Consall and Cheddleton

On Tuesday we left Froghall and returned along the Caldon through the very pretty Churnet valley stopping at Consall and Cheddleton.
The valley is shared by river, canal and railway. The Churnet Valley Railway operates steam trains at weekends and holidays, so unfortunately we didn't get to see them running alongside us on our journey.

At Consall the platform and waiting room overhang the canal.

Whilst the Black Lion pub is reached only by rail, canal or on foot.

I suppose we should have waited for the weekend to get a steam train in this picture too as the professionals do. (It would run between the canal bridge and the pub.)

On into Cheddleton and we stopped here to take a look around the site of the Flint Mill, again it is only open weekends, I get the feeling we chose the wrong end of the week here...., however you are invited to look around the site freely.

At the top of the locks the lovely old mill buildings come into view.

There two water mills, kilns and miller's cottages.

The original water mill would have been used for grain, but in the late 18th century the site was altered to grind flint. The Caldon Canal was built in the same period, enabling the heavy stone and  ground flint to be moved more easily.

Wharf crane for unloading flint stone

The ground flint produced was used in the new pottery known as 'creamware' developed by Josiah Wedgwood. 

two water mills

miller's cottage



Tuesday
5 miles, 5 locks

And finally some arty shots of the crane...

Froghall

On Monday we left Leek and made our way back to Hazlehurst junction where the Leek branch crosses over the Caldon Canal on an aqueduct,

then we took the sharp turn down the three locks on the Caldon,

then a bit further on and this time under the Leek branch

to make our way to Froghall at the end of the Canal.

Leaving the last lock on the Caldon there is a curtain to measure up the profile of your boat to give an indication of whether it will fit through the tunnel at Froghall. As you can see the hand rails were just rubbing along.

But the Skipper says they always allow extra room we shall give it a go. We cleared the roof, in preparation.  At the tunnel entrance it is obviously low, we approached very slowly, ready to manoeuvre through by hand. But the first couple of yards the brickwork is uneven and very worn from previous attempts and we soon had the hand rails rubbing on both sides.

Perhaps with a few more people on board at the front we would have made it. What a shame, and now we have a bit of paintwork to see to.

The other end of the tunnel is in a leafy glade leading to the Wharf and the Basin which is actually down the first lock of the Uttoxeter Canal. You can go no further.

It is a lovely quiet, peaceful spot, it would have been good to spend the night here.  Ah well, we had a walk round enjoying the lovely green hills and valley.

Following the line of the old tramway once used for transporting limestone down to the wharf, we walked up and up through the tree lined path.

It was cool and damp, the rocks alongside as we got higher were covered in mosses, lichen and ferns. It felt quite jungley (if that's a word!).

Once out in the open, the track still climbed through lovely meadows. At the top, the view was fantastic.

And here, standing proud in the middle of the field, a large rock, perhaps H will be able to tell us what sort of stone it is, maybe sandstone as the pathway up was very sandy!

We admired it but didn't try to climb.

Back again at the wharf and there is still this row of lime kilns. Coal and limestone brought down from the quarry along the tramway was loaded into the top of the kiln. As they burnt, the lime would run out at the bottom as quick lime. This was then carried away in the boats to the potteries, for use in decorating the china; to building industries, for use in plaster and mortar; to agricultural industry for use as soil improver.

The original wharf building are all still in place, some used at weekends as a museum, and a trip boat is moored ready for these occasions.

Monday
9 miles, 8 locks

Leek

Sunday morning we enjoyed a potter around the town after we had been to church. The United Reformed and Methodist church have joined together in a well adapted building in the centre of the town. It was a baby's baptismal service, so a full church today.

A protest group were camping on the part demolished roundabout in the town. They were not happy about the planned changes to the town centre.


 Leek was a silk town, which also became well know for it's dyeing industry and embroidery work.

Some of the old factory mills are still in evidence, this one with antique showrooms inside now.

And this one now converted into flats and apartments.

Looking along the backs of terraced housed towards the hills, reminding us of Yorkshire.

James Brindley, a well known canal engineer started his working life as a millwright in the corn mill here.  We visited there a couple of years ago when staying nearby with D and R, so didn't go there this time.
Feeling a bit lazy and sleepy this afternoon, so although tempted to explore the canal feeder which runs down from Kipling lake, we only managed part of the way, and didn't get right to the lake, as it was about 3 or 4 miles away. The feeder is rather like a canal in miniature,

Jumble enjoyed the walk and paddling too.

Shame we didn't get to the Lake, we'll have to come back!

Cruising the Caldon

After an early start on Saturday morning, we arrived home on Tacet at around 9am. The drive back from Sussex was dry and not too busy, much better than the journey down last week.
Once the car was unloaded and returned, we were ready to move again, this time at the much pleasanter pace of the canals, starting with the 5 locks at Stockton Brook. Now the rain started, but we carried on.

An unusual sign to find in the middle of the cut.

The canal is really pretty, following along the side of hills, with lovely views over the river valley, dotted with houses and bridges.

 At Leek tunnel, you get a clear view through the other end.

 Just into the tunnel and it has been relined, with concrete sections, making this bit wider, above the water level anyway.

 Then we come to the old pink sandstone block work,

 The height is quite good, but it is narrow.

And so we got to Leek, turning at the winding hole just before the terminus and reversing back to a space.

6 miles, 5 locks, 1 tunnel

Away From Home

We have had a few days away from our boaty home, back in Sussex, with my Mum and Dad.  Ian has had a couple of days work, we had a day out with his Mum and spent time with family and friends.
We took Ian's Mum out from her nursing home on the bus to Greenwich, enjoying the river air and views from the bank this time

and getting up closer to the Cutty Sark. 

You see we just can't keep away from water and boats.
She is a grand old ship, newly restored after a fire in 2007 and now with a fantastic visitor centre built around her.

.

Cutty Sark was one of the last tea clippers to be built and one of the fastest, coming at the end of a long period of design development which came to an end as sailing ships gave way to steam.

The ship was named after Cutty Sark, the nickname of the witch Nannie Dee in Robert Burns'  poem Tam o' Shanter. The ship's figurehead, the original carved by Robert Hellyer of Blackwall, shows Nannie Dee in a stark white carving of a bare-breasted woman with long black hair holding a grey horse's (Maggie's) tail in her hand as recorded in the poem.

One spring brought off her master whole,
But left behind her own grey tail:
The witch caught her by the rump,
And left poor Maggie scarce a stump



We also had a wander around Greenwich Market, pushing the wheelchair across the cobbles gave Mum rather a bumpy ride, or at least an excuse for my bad driving!

After a little time sitting by the river watching the world go by, the black clouds started gathering so we headed back to the bus stop and made our way back. It was a lovely afternoon out in the sun and fresh air for us all.

Ta Daahhhhh!

It's finished.....

No more piles, no more stripes,

One lovely, soft, bright, colourful, cheery, snuggly blanket.

On it's way to Tasha.

Hope she likes it.