Branston (as in the pickle) to Shardlow

Friday 24 August

Our next stop was Branston.  After WWI, Crosse & Blackwell bought a site in Branston and in 1922 started to produce Branston Pickle, however the factory was not economic and they moved to London and production at Branston ended in 1925 causing large scale unemployment and locals boycotting Crosse & Blackwell products.

Nugget & friend at The Horse Shoe Inn, Tatenhill 

 We went on a walk to Tatenhill, a nice village with a lovely church, St Michael and All Angels which is dated to Norman times. Sadly it is in much need of extensive repair work and the congregation numbers just 8 😢

Bank holiday weekend
We enjoyed a short cruise through to bridge 29A mooring near the Mill House pub.  On the way we called at Shobnall Marina for fuel and water. What a lovely marina this is, very clean and tidy and the staff are very helpful too.

Taking on Fuel at Shobnall Marina 

Lauren and Paul joined us for a few days and we all enjoyed excellent value food at the Mill House pub, indeed we also went for  breakfast too!  Next mooring was Willington which has all the CRT facilities, a Co-op, takeaways etc and also a large car park. The Bank Holiday came complete with the usual rain and wind but we didn't let it dampen our spirits! 
Monday we called at Mercia Marina. This has vastly improved and increased in size since we were last there.  There are now lots of shops/cafes and restaurants as well as a large chandlery with great visitor moorings.


Stenson Lock

Tuesday Lauren and Paul helped us down Stenson lock. Extra muscles as we are now back to double locks. Our next mooring was just above Swarkstone lock. This area has been reserved for winter moorings to tempt the continuous cruisers to settle down for winter and get their wallets out!!
A short walk takes you to the church at Swarkstone, very interesting to see a lot of the really old gravestones  made out of slate.  Even though they were made as far back as 1780's, they had not weathered or corroded like the softer stones you usually see.

Swarkstone

Nearby are the remains of Sir Richard Harpur's Tudor mansion.  Apparently this is where  Bonnie Prince Charlie in the rising of 1745 gave up his attempt for the throne of England and returned to his defeat at Culloden.


Completion of the Trent & Mersey Canal  

Today we have cruised through to Shardlow, almost the end of the Trent and Mersey Canal which starts at Preston Brook some 92 miles away. Shardlow is an old inland port, with a lot of canal history. A visit to the 'Heritage Centre' is recommended, but don't forget Shardlow is also blessed with  numerous pubs!

Fradley Junction to Barton Turn

As our journey has progressed, so has our chilli plant and we are now enjoying one or two extra hot meals!

We reached Fradley Junction where the Coventry Canal meets the Trent and Mersey on Tuesday and moored opposite the laughing Duck canalside café and CRT utilities.  It is a terrific  spot as Fradley Pool nature reserve is on your left which is ideal for walks and has a bird hide and is also close to 'The Swan' pub  built in 1770 a grade II listed building.

Fradley Locks

 
These are 48 hour moorings and we stayed on Wednesday too, enjoying a visit from Maurice and John and also a pint or two in the pub with narrowboat Clarence in the evening.


Fradley Junction  

Today we travelled through Alrewas stopping for some lunch (yummy pies from the renowned 'Coates' family butchers in the village).  We also managed to buy a couple of good quality rope fenders from nb 'Yorkshire Lass' on the way too.


Alrewas 

 This coming bank holiday weekend, Alrewas are holding their annual Arts festival and it was lovely to see the village adorned with arts and crafts.  Leaving Alrewas the lock takes you down onto a section where the canal joins the River Trent until Wychnor lock , mooring for the evening at Barton Turn, near Barton Marina.      

Great Haywood to Rugeley

On Friday, we cruised for a couple of hours stopping off at Great Haywood to fill with water.  Over the bridge from the facilities a lovely farm shop and café has plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and is presented really well.  We moored at Little Haywood, a small village just outside Great Haywood.

Great Haywood is the junction with Staffordshire Canal & home to Anglo Welsh Marina, they have all facilities and are very helpful.

Mother moorhen and baby

Saturday  we had a short cruise through to Wolseley Bridge (no 70),  excellent visitors moorings with rings.  Just a short walk over the bridge leads to a variety of shops in ancient buildings, including an antiques store and an Indian Restaurant,  just over the busy road there is also a garden centre which is nice to browse.  It is advisable to book  a table at 'Shimla Palace'  on a weekend as it was fully booked when we turned up with our wine (take your own alcohol!).  Nevermind - opted for a take away instead , very yummy and good value.

 

Over the last few weeks, we have passed some wonderful canalside gardens.  It always amazes us how people tend and decorate their gardens so much, but don't get to fully appreciate them, however they are lovely for boaters and towpath walkers to see..

 

 

                                        A twist on garden gnomes!! 

 

Sunday, we headed to Rugeley, passing over  Brindley Bank Aqueduct (designed by James Brindley)  which is where the Trent and Mersey Canal crosses the mighty River Trent!


Brindley Bank Aqueduct

     

We moored just after Bridge 66 in Rugeley, these are excellent visitors moorings as they are less than 5 minutes walking to Tesco's and Morrison's and the  town centre with plenty more shops/banks etc.  Today we left Rugeley, just on the outskirts you pass the Armitage Shanks factory where they make bathroom suites.  Just after  this you pass through an extremely narrow section which takes you under bridge 59.  It is probably worth sending someone through by foot to check for any oncoming boats, but certainly sound your horn!!

Nugget enjoying a nap

         

    

Stone to Ingestre

Wednesday 15 August



We left Stone and continued down the Trent and Mersey Canal mooring near bridge 86 enjoying a pleasant walk into the village of Burston and  what a beautiful village it is.  Most of the cottages surround a large pond including a quaint church (St Rufins) which was open and worth a look round. 

 

Waterwheel axle - Burston Mill, used to grind corn - last used in 1920 



Burston Pond



What a pleasant, pretty village Burston is, definitely worth checking out.

Thursday 16 August

A pleasant cruise of 2.5hrs took us  through to Ingestre bridge, no 78, where we walked to the village of   Ingestre, another place worth investigating.  A track from the bridge leads to the village and what an equestrian delight this place is.





Ingestre Hall



Ingestre Hall is a large 17th-century Jacobean mansion, currently an arts centre and venue for weddings etc.  Adjacent to the mansion is St Mary's Church (the only church outside London designed by Sir Christopher Wren).  We had a look around, very nice and some lovely ornate woodwork (Flanders oak) .  Apparently it was closed from 2000 due to a death watch beetle infestation in the roof and re-opened in 2004 once restored.

Ingestre Stables and riding school

Also on the estate is the Ingestre Stables Riding School  - wow!! these stables are magnificent and it was a pleasure to see some of the beautiful horses being groomed and walked around the village.  Apparently the stable yard was purpose built in 1886 by the Earl of Shrewsbury, to house carriage horses and polo ponies and the large coach house in the courtyard was to house the  horse drawn vehicles.  It is a fantastic building and it was lovely to see it has been restored and is now one of the leading equestrian training centres in the UK. 

Stone

12 - 14 August

After our few days on the Caldon Canal, we rejoined the Trent and Mersey canal at Etruria Junction and made our way down to Stone, first passing through Stoke on Trent Locks. The canal soon turns rural from Barleston onwards.  

Stone Town Centre moorings

There are lots of moorings in Stone, some as you enter before the Stone locks which are very handy for the train station, the town centre moorings just above lock 28 (if you are lucky as these are busy) and then some just after the water point outside Marks and Spencers Food Hall and Café.  All are handy to walk into the town, which has plenty of restaurant's, shops, banks and pubs and charity shops.

The Poste of Stone 

There is also a large park are for dog walking etc on the towpath side of the moorings.  We enjoyed our stay in Stone and had a yummy  'full English' breakfast at the Wetherspoons pub, 'The Poste of Stone'  which used to be the Main Post office building.

Steam trains, Pigs and Donner Kebabs!!

Mooring at Consall Forge on our return journey there is a really good view of the Churnet Valley steam train (and can hear the chug chug of the engine and the toot toot)!!!!   


Churnet Railway Steam train

We stayed around Cheddleton for a few days meeting up with friends Martin and Andrea who stayed at the Glencote Caravan Park. (5 stars very posh!)  We were really grateful as they took us to the Morrisons at Leek to stock up as there are not many grocery shopping opportunities on the Caldon Canal and we enjoyed some really good walks, a lovely BBQ and a MEGA donner kebab from  'The Avenue' fish and chip shop in the town (not for the faint hearted).


The Avenue Mixed Donner Kebab - delicious

Just by the Cheddleton Station there are a family of pigs - what are these wondered Nugget ??❤

Cheddleton Pigs

We were really pleased to pass through Hazelhurst locks and complete the Froghall Arm as  CRT are closing this part of the Caldon Canal on Monday 13th due to the continued water shortage.  
   

Bats in the Basin! - Froghall

Friday 3 August

We were up early and went down  Hazlehurst Locks and onto the Froghall Arm of the Caldon Canal.  At Oakmeadowford lock you join the River Churnet and due to the river levels being low at the moment, we were safe to proceed. 

Consall Lime Kilns built around 1810

We moored at the visitors moorings near the water point , next to the Consall Lime Kilns.  Limestone was loaded with layers of coke from above and a fire lit below.  As it burnt  through, quicklime was produced and extracted from the bottom of the kiln.

remnants of quicklime in the kiln

This was then mixed with water to produce slaked lime which was then used to make mortar and plaster for the building trade and by farmers to make the soil less acidic.

Over the pedestrian bridge (not accessible by road) and over the steam railtrack is the Black Lion pub, where snacks and meals are available. 

Black Lion Pub

The Churnet Valley railway train track runs alongside the canal and during the season a steam train  passes through the picturesque railway stations/ticket offices.  

Saturday 4 August

We set off on our quest to go through Froghall tunnel and reach the end of the Froghall branch and moor in the basin.  The tunnel is only accessible by boats with maximum dimensions of 4ft 4' high and 5ft 6'wide at the cabin top. 

Measuring at Flint Mill Lock

We were not sure if we would be able to go through, however at Flint Mill Lock there is a measuring gauge so after JUST scraping through this we were fine to proceed through the tunnel.  You can wind just before the tunnel if you are unable to fit through.  it is an extremely tight squeeze, however we made it through ok with Chris on bended knees at the tiller!!!

Entering Froghall tunnel on our knees

The Froghall basin is lovely and peaceful, during our stay there was just one other narrowboat - onboard was a lovely new friend for Nugget - Cooper, a cheeky patterdale dog! Remember to stock up at Leek or Milton as there are no shops within easy walking distance, although tea, cakes and snacks and ice-creams are available at 'Hettys' Tea Rooms. 

Froghall Basin

The CRT facilities are great here and the wildlife  is abundant with butterflies, fish, a resident heron and 'BATS'.  During the evening we saw numerous bats skimming the water feeding on the insects, a wonderful sight to see.    

The Froghall Heron

We went on a walk (trek) up to Ipstones for some supplies at the convenience store . We mostly followed the green walk from Froghall Forge park and this also takes you back through Foxt another local village.  There are plenty of walks round here, it is lovely and quiet as there are no main roads in the vicinity and the scenery is wonderful .  

Caldon Canal - Leek Arm

Wednesday 1 August

We had spent Tuesday night moored in the basin at the start of the Caldon Canal where there is a bronze statue of James Brindley, an engineer who surveyed the line of this canal in 1772.  the moorings are next to the CRT facilities and outside the industrial museum and visitor centre  We felt safe here, and enjoyed an indian take away from a local restaurant 'Mirchi'.

Etruria Moorings and James Brindley statue

Through the first locks and under an electric swing bridge we went.  Until you reach the village of Milton, it is built up and run down in places and we would not have felt safe to moor.  Milton is a great village with two supermarkets, a chemist, book shop, florists, Chinese take away and a lovely butchers/bakery where we purchase our lunch of yummy pork pies! Moorings with rings here.


Delicious!

   Mooring up for the evening on the summit pound after climbing the Stockton Brook Locks, we went on an evening walk to the local village  of Stanley enjoying a pint in the Travellers Rest pub and walking back through the fields to the mooring.  

Thursday 2 August

After using the  CRT facilities at Park Lane, we headed on the Leek branch which winds through wonderful countryside and is really picturesque.  The  canal was narrow in places and shallow and as it is fairly busy at the moment due to the closure of some canals, passing other boaters (which you always seem to meet on bends) is good fun!

Leek Tunnel

We went through the Leek Tunnel and made it to the end of the navigable canal, but unfortunately there were no spaces to moor, so we returned back to moor not far from Hazlehurst locks to start our journey on the Froghall Arm tomorrow.

   

Rode Heath to Etruria

Monday 30 July

We completed the last of the flight of locks nicknamed 'Heartbreak Hill'  by boaters.  As we have completed them over 3 days, these haven't been too bad.  The CRT facilities at Red Bull are very good and the pub food at the Red Bull pub is not too bad either. We moored at Hardings Wood, just after lock 42 and a quick walk over the Hardings Wood junction is a large Tesco, ideal for stocking up.


 Tuesday 31 July      

Early morning start, through one lock and then into Harecastle Tunnel.  After a briefing by CRT, we entered the tunnel... towards the middle it does get quite low in places, however after 40 minutes, it was great to emerge into daylight once again. The tunnel is 2,528m long and took 3 years to complete in 1827. 

Westport Lake

  After a short distance you reach Westport Lakewith plenty of mooring spaces.  Had morning coffee there and a walk, Nugget enjoying a run in the park.  The journey carries on through to Stoke on Trent where potteries are many, some are still in existence and working, however there are the old factories along the way and some of the bottle kilns.

Bottle kiln

 We moored for the evening at Etruria where the Caldon canal branches off from the Trent and Mersey and hope to spend a few days exploring the canal. The Junction has all the usual facilities for boaters. We took a short walk to the 'local' - but it's glory days have long gone !!

Harry Ramjams!