Escape from Festival Park — partially at least

Our plan for today had been to start a trip up the Caldon Canal — but then last night we saw the weather forecast, with winds of more than 40mph for most of the day.  As we’re no longer on a schedule, we resigned ourselves to another day in the marina.  But this morning the weather wasn’t too bad, and the winds were forecast to come through later, so we hatched a plan.  We would leave our berth, fill up with water at their water point on the outside of the marina, and then reverse onto the public moorings outside the Toby Carvery.  So at about 9.30 Adrian went to tell the officer what we were doing, and then lifted the bridge for the boat to come through.

While we watered up (which didn’t take as long as we’d feared, having not filled the tank for a week), Adrian went and paid for our stay.  Then we reversed back and tied outside the pub, just as the rain began to come down.

Later in the morning we got in the car and drove down to the Gladstone Pottery Museum, current home of the Great Pottery Throwdown on Channel 4.

One of the first exhibits was the birdbaths the contestants made in this year’s series.  These two were our favourites.

The rest of the museum is excellent, with a steam engine, just enough info to read, a potter doing her thing, and lots of stuff to look at.

We had lunch in the cafe (Staffordshire oatcakes, of course), then went to the exhibits on tiles, and the history of the toilet.  One the way back, we went to look at tiles for the stove surround on the new boat and found a contender, and at bathroom taps.  Back at the boat we lit the fire as it’s really quite chilly and damp, and the wind is very gusty.  I’ve made a chilli, which I started on the hob but is now gently simmering on the top of the stove.  So we haven’t made it far, although at least we are out on the cut again.  A few boats have been by, but it has to be said that the steerers did not appear to be having the best time!