Stone to Barlaston - Trent & Mersey Canal

Monday 16^th August

We have enjoyed our stay in Stone and meeting up with friends, but today we are on the move to Barlaston which is four locks and about three miles away.

We set off along the canal, past several moored boats, under a bridge and past some canal side houses an then came to Meaford bottom lock, this is a flight of four locks.

                                                             

The present Meaford locks replaced an earlier staircase of three, the remains of which can be seen by the third lock, we missed this so will be having a look on the way back.

Unfortunately the lock was full so I emptied the lock and opened the gates for Kev to bring the boat in.  The next lock is really close by so it didn’t take long to do both locks and then we were on our way again.

                                                   

It was a dry day but not very warm and quite windy.  We went under another bridge and then was approaching the next lock.

There was a boat coming out of the lock so I went up to the lock and shut the gates once Kev was in the lock.

                                                              

We had one more lock to do so Kev shut the gate on the lock we had just come up and I walked on to the next one.  The bridge just before the lock was being worked on and had all scaffolding on it and the towpath was closed off, so I walked up the lane and onto the canal that way.

I emptied the lock and opened the gates and Kev came in.

I opened the paddles and filled the lock.  A boat came along as we were going up the lock so we went out and left the gate open for them.

                                                            

We went on along the canal and under a few bridges, we passed a few boats coming the other way.

After another couple of miles, we were approaching Barlaston.  We past a pub called the Plume of Feathers which is owned by Neil Morrissey and chugged on a bit further to the winding hole where we turned around as this is as far as we are going and reversed back into the moorings.  There were many geese here and all in the winding hole, but they got out of the way when Kev turned.

                                                   

 It is a really nice place to moor as it’s very open and opposite a big field where the geese gather as well as several moor hens and even a heron.

In the afternoon, we walked up to the pub and the small row of shops behind the pub, we were going to go to the butcher’s there but it is shut on a Monday so we went into the pub for a drink instead.

It is a nice pub and although we didn’t eat, the food coming out looked really good. We then walked back to the boat.

                                                        

                                                                                

We are staying here for a few days now as on Wednesday we are off to the World of Wedgewood which is near where we are moored.  We are meeting Jane and going around the museum then having afternoon tea in their tea room as a belated birthday treat for me so really looking forward to that, then on Thursday we will start heading back to Stone.