Acton Trussell to Radford Bank (Staffs & Worcs Canal)

Friday 26^th to Monday 29^th June

Scarecrows Tea Party

Acton Trussell Church

We have stayed put the last few days as the weather hasn’t been too good.  We did a few jobs and also did a few walks and some geocaching. We had a walk through the village of Acton Trussell and they were running a scarecrow competition and a lot of the houses had participated, really good to see.  

Hospital was full so using the green!

Water Skiing Scarecrow

We also walked up to the small church but unfortunately it wasn’t open so we couldn’t go inside.

Today (Monday) we are finally moving on. It was a dry morning when we got up, but overcast and very blustery. We are just going a few miles to Radford Bank where there is an Aldi a few minutes walk from the canal so we can stock up with supplies.

White Ducks Today

Passing the Moat House Hotel & Pub

Coming to a Bridge

We set off along the canal past the Moat House pub and hotel which has a really good restaurant and I was going to take Kev there for his birthday in April but due to the coronavirus he dipped out as they had to close and are still shut at present but maybe on our way back past here in August I might treat him then if he’s lucky!

Lovely Flowers on the Canal

We chugged on and met a couple of boats coming the other way, but the canal is still fairly quiet at the moment but this will all change at the weekend as from Saturday people can visit and stay in their second homes and hire boats can go out again so every man and his boat will be coming out the marinas, it will be like wacky races so we will be moored up for the weekend and just watch from the side lines!

Coming into Deptmore Lock

Hope No Ones Coming!

We then came to Deptmore lock which is over 10 feet deep. I got the lock ready and opened the gates and Kev brought the boat in.  Kev closed the gate and then opened the off side paddle before he got back on board and I did the paddle this side and down the boat went.

Passing Stafford Boat Club

The lock empties quite quickly so we were soon through there and on our way again.

Quiet Canal Today

We went on under a bridge and past Stafford Boat Club where we are going into dry dock in August, around a bend and moored up at Radford Bank.

Dry Dock where we will be going

In the afternoon we walked up to the Aldi to get the heavy things like tins and bottles of squash.  Then in the morning we will go back up and get the rest of the shopping, just saves carrying it all in one go.

We are staying here tonight, going up to Aldi in the morning then heading off a few miles to Tixall wide a lovely rural spot to moor for a few days before we chug on to Great Haywood and reach the end of the Staffs & Worcs canal.

Moored at Radford Bank