And the Sun Shone on.

 The sun was shining brightly when I poked my head out the hatch today. Last night was lovely and clear, and despite the light pollution from surrounding towns the stars were very bright last night.

A boat passed us earlier, but as we were making moves to slide down to the lock another couple came passed. As was waiting a guy in a pick up drove up the field on the tow path side. He got out some survey equipment. I was an avid fan of time team and it looks like he is about to a ground penetrating radar survey in the field. I wonder if that means they will be digging there for HS2, which I thought was on the other side of the cut.

When we were about to head down to the lock the single hander that had gone ahead of us left the lock and made room for a boat to enter the lock from Fradley direction. It was only a little 40' boat bur she grounded. It took a bit of pushing and heaving and eventually a rope ashore to pull her off. We we later left the lock we were centre channel and it certainly felt like we were dragging through the mud. So beware below Woodend Lock.

The sun was shining on Shade House as I was waiting for the Middle lock to make a level. You can see the 'road works' sign that indicates that the towpath will be closed between Here and Kings Bromley for 24 weeks! It seems it is due to the HS2 putting the bridge over near Fradley. It seems along stretch of towpath to close for that.

Quite quiet at Fradley, a boat having come up Junction Lock and swung into the Coventry. We followed a little later and as expected the water points were occupied so we carried on.

Just past Helen's favourite house C&RT are installing wooden shuttering and have filled in behind with dredgings. I was expecting to see the green tinge of tanalised pressure treated timber. However I think that this is not too good for the environment. I expect that they use UC4 that is classed for use when in permanent contact with the ground. It is kiln dried and then placed into a vacuum vessel and then a preservative pumped in under pressure to ensure deeper penetration.

The sun through the trees was beautiful. This low sunlight is magical.

The hawthorn is starting to turn adding a nice colour to the red berries. Not the blue sky still. 

The water point near Fazeley Junction was vacant so we stopped and topped up before continuing past the junction house, and turning left to continue on the Coventry Canal.

Under the junction bridge the canal is pretty narrow, but in the hey days it would have been even more crowded as there was the wharf serving the Fazeley Gas works, which must have taken plenty of boat loads of coal.

The Tame looks more full than it might have done a month ago and will look even better when the leaves really start to turn.

The new house on the towpath side between the locks were obviously built on the old brick and tile works looking at this 1901 OS Map. However by WWII the site had largely been taken over by the engineering site by the basin with railway lines, turntables and travelling cranes.

The view towards the basin from the top lock. The houses beyond the basin were Fitch and sons Ltd Firelighter Works from at least 1899 to WWII when it seems to have changed to making creosote.

Last lock of the day, Glascote top lock, both our way and nobody else about. Can anybody tell me what the circular metal plate with the hole in it may have been for? Some thoughts were a base for a stanchion, a sheave for heaving boats to the lock with the horse going the opposite direction. It isn't the culvert vent as that can be seen the other side of the paddle ratchet.

We moored up just above the lock and past the basin on the bollards with one other boat. We walked the short distance to the cinema to see 'A Ticket to Paradise' with Julia Roberts and George Clooney. It was okay, but wasn't even filmed in Bali, but in Queensland!

Treemendous Day.

 There was a bit of rain before we got up, but when I opened the back doors the sun was shining, but not for long. Last time we moored here the trains were on strike so we had not been disturbed at all. I'm pleased to say I wasn't disturbed this time either.

We were off pretty promptly this morning, despite the unappealing weather. As I was letting go an hire boat passed and I exchanged pleasantries with the Americans aboard. Then after I followed them I passed a boat that was just letting go to return the favour. By the time we got to Colwich Lock the Americans were just heading into the lock. He made a great run in and it turns out they were on their 5th week, so he had definitely got the hang of it. The boat we had passed was one we had moored by a couple of days before. The bloke had said he was swapping with his son and wife so I was able to say hi.

The farmer just let the girls out to cross the bridge to the yard as we were lowering down. The other girls were fascinated.

Just before Wolseley Bridge is this row of cottages. It seemed strange to have them on the off side and along way from anywhere else. When I look on the 1881 OS map they are called Wolseley Warehouse and the buildings are more numerous.

It looks like the surviving cottages is the bit roughly parallel to the canal. I assume that there was a wharf here too. The gardens of the current cottages are always a pleasure to pass.

After Wolseley Bridge I enjoy thre tunnel of trees. I had read that there was a boat house here, associated with Bishton Hall, but have never caught site of it. I had though that it was for a boat on the River Trent that was right next to the canal. However when looking at the map for the Wolseley Warehouse I noticed that there was a little indent that could well be a mooring for a boat. I will have to check again next time we pass as it is right opposite the house, but I think I would have noticed something if it had been obvious.

They do afternoon teas at Bishton Hall now. It may be worth a look next time we pass as they also have a set of posh shops that Helen likes looking around. When is her birthday?

Unlike the Horse Chestnut trees that seem to have suffered badly over the drought the Sweet Chestnut seems to be doing very well, with plenty of fruits too. It is commonly thought that the Roman's brought the sweet chestnut over with them but it seems it may have been introduced quite a bit later than that. The trees do not bear fruits until they are 25 years old, but they can live to 700! I do love a roast chestnut though. Another Hull Fair smell and taste.

The Oaks also seem to have an abundance of acorns this year, and there is a regular plop as another drops in the cut as we pass. We should all pocket a few and plant them up to grow at home, and then when they have grown into whips plant them somewhere suitable as the oak tree, that was once the raw material of the Royal Navy now is a life support system for wild life. The Woodland Trust say that the oak 2,300 species are supported by oak trees. Not only that 326 species depend on the oak for their survival and 279 species are rarely found on any other tree. When an oak is 400 years old it is referred to as an Ancient tree. The quick way of estimating a tree's age is to measure the girth in cm, about 1m from the ground and divide by 2.5 as the girth expands approx. 2.5 cm a year. Go hug a tree.

The trees at the sharp turn after the Trent Aqueduct at Brindley Bank always look nice.

We stopped for some shopping just after the new piling where the grab was dredging by the Armco and filing in behind. We were moored just behind a boat from Hull. I could see he was using some electrical equipment on his roof. Then there was a violet curse and a splash as it landed in the water. It seems that it was a DeWalt drill! When we passed we said hello as the boat had Hull on he side. He already had a magnet out and was fishing for it. We popped to Tesco's and then had lunch when we got back and then headed off once again.

The warehouse opposite the Tesco moorings has not deteriorated much, but does need seeing too. The rain came and went, but I really didn't get wet really. There was a little wind that made it feel cooler, but luckily for me (Helen had found some thing to do inside) it was largely from astern so all in all not too bad at all.

We passed our Marina and carried on a little before mooring above Woodend Lock. As I was mooring up I could see the three towers of Lichfield Cathedral that I had never noticed before. I got the aerial up as I am told it is 'Bake Off' tonight and to earn a few brownie points the TV was tuned in and all ready to go.

Chased the Dull Weather away.

 We lit the stove for the first time last night, of no sorry, second time. I had forgotten that after replacing the fire cement around the collar I had lit the fire a little to dry it off. Despite all the extra work and dust etc etc I still think you can't beat a proper fire. I'm sure an oil burning stove is very efficient and a nice looking think sat there, but it isn't a fire. I have never had a house without a fire of some sort in either.

I hadn't kept the fire in over night, but there was plenty of residual heat in it, on top of a frost free morning, to make it easy to get up this morning. Outside may not have been cold but it was wet so there was no rush to get off today, and when we did it remained dull and overcast for a while, but no rain.

This guelder rose small tree or shrub was like a beacon among the greens of the rest of the hedge. The leaves are starting to turn to their wine red and the beautiful shiny red berries are like Christmas tree lights. The leaves and bark are poisonous and another name for the tree is 'crampbark', however it seems that you can eat the berries when cooked or made into wine, with a slight 'acidic' flavour!

Weston Pool does't seem to be connected to an old mill, or anything I can find, but is a fishing pond now at Weston on Trent (north).

There was nobody on the water point at Great Haywood so we stopped to top up. When I checked they have recycling bins here so I dropped out stuff off too. We were soon on our way. After dropping down Haywood Lock we moored up before Colwich Lock. After a bite to eat we headed off for a walk about 3 pm

We walked over Little Haywood Bridge over the Trent and straight over the A513 up to the Seven Springs Car park for Cannock Chase, Last year we were at the eastern end of the Chase at Beaudesert, Cstle Ring where the Iron Age fort is. It was first really established during the reign of William the Conqueror as a Hunting Forest. It was then gifted to the Bishop of Lichfield in 1290, but by 1546 it had passed to the Padget family that lived in Beaudesert Hall. They were to introduce the blast furnace to the area a few years later, and coal mining had gone on around the Chase since 1300's. By the 1600's most of the oak trees had gone from the Chase to make charcoal to feed the furnaces. Sheep were then put to the cleared land and that was when the heathlands appeared. Rabbits were introduced to the area in massive warrens as a cash 'crop', until riots took place to get rid of them in the 1750's. 

The heath land has to be managed and we passed two of these beasts cropping the bracken, saplings and old heather to help rejuvenate the heather. The 'mowings' have to be collected and removed so as not to over feed the land and to avoid incubating nasty bugs and parasites.

In the sunlight some of the old hardwood trees look spectacular and we could be on the set of Middle Earth and wouldn't be surprised if a Hobbit popped out from behind it!

There was a good view from the top there were views across towards the Blithfield Reservoir and Abbots Bromley.

The Chase has been the site of two major military training bases in WWI and a large RAF training base in WWII, but was taken of as one of the largest Forestry Commissions forests in 1921. It became an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1958 and the forest today is managed today and produces around 19,000 tonnes of sustainable timber a year.

Cannock Chase attracts about 2.5 million visitors a year which means that it has a density of visitors 4 to 5 time higher than the Lake District. Today there were few people about, and we had a nice long chat to the old feller who was waiting to pick up the heath land mowers in a big tractor trailer.

The lichen on the hedge on the road back to the canal seems to indicate that the air is pretty good round here.

The Ivy flowers were attracting plenty of late bees to them. Watch out for the webs Mr. Bee!

We got back to the boat and lit the fire once more and 'bangers and mash' for tea. Heaven.

Stone Down, Plotts and Parks.

 We had a bit of a lazy start, even putting the heating on to take the chill off as it said it was 3.3 deg outside, and may have been a bit of grass frost. We still managed to off and at 'em by 10 am. Today however we weren't heading off in the boat, instead we had our boots on and went for a walk.

We walked up the canal, no naked cyclists today, and to the top of the Meaford Locks before heading down the lane. Here we spied an old house, which is Grade II Listed and used to be an old corn mill that had a mill race running through it.

We continued on to the ford over the stream that fed the mill and that was when we realised we had been here before. We had walked to here from Barlaston previously! We walked up the Downs Banks valley with the many families and their small children dressed to splash in the stream and the hundreds of dogs too. This may be a little controversial, but are we at maximum dog levels now? I really hope so as there are just too many of them now, and many don't seem to be overly obedient. I wonder if this economically testing winter will mean that charities have many passed on to them. Maybe a time not to buy one for the massive prizes and wait to see if that happens as there may be just what you are looking for there.

What a great thing for John Joule the brewing man from Liverpool and Stone to give to the public to remember the heroes of WWII. I hope some of those passing this stone reflect on this a time or two.

We did the circuit of the Down Banks NT enclave and then back towards Stone and over the Common Plott. This 75 acres is all that is left of the land used by all the locals as common land and fields. This is all that is left of the 360 acres that was allocated to landowners in 1801. Since 1920 it has been administrated by a Charity and is grazed by cattle. Nice place to have on your doorstep.

Just down from the Common Plott is Stonefield Park. It is a very traditional park. This little pocket park was purchased by the Stone Council in 1920 from the Joule's Brewery. It was opened in 1928 as an adults only park with a bowling green and two tennis courts and formal beds. The layout is much the same with the bowling green and tennis courts still there along with an aviary. A rose garden has been removed and a children's playground added.

As we walked down the hill to the town I spotted this ghost sign writing as we crossed the railway. It is surprising how much of it can be seen around still. It wasn't too easy to read in the light of a dull day but seems to be a bakery on the left and the Co-op on the right.

We called in to the Royal Exchange as we were passing minutes after it opened the doors and I had a pint of Cherry Porter. One of my favourites is Titanic Plum Porter, bu the Cherry is up there too. We stopped in M&S for a couple of bits and then back to the boat for a bacon sandwich before heading off. We heading down to Star Lock and as nobody was on the water point we went and topped up before backing down back to the winding hole to turn and head off back to Aston, now that we have been stymied from heading north of Stoke, again!!

Only one lock today and it had to be filled. Helen did the honours. Although it wasn't very sunny there was little breeze so it wasn't too bad at all. We call this weather 'Hull Fair' weather in East Yorkshire, but really needs the smell of piles of leaves too to be really authentic. 

As we continued on we saw a kingfisher keep flying ahead of us. Helen grabbed the camera and we had fingers crossed that it would sit still long enough for a picture. I thought Helen had got distracted with this one, but no she swears that it is a kingfisher as indicated.

Helen assured me that she had a better picture of the dazzling blue and orange bird. I have indicated where it is just so you don't miss it!

Where did all the bridges go? Originally Bridge 90, now 85! I am used to seeing new bridges added since the canal was built and road transport increased so much since the canal was built so I was surprised to see that 5 have disappeared. Small farm accommodation bridges may have disappeared, but still.

There were no boats on our favourite spot in the area so we had the pick of spots. TV aerial up, fire lit and a glass of red. The perfect end to a pretty good day.

Stopped in Stone, again.

 There was no need for us to get up early today as we now need to reappraise out intentions for the next week or so. The sun gave up, but the trees stopped it shining on us until we left the mooring.

The sun was shining on the Trentham Tower in Sandon Park as we approached. This is the tower that was part of the Trentham Hall (near Barlaston) that was erected in 1840. It was demolished in 1910/12 but the tower was purchased for Sandon Park for £192 and was fully restored in 2016, as a folly.

Still taken with the lovely autumn light, and I liked the way it looked like the canal was disappearing into the distance.

As we passed the railway line next to the canal I was also taken by the red leaves and berries, however the reds never come out too well on my camera.

After Sandon Lock, where we had followed a boat up, as we had at Weston Lock too, is Brg. 84 and then a part of the canal I really enjoy. Nice open country side, with a few bridges and bends to stop you getting board, and a few moorings too. The reflections, whilst not perfect were worth a picture.

Another reflective picture, this time after Aston Lock and approaching Stone. At Aston Lock there was a very strong smell of weed, but not sure if from the marina, passers by or the boat ahead of us.

We were thinking of heading up a few locks to moor, but as we were coming up to Star Lock it started to spit a little so as there was a space we pulled into it and had lunch. We shouldn't have delayed for lunch as by the time we got into town and headed for Mountford's Ironmongers for a few bits I arrived just after they had closed. Never mind, we can wait. Helen was off looking through the charity shops etc so I had a look around for what I wanted else, but no luck.

Everybody knows the story of Joule's but the other brewery in Stone was Bent's, and I have never noticed this sign before. It seems that Joule's and Bent's are quite interwoven. Bent's New Brewery was built in 1888 and was built by Thomas Montgomery who had started out as a house painter in Liverpool and then owned a pub and decided to build a brewery. However in 1888 he was taken to court by Joules for 'sort of'' using the name and stating his beer was Joules, and his brewery was for Joules too. He lost.

Bent's had started in Newcastle under Lyme in 1761- 1772. The next generation moved the business to Liverpool. By 1902 the company had expanded massively and they purchased the Montgomery Brewery in Stone. It never quite reached the reputation of Joules beer but ended up with around 520 pubs before Bass Charrington took them over in 1967. Despite being one of the most modern breweries in the area Bass closed it down in 1968. Bass also closed down Joules in 1974 and brewing in Stone stopped.

The Falcon Hotel on this site may have started prior to 1800, but this building dates from about 1860/70. It was known as the home of the Gooseberry Show from 1860 to 1901. It seems to have become a nightclub in 1984 and is now a Thai Restaurant.

On the way we called in at the Swan by the canal bridge. They have just won the regional CAMRA pub of the year again and have several beers on, enough for me to have a nice porter and a dark mild too. We may go back after 'Strickly' too, if I'm a good boy. The Swan was built in 1771 as a warehouse for the Trent and Mersey Canal. It is a Grade II Listed building. It was converted to a pun in around 1850's.

We still have to decided what we are going to do now Heartbreak Hill is a no no.