CHANGEABLE WEATHER.

After the lovely weather of the previous week it was forecast to be cool with rain, and it didn’t disappoint.

Sunday, and after a night still on the Coventry canal, we turned left at Fradley junction and joined the Trent and Mersey. Ahead of us were 3 locks, and 2 very helpful and friendly lockee’s. They helped us through the first 2, and then I got my exercise for the day by walking to the 3^rd, about 1 mile away. When I got there a boat was just going up, and 1 was waiting to come down. Of course I had to help and have a chat. It was lovely to be back helping and chatting to other boaters. The boat coming down was a single hander, so I told him to stay on his boat and I locked him down and on his way. He was really thankful, and I enjoyed helping.

We spent the night in the MONW, and next morning headed for Rugeley. There is a Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi close to the canal, and I desperately need to shop.

I jumped ship yet again for my morning walk, during which I passed the Armitage Shanks factory, and saw loads of toilets all ready to find their forever homes. I waited for the boat at the Armitage tunnel. A rather strange tunnel, as it roof was removed in 1971 due to subsidence caused by the local coal mines. It is only 130yds long, but one way working, so I took the walkie talkie along so I could inform the Captain if there was a boat already in this strange tunnel. The side of the tunnel were obviously hewn out of the rock, and not brickwork like a lot of tunnels, it reminded me of being in a cave. After the tunnel I jumped back on board for the rest of the trip into Rugeley.

 We moored up, and after lunch we set off for Tesco (it was the nearest), and got most of everything I needed. We didn’t venture into the town on this occasion, but we know there is at least one decent real ale pub, The Vine. It has its own brewery and it was were I tried a very nice cucumber infused gin a few years ago. But we decided to have a quiet night.

https://www.facebook.com/thevineinnbrewery/?locale=en_GB

Tuesday, and we could hear the rain bouncing off the boat, so we were in no hurry to get up. When the rain eventually stopped we did rise and set off. I walked to Aldi (couldn’t get a few things from Tesco), and that was my exercise for the day. The rain held off and we did our one and only lock for the day, before mooring up at Little Heywood for the night. We didn’t try the 2 pubs in the village, I am being very good aren’t I.

Next day and I got some real exercise, I managed to walk 2miles (ish) and do 3 locks. The locks on this stretch are single locks, and I like them because most of them have a little bridge over the bottom gates, this saves a lot of toing and froing to open and close the bottom double gates, and the top paddles are on towpath sides, bonus. Well that’s all but Haywood lock, this one doesn’t have a bridge, and the off side path is very narrow, so you really have to watch your feet.

We dropped our rubbish off at Great Haywood Junction, and I was pleased to see the bin compound was very tidy.

At the next lock we caught up with an old work boat called Dane, it belongs to Middleport Pottery Museum in Stoke. It had been away to have its wooden bottom corked and blacked, and volunteers were taking it back to the museum. Now I know a bit about Middleport, as Denby pottery who I used to work for, owned them when I worked there, and I met the union reps from there on many occasions.

Another name for Middleport is Burleigh (named after the 2 founders, Burgess and Leigh since 1889) and the pots they make is known as Burleigh Ware. It is a working pottery as well as a museum, and the pots are very popular with Japanese and Korean collectors, its a bit chintzy for my taste, but the way they apply the pattern is fascinating. You can moor outside and its well worth a visit.

Burleigh Tea Set

https://www.burleigh.co.uk/pages/visit-middleport-pottery

We moored up just past Weston upon Trent, and had a visit from a very cheeky swan, who kept sticking his head in through the side hatch looking for something to eat. A ryvita cracker and some lettuce wasn’t enough to fill him, but I had nothing else, so he was out of luck.

The weather took a turn for the worst next day, we needed to be in Stone for a pump out at the weekend, well Friday as the Captain found out when he phoned the boatyard. So we set off with plans to moor at the bottom of Stone locks near M&S, however the rain came early and changed our plans, and we moored up after the second lock about 1mile from the start of Stone. Why oh why does it always start to rain when I am doing a lock!!!!!

Anyway, to pass the time the Captain went off to change the engine oil and all the filters, and I made kimchi with red cabbage. I have been trying a number of new recipes which work with my diet, and most have been successful, my favourite (at the moment) is a Moroccan chickpea and tomato soup, using Ras El Hanut spices. I sometimes add lamb to it to make more of a stew.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/moroccan-tomato-chickpea-soup-couscous

The weather was better next day, and I got loads of exercise walking to the 3 locks at Stone. After the 2^nd lock we pulled into the boatyard for our pump out. This is always fun and games due to the way boats at the boatyard can be moored at times, and today was no exception. The Captain had to walk down a very narrow gunnel to pull our boat in, only to be told it wasn’t in quite in the right place and he had to pull it back again. Never mind, these things are sent to try us, well him.

We moored up above the 3^rd lock for the night, we have moored here before and its a lovely quiet mooring, handy for the town centre and pubs of course.

We walked into the town mid afternoon, and after a mooch round the shops we headed to the pub, first the Swan, a proper real ale pub with a great choice of beers. The Captain chose Raven Stout from White Rose Brewery and was very happy with it. We only had the one in there before heading to the Crown Wharf, this is a lovely big pub right on the side of the canal, and belongs to Joules Brewery. The Captain was happy with Slumbering Monk, and we managed to get a table sat outside in the sun. We talked about eating there, but neither of us fancied anything on the menu, there was nothing wrong with what was on offer, but we just couldn’t decide. When I went in for our 2^nd pint they had just put some slices of giant sausage roll on the bar, so I took a couple back, it was very nice, so the Captain fetched a couple more, so I suppose in away we did eat out.

We always enjoy visiting Stone, and there are more pubs worth a visit that we didn’t try on this occasion.

Next stop Barlaston and then Stoke.

Fradley to Stone 22½ miles, 12 locks and 1 canal.