Caldon Cruise: Day 8

We really liked the mooring at Hazlehurst Aqueduct; last night as we were going to bed we could hear a tawny owl calling repeatedly.  This morning was sunny and bright again, and we set off at 9.15.  After a few minutes we were turning from the Leek Branch back onto the main line of the Caldon, with the Hazlehurst locks to our right.  I really like the Leek Branch — it’s only three miles long but is very pretty, has plenty of interest, and some lovely moorings.  We turned left, which is almost straight on from this direction.

We stopped at the Park Lane services for water, and to get rid of quite a bit of rubbish and recycling that’s built up since we were last here.  Apart from those back at Etruria Junction, these are the only bins on this canal.  While we were there a boat went past us.  When we set off again we negotiated the obstruction at Endon, and then there’s a long straight section with views up to the hills.  It seems odd that the locks at the end of this straight go down; by the lay of the land, up would seem more likely!

When we got to the Stockton Brook locks, the boat that had past us was going down, and said CRT had been there when he arrived, running some water down.  The lock landing is before the bridge ahead of the first lock, and from there you can only see the end of the balance beam.  It’s a nice setting though.

The boat ahead kindly lifted a paddle to refill the locks for us as we went down.  In the second lock, forward and reverse of the engine seemed to have very little effect on the boat so I feared there was something round the prop.  Then as I engaged forward to leave, there was quite a loud banging.  I crept forward, and we decided that the easiest place to check the prop was the next lock.  Once in there, I went down the weedhatch and found a large piece of clear plastic that was all round the blades of the prop.  It took a bit of effort to get it off; it also looked so new that it’s unlikely to have been in the water very long.  After that it was plain sailing down the remaining locks.  The bottom one is accompanied by a huge pumping station that would make a superb Grand Design for someone.  In fact it looks as though some work is being done on it.

Two boats were arriving at the bottom of the locks as we went down, so we could leave the gates open.  Adrian then walked on to the windlass-operated lift bridge.  He found, as I did last week, that it’s easy to wind up but surprisingly much more difficult to wind down again.

I was only thinking the other day that the Canada geese we’ve seen don’t appear to be sitting on eggs, which seems odd given the number of goslings that usually emerge.  Of course today we’ve seen half a dozen nesting.

We went through the next lift bridge, which is electric, and decided to drop down Engine Lock.  A single hander was about to come up so was grateful when Adrian worked him through.  When we came the other way last week we stopped above the lock, but there are also nice moorings below, with piling and a nice view.

After lunch we walked into Milton as Adrian wanted to get a hair cut.  I’ve spent the rest of the afternoon finishing writing a boat test, and Adrian is working on the accounts of the charity he’s treasurer of.

5 miles, 6 locks.  (33 miles, 31 locks)