King’s Bromley Marina Sunday 14 June 2015

We had a very good meal in the Plum Pudding last nigh, as you can see we couldn’t have moored any closer. As you can see from the path it was dry over night, last night I swept the water away before we walked down the path to eat.

There was quite a bit of traffic about this morning and I was pleased that we were moored on rings the pull we had from some of the boats going by. We pushed off at 1030 am making our way slowly back to our marina. Someone had kindly organised a fly past for us. I think there was some kind of run along the tow path yesterday as we saw lots of posts with arrows on them which is fine. What is not fine in my opinion is dayglow arrows painted on bridges. These were also painted on trees and on bridge 60 there was also the instructions to “Turn Off” and more arrows. If you know who is responsible I would love to contact them and ask them to clean it off.

Passing through Handsacre there is a house with a fine collection of sheds in his garden.

Just before we reached King’s Bromley Marina we met Martin again coming the other way. Within 5 minutes we would be turning into the entrance of the Marina, no one watching so round 90° and in through the entrance in one smooth move.

We were packed up quite quickly and on our way just after 1 pm. Just as we were about to turn onto the A38 we decided that we would go to The Plough at Huddlesford for lunch, we had been there 3 time in the past 7 days so why not once more. The place was packed but there was a table for two in the corner of the bar from where I could see right into the kitchen. The down side of this was I thought they were preparing our meals 3 times before they came to our table.

This trip we have done over 290 miles and 182 lock as we covered some of the bits more than once. canalplan.org.uk/ said this would take 147 hours

So that’s it until the next trip folks.

Armitage Saturday 13 June 2015

Well it started raining just before half three yesterday afternoon and has not stopped since, some times it was only drizzle and others very heavy , but mostly just a steady rain. In the 24 hours I recorder 17.5 mm.

We decided that we would stay put this morning and then after lunch head back to the marina as we were going home today or tomorrow anyway.

A little after 12 things brightened up and the rain almost stopped, after a short discussion we decided that we would go home tomorrow so tonight we would have to eat somewhere. The Plumb Pudding pub was only half an hour away, but we would have to go almost in to Rugeley to turn. the other alternative was back to the marina and out in the car to eat, so we decided to boat to the pub. bad move. We pushed off at ten to one and in less than a quarter of a hour it was raining steadily again, so we just pushed on.

At the Plum Pudding the moorings were full but we guessed they had stopped for lunch, Diana wanted some shopping so we would carry on to Rugeley, this would mean turning round at the winding hole the other side of Rugeley. The moorings in Rugeley were also full so we carried on with a view to stopping on the way back. At Taft Bridge, not far passed the winding hole there is a boat that sells diesel so I would motor to there, fill with diesel, reverse back to the winding hole and then stop in Rugeley. It was quite a bit further to Taft Bridge than I had remembered so after taking on 90 lt at 65p/lt I had to reverse ¾ mile before I could turn round.

On the way back we met some of the boats that had been moored by the pub, so hopefully there will be a space when we arrive. Crossing the Trent on the aqueduct it still looks as if water is bubbling up mid stream and there is a large water filled hole in the field by the aqueduct wall.  The photo was taken last time we passed as it was chucking it down today, but the temporary pipe bridge has needed reinforcing where it has sagged in the middle.

Arriving in Rugeley there was now space to moor and Diana could nip to Tesco for her shopping, by now it was raining even harder. Why didn’t we go with plan A?

Once the shopping was complete we were on the move again, as we travelled south the weather improved. Again we had a clear run through what use to be Armitage tunnel and once out the end we could see all the Plum Pudding moorings were now vacant. We are moored directly outside the rear entrance to the pub, you cant get any closer. This is the view from the from our front deck. Just as we finished mooring at 5-30 pm it stopped raining, but only for about 10 minutes.

Handsacre Friday 12 June 2015

Well it was nice to be away from the A38 at last. We left at our normal 10 am down to Alrewas lock. On the way through Alrewas we passed this cottage that is being re-thatched.

There is a level indicator mounted below Alrewas Lock to show the height of the river, green is normal, yellow it is starting to flow a bit fast and red you really didn’t ought to be here. I don’t think I have seen it this far into the green before. The river Trent comes in from the left a short way below the lock and flows for about 200 yards before going over the weir to the right. The weir is protected by a row of floating buoys. Or should we say boats are protected against going onto the weir by these buoys. I just wondered if these to shrank from getting too wet. A nice steady run down to Wychnor Lock where we left the river and returned to the canal system, but not for long, we only went as far as the winding hole before turning and retracing our steps. We knew there were two boats following us down the river and the first arrived at the lock moments before us, so turned the lock to our favour. Then up the river again, There is very little flow on the river apart from the section at the top where the Trent joins and then leaves via the weir but the level is effected all the way to the lock. Again approaching Alrewas Lock there was a boat coming down so it was set for us. There were a few vacant mooring spots in the village but I think lots of people thought it would be a good place to stop with the weather forecast at the moment. I dropped Diana off at the first bridge and she walked into the village as there is a lady who sells home made jams and chutney’s at her garden gate, I met up with here again at Bagnell lock, While locking up I was able to get a better photograph of the living sculpture.

We continued up through Common Lock where there are some off side moorings, at one of them a boat is being fitted out and its at the end of these where what looks like a diesel tank stands, the delivery pump is still some way from being connected.

  

At Fradley Locks I thing we caught most of the volunteers at lunch, there was one on duty at Keepers and then as we worked up Middle Lock another appeared. Other than that we were on our own. We continued on to Handsacre and as it started to rain and we were not actually heading for anywhere we decided to stop here for the night. If the weather turns as bad as they say, I will just reverse up in the morning to the winding hole that is only 40 yards behind us, turn and head back to the marina, if it is reasonable we will probably go to Rugeley.

Today’s Journey 9 miles 12 locks in 5½ hours

Alrewas Thursday 11 June 2015

Well following our blacking at Streethay Wharf (See my other Blog) we headed off to Fradley Junction, on the way we caught up with two other boats and we were only doing 2.5 MPH, Eventually the one in front of us overtook the front one but had to deploy fenders as the front one swung over and hit him as he passed. We caught up with the slow boat under the A38 road bridge and he pulled over and let me passed with no problem and a cheery smile so what happened when the other boat went by I don’t know.

We stopped at Fradley Junction to fill a very empty water tank and the Fradley tap is not the fastest in the world, it wasn’t helped when another boat arrived and started using the other tap. I had time for a beer and to go round with the rust treatment. When the tank was finally full it was off through the swing bridge that CRT have not got round to fitting a lock to and hard left into Fradley Lock on the Trent and  Mersey Canal.
Our timing was just right as a boat had just left the lock heading north and Diana was able to tell the volunteer lock keeper I was coming from the Coventry so the gates were still open.
To my surprise there was another volunteer lock keeper on Keepers lock but a boat ahead of us going down. The lock keeper said he had 30 boats through today plus what went through while he was at lunch. At  Hunts lock we were on our own which of course we had to turn and close behind ourselves.

It looks as if they plan to start selling diesel just above Common Lock as there is a large bunded plastic tank set up on the bank and a delivery pump still wrapped up near by. We didn’t meet any more boats, just that small flurry in Fradley. Half way between Common Lock and Bagnall Lock someone has done a lot of work on the offside moorings. Down at Alrewas just above Bagnall Lock the sculptured living hedge is coming on really well. I will try to get further away for a photograph on the way back.   We had been told that Alrewas was deserted, this wasn’t quite true but there were a few spots left and we managed to get into one just before the foot bridge. Today has probably been the warmest this year, but the pressure has been steadily falling for the past couple of days and the forecast is not that great for the next few days.

PS. I have already scraped the black on the hull sides.

Today’s Journey 

5 Miles, 5 Locks, 1 Swing bridge and 2 canals in 3¼ hours.

Streethay Slipway Monday 8 June 2015

We were due to come out for blacking and a new rudder cup tomorrow morning, so the plan was to take the car today to Streethay and then cruise around a bit mooring overnight opposite the boat yard.

Now what happened.

At 8-30 we got a phone call from Streehay saying they were running ahead and the slip was empty, where we in the area and if so could we come today. It was just on 9am when I left the marina alone, Diana was taking the car to Fradley and would meet me there.

The morning was lovely, tee-shirt weather and the canal quite busy, I met 4 boats before Woodend Lock. At Woodend there was a boat already going down so I left the bows against the top gate and closed up the offside for them before turning the lock. The lock was nearly empty when Diana walked up, she had parked the car at bridge 91 on the Coventry Canal and walked back to meet me.

Down at Shadehouse lock a boat had slipped out ahead of me and as I passed one coming up went really hard aground. At the locks there were volunteer lock keepers on duty which helped. Leaving Shadehouse there was a boat just exiting Middle Lock, ideal and after that one came out of the Coventry towards us. I indicated to the volunteer at Junction lock we were turning left and he very kindly left his lock and walked round to open the swing bridge for us. CRT still haven’t fitted a lock to the swing bridge, but they still intend to.

I dropped Diana off at bridge 91 so that she could take the car to Streethay.

The farmer is extracting water from the canal just before bridge 91, I think we need more of this as it puts speed hump on the towpath and may well slowdown some of the speeding cyclists.

The house at Brookhay Bridge looks as if its been sold at long last. It looks a nice place in the middle of nowhere. It was not long after this that Diana was again coming up the towpath towards me.

At Streethay I pulled along side the service quay and reported in. It was some little while before they were ready for us. Because we were facing south the turn into the slipway is to tight, so we had to go down to the wide section, turn and approach from the other direction to be able to line up with the ramp. While I had been doing this they had run a trolley down the slipway to haul us out on. As Harnser is a bit deeper at the bows than most boats I had to back off so they could push the trolley further down. then forward until we bottomed out and keep the power on as they pulled the trolley up the ramp to take the weight.

The yard above the slipway has had a polytunnel erected over it to give a covered area for working under but a good air flow to dry the boat.

Today’s Journey

5¾ miles, 3 locks, 2 canals, 1 slipway in 2¼ hours.

King’s Bromley Marina Sunday 7 June 2015

Not quite as warm this morning when we set of at ten past ten, needless to say as soon as I moved out to go passed the boat ahead another boat came through the bridge hole. Just the other side of the bridge was moored Wrens Nest a fellow blogger so we stopped for a chat until another boat came up behind us forcing us to move on.  The diesel boat “Dexta” at Taff Bridge is now charging 65p/lt for diesel, if we weren’t coming up the slipway tomorrow I would have filled up, but I felt it better to have the backend as light as possible.

It looks as if its been a very good year for Buttercups as we have seen several fields of grass that are absolutely yellow with them.

Some time ago the local IWA branch installed a set of visitor moorings between the Bypass and the Trent Aqueduct, these are now well established and looking good.

Beside the river Trent there is quite a bit of equipment in the field and it looks as if they are drilling under the river to install a new water main, there is what looks like a temporary plastic one crossing the river on a bridge. Mid stream in the river it looks as if the old one has ruptured and is blowing up through the river bed.

We moored up in Rugeley for a while, first to do a bit of shopping followed by lunch and then to complete the town sight seeing tour. Last time we stopped we picked a leaflet up from the library that listed places of interest and a map, but last time was winter and the weather was horrible, today was a  lot more like summer, just a bit of breeze to chill things when exposed. Rugeley is quite an interesting place and the walk was well worth while, it even took us into Weatherspoons, but somehow I didn’t get as far as the bar, just the stained glass.

We left Rugeley about quarter past three to make our way back to our marina for the night. This shed on the outskirts of Rugeley is getting worse, it almost makes me proud of my old shed with holes in the back. 

There was surprising little traffic about this afternoon and the moorings at Handsacre where almost empty with only one boat there. Once back in the marina we made our way to out new mooring, this one is only just  through the bridge into the small second basin and we hope it will be more sheltered than the old one.

Today’s Journey about 9 miles in about 3½ hour and no map as it didn’t start tracking until we left Rugeley.

Wolseley Bridge Saturday 6 June 2015

The weather this morning was not quite so good as yesterday and this was the sunset we had last night.

It was only a short run to Western lock which we expected to be with us as we had just had a boat come by, but we found it empty. It was not long before we could see the boat ahead so we eased off so as not to catch him, our target for mooring was Gt. Haywood which was not that far away. At Hoo Mill lock there was a boat coming up and one waiting below. As we went down the lady from the boat below thought see recognised us and it turned out we both moor in King’s Bromley Marina, even more coincidently when we left the lock I recognised her boat and husband as being the one we followed out of the Caldon Canal earlier this week when we had to wait over an hour. We found a mooring OK 3 boats below Gt Haywood junction, it was the only one. Our reason for stopping here was my son and grandsons were coming for lunch (we thought)
The activity around the junction was quite interesting with boats trying to turn in and out as well as go passed. One boat came passed and the went passed again backwards before coming passed a third time forwards, he was looking for a mooring.

Quarter to two and I get a text “we will see you for tea” With that we decided to head off to Wolseley Bridge and meet him there. We were to meet 3 more boats from our marina in the course of the afternoons travels.

There was an event taking place at Gt Haywood consisting of running and canoeing. When we dropped through Haywood lock there were canoes everywhere, no warning notice on the lock, no Marshalls. they were using the lock moorings as a point to launch and get  out and as it was a point to point thing they had a point on the offside just below the lock as well. There was a boat waiting to come into the lock and as he went towards the lock a canoe came up beside him and straight round his bows, I bet he didn’t even know about it.
The points they were finding were marked white fenders, tying one just through a bridge hole and one to the lock landing was not the brightest idea to my mind and the one blind below the lock gates was just madness.

We arrived at Colwich lock just as a boat was leaving and there were three more below waiting to come up, we were certainly going the right way today.

At Wolseley Bridge there were only three boats moored before the bridge which left a nice gap for us to drop into and await the arrival of the boys.

We all went to the Wolseley Arms for diner at 6 pm and the places was packed, they fitted us in on 3 round tables up the corner of the bar sitting on the sofa, it was that or nothing. Although they were very busy the service was good and the food well cooked and fresh all coming out in a timely manor. It took a few minutes for the waitress to get the idea of the boys having main courses at the same time as dads starter but when the boys the asked for a starter after their main courses because they were still hungry she didn’t bat an eyelid and they arrived before we had finished our main courses.

Today’s Journey 5½ miles, 4 locks in 2¾ hours

Western Friday 5 June 2015

Well summer is continuing today and we were off at our normal 10 am after the 8-9 flurry had gone.

I took this picture from the front deck last night of The Star pub with the moon hiding behind the clouds over the bridge. I did consider sawing the pipe down as it spoils the picture a bit.

Below the lock the moorings were almost empty and we stopped to top up with water, once the tank was full we set off as the lock behind us was emptying, looking back I saw this lovely boat coming out of the gate, I knew immediately who it was as its normally moored above Newcastle Road Lock.

Although the 48hr moorings only had one boat on them the 14 day were full and as soon as I had passed the last boat I pulled over to wave “Cutter” by as I knew she would be faster than me. However she didn’t get far catching up with another boat at Aston Lock.

It was so nice now that the sun hat came out, as we locked down a Shared Ownership boat came up behind us and helped Diana with the paddles. Once on our way again she mentioned that the chap said they had to be at Gt Heywood by 3 pm and wasn’t sure if they would make it, so at Sandon Lock where we waited for Cutter to go down and a boat come up we let them have the lock, it should have saved the 20 minutes or so and we are in no hurry.

We stopped by Salt Bridge No 82, for lunch followed by a walk round Salt. Its only a small village down a short walk down a single track road, but it boasts the oldest pub in Staffordshire and the second licensed public house in England and is thought to date back to 1190. The pub is an easy walk from the canal and the moorings are good but it is right beside the railway line.Walking back to the boat this Doric column is easily visible  over the trees, its not so easily seen from down on the canal. It stands in the grounds of Sandon Hall and was erected in memory of William Pitt in 1806.

We planned to stop at Western for the night near bridge 80, but as this is near the only canal side pub for miles we had no chance of getting a mooring so we carried on south mooring almost opposite Canal and River services at Western about half a mile further south.

Since we have been here we have had the lightest touch of drizzle and black clouds followed by bright clear sun again, but the wind has picked up quite a bit in the last hour or so.

Today’s Journey 6¾ miles 3 locks in 3½ hours.

Stone Thursday 4 June 2015

Last night we ate in the Plume of feathers, a Neil Morrissey  pub. We found it quite good and very busy. Diana walked down when we arrived and they could only fit us in at 6 or 8-30 pm. The later time suited us well as we are normally late eaters. The service was good and friendly, portions a good size without being over the top and it all tasted very good.

Summer is definitely here, how long it will stay I don’t know. I woke early this morning to the sound of Ian’s boat chugging gently by, I suspect its a Russell Newbery twin in it, its the sort of noise that wakes you without disturbing you and I was soon back in the land of nod.

When we finally surfaced it was bright sunshine and by the time we were ready to go most of the other boats had left.  I have a theory, you ether have to go very early, like Ian or late like us, otherwise you are in with the crowd.

We finally pushed off just before 11 am passing Sandra with her boys from Golden Boyz a boat that sells doggie things. We had a good run to the top of the Meaford Locks. Here the road is closed to repair the bridge yet again. There use to be a bid power station on the off side along here, there are now plans to build a gas powered one that will only use a fraction of the site. We met boats at nearly all the locks only turning the second as we thought the boat in the third was the one we were following, but it was actually one coming up. Its a long pound so they only waited a couple of minutes. In Stone a hire boater turned the lock even though the boat leaving said we were coming, but they were in bit of a hurry, they had already done the 4 Counties ring in less than a week.

In Stone we managed to moor above Stare lock on the 24 hour moorings by the car park and enjoy the afternoon sun, there is only one other boat moored on the tow path side now although there has been a bit of coming and going. I wandered down to the Star pub to get our glasses filled, that way I don't have to take the empties back.

Today’s Journey 3½ Miles, 5 locks in 2¼ hours

Barlaston Wednesday 3 June 2015

Its sunny today, hooray. First task a walk up to Tesco for a few things, its about ½mile. On our return all the other boats had left. We waited for one who came down the Caldon to pass before setting off backwards first for water and then back on to the Trent and Mersey canal. The reason for doing it backwards was that if I had gone forward to wind doing a 180° turn when I got to the junction I would need to do another 180° turn down the locks. What I didn’t know was the working pair that had moored behind us had just set off and they were pulling the butty backwards down the 2 lock to moor in the museum arm. As they went down a cruiser came up who didn’t have a handcuff key to open the lock so climbed back on his boat and just sate there. He  was still there when the team came up to bring the motor of the pair down. I didn’t realise what was happening but the girl from the boat that had passed me worked him up. Then the motor went down and another came up who wanted to turn up the Caldon so the boat that passed me didn’t go into the locks as he didn’t want to be in the way, then another came up. By now I was on the lock moorings but in front of another boater waiting to go down so I let him passed. The next boat coming up actually had a chap I use to work with some 20 years ago on board, so we were able to chat while the boat ahead of me went down and his missus brought their boat up. now it was our turn, well we had only waited 1¼hours.

We met boats in each pound and the two work boats were tucked away in front of the museum. We had a good run through Stoke only turning one lock on the way and a sunny and uneventful trip to Trentham Lock where we caught up with the boat ahead. There were several boats coming up and one of the boaters introduced himself to me as a fellow blogger Steve from the boat Albert with his rather nice sounding Ruston and Hornsby engine.

We had planned to moor a short way below Trentham lock and visit the Wedgwood visitors Centre but it seams they will not be open until sometime next month, so we carried on and joined the end of the row of boats moored at Barlaston.

As its my Birthday tonight my wife is taking me to The Plume of Feathers for dinner, which I will probably pay for with the credit card.

Today’s Journey 5¾ miles, 6 locks, 2 canals in 4¼ hours

Etruria Tuesday 2 June 2015

First the very good news, Windows Live Writer is once more talking to Blogger, so well done to the guy’s & Girl’s who sorted it out for us.

Well we had another 12 hours of rain, from mid day yesterday until well after midnight. Today has been better but this afternoon the wind picked up.
Our Journey has only been a short one leaving Westport Lake at 10 am we came as far down as Middleport Potteries where we moored on the off side against their car park, there are 3 rings about 55ft apart if you fancy stopping for a visit. The reason we stopped was to take the factory tour. We had called in on our way up and spent over half a day at the visitors centre which is all free so today we did the paid for tour of the works and it was first class. You really see how its made from end to end, no looking through windows, you are in there with the workers.

I have produced a separate blog about the potteries at http://visitsbyharnser.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/middleport-pottery.html but its quite long with several photos and videos

While we were there my daughter came to see us and we all had lunch in their very nice cafe.

It was 3pm before we left and the wind had freshened quite a bit from this morning. We decided that we wouldn’t do the Stoke locks this afternoon but would look for a spot on the beginning of the Caldon Canal and as luck would have it there was room for two boats between the foot bridge and the museum. We pulled into the first and since we have been here another boat coming down the Caldon has taken the second.

At Bridge I think it was 119 it looks very much like they have been successfully spraying off the Himalayan Balsam weed. If so its a lot less labour intensive than pulling it up by the roots.

Today’s Journey Just over 2½ miles in 1 hour

Westport Lake 1 June 2015

Yesterday evening saw some strange lighting but they say a red sky at night is a Sheppard’s delight so maybe that is true even if it is raining, because this morning we woke to bright sunshine, shame it didn’t last.

As the weather was nice we walked up to Mow Cop Castle, if you plan on doing this be warned there is a 1 in 4 hill to climb, there is also a pub near the castle called The Cheshire View, it doesn’t open lunch times during the week. The castle is another National Trust property but there is not a single sign directing you to it. What we did find when we reached it that people have thrown rubbish inside it and even dog poo bags. As you can see it was already clouding over and the wind had a chill to it. Walking the 1½ miles back is a bit easier because its down hill. We were back on the boat about 11 am and set off as  soon as the two approaching boats had passed. Between Scholars Green where we moored and Lock 13 there is a wooden pedestrian swing bridge. This has a chain attached to it so pedestrians can pull it across when the want to use it, I am not sue how the swing it open again if they are coming the other way. You can just see the chain hanging off the end and down into the water where it is attached to the tow path side.

As the boat we were following pulled in for water Lock 13, Hall Green lock was ready for us. Since we were this way last I have done a bit of research and also had a couple of people contact me. This is the official end of The Macclesfield canal and it is where it joins the Trent and Mersey canal. This use to be the site of two stop locks with two lock keepers who lived in two cottages. One was employed by the Macclesfield Canal company the other The Trent and Mersey and each looked after their own lock. When the Macclesfield canal was dug the water level to Bosley locks was the same as the summit of the Trent and Mersey, but if the Macclesfield canal lost water it would flow from the Trent and Mersey, very unlikely as its the lowest point on the Macclesfield canal, but just in case the Trent and Mersey company built a stop lock, a more likely situation would be a drop in level on the Trent and Mersey summit would draw water from the Macclesfield so the built a second lock but facing the other way. The two locks were about  5 mts apart and the gate recesses of the Trent and Mersey locks are still visible below the present lock. Now the level of the Trent and Mersey is about 50 cm lower than the Macclesfield as they had to lower the summit to give more headroom in the Harecastle tunnel to compensate for it subsiding, so now there is no possibility of water flowing into the Macclesfield Canal.

Even though the next one and a third miles of canal to Hardings Wood Junction are officially the Trent and Mersey canal it is commonly know as the Macclesfield canal and on bridge 98 at Hardings wood Junction is this plaque. Here we turned right, a much easier turn than when we came up, as the canal is wider south of the junction and we are back on the brown water. It was only a short run now to the north portal of Harecastle where there were already 2 boats waiting. The tunnel keep informed us that we would have a ¾ hour wait as there were 6 boats coming through, we were also joined by two more bats going south. The Tunnel keeper came round and gave us a briefing under bridge 131 as it had now started raining. We had plenty of time to eat lunch before it was our turn to enter the tunnel. It nice to see that the skeleton is still in there keeping an eye on things, hiding in the second recess. It was quite murky in the tunnel and we slowly caught up with the boat ahead as it was hard to judge how far in front he was. Once clear of the tunnel we pulled over to fill with water and continued our wet journey as far as Westport Lakes where we stopped on the 48hr visitor moorings for the night. We are moored just south of a sunken cruiser as there were no spaces long enough before that, there were a few that would suit 40 ft boats but people tend to spread out a bit wasting valuable visitor mooring space.

Today’s Journey