ONE thing about the Caldon Canal—up to Leek at least—it is a dog walker's paradise, with multiple walks along its whole length.
Where we were moored on the lake at the entrance to the tunnel there were tracks, fields, woods and even a disused railway all within striking distance.
The walk
We discovered all these after She Who Must etc., etc. decreed we were to do not less than a two miles walk with Rusty, Thomas's Ridgeback, so set off down the path away from the canal where she espied a bridge across a field, complete with two rabbits, with Rusty dead in favour of all this. This led to a railway line that we tramped along, with though the rails still in place it was obviously disused and taken over as a walk. Then she decided the steep climb through a wood was the way back, following the course of the line until a path took us back down the wood and across the line and back.
I noticed that there was now very good access on the path over the tunnel for those swarms of visitors, and though we waited a while, alas, we were not able to catch one for the picture, which shows the extend of the spending. I have to ask do steps really have to be that wide?
Tie it properly
It was the next morning and we had battled back over the very shallow sections just reaching that long straight with Jan giving the 'slow down' command the same time as a fellow on the bank gave the same as we were about to pass his moored boat, but Thomas was unable to resist pointing to its rear rope that was so slack it was actually in the water! Surely the fella is not that thick that he cannot realise that with his boat so tied everything at whatever speed, is going to move it. Perhaps he is.
So far a very easy cruise back, with most of the five locks in our favour until we espied no less than six dog walks by the old railway bridge 14A, where having no itinerary for once we decided to stay. I reckon all of us will be a great deal fitter after this jaunt. And again a mass of most attractive bluebells on the path by the side of the canal.
Breach in the making
It was along one of these walks, one below the waterway, where we saw a breach in the making with water pouring from the canal down the bank, with quite a large pond having been created, and not only from one hole in the bank but from a smaller one a few yards along. There is little doubt that the bank is now porous, and it indeed could be the beginnings of a breach, or should that now be 'leak'?
It was in the past that this disused railway bridge was a haunt of yobs, dropping stones and even bricks onto boats passing underneath, and I well remember one actually hitting a visitor to the country on the head putting him in hospital.
Bandits
But from the old days of a great deal of such activity and even a section in narrowboatworld devoted to 'Bandits', things have certainly improved, with ourselves having no problems for quite a few years. Perhaps all those computer games are responsible, as 'bandits' seem to be a thing of the past. Or are we just lucky?
Then it was a very wet one, but this bottom part of the Caldon was better dredged than the Leek Branch, so we made good progress and a raising of spirits when with saw the refuge of a factory shop, so loved by She Who Must, but who was 'very aggrieved' to learn our 7am start had resulted in our being there over an hour before opening time.
Things on poles
Then it was the Trent & Mersey again to Stoke, whose first lock down has now sprouted a dragonfly on a pole. I hope that this is not the latest crack-pot idea from Cart of decorating its locks, as we all know there is not the money to waste. But when did that ever make a difference?
Or perhaps it signifies something or other, that alas, is something I do not know, but no doubt someone thinks it does.
We had a bit of trouble when we entered the second lock down from the junction, Lock 39 by the museum, on the way up. One of those 'traditional' wrecks being moored across the channel, missing it with inches lining up for the lock, but it caused even more trouble going down stuck out as it was not allowing us a clear way. I now understand the complaint is of others who have told about it, especially with longer boats.
Gates a delight
With the luck of all but a badly leaking lock in our favour, and the rain to hasten our progress, with did the five locks through Stoke in record time, but forced to shelter under the bridge after the last one, for a much needed second breakfast for sustenance. The bottom two gates of this last lock were a delight to handle—just a push with a hand and they swing beautifully. I don't know if this was sheer luck on the part of the installers or at last someone who knew how to balance a lock gate. But it was just right for a change.
Another of our favourite stopping places is the long straight by Stoke football ground, where there is plenty of depth along the towpath side, though you have to be careful of the speeding cyclists it being so straight with a good surface.
Here's where we had found 'something entirely different' as the saying goes, the picture showing a building that seems to go on for ever, but though we thought ready for occupation in May of last year, it seems it has no takers as it is still obviously empty. Complete with acres of access roads and parking spaces it must have cost the hell of a packet
Taking over important towpath
Into Stone again, with the intention of filling with water at the tap below Lock 29 it being a rather quick filler, but alas we were prevented by someone taking possession of the towpath by littering it with objects as can be seen in the picture. I gather to stop anyone not only mooring to take on water but stopping more than one boat waiting for the lock by not allowing enough space. You can see the lock mooring rings at each end of the picture. Of course I don't know who is responsible but to my mind is reprehensible to take possession of such an important length of towpath. Definitely something for Cart to investigate.
"Wait for us!" Is the obvious cry of the two signets having missed the 'boat' in this delightful picture of the other four travelling the easy way.
For once there was actually space at the short stay shopping moorings at Stone, so managed a 'fill-up' at the easy to reach Morrison's. As this mooring is next to a car park, I thought it an idea for the local council to take over the moorings and perhaps issue boat parking tickets as well as those for cars! At just 50p an hour it would not be too expensive, and though it would most likely upset many, those like us—who could then get a short handy shopping mooring more often—would most certainly not object.
Sensible
This is obviously grass cutting time, where again though I would have thought the hedges had enough vegetation for the wildlife, it is policy to leave that near the waters edge uncut, but here it had been sensibly decided to leave spaces for mooring with the vegetation cut completely, and having used such a mooring both ways, it was appreciated.
And so to the fuel boat just above Rugeley, and a fill-up at just 55p a litre. We always carry a couple of spare containers of the stuff, and it would have saved us some cash by filling here instead of the exorbitant 98p a litre at Sawley—and that not even the top price—but I gather the price is decreed by Cart it being a BWML marina, so what can you expect?
Sunk boat
Another early start along the Trent valley this morning (Saturday) and we had the waterway to ourselves even through Rugeley, then came across the very sorry sight of a boat sunk at the moorings just before Bromley Marina, our being told it had sunk during the night on its way to a boatyard for repair. Passing very slowly indeed so as not to worsen its situation, we espied a River Canal Rescue van on the bridge, so I guess it will be a quick re-floating. Though it does seem a little beyond repair at first glance.
It was a meeting with our Keith Gudgin again who had now moved on to Shadehouse Lock at Fradley helping with the passage through, together with a volunteer lockie on duty, with the rather perplexing sign on the bridge rails pointing downwards. Surely, thought I, even a brand-new boater would know where the entrance to the lock was. But then all was revealed, as it was a sign to the other volunteer lockie on Junction Lock telling her which way we were travelling—straight down rather than turning off on to the Coventry Canal. Better than smoke signals I guess.