Heading South now

We really enjoyed our few days cruising the Caldon Canal.  This must surely be among our favourite canals.  It is challenging to cruise with narrow bridges, tight turns and has superb scenery.  And of course this time we managed to get Leo through the very low Froghall Tunnel having decided against such an attempt last time we came this way.

But all good things come to an end so we have now come back to Etruria and returned South down the Trent and Mersey Canal to Great Haywood.

Coming back along the Caldon Canal above Stockton Brook Locks we met these working boats and had to wait for a little while before we could pass.  Canals and Rivers Trust are improving the towpath.

And here is the queue of boats behind us, also waiting.  It is not common to find traffic jams on the waterways, but here is one.  Pas Mèche is the first boat behind with Wagtail behind them.

Here we are moored for Wednesday night at Etruria.  You can just make out the double staircase lock behind on the right.

This ginger cat lived on the boat moored behind us and came to spy out Leo.












On Thursday we returned to the Trent and Mersey and went down the Stoke Locks and a few miles further, stopping around lunchtime at Barlaston.

We passed this swan family on our way.  Never seen so many cygnets in one brood.

The main reason for mooring at Barlaston was to visit the Wedgwood Factory, where the famous pottery is made.  We particularly enjoyed the factory tour.  The quality of craftsmanship was very impressive, particularly the moulding and attachment of the white reliefs onto the blue jasper ware that we all think of as the hallmark of Wedgwood.  The machinery used today is pretty much the same as in Josiah Wedgwood's day in the 18th century.  The restaurant was also pretty good too and we had lunch there.

On Friday we carried on to moor at one of David's favourite spots in Stone.

How about this - your own dock for your narrowboat in the garden!  This is at Barlaston.  You might also be able to make out the set of balance beams for lock gates positioned in the grass to the right of the boat.

David was right - it is a very nice mooring in Stone just above the bottom of four locks through the town.  This picture was taken from one of the bridges over the canal and you can see Pas Mèche with its green 'pram hood' and Leo moored just in front.  David and Ian are probably talking boats or engines.

While Ian was doing some touching up of the paint scratched in the Froghall Tunnel, Helen went for a walk down to the River Trent.  Here you can see the bridge over the river with canoe slalom gates below.

And here is a canoeist having a go.













We had a drink last night in the Star just below the boats.  This pub has the distinction of an entry in the Guiness Book of Records for all its rooms being on a different level.

Today in somewhat stormy weather we've come down to Great Haywood and turned onto the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal heading for Wolverhampton.

I did say stormy and this was the sky behind us at one point.

We do like the signs at canal junctions and this is a particularly fine one at Great Haywood.  We had come from the Potteries and are now heading to Wolverhampton.

This bridge which is only wide enough for horses and pedestrians has 14 arches and crosses the River Trent to give access to Shugborough Hall.

We were lucky enough to see this fuel boat and butty come up Haywood Lock and then turn left at the junction.  It was fascinating to see the experts handling two 70 foot boats with each having to go through the lock separately.  And we reckon that navigating a single 57 foot boat is a challenge!





Tonight we are again moored on Tixall Wide where we were about 10 days ago.  It is a lovely spot only a mile or so from the junction.  In the next few days we will be climbing gradually to the foot of the huge lock flight up to Wolverhampton and then on into Birmingham.  It is a well known canalling fact that Birmingham is at the top of the hill.