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)

Caldon Cruise: Day 7

There was heavy rain in the night, drumming on the roof so hard that it woke us both us.  By this morning, though, the sun was back out again.  We’re getting very familiar with the industrial estate on the way into Leek, although this time we were only going as far as Morrisons for a food top up.  One of the firms en route is Ornua Foods, who it turns out employ 700 people there to pack cheese and butter, including Pilgrim’s Choice and Kerrygold, along with a load of own brands.

Having done the shopping and got back to the boat, we got ready to set off.  The entrance to Leek Tunnel doesn’t look quite as tiny from this direction.  You can see all the way through, and if there’s anything coming there are some railings on the offside to wait against.

Emerging into the big pool at the other end is lovely.

There are soon glimpses of the spooky-looking tower of the former hospital at Leekbrook.  I’m sure it’s easier to see now than it was last time we came this way, and I see from Google maps that there appear to have been lots of houses built in the grounds.

The wooded section looked lovely in the sunshine, and parts are full of bluebells.

At one point, we saw a couple on the towpath, with the woman holding out her hand.  A robin flew from the hedgerow landed on her hand and and took some seed.  She was delighted, and we were lucky to have seen it.  We moored immediately before the aqueduct.  There were two boats here, but there was space for us on the end.  The bridge ahead, which goes over the end of the aqueduct, turns out to be very steep, with some helpful bricks to help walkers.

One reason for stopping here was because we have a lunch appointment with Rachel and Nev from Percy, at the Hollybush Inn, down on the lower level of the canal.  There are steps down from the aqueduct.  We had a nice lunch and plenty of conversation, then retired to Briar Rose for coffee and tea.  Before we knew it, it was almost 4pm.  It was lovely to catch up with Rachel and Nev, who live not too far away from here.

I still needed some steps for the day, so I walked along the canal to the junction, down the locks, and along to the aqueduct, returning to the boat up the steps.

2 miles, 0 locks.  (28 miles, 25 locks)

Caldon Cruise: Day 6

A lovely sunny day, which was just as well as we had plans to meet family.  We set off from the boat at around 9.30 and walked along to the end of the arm.  There’s only enough room for a small boat to turn here; straight ahead is the feeder from Rudyard Lake, and to the right is the aqueduct over the River Churnet which used to take the canal into Leek itself, but which was filled in.

We took the path alongside the feeder, then crossed the A53 and picked up the path again.  It passes through lovely wooded areas, and there are country parks on one side and a golf course on the other.  Occasionally there are little bridges over the feeder.

Then the views open up as you walk along the valley, always with the feeder alongside.

About three quarters of the way there, we took some steps up next to an old railway bridge, onto the bed of the Uttoxeter to Macclesfield line.

Our initial destination was Rudyard Station, the start of the Rudyard Lake Railway, a 10 and a quarter inch gauge line which runs a mile and a half up the side of Rudyard Lake.  My sister, her husband, and one of their daughters arrived (the other is busy revising for GCSE exams which start next week) and we bought tickets for the 11am departure.  The carriages are a bit of a squeeze, and the train trundles alongside the lake, with nice views across.

We had a little stretch of the legs at Hunthouse Wood, the end of the line, where the engine changes end, then returned to Dam station, which is at the end of the lake.

The dam has a massive overspill weir at one side, and the canal feeder starts at the other end, with some control towers above.

We had lunch and an ice cream at the Rudyard Lake visitor centre, and watched some people paddle boarding and others getting their rowing boats ready.  Then we walked along the feeder back to the family’s car near Rudyard Station.

We said our goodbyes, then we continued along the feeder, completing the bit we’d missed on the way up.  When we got to the railway bridge we went up the steps again and followed the route into Leek.

Leek turns out to be a much more substantial town than we’d been expecting, with lots of shopping streets and some nice buildings.  There are also streets of terraced houses, and we liked this corner one.

The war memorial is surely one of the most impressive in the country — it’s certainly one of the tallest, at 90ft.  It was commissioned by a local businessman and his wife to commemorate their son who died at Ypres, and others from the town who died in the First World War, and no also has plaques for those who died in the Second World War.

We may not have done any boating miles today, but we have walked well over 10km.

0 miles, 0 locks.  (26 miles, 25 locks)

Caldon Cruise: Day 5

The water level in Cheddleton was a little better this morning, but still not back to normal.  I had an appointment to do a podcast interview at the Flint Mill, so while I did that Adrian walked up to get some milk from the One Stop in the village.  It turned out Easter eggs were now reduced.  It was also raining, and as we are meeting family tomorrow we set off; it was about 1030.  It was very slow going because of the lack of water — in the bridge holes we came to a virtual stop, and at one I thought I might be better getting off and pushing.  When we got to Hazlehurst Aqueduct, there was an ABC hire boat going over it as we went underneath.  At the locks, a Black Prince boat was going up ahead, but then the ABC boat was coming down, so we swapped in the first pound.

The top lock is very attractive.  In fact the whole area of the locks and junction is pretty, even in the rain.

I did a lovely turn onto the Leek Branch, which involved doubling back on yourself, but the ninety degree turn onto the aqueduct wasn’t so good.  We were now going over the main line we’d just come along.

The Leek Branch is lovely, with bluebell woods on the offside and occasional glimpses along the valley.  As it was still wet, I decided I’d leave photos until the return journey in a couple of days time.  Towards the end of the branch, the canal opens up into a big pool, with the tiny Leek Tunnel off in one corner.

Inside, the tunnel has a re-lined section, so in that sense (and in that sense alone!) it’s a bit like Blisworth.

There’s only about half a mile of canal after the tunnel, and the Black Prince boat was turning at the final full length winding hole.  We came through the bridge and turned into the winding hole so they could go back through; then we completed our turn and reversed back to the moorings.  The first space was the only one big enough, but again it turned out that depth was an issue in places.  We had lunch and lit the fire, and then in mid-afternoon the sun surprisingly came out.  We headed out to the end of the canal where the feeder comes in, and then walked through to industrial estate to locate Morrisons and the rest of town.

4 miles, 3 locks.  (26 miles, 25 locks)

Caldon Cruise: Day 4

We were booked on the steam train at 1030 from Froghall Station, so we had no reason to rush this morning.  We had plenty of time to get the clippers out so Adrian could give me a hair cut, and I went to pick some more wild garlic, as there’s masses of it a little way down the canal.  Then we walked down to the station where our train was waiting.

We had booked the Breakfast service, as it’s only £8.50 more than the standard ticket.  It’s very nicely done, with the dining cars at the back of the train.  You’re welcomed by staff on the platform and shown to your seat.  Once under way, tea and coffee is served, and breakfast arrives.  We’d booked the Old English, which comes with a Staffordshire oatcake.

And excellent it was too.  We were impressed by the quality of the ingredients, and the service is very friendly.  The train trundles along quite slowly, and it went further than when we did the trip in 2017, going all the way to Ipstones, where the engine changes ends for the return journey.

The whole trip took more than two hours.  We’ve done quite a few heritage railway journeys in our time, and we reckon this is probably the top one.  On the way back, after Consall station where the railway and canal are close together, we passed a couple of boats.

Back at the boat, we set off at about 1.15.  Some of the sections on this part of the canal are very narrow.

Just through Cherry Eye Bridge we met the trip boat returning to Froghall.

We passed Consall Station for the third time of the day.  The trains there are described as awaiting restoration, which is a polite way of describing the state they’re in.

The Black Lion pub was very busy with people in the garden.  We stopped at Consall Forge on the water point, where the tap has the most amazing pressure.  We started the washing machine, and it hadn’t even finished the wash part of the cycle before the tank was full.  We carried on up the river section and then back onto the canal.  At Wood’s Lock there were two boats ahead of us, but one stopped to meet someone before the two Cheddleton Locks.  There we swapped with a boat coming down the top one.  At the top, the level of the pound was very low, which seemed odd because it’s a long pound, all the way to Hazlehurst locks.  It took ages to find a place where we could kind of get into the side to moor.  Later, some CRT people walked past, and told us the level was currently 6.5 inches down, which is an inch better than it was earlier.  She said by 8am tomorrow, things should be a lot better.

5 miles, 5 locks.  (22 miles, 22 locks)

Caldon Cruise: Day 3

All the other boats moored at Cheddleton last night seemed to be from the same boat club, possibly out on an Easter cruise — so we thought we’d better get moving in good time this morning, in case they were all going the same way!  We were off at 8.15, with Adrian bringing the boat while I walked ahead and set the two locks.

A couple of locks later, at Oakmeadow Lock, the canal joins the River Churnet.  The gauge was well into the green, meaning the levels were normal.  This section is lovely, passing through woodlands.

The river section ends at Consall Forge, where the river goes over a weir and the canal turns under a bridge and then goes under the railway and makes a sharp turn.  Next is Consall station, with the platform and waiting room are cantilevered out over the canal.

At Flint Mill Lock there’s an indicator of whether you can fit through Froghall Tunnel.  It’s pretty clear that we’re a bit too tall, or maybe a bit too wide at handrail height.

One of the bridges on the next section has a distinctive pointed arch, and red stone.  It’s called Cherry Eye Bridge, apparently recalling the bloodshot eyes of the ironstone workers round here.

We negotiated all the narrow sections up to Froghall, then turned at the winding hole and reversed to moor up.  There was only one other boat here.  There’s another gauge on this end of the tunnel.

We knew the Churnet Valley Railway was running trains today, in fact we’d seen one earlier, so we walked down to the station and waited on the road bridge for the train to return.

From the other side of the bridge you can see the station, and we waited while the loco changed ends, by coming down the other track and backing up to the carriages.  Today it was a diesel Class 33 called Sophie, which was built in the early 1960s, worked in the southern region, retired in 1992, and has been up here pretty much ever since.

Our walk then took us round to Froghall Basin, where the Willow Cruises trip boat, Lurcher, was in the first lock of the Uttoxeter Canal boarding passengers for a fish and chip lunchtime cruise.

The boat was due to set off at 12, and I was keen to see how he got round the tight bend before the tunnel, and then how much room there was in the tunnel.  It was very tricky going round the corner, but once in the tunnel, the view confirmed my suspicion that it’s not so much the height of a boat as the profile.  The tunnel definitely bulges inwards at handrail height.  This boat was built specially to fit through.

We had a very tasty lunch at Hetty’s Tea Shop, which was busy with customers.  We had a turkey, cranberry and stuffing cobb, which came with a Yorkshire pudding, inside the cobb!  It was just about warm enough to sit outside.

Tomorrow, we’re booked on a train ride.

5 miles, 5 locks.  (17 miles, 17 locks)