July 2019 – Page 2 – Narrowboat Adagio

I almost enjoyed it

Sunday and time to move on. Six more locks – through Etruria, Stoke, Hem Heath and then Barlaston. The sun was now out.

This must have been quite a busy place 100 years ago. Westport, Longport, Middleport . The heart of the Potteries . . . Spode, Wedgewood, PortMeirion…

Middleport pottery is still functioning and producing, well, pots . .

The place is open 10-5 every day and has a good cafe

I wouldn’t call this area pretty but they do try – some nice animal murals . . .

The Stoke water park . . I can’t see these things and not think of the Not the Nine o’clock News sketch where they emptied into a sewage outlet . . .

More wildlife – Toby didn’t get to see this rabbit.

Etruria Locks (19 feet – 3 locks) – Stoke locks (50 feet in total)

Out for a Sunday morning stroll – must be the second or third batch??

No, this area is def. not pretty but it’s not long to the more rural bits

Ah, the big Stoke incinerator – def. designed by a man, eh?

A big reminder of the coal digging past – Great Fenton & Hem Heath collieries

The last lock of the day – Trentham (nearly 12 feet)

Final stopping place – Barlaston – why here – see below . . .

This a good stop as Neil Morrissey has his pub, the Plume of Feathers here. Lots of real ale (Pedigree, Black, Sheep, Jaipur, Plum Porter plus his own brews). The food wait was over an hour, well, it is a Sunday! Beer will do us.

And here’s the man himself – with his dog. Could explain why the pub is so dog friendly.
Link to the pub: http://www.plumeoffeathersbarlaston.co.uk/

Steve has put his back out – must be all those 32 locks – so a day off tomorrow. And why the title? Well, some bits of our travels have been a bit stressful, hard work, wet etc. So today was, yes, almost enjoyable. 😉

Rode Heath to Church Lawton

We met a nice single-handed chap, called David, on Snowgoose. He was out of Venetian marina and was heading for the Harecastle tunnel. We’d helped him up through some of the locks – just setting paddles and opening gates etc. I suggested we repeat the same today, only we’d planned just to do the next six locks only, just around 2 and a bit hours away. So we all set off – up the Lawton locks, Hall’s Locks and Church Locks – it was quite warm!

And here’s the sweet mooring at Church Lawton, before bridge 135

It was quite a hot day – the matt grey roof does make the boat hot but it also dries clothes really fast! (Did you really take a photo of your pants & socks, Steven?)

I went for a stroll to see this interesting church

It looked rather unusual – the main building burned down in the 18C

It has quite a modern interior – with signs of quite a vibrant congregation

A longer shot showing how rural this little spot is.

Saturday, 6th July. It was so quiet – boat movement wise – that we thought we’d move – it did rain and it was still spitting . . just the 6 remaining locks and the Harecastle tunnel to do. So we went. And it did rain. Quite a few locks were out of action plus we got stuck in No42! The gate wouldn’t fully open. So a bit of argy-bargy and we did get the boat in. No pix here, cos it was too wet. The canal was turning more orange as the water from the tunnel contains iron minerals. We got to the top and met up with Snowgoose again. And luckily, saw 4 boats ready to go in the tunnel – here you have to wait. The tunnel master allows six boats in at a time, then shuts the door. It’s a 40-45 minute transit – 2.7km or 1.5 miles!!! Anyway, in we went . . at least it wasn’t raining!

Yes, nearing the tunnel . . . the ochre water!

And out the other end – notice to boaters: good water point here (also a fast one at Red Bull services)

Longer shot showing Viv looking after the business end of the water hose. Plus the nice house that was for sale last time we came this way.

And a pic of the original, Brindley built tunnel, which subsided – as you can tell!

Just ten minutes further on and it’s Westport Lake – a good spot to moor with a large bird lake (note Viv is brushing the goose poo off the towpath!) and a huge visitor centre, all very eco as they have a sedum roof with solar panels plus straw bales for insulation and a ground source heat pump underneath!

View from the boat . . . lake in the distance and yes, the sun is trying to peep out.

Note to boaters – looks like good services (for boaters) underneath

The lake – a reclamation site – opened by Ted Heath 1971!

And Viv gets to finish her masterwork! Hurrah. Marvellous

Bimbling Home

We left Nantwich on Monday, 1st July. Swung the boat and chugged back to the wharf for a pump out – because it was sooo nice! The chap does it all for you and spends about 40 minutes doing a very thorough job. Recommend the place. We then went on Barbridge junction to cruise the short arm to Middlewich – passing through a few pretty big locks – the first had a queue but three volunteers were on hand to help (Cholmoldeston Lock). More queues at Minshull lock, well, I suppose it is July now. And to moor at a quiet spot, just beyond Aqueduct marina and near the aqueduct over the Weaver, where a certain dog went for a swim. Tuesday was on to Middlewich. And then it was on to the Trent & Mersey canal and the long cruise south.