooring in preparation for the next mini adventure, passing through Harecastle Tunnel.

I set of at 11:30 in beautiful sunshine and warm enough for just a body warmer,  hat and gloves.

The reason it’s called heartbreak hill, as told by some, is because the locks are not evenly spaced and don’t allow you to get into a rhythm, that’s one version anyway, and I can understand that, although I have broken it down into three or four stints so it hasn’t been a heartbreak for me.

The Red Bull locks were my target today just about half a mile ahead to the first of them, a pleasant little time to take in my surroundings and both the views and the locks were very pleasant, smooth easy paddles and one or two in my favour.

First Lock

Second lock ahead, too far to walk, too short to get going.

In the second lock

As I was about to enter third lock a volunteer appeared, but as I had already prepared it he just said hello and carried on walking back to the second lock.

I stopped at the services for a fill and empty and while there a boat passed me and the volunteer had walked back and so he locked them through the fourth lock, but he asked me if I was going through when I had finished filling and prepared the lock for me after they were through J

Fourth lock with hi-viz assistance.

I then continued on and passed beneath the Macclesfield Canal Aqueduct without realising it, it’s a strange layout because when heading south you go under the aqueduct and further along is the entrance to the canal on your right, it swings around and back on itself, I then went  through the fifth and last one today and moored up, one lock before the tunnel where I have been told it’s ok to moor, evidently up by the tunnel the yoof’s can be troublesome.

I got sorted and rang to book my passage through the tunnel and they said tomorrow at 8:30, so it’s an early start for me and according to the weather forecast -3 overnight so maybe a chilly one as well.

Tonights mooring

Totals today: 1.25 miles : 5 locks

Dinner without cooking, how nice.

Last night I decided to pop into the Broughton Arms for dinner just for a change,  there was a special offer on drinks, any two for a fiver, so I had two pints of Marstons Pedigree, usual price in the pub £2.90 so I saved 80p by spending another £2.10, not really saving is it, if the offer wasn’t running I might have only had the one pint J For dinner I had lamb shank, it was good, no complaints on quantity either, I could not finish it all, roast potatoes, boiled new potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and a large Yorkshire pudding accompanied the large shank. I left the pub to walk the 500yards to the boat when a sudden downpour, absoloutely ferocious in nature, soaked me, despite me running, before I could get the doors open, it was not the correct end to the visit.

Today I have moved on again, I was going to stay another day but decided the pub might tempt me again and I didn’t fancy another soaking so instead of doing 10 locks tomorrow I have done 6 of them today and made an unplanned stop at Church Lawton.

First lock of the day (52)

This chap decided the best spot to moor was in the pound between the locks on the lock landing using the lovely bollards to tie up to, very considerate of him.

As it happens it didn’t make a lot of difference to me because the pounds between the locks are so short between the first four locks (52-49) and with no other boats about I took to walking ahead and setting the next lock as the current one was filling, so after closing the top gate behind me I was able to move straight into the next lock without stopping on the landings.

A small mishap at lock 48, oh yes I often have them, I just don’t report them all, I could see the lock on the right was empty and the gates were open, I could also see a chap apparently preparing to enter the left lock to come down, so I headed full steam ahead towards the right hand lock, discovering quite late that it was not empty, it was just no longer in use! A small sign alerted me in time to swing across and try to get on the lock landing, which was on the left, in one neat move; I misjudged it slightly and never dropped sufficient speed clouting the bank a little too hard! I had wondered why the lock on the right was empty and it looked like the vegetation at the entrance was a little overgrown; now I knew J.

Having collected myself I walked up and locked the other chap through and then went through the last two locks to moor up for today.

Having moored up I walked across the fields to look at the Church, the village is a couple of miles away and I didn't fancy walking that.

Totals today: 1.5 miles : 6 locks