Heartbreak Hill

 It's our wedding anniversary, July 8th. 🥳🎉🤗 

54 years of marital bliss. 🤞

We set off just after 10 heading back to the Trent and Mersey Canal. 

It's not often that we get this close to a heron. Usually, just as you get near they fly off. Not this time. 

Back on the T&M and the captain's in charge. (Isn't she always?) 

How idyllic, The Red Bull pub, canalside tables and a narrowboat working through a lock. But, nobody around to see it all. 

And down she goes. 

At the bottom of the lock is a vertical roller bar which, I guess, was to stop the towing rope biting into the brickwork. 

Once again we stopped at the services for water, toilet and refuse and then off again continuing down heartbreak hill. This is a nickname given to the 26 locks between Harecastle Tunnel and Wheelock. Many of the locks are close enough together for the crew (me) to walk between them. But it's almost the hottest day of the year! 

At lock 54 the bottom gates are being replaced. 

Fortunately these are double locks so we could get through on the other side. 

Arrived at Rode Heath to find a house with a green (Irish) letterbox at the front. 

We couldn't stop where we had hoped but we found a bit of shade a little further on and settled for the night. 

Another glorious sunset. 

And still sitting outside at 10 o'clock. Can't be bad. 

Return to Hall Green

 

Started off the day by winding the boat. That is, turning it round. Above shows the side arm that we had to turn into before we could continue back along the canal. 

We stopped by the bridge with the awkward kink to go shopping. I love the sign in French, English and German to point out the shops 100mtrs away. Slightly out of date now but, nevertheless, there are shops nearby. 

The Macclesfield Canal is younger than the Trent and Mersey but has an older feel to it. The bridges are mostly made with stone and not bricks. And they're all slightly different. 

We stopped for a brief lunch just past the boatyard at Sherborne Wharf since the day was definitely getting hotter. Afterwards we moved on to Hall Green and tied up for the night. Nicely in the shade and closer to the locks that we will need to tackle tomorrow. 

Congleton

 Monday 6th July. 

Only 3 and a bit miles travelled today. 

We pottered along to Congleton and this is the waterside scene on the edge of the town. Once warehouses, now apartments. 

Just round the corner are a couple of bridges very close together with a nasty kink in the middle.

This first bridge is OK but why oh why did they have to put a kink in the middle of the next one? 

Still, we stopped a little further on at the embankment which has excellent views in both directions. 

In the 2nd picture can be seen the railway viaduct, a suitable distance away from the canal. 

In the afternoon we walked along the towpath up to Buglawton. On the way there we got a closeup view of one of the mileage posts. These were removed during the war to confuse the enemy, should they come this way. But they've all been lovingly restored and reinstated. Glad we did stop where we did as the towpath at Buglawton has been closed and where we moored has the better views.

Late night sun on the water. Delightful. 

Which way now?

 A day of decisions. 

People always ask us where we are going on the boat and we tell them that we get to a junction and decide left or right!? 

Initially we were thinking of going up the Macclesfield Canal and then on to Whaley Bridge. However, there hasn't been much rain lately and we're worried that we could get stuck if locks are closed. 

So, what to do? 

Well, let's get to the next junction and decide then. 

Our first priority was to get rid of the rubbish, recycling and food waste. Many of the old C&RT facilities have been closed. Fortunately there were new facilities at the nearby marina.

We are really in the heart of the potteries. 

Here's Middleport Pottery where the Great Pottery Throw Down was filmed. 

Last time we were in Stoke it was still in operation and we had a tour round the factory. 

The café and shop are still there and going strong by the looks of it. 

Some pictures of other potteries that haven't fared so well. 

And then there was Harecastle Tunnel. We only had to wait a little while before we entered the tunnel. During that time we had the safety talk and received various warnings about the lack of height in parts of the tunnel. 

It took about 3/4 of an hour to get through but, because we were 3rd in line, we couldn't go as fast as I would have liked. 

The water is really that colour and is due to the local ironstone strata. 

Right, decision time. We're at Hardings Wood Junction. Left or straight on? 

Well, if we were to go straight on we would be straight into a run of 12 locks. Which is all right in the morning but not at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. So we followed our original plan and turned onto the Macclesfield Canal. However, we'll probably only go up to the foot of Bosley Locks, turn round and continue up the Trent and Mersey. Perhaps when we get to the junction again we may decide on something different, who knows? 

We are now crossing over the T&M, waving to the boat we followed through the tunnel. 

Hall Green Lock, a very beautiful place. It's only a stop lock but it's a lovely place to stop for a moment or two. 

Our first real view of Mow Cop. Built by Randle Wilbraham in 1754 as a folly, it was designed to resemble medieval ruins. Wilbraham of nearby Rode Hall constructed the elaborate summerhouse and circular tower to look like medieval fortress ruins. 

A view of Ramsdell Hall as we sail past. 

We stopped by Bridge 85, Simpson Bridge, by ourselves, nice and quiet. 

Off to the potteries

 Saturday 4th July. 

When we woke up this morning we noticed someone setting up to fish just in front of the boat. Being a Saturday this is not an unusual practice there being fishing competitions most weekends. 

When we actually set off we discovered the extent of this particular event. 

It was a part of C&RTs Let's Fish but this weekend especially for children. I must say that it was very popular with mums and dads, and probably grandmas and grandads, keeping an eye on their kids while they were fishing. The fishing points were about 20ft apart and went on for over a mile and a half. We reckoned over 100 participants. 

It was great to see but, by boaters convention, we had to go past at about 2mph. 

When passing fishermen (and women) you try not to create a wake and try to make as little disturbance to the water as possible. 

And that, of course, all added time to our day's travels. 

Just around the corner was the Wedgwood factory. Some years ago we had a look around their museum. 

Then, the first lock of the day, Trentham Lock. Over the next four miles there were a further five locks to negotiate. 

You can tell that we are entering the world of potteries, except that most of them are now closed and slowly disappearing. 

At Twyford Lock the artwork was commissioned by C&RT as part of a plastics challenge. 

Looking back at the old Bone and Flint Mill, erected in 1857. On highdays and holidays they fire up the boilers and the mill can be seen in action.

At Stoke Top Lock we met a delightful Indian family whose parents had come to pay them a visit. The wife was kind enough to ask if we minded being photographed. The grandson and his father came and stood on the boat while we were in the lock. Again, plenty of photos. 

After that we turned into the Caldon Canal to take on water and, yes, you've guessed it, empty the loo. 

Opposite us was a statue of James Brindley who built the canal. 

We then turned round, headed back onto the Trent and Mersey Canal and picked up a mooring for the night. 

Now I've seen some trophies in my time but that's impressive. 

Barlaston a day late!

 

First lock of the day, Meaford Bottom Lock. It was at this lock, somewhere in the distant past, that I decided to take a bath. In other words, I fell in! That's not the only time I've done that and they do say that you're not a proper boater until you've fallen in. 

Poetry in motion. The captain demonstrates how to work a lock. Shame that, nobody's watching. 

And here we are. All of 3 miles and 4 locks later moored at Barlaston. 

As it was early in the afternoon so we went for a walk up towards Barlaston Hall. 

On the way we passed this lilly pond and from the top of the hill that followed there were stunning views all round.

Barlaston Hall, a Grade I listed property. At one time it was owned by the Wedgewood company but mining subsidence and dry rot made it uninhabitable. Eventually it was sold for £1 to an architectural preservation charity and the house was preserved. It passed into private hands and in 2024 it was put on the market for £3.5m. I wonder how much was spent to take it from £1 to £3.5m. 

And so, a day later than planned, a visit to the Plume of Feathers. Once owned by Neil Morrissey of TV fame.

We went the whole hog, starters, mains and afters. We only remembered to photo the main course which was Aglio e olio, an Italian pasta dish with plenty of prawns and garlic bread. 

Staggered back to the boat after and slept soundly for over 7 hours.