It rained overnight but the morning was clear and quite mild when we set sail.
We passed the water point at Great Hayward intending to fill up but there were....
Four NB,s already inline to use two connections.. so we carried on...
Not long until we were doing locks. The unofficial law of the canal seems to be if you arrive at a lock and have to wait for another NB going up or down then at least one person get off the boat and go help do the lock.
I had tied up and gone up to help the boat in front of us do the lock then gone back to steer the boat into the lock. Leonie was up on the lock ready to shut the bottom gates once the boat entered.
With a NB waiting I looked up expecting to see someone plus Leonie shutting the gates but no, she was heaving on one gate the other one lonely. I climbed up the ladder and lent some weight on her beam then shut the other. Then as we made our way to the other end of the lock to wind the paddles we see the two occupants of the waiting boat, not facing the opposite way or pretending not to see us, standing on the rear of their boat watching us do all the work so when we exit the lock it will be ready for them to steer straight in. As we exited the lock both on the boat the male off the waiting boat walked close by to wait for his wife to steer their boat in.
No Thanks, Kiss My Arse or anything So...
Here is the Most Unhelpfull crew we've met... NB Manilla.......
The blue sky gave way to...
This cloud formation that looked like serious rain...
And it didn't disappoint. About twenty minutes of downpour... Did we pull over? no way, just drove right on......
As the rain eased and the skies lightened we passed beneath Salt Bridge...
Rather trendy looking bridge being way out in the county side... The woman is still sheltering from the passed by deluge...
Moored up in Stone... nice town with a lot of modern apartments and housing viewed from the canal.
Took a walk up the main 'Drag". It was pretty quite about 5.45pm...
A fair selection of pubs about... This one ..
The Crown And Anchor was a thatched job......
Rained again during the night and early morning. Decided by 8.30am we were going to move so stopped at the water point to fill just before the first lock. A NB was coming down so I went up and helped do the paddles and opened the gates for them and said.
Leave the gates open as we'll be going in shortly and I'll keep an eye out if another NB wants to come down I'll shut the gates for them. All good..
Well our water tank is nearly full, no NB came the other way so the lock is empty with the gates wide open. Plus I've stood in the pissing rain.
And then Disaster. A hire boat comes along going our way, spies the lock empty with wide open gates and in they go, couldn't believe their luck..
Well that's what the guy told me when I went up to help them and then release the water and open the gates again....
An unusual bridge at a lock leaving Stone.. Newcastle Road lock....
A tunnel under the bridge for the horses to pass through....
And the .....
Lock entrance is on the RH side....
While waiting for a lock.....
Just filling in time with the camera.....
A lovely canal side property in the village of....
Barlaston... drive in and park the NB at the front door....
Same village...
Canal side cottages...
The canal is very rural and meanders along.
It passes under a bridge and then as you turn to the right a large building appears across the paddocks...
It is the....
Wedgwood factory.. The Wedgwood Group is the largest china and earthenware manufacturer in the world. Started in 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood... they have a museum and do tours and no doubt a factory shop...
On the outskirst of Stoke on Trent is a sign ....
At the attractive Trentham lock that welcomes you aboard...
As we traverse the canal system we see so many Swans and ducks with their young.
For Swan to have 1 to 3 young maybe 4 is the norm.....
This swan obviously had a dose....
Of the Fertility Drugs.... 7 young ones.....
Closer to Stoke and a.....
Sainsbury's Supermarket distribution building.... it was huge......
Right in Stoke stand some remaining...
Reminders of the Pottery industry.... Brick bottle shape kilns stand tall.....
New development has taken place....
Right next door...
This photo though not a great photo with the sun but reminds me of...
The L&P add.... Lemon and Paeroa soft drinks.....
Passed by a....
Bone and Flint Mill... built 1857...
It produced calcined bone ash for use in Fine Bone china until 1972.....
the company began to supply Wedgwood as early as 1837..... the company still operates today....
Next door was...
The large factory chimney....
From Stone through to Stoke the locks are all....
Rather deep......
Leaving the Stoke flight.....
Out of the top lock on the right... The Caldon Canal starts on the left.....
Lovely to meet you two today.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are great - we saw the places you photographed on our way up some weeks ago, but didn't capture them ourselves.Aren't some of the houses between Stone and Stoke just lovely!