Thur 2nd June 2011
SBC to Barleston
Miles 13.2 Locks 15
A nice sunny day and we come to the end of our short trip on the Caldon Canal. After a stop at Etruria services we finally set of down the Trent and Mersey canal towards our goal of Lincoln and Boston. Th Caldon canal must be a dream for hire boaters, we counted up the features that one would hope to meet on a canal holiday and the Caldon ticks all the boxes except one – there atr no Swing Bridges. It does have Lift bridges both automatic and manual, staircase and normal locks, a tunnel, an aqueduct both under and over and a river section. Beat That in 17 miles. Oh and a Steam Railway running alongside if you get boored.
The staircase at the start of the Caldon Canal1st June 2011
Constall Forge to Stoke on Trent Boat Club.
Miles 6.6 Locks 7
The first day without rain on this trip. We made a short run up the River Churnet to Cheddleton to watch the 10.30 departure on the Churnet Valley Railway. Then up to the summit level of the Caldon Canal to stop by the Stoke Boat Club Arm at Endon. They have invited the visiting NCCC crews to join them on their weekly meeting. They had visited the NCCC at High Lane just after Easter.
10.30 departs Cheddleton
31 May 2011
Holly Bush to Constall Forge
Miles 4.7 Locks 4
Although we managed to get the covers down and set off in the dry it soon started to rain again. It didn't stop until we had passed through the two locks a Cheddleton but the weather managed to improve as we made our way down the River Churnet to Constall Forge where a very pleasant afternoon was spent outside the Black Lion Pub. We also had our evening meal in The Black Lion, quite enjoyable too. The pic is of us moored near the Black Lion at Consell Forge.
One for the watchers from RMRM, there is a prototype for everything. Seen on the CVR at Consall
30 May 2011
Engine Lock to the Holly Bush Pub
Miles 6.4 Locks 8
A day of rain. There are some interesting sculptures on the side of some of the Stockton Brook locks that were not there when we last came up the Caldon in 2007. I had never noticed th working side pound paddle on the lower of the Hazelhurst locks and couldn't resist trying it out. The lock is also unusual as it fills from the side rather than with a rush from the top end. The Top lock of the flight is the same as is Engine lock which was the last lock we did yesterday.
Moored Above Engine Lock
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