Bridge 78 to Sandon - Trent & Mersey Canal

 

Friday 6^th August

We are moving on a few miles this morning, the forecast is not too good but was dry when we got up, so we decided to go.

                                                  

We set off along the canal, under a few bridges and then it started to rain, so poor Kev got wet, I was okay as I was inside!

We then came to Weston lock where a boat was coming down so that was good. Soon it was our turn and Kev brought the boat into the lock.  Once through there we went on our way again, passing the village of Weston and then came to Salt where there is a very beautiful bridge.

                                                    

We chugged on along the canal and then the rain stopped and it brightened up thank goodness as we have another lock to do, and I didn’t want to do it in the rain!

                                         

After a while we were approaching Sandon lock.  I went up to the lock which was empty so I opened the gates for Kev to come in.  As we were coming up the lock a couple of boats turned up so they helped with the gates and we were soon on our way again.

We went on for about another half mile then moored up in a lovely open spot. 

                                           

                                                                                                        

The village of Sandon is just up the road from the lock so we walked back down to the lock and up the road to the junction.  There is a village stores so we went in there.  Also at the junction are the gates to Sandon Hall, a country house and gardens used for weddings and events.

Just across the road was a pub called The Dog and Doublet so obviously we had to go in.

                                              

It was lovely and we had some lunch which was excellent.  Apparently the head chef used to work for Tom Kerridge at his two Michelin star pub and it showed in the food and presentation.

Suitably full, we wandered back to the canal and the boat.

We are staying here tonight and tomorrow then on Sunday we are heading to the lovely town of Stone and let’s hope we can get there in the dry.

Great Haywood to Bridge 78 - Trent & Mersey Canal

 

Thursday 5^th August

We got the bus to Stafford Hospital today for my appointment with the nurse to talk me through the preparations for my scan next Tuesday and to give me a party bag of laxatives to take and diet instructions for Sunday and Monday, oh lucky me, everyone else gets cake and presents in their bag and I get laxatives!!!

                                                 

When we got back to the boat, we thought we might move on, but we needed to get water and the services here at Great Haywood gets very busy but we were in luck it was free, so we untied and moved into the services and got water.

                                                    

                                                                                        

When the tank was full, we set off along the canal passing the farm shop and marina and going under a couple of bridges.

We then came to Hoo Mill lock, a boat was going up in front of us so once they were through, we emptied the lock for us. A tree had fallen across the canal at the top of the lock so when we took the boat out of the lock I steered and Kev was at the front and managed to break off some branches so we could get past without breaking any windows or damaging our covers.

                                                   

    We went on around the corner, under another bridge then moored up in some visitor moorings before the next bridge.  It was a nice spot and somewhere we haven’t moored before.

                                                                  

We are just staying here tonight then moving on tomorrow morning weather permitting.

Tixall Wide (Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal) to Great Haywood Junction (Trent & Mersey Canal)

 

Monday 2^nd August

We have had a lovely few days moored at Tixall Wide.  It is just under a mile to walk down to the junction where there is a lovely farm shop and cafe, so we walked down there a few times and on Saturday we met up with our Audlem family, Jane, Malcolm, Sheila, Tony, Brock and Harry.  

We met in the cafe and had a lovely lunch together then had a wander around the farm shop and a walk along the canal and a drink in the nearby pub, it was great to see them and we had a lovely time together.

                                               

This morning we are moving down to the junction for a few days to do some trading.  The sun was shining as we set off leaving lovely Tixall Wide behind us.

                                                  

                                                                                             

We went under a bridge and on along the canal passing over the River Trent and then arriving at Haywood Junction. Nothing was coming so we went under the bridge and onto the Trent and Mersey canal and reversed back into a space just before the junction.

                                               

                                                                                            

We are going to stay here now for a few days and set up shop as this is a very busy area and you get lots of visitors coming to the cafe and farm shop, then most of them come for a walk along the canal so hopefully we shall make a few sales.

Stafford Boat Club to Tixall Wide - Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal

 

Thursday 29^th July

We are on the move today after spending an enjoyable couple of days at Stafford Boat Club, it’s a great place and everyone is so friendly, we will look forward to our next visit.

                                                 

It was a dry morning but rather windy as we untied and thought we would have trouble getting off the side, but we were lucky and the wind seemed to ease for a bit and off we went.

                                                        

  We went on for a short while and came to Radford Bank where there is an Aldi very near the canal, we needed some shopping so we moored up and walked along the road to the store.

We got our shopping, took it back to the boat then set off on our way again. 

                                                    

                                                                                            

We chugged on along the canal and passed the Stafford Riverway Link which is the new name for the old Stafford Branch canal or River Sow navigation which formerly linked the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal with the town centre of Stafford.  There used to be a lock here and the branch was a mile long and unusual in that it was not a canal but the canalised course of the River Sow.  There is a restoration project hoping to restore this link but whether it will ever be done, who knows! 

                                                

                                                                                           

We went on, under a few bridges then came to a small aqueduct over the River Sow, an early structure by James Brindley, carried heavily on low brick arches.  

The canal was quiet today and we didn’t see many boats moving.  We were then approaching Tixall lock.  A boat was just going through so we had to wait, but this is a shallow lock so it was soon our turn.

                                                 

 As we were going down the lock, a boat came along waiting to go up, so we went out and left the gates open for them.

                                                     

We went on along the canal and then came to Tixall Wide, which is more like a lake than a canal, said to have been built in order not to compromise the view from Tixall House which unfortunately is gone and just the Gatehouse remains.  This massive square Elizabethan building dates from 1598 and is four storeys high.  It stands alone in a field and is considered to be one of the most ambitious gatehouses in the country.  The gatehouse is now available as a holiday let. 

                                                                         

We moored up in a lovely spot at Tixall Wide with great views of the gatehouse.  We are staying here for a few days now to chill out and meet up with our Audlem family then on Monday we will move down to the junction at Great Haywood and onto another canal, The Trent and Mersey.