Day 4 Tuesday

Froghall

Here we are still at Consall Forge ready to make an early start for Froghall, but not until we had gone back slightly to top up the water tank.

Moving back to the water point alongside the former lime kilns
topping up the tank and ready for Froghall Tunnel

Moving along and taking in the fine scenery of the Churnet Valley we soon found ourselves gliding past boats moored before the tunnel and there were one or two knowing glances that seemed to say "look at those idiots heading for a tunnel they can't get through" get through it we did and with plenty of clear space between us and the roof.

Entering the tunnel dead slow. Quite an experience and
a first for our band of musketeers

It was something of an anti climax really for we had wondered all along if we would make it although Karen's assurance that the boat would get through easily enough as long as the water tank was full rang true and so after clearing the tunnel we entered the restored lock, that heralds the start of the Uttoxeter branch of the canal, dropping down onto the superb moorings created by those responsible for this restoration project

Words alone cannot describe this scene. You have to visit
this place to appreciate what has been done

A fitting tribute without a doubt

The basin at Froghall is splendid, isolated and a great place to spend a day. The former lime kilns add to the interest and there are numerous walks that take the explorer around this splendid area. It's probably a walkers paradise and why not. There is a visitor centre here but it was closed on our arrival so not sure what that would have to offer. Ample car parking make this remote place easily accessible for those looking for peace and quiet

The restored top lock of the Uttoxeter Canal
Even James Brindley would have been impressed

Froghall was also at one time a mooring for a horse drawn trip boat now sadly departed we know not what the story is but will attempt to seek further information out of general interest

This is the end of the Caldon Canal at Froghall
This building is now a private property

After a spot of late breakfast/early lunch we left this splendid mooring and ascended the lock before entering the tunnel and finally leaving this remarkable place in our wake as we once again headed for the Black Lion at Froghall

Lining up ready for the lock as we head back to the 'Black Lion'

Nice to moor near enough outside the pub and wander in for a lunchtime pint. Sitting in the beer garden we could appreciate the wonderful views whilst listening to the water running over the river weir. Chickens wandered about completely untroubled by our presence and it seemed the world of nature was at peace with mankind

Our three bank robbers enjoying a pint in the beer garden
This photo will probably be featured on Crimewatch one day.
It was taken by a rather attractive young lady who after seeing Malc
taking a pic of Dave and Trev offered to take one of the three of us

The young lady in question and her fella. We had seen this couple walking along the canal as we left Froghall and now suddenly here they were at the Black Lion having clearly arrived before us. It's a long walk.
Nice couple. We told them we would put their pic on the 'Blog'.
"Thank you for taking our photo earlier"

We booked a meal, for later, in the pub and set about to explore a little of the area. That's when the rain started, fortunately it didn't last too long and once again in a place where there is so little there is much to do and much of interest

Into the pub and another first class meal. The portions were on the large side but we managed although Trev didn't do the mixed grill the full justice it deserved. Have to admit me and Dave were a bit shocked when we saw the size of that particular meal. It would be a challenge for anyone and Trev vowed to return again one day and eat the lot

Dave and Trev planning on a course of action while Malc took off
for a walk along the canal with camera in hand. It seems Dave was
going to tidy the boat whilst Trev did a bit of fishing

What did we say about Dave tidying the boat?

Finally it was time to return to the boat for the night but not before reflecting the magnificence of Froghall and then, once again, on what we all three considered one of the best pubs ever

The Black Lion Pub

"UTOPIA"
The Black Lion Public House
Consall Forge
http://blacklionpub.co.uk/

Just imagine. A whole page dedicated to a pub.
We've never done that before. Is it justified?

The answers easy "of course it is"

Here's the pub taken from the other side of the river Churnett, with the
canal and railway line in-between. Whilst this pic takes in the view
it doesn't do it justice. You really do have to see it for yourself

Great staff and this is 'Julie' Friendly, pleasant
and knows how to pull a pint.
 She deserves a pay rise. Take note Jason!

Now you do need to stop look and listen because the only way
in to the Inn is across the railway line

Is 'Utopia' a bit over the top. Well it's a matter of opinion for this is as good a pub as any of us can remember and better than most, a lot better. Amazing that a public house should be built in such a location for it is as far from civilisation as is possible. Not really, but it feels like it. The place has everything you might want and yet is unspoilt and set in magnificent countryside. They even offer free WiFi now that's a bonus in the middle of nowhere. Friendly staff, real ale and good food what more could you want. Photographs don't do justice because it is the whole area that has appeal not just the pub

Consall Station, taken from the superb beer garden, with
the platform overhanging the canal

The thing to do is sit in the garden with a pint and take it all in. Sitting in the beer garden is the perfect way to appreciate the setting. Chickens wander around completely untroubled by human presence. Look a few yards to the left of the beer garden you can see the railway station of Consall preserved by enthusiasts of the Churnet Valley Railway. The line passes the front garden of the pub and if you are into the nostalgic days of steam then you cannot fail to be impressed as a train goes by. take a look at the Churnet Valley Railway website for more information

A nice view along the line of the valley

Look ahead and the Caldon Canal is in your line of sight as it meanders left toward the overhanging platform of Consall Station. Look beyond that and there's the river Churnett cascading over the weir, beyond that and the trees hide the very private road that leads to this incredible place

The waters of the river Churnett tumble gently over the weir

Words don't really do justice to what's on offer and talking to others they were of the same mind. It seems this place is a well known haven among those that enjoy walking as a hobby. It's a nice place to quench a thirst right enough and if you need something more substantial then the food on offer will ensure you go for another walk to burn it off

Great beer and the opportunity to spend a little less
In fact the more you drink the more you save
That means next time we go we'll save as much as we can

At this juncture it's worth mentioning that Malc as an avid member of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) had forgotten to bring his membership card. Had he done so he would have saved 20p a pint on the beer. Everyone but Malc thought that was quite funny

The beer say's it all. "Lets have another"

More pics of this place and people in the next post

Day 3 Monday

Monday

Water level gauge indicating it was
safe to proceed.
If it's in the red then stay in bed

Another early start, this time 0545 and a gentle meander to Cheddleton and beyond. The rain had finally stopped and we hoped better weather was on the way. The forecast for the rest of the week was very encouraging. Arriving at Oakmeadow Ford lock where canal meets river we were met by another boat telling us the river level was too high. We were horrified, after all this was the purpose of our journey. It transpired that it was too high the previous day but a look at the gauge assured us all was well. The level indicator was out of the red and just into the green. This was something of a relief as the main purpose of our trip was to get to Froghall and a river in flood would not have been at all helpful. Safety first though and had the gauge been in the red area then we would have turned back and reverted to plan B (not that we had a plan B of course)

Moored at Consall Forge. Just taken on water and about
to move to the mooring opposite the 'Black Lion'
At this point we are in the shadow of the old Lime kilns.
The river leaves the canal here and goes beneath
the bridge to the rapidly flowing weir

The river flowed quickly and our boat moved along at a nice steady pace between tree lined banks. Approaching the watering point we reminded ourselves of the need to top up the tank to ensure the boat was trimmed to get through the height restricted Froghall tunnel. Whilst filling the tank we pondered a visit to the clearly visible Black Lion pub and decided that having missed it last year due to time constraints we would venture inside.

Malc was sent on a reconnaissance mission whilst Trev and Dave did a little fishing. On Malcs return the report was very positive and so we decided to stay here for the rest of the day

There stands 'The Black Lion'

The Black Lion Public House
It's not often that we dedicate a complete Blog post to a pub (It's the next post)  but this is an exception, indeed the pub is an exceptional place in an exceptional place. First impressions on approaching are it's a little quaint and in a nice scenic setting. Step inside and one immediately feels at home. The place is warm, welcoming and friendly. The staff are first class and we were to find a menu with a wide range of food at reasonable prices. We sampled the menu and have no hesitation at all in recommending this pub as a place to eat and drink in what has to be one of the best locations in the land. The view of the railway with it's tracks almost outside the front door, then the canal is in sight along with the river all surrounded by trees and this has to be Britain at its best.

We were so impressed with this area and the pub that we elected to spend the following day here after we had completed our mission of passing through Froghall tunnel and entering the basin at the start of the Uttoxeter canal. That's tomorrows plan and it will require our usual early start but now we must retire for the night and see what tomorrow brings

'BEATRICE'
On the way to Consall we passed 'Beatrice' moored at Cheddleton. Malc talked to one of the volunteers for a while

'Beatrice' is used as a trip boat mainly for children of all ages and abilities. Run by volunteers she take kids along the canal and teaches them about the system. Great way to introduce youngsters and maybe the not so young to the delights of the canals

Beatrice at her mooring

 Beatrice is a registered charity visit their website

Nice video of some youngsters enjoying their canal trip

Day 2 Sunday

Sunday

Just left the overnight mooring and approaching th
 tight right hand bend on the approach to Bedford Strret Locks

Waking soon after dawn a light breakfast was taken before casting off at 0530 and gently nudging into the lower chamber of the Bedford Street staircase locks. The centre gate took considerable force to open and the paddles either side of the gates are as hard as it gets. We had taken note of the heavy rain forecast and it seemed imminent so we prepared the wet gear for the inevitable

Entering the lower chamber of Bedford Street Staircase Locks

Once the bottom gate closed there is an impressive view
of the centre gates.  Formidable sight don't you think?

Moving on from the staircase locks, Hanley Park soon came into sight and we pondered for a while trying to imagine this place in its heyday when it would have been very much a part of the 'social scene'. It's clearly well cared for and whilst wanting a look around the continuing rain made it a less than attractive thought in our minds and so we carried on. The canal winds around some fairly steep bends and there is a fair degree of the old and new to take in. Some of the buildings really are derelict but we should remind ourselves and others that these buildings were built close to the canals because canals were the best form of transport at the time. The buildings/factories also contributed a lot to the area in providing much needed jobs to a more than willing workforce that certainly improved living standards for most

Part of the history and heritage. It deserves it's place
and in its day would have provided employment for many

The lift bridge at Ivy House Lane soon came into view and we marveled at the new control panel installed in double quick time when the previous one had failed. Credit to the Waterways Trust it has to be said. There's something about pressing a button and watching a few tons of bridge slowly lift to open the waterway for our boat to glide through. The hydraulics, electrics and mechanical engineering certainly were not available to the old boatmen and they must have needed considerable strength to open this bridge purely by rudimentary mechanical means in their day

On we continued still finding our way round the tightest of bends soon aware that we were leaving the conurbation in our wake. Some way to go though before the real countryside began and of course it continued to rain in buckets. We couldn't have cared less for this was our chosen holiday and the weather can be kind and unkind, for now it was the latter. meantime Martha's engine purred along nicely

Milton came into view and it was here that we stopped for a proper breakfast which we combined with lunch since it was late morning. Bacon rolls all round with steaming hot tea and we were ready to explore the village. There wasn't really much to explore as it was Sunday and everything was closed save for the paper shop and mini markets

After our short break we again set off heading for a place to stop. We didn't know where that would be of course and just elected to gently wind our way along and take in the views. The rain didn't help in that respect. A few more relaxing stops along the way helped us to dry off a little before setting off again each time

After dropping down the flight at Hazlehurst we looked forward to mooring as near as possible to the waiting and welcoming Hollybush Inn. Couldn't believe it, after passing a line of moored boats there was a space for us right outside the pub

The impressive Hollybush Inn
A great pub in a wonderful setting

.

Mooring at The Hollybush Inn after a fair old drop of rain along the way. It was time for shower's and a change of clothes before we made our way into this excellent pub. Meals were ordered and whilst waiting we had a pint of Thwaites. Can't remember what the ale was called though, it was very nice as was the meal. Just remembered it was Wainwrights beer. Reasonable prices and large portions make this a fine place. We did know what to expect as we had stopped here the past two years. The standard has always been excellent. You really should not miss this place. It's also dog friendly



After the pub we retired to the boat where the evening talk was about the merits of football and the way the game has gone downhill. We had differing views on what was wrong and eventually it was time to turn in and continue the discussion next day, maybe!

This is a great place to moor for a night or two

Take a closer look at The Hollybush Inn

Day 1 Saturday

Saturday

After the preliminaries it was time to cast off. It was immediately apparent that our boat 'Martha' handled very well indeed,. One hand on the tiller and one on the throttle control was comfortable with no reach involved at all. Engine quiet and smooth all good signs

It was not too long before the rain that had been forecast commenced and it really did rain. So much so that we decided to keep going after all we had all the waterproof gear so it didn't really bother us. Our original plan to have a barbecue was put on hold. We just carried on and headed for Etruria. No photo's on this part of the journey due to the rain, Did it hammer down

Despite the weather we were in good spirits and tea and coffee were the order of the day as we chatted on the back of the boat. Somehow the conversation turned to real ale and at this point Malc revealed he'd forgotten his CAMRA membership card. What's wrong with that, he wouldn't need it would he?

Coming into the urban area of Stoke on Trent (often referred to as the Potteries) brought an abrupt end to the magnificent countryside between Stone and the city. However, it's worth noting Stoke on Trent is sympathetic toward the canal and it's nowhere near as bad as some folk would have you believe. The towpath is in first class condition and is probably a little too good, for cyclists hurtled past is if there were no tomorrow and if they were to run into you then there really might not be a tomorrow

The five locks leading to the summit level are in fine shape and soon we had climbed up to the junction of the Trent & Mersey and Caldon Canals. We took on water at the excellent facility outside the Etruria Industrial Museum and then moved around the corner to our mooring for the night. The rain by this time had abated

James Brindley (1716 - 1772)
The great man looking over his creation in Etruria
at the junction of his Trent & Mersey Canal with the Caldon Canal
This is an imposing statue to a man of genius and as we slid
past we couldn't help but pay tribute to his work
More about James Brindley

A general discussion took place after our meal as we pondered the day ahead deciding the best thing to do would be to see what time we awoke and then make our decision. And so to bed

Meet Martha

Martha.
Our boat for the week and star of the show

First impression, fantastic! Second impression, even better than the first

Loads of space, well fitted out, super galley, plenty of room to stow clothes, 240 volts for the laptop and phones. Plenty sockets, Two showers, all in all everything we could want and more

Layout of Martha

First of all and before we received handover instructions from Karen it was time to store the food and other essentials. there was a moment of panic before we set sail. We had forgotten a bottle opener. No worries, one was provided in the extensive inventory. (It was a worry for a moment though)

Malc's cabin. Large wardrobe, drawers under the bed. Bags of room and a shelf for the alarm clock just in case anyone missed the 0430 wake up call. We didn't need it once

Malc looking thoughtful. Makes a change! Probably wondering when he can get the crew moving in the morning. He reckons the best part of the day is dawn. He's right for a change

Once we had loaded then it was time for instructions. very methodical and comprehensive; as it should be of course

Froghall here we come!

Little did we know we were to find Utopia first

What's happening?

Latest update

 

NB Martha
70 feet of comfort

Just in case you are wondering what's happening with the 'Blog' I have to advise that the original intention, as last year, was to provide a brief summary of each day afloat using a smartphone then edit further when I returned home, which worked well last time. However, something seemed to go wrong with the phone and I was unable to get internet access most of the time and when I did the 'blog' simply wouldn't work

No matter as I took plenty of notes and photo's so that when I return to my home I can edit the pages and tell the story in full

It will be worth following as our three escaped lunatics had an interesting time afloat

The boat, as expected, was fantastic and we achieved our objective of getting through the low Froghall Tunnel and more importantly into the magnificent basin that starts the Uttoxeter canal. This was not without a measure of uncertainty. More on this later

We also found a pub that stands in fine countryside and probably can be described as one of the best in the land. (in our opinion)

The story will start to build at the beginning of next week (26th May) I still have to get back to my home address in the meantime

0500hrs best time of the day

Our route

Our route



Figures relate to times between principal points
(a guide only)

Just to set the scene

The journey begins at Stone on the Trent & Mersey Canal. This section of the trip is interesting and varied as we meander through rural Staffordshire eventually arriving at the bustling connurbation known as Stoke on Trent, often referred to by locals as The Potteries. The Caldon Canal branches off at Etruria and is eighteen miles in length from its junction with the Trent & Mersey at Etruria to the terminus at Froghall. The Leek arm is three miles long. This canal is as scenic as any you will ever see. We hope this 'Blog' will provide an insight into the understated world of The Caldon 

In terms of distance our journey is not particularly long. However, in terms of time it takes us back a great many years and in so doing gives us an insight into the superb engineering that took the Caldon Canal from it's beginning to its end

 

Dave giving our many fans an impromptu song at Great Haywood during 2012. He told us he should have been on a world tour but cancelled it to partake in this holiday

We didn't have room for the drum kit, which was a shame

 

The barrier between us and our final destination. How is this a barrier? The tunnel at Froghall has suffered from subsidence over the years and there is a height restriction that prevents many craft from passing through. Our boat will get through, Karen has assured us

 

 

Our destination

The Basin at Froghall

A gem of a place and easy to visit if your boat won't go through the tunnel. Our collective thinking is that this is a challenge and we hope to gain much satisfaction by negotiating what we see as the last hurdle, the tunnel, and then dropping into the waiting basin. That's the plan!

Meet the Crew

The three wise men!!!

Dave
Dave's the thinker. Always calm under pressure (unless he's watching Crewe Alex) Used to help run a hire boat firm, one of several that put the customer first. He knows the business inside out. Big fan of The Who and allegedly has every record they ever made, and don't we know it! A keen fisherman, or should that be angler, waiting to catch the one that got away. Dave does have a knack of finding his way around without a map; most of the time! However, when he uses the words "trust me I know where I'm going" we have learned to be wary.

Trev
Trev's the one with the education (and yet another Crewe Alex supporter) Nothing bothers him and whatever happens he just gets on with things. Got a great sense of humour and a bagful of jokes, which he insists on telling us more than once. Shares Dave's liking for fishing and is the most likely to stay out in the rain for the elusive catch. Trev impressed us, and a pub full of people, a couple of years ago by singing an Elvis song from start to finish and was word perfect.

Malc
Malc's the quiet one and no wonder as he's a Coventry City supporter! Interested in the heritage and engineering of the canal system. Give him a choice of cruising the Caribbean, Mediteranean or the canal between Wolverhampton and Birmingham and we all know he would pick the last one. A member of CAMRA and an advocate of real ale. A fan of curry and always able to find an Indian restaurant wherever we may be. Can't see the point of fishing, much prefers listening to the magnificent voice of Mick Jagger and that's a fact. A keen but not very good photgrapher and always anxious to record the highlights of the holiday as well as the magnificent scenery along the way