Weston upon Trent to Great Haywood - Trent & Mersey Canal

The sun was shining again when we got up.  We saw Gerry and Honor before they went off to get the bus and we said bye bye.  It was so nice to see them and we had such a good evening together, really enjoyable and hopefully we will catch up again soon.

Lovely Reflection 

Coming into Weston Lock

We set off along the canal and soon came back to Weston Lock.  It was empty so I had to fill it up and then Kev brought the boat in and I emptied the lock and down we went.  A boat was coming up so we left the gates open and we went on our way.

In Hoo Mill Lock

We chugged on along the canal and then came to Hoo Mill lock.  There was a boat just coming out and one waiting to come up so we were soon through there and on we went.  We passed Great Marina and moored a little past there before we got to the Great Haywood Junction.

Footpath over Canal

Tunnel under Railway Line

We went for a walk along the canal and down past the lock to see how full the moorings were below the lock, there were only a few boat there so plenty of space, we want to move down there tomorrow as at the weekend we are meeting John, Sharon and Smuggler in those moorings and weather permitting we will have a BBQ. 

We then walked up over the footbridge, through a tunnel underneath the railway line and up onto the road and up to the Spar shop to get a few things.  We then walked back down the road to the Farm Shop and Cafe.

Picking Strawberries

We went into the farm shop and needless to say bought a few things, it is a great shop.  They also now have pick your own strawberries so we had to go and do that!

We then walked back to the boat, thundery storms were forecast for this afternoon, but so far no sign of them, it is a lovely sunny evening.

We are staying tonight then off down the lock tomorrow morning to moor down the bottom and wait for John, Sharon and Smugs to turn up.

Moored at Great Haywood

Salt to Weston upon Trent - Trent & Mersey Canal

The Holly Bush Pub

Tuesday -  we stayed put and did a few chores in the morning.  We then walked up to the Holly Bush pub which is about a 10 minute walk from the canal and had some lunch.  It was a nice day so we sat outside in the garden.   We both had oatcakes filled with bacon and cheese with salad and saute potatoes and unbelievably it was only £3.95, they were delicious and such good value.

We then walked back to the canal and just chilled out for the rest of the day.

Wednesday – We are moving on today only a mile or so to Weston upon Trent where we are meeting our good friends Gerry and Honor.  We haven’t seen them for quite a while so will be nice to catch up.  We set off along the canal, it was overcast and no sun and it started to rain just before we got to where we were going to moor, so we got wet!

Goose Family

I got off under the bridge to go and see if there were any spaces in the moorings and a boat pulled out of the moorings so I said to him there is a boat coming but he ignored me and just carried on to the bridge.  Kev had seen him and waved him on but this chap then sounded his horn for about 10 seconds and as he went through the bridge hole he did again twice for about 10 seconds each, so then Kev replied with our horn keeping his finger on it.  When he went by, Kev said to him I had already waved you on so there was no need of the horn, what was that all about the chap just went on his way, some people are unbelievable!

Gerry Mooring Up

We moored up in the rain and within about half an hour Gerry and Honor came around the corner and moored up alongside us as all the moorings were full, but within about 10 minutes one of the boat pulled away so Gerry reversed back into the space.  We went on their boat and all had a drink together and a catch up.

The Saracens Head

There is a pub right near the canal called the Saracens Head, it used to be just a drinking pub and not very nice but it has been transformed and we have heard good things about it so we decided to all go there for tea and would rendezvous at 6pm.

Me, Gerry and Honor

We met Gerry and Honor at 6pm and we went to the pub, the car park was nearly full and when we went inside and asked for a table, they said have you booked and we said no, they said the restaurant was full but there was a couple of tables in the bar which they pushed together for us to make a four.  We had a lovely evening eating, chatting and drinking and the food was excellent, clean plates all round, we could see why it was really busy.

We walked back to the canal and Gerry and Honor were getting the bus to Stafford in the morning and we are moving on, but we said we would see each other before we left.

Stone to Salt - Trent & Mersey Canal

We stayed put on Sunday although the rain didn't come until late afternoon and some thunder and lightening but nothing spectactular.  During the evening Kev stuck his head out the window to see if it was still raining and he said there's a black cat walking along the boat, so I looked out but couldn't see him so I went to the front and lifted the cover and saw the cat in the water so I shouted to Kev and he rushed out and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and flipped him onto the towpath, he was really howling. We did go and knock on the boats around us to see if it was their cat but no it wasn't.  

Off We Go

Diddy House by the Lock

There is a pathway up to a car park and the scout hut so the cat went up there to clean off.  I went back up later and he had gone so hopefully he went off home, our good deed for the day.

Today (Monday) we are on the move and it was another sunny very warm day as we set off, we met a few boats but the canal is quite quiet.

Half Way Marker

In Aston Lock

We are doing two locks today and we then came to our first lock, Aston lock, there was a boat coming up so we waited and then it was our turn, by this lock is the half way marker for the canal and also a diddy little house which I think is used as a shed.

We went on along the canal, past Aston Marina, the views are really nice on this stretch and we passed a few families of geese and cows in the fields.

Lovely Views

Passing Aston Marina

After a bit, we came to Sandon lock and had to wait our turn as there was one coming up and when we were in the lock another turned up so when we went out the lock we left the gates open for them to come in.

Passing Geese Family

We went on for about a mile and moored up just past salt bridge where we moored on the way up.  We had lunch then Kev did a few chores, I sat in my chair!

Burgers are Ready!

In the early evening we had a BBQ, our third for this year as it was such a lovely sunny warm evening.

We are staying here a couple of days now then heading to Great Haywood to meet up with our friends John, Sharon and Smugs at the weekend so looking forward to that.  Also our friends Gerry and Honor who moor on the G&S are heading up this way so hopefully our paths will cross and we will meet up, we haven't seen them for a while so will be good to have a catch up.

Moored at Salt

Stone (Top of Locks) to Stone (Bottom of Locks) - Trent & Mersey Canal

Footpath to the Station

Yesterday (Friday), we decided to go to Stafford.  From the lock that was just down from where we are moored, there was a footpath that took you over the railway line and out onto the road that leads to the station, it was less than a 10 minute walk so we decided to get the train to Stafford rather than the bus.  We walked up to the station and soon we were at Stafford.  We did some shopping, stopped off for a coffee in a nice cafe we know and then got the train back.  It rained for most of the day but did dry up late afternoon.

Waiting for the Lock

Down we go

Today (Saturday) we are moving down to the bottom of the locks, so we set off along the canal to the first lock.  We were following a boat so waited for them to go through then it was our turn.  Soon through there and on to the next one.

Out He Comes

The services is below this lock so we stopped off there to get water.  A couple of boats came by while we were moored up.  It is a bit overcast today and we had a few spots of rain, but luckily it didn’t come to anything.

Horse Tunnel by the Lock

We then set off again, past the old Joules Brewery and onto the next lock.  We had a bit of a wait here as the boat in front of us waited for another boat to come out of the next lock and then come along to this one.  They came up and the boat in front of us went down.  No one else was coming so we filled the lock and then down we went.

Newcastle Road Lock

Passing the old Brewery

I walked on to the last lock which is by the Star pub and we had a bit of a wait at that one as well as the boat in front of us was only just going in.  Soon it was our turn, and Kev took the boat in and I emptied the lock.  There was a boat waiting to come up, so we left the gates open for them and chugged around the corner and moored up in the visitor moorings.  

In Star Lock

These moorings are under trees so not so good for the solar panels, but there was a gap in the trees and so we tried to moor so that the solar panels would be in the gap, its what you call precision mooring!

Hog Roast at Pub

We then walked up to the shops for a few supplies and then took them back to the boat.  The Star pub had a hog roast in the garden so we went back up to the pub and sat outside by the canal in the sunshine which did come out in the afternoon and had a nice hog roast bap and I had Whitley Neill Blood Orange Gin and also their Quince Gin, both were really nice.

We then walked back to the boat and just chilled out.  We are staying here tonight and most probably tomorrow as the forecast is not good, if they are wrong we will move on and if they are right we stay and leave on Monday.

Moored in Stone at Bottom of Locks

Barlaston to Stone (Top of Locks) - Trent & Mersey Canal

Off we go from our mooring

waiting into between locks

Yesterday (Wednesday) we did some jobs on the boat in the morning and then walked along the towpath, did a couple of caches then went to the Plume & Feathers pub and had some lunch.  We sat outside as it was a very warm sunny day and we managed to get a table with some shade.  I had their Boatman’s lunch which was a homemade sausage roll, home cooked ham, cheese, honey & mustard little sausages, pickles, some salad leaves and a bread roll, it was really nice.  Kev had mini chicken fillets panini with thrice cooked chips, the chips were huge but really good.  After lunch we walked back to the boat and chilled out.

And on to the next lock

Today we are leaving Barlaston and heading back down the canal to Stone.  We have four locks to do and it was another sunny warm day as we set off along the canal.

In He Goes

We got to the first lock and there was a boat in front of us so they went down and a boat was waiting to come up and he was a single hander so we did the lock for him, it was then our turn and down the lock we went.

I walked to the next one and there was a boat in the lock and the lock was full and ready for them to come out but the lady was cleaning the windows!  I said to her shall I open the gate and she said oh yes please, its ready now is it, she then got on the boat and called to her husband then said to me he's not ready yet so we waited a couple of minutes then he came out, started the engine and went out the lock, they seemed oblivious that we were waiting to use the lock, nowt so strange as folk!!

Waiting under the Bridge

And Out He Comes

We were soon through this one and onto the next, no hold ups there and then we were at the last lock for today, another single hander was coming up so we helped him and then it was our turn.

Once through the locks, we chugged on for about a mile and then came to the moorings at the top of the Stone flight of locks and we moored up saving those locks for another day.

One Out, One In

This afternoon we went for a walk to find the train station via a footpath from the canal and it is about a 10 minute walk from where we are moored so we are going to get the train tomorrow to Stafford. We then walked into the town and went to Morrisons then back up the locks to the boat.

We are now staying here for a couple of days and chugging off on Sunday.

Moored at Stone

Visit to World of Wedgwood

Tuesday 22^nd May

Me and Mr Wedgwood!

Sculptures at Wedgwood

Potter at Work!

Making our pots

Concentrating!

Today we are off to the World of Wedgwood.  We walked along the towpath and up over the bridge, over the railway line and up the road and into the Wedgwood estate, it is about a 20 minute leisurely walk from the canal.  The museum is free to look around but there is a fee to do the factory tour.

We had booked an Afternoon Tea Experience day, this is an early birthday present for me from Kev.  

The Finished Articles!

We went to reception and they gave me a nice presentation folder with all the information we needed and booked us on the factory tour at 11.30am and our afternoon tea for 1pm. 

Tea Conservatory

They have a tea conservatory where you can try their Wonderlust range of teas so we did some tea tasting and then had a look around the shop and the factory outlet.

Having Afternoon Tea

It was the time for the factory tour, it was a guided tour and our guide was really good and very informative.  We started on the second floor and there were viewing platforms looking down onto the factory and then we went down onto the factory floor and saw all the processes from moulding to firing, glazing and decorating.  

Afternoon Tea

Some of the people working there explained to us what they were doing.  There was one guy painting 22 carat gold onto a plate and that plate will sell for £1000 and the whole dinner service would cost around £50,000, a set had been commissioned by someone and that was what he was working on, each plate takes about a week to make and unbelievably it is dishwasher safe!

Lobster Bowl

It was a really good tour and you can go back round again on your own during your visit if you want to.  When you get to the end of the tour you get an opportunity to have a go at throwing a pot so of course we had to have a go, it was great fun and they didn’t turn out too bad, they air dried them for us so we could go back later and pick them up.

Huge Vase

It was then time for our afternoon tea so we made our way to the restaurant, we had to walk through the shop and there was several people gathered together and a lady sat on a stool being interviewed and we walked through the middle as we didn't realise what they were doing and no one said we couldn't pass through.  We went on into the restaurant which was really nice and elegant and they brought us our afternoon tea on a 3 tier cake stand and we could choose the tea we wanted, we had one of the Wonderlust teas we had tried earlier, it was called Oriental Jewel and we also had Oriental Beauty and Emerald Duchess and they were all really nice.

Portland Vase

The lady that had been interviewed came into the restaurant and she was whisked away to a separate room, we found out from one of the waitresses, it was Vera Wang, an American Fashion Designer and she also designs for Wedgwood.

Bournvita Jug

Our afternoon tea was delicious and we really enjoyed it.   We then went into the museum and had a good wander around there looking at all the lovely items which range from the 18^th to 21^st Century.  

Ferdinand the Bull

Vera Wang Set

There was a lovely Cauliflower Coffee Pot and a Portland Vase from the 18^th Century, a Lobster Bowl and a huge Vase from the 19^th Century, a Bournvita Jug, Ferdinard the Bull and a S225 which was commissioned by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons to celebrate the 225^th anniversary of the founding of the company  from the 20^th Century and also a Coffee Pot by Vera Wang and a Doll's House Advent Calendar in porcelain which contains individual Wedgwood ornaments and lots of other lovely pieces. It is a fascinating museum to look around.

Shape 225

We went and collected our pots then walked back down to the canal.  There is a house on the main road which sells eggs so we popped up there to get some and then walked back to the boat.

We had a really lovely day at Wedgwood, such a nice early birthday treat, I thoroughly enjoyed it and so did Kev.  It is well worth a visit and we will definitely be going there again when we are back up this way.

There is a Goose family with three small babies which live in the field opposite where we are moored and this evening they came over to the boat so we could feed them and see the youngsters properly, very sweet.

Goose Family