Hi-tailing to Heywood

 Another quiet night and I didn't wake up until around 07:00 when a boat went past. It looked like another dull and drizzly day and so it has turned out to be. We didn't rush getting underway and just as I let go a boat came through the bridge and a waited until he was clear. It gave me time to check out the painting of the other day and it isn't nearly as bad as it might have been. I'm not going to even try to day though.

There was no queue at Weston Lock like yesterday at Sandon Lock, just the boat that had passed us passed as we let go. He was a single-hander so we helped him on his way. As we penned down another boat arrived to head down our way. Once round the corner from the lock we came across this day boat. He was keeping right over to st'bd and went quite badly aground when we passed. He was soon off and the photo looks a lot worse than it was, in reality he wasn't close to the moored boat at all.

The winding hole near to Bridge 78 is the remains of the Shirleywich Salts Work arm. It was quite a concern and the brine layers were known to be not too deep down. These little lakes near the bridge, on the off side, or probably caused by subsidence following the salt extraction over the years.

Just thought I would add this showing the Salt Works Arm that was quite a sizable business, and I have just noticed that at the end of the arm it looks like a shed for covered loading. In the bottom right hand corner is one of the pools above, and looking on the map rest of this 1880's map there are small pools and ponds all over it.

The stretch between Pasturefields and Shirleywich always makes me think of being on a river for some reason

There is quite often an old (or maybe new!) van in this field. I think there is a company in Ireland that rents them out, with a horse for you to wander about the countryside in. I am not a fan of horses really, but that sounds like boating with out the water, or the diesel!! All those that have gone to camper vans/RV's/motor homes for holidays and think they are living off grid, this would be closer, and more fun. Not sure where you would be able to park up for the night, but would be fun in the middle of a round about or something.

This shepherds hut is another off grid in the same field. Not quite so easy to move in this one but would make a great AirBnB in the right location. This one is in the same field.

We passed down Hoo Mill lock once again and were soon at Great Haywood and passing this boat once again. I can't remember if I have posted this before, but every time we pass I think about it. Ben Cruachan is a mountain? in Argyle and Bute and has a hydro electric power in a cavern in the hollowed out rock, but I remember it as it was the name of a Ben Line vessel that came a cropper.

On route from Singapore to Europe the Ben Cruachan hit a freak wave and the bow came out looking like this! Those on board said the bow dipped down into the swell and when it eventually came up the weight of the water had caused this droop snoop/ Concorde look alike. This was in 1973. It was strengthened in South Africa and finally repaired in Europe. Over many years vessels have disappeared etc in a similar place on the east side of the Cape. Research has later found that where the Indian Ocean swells  reach the 100 fathom line something happens to magnify the size and occasionally to massive proportions to cause damage or loss like this. It is recommended not to travel along the 100 fathom sounding in this area. I don't think I would name my boat this, or maybe as it survived it IS a good name for a boat.

Just past the Ben boat are the poly tunnels of the canal side farm. When we passed the other day heading north the smell of strawberries was very strong, like being in a jam factory. Today it wasn't so warm and there is a fair old wind so we didn't get the aroma at all.

As we sidled past the line of moorings I suddenly thought that we had hardly seen a mallard drake at all this trip! Has anybody else noticed a similar thing in other parts of the country. I don't remember in other years noticing this, like every year when the ducklings have hatched etc they all disappear for a lads party somewhere, after all they are not know to be good parents. Is it something to do with bird flu? Or is it just they are hiding from me.

There were two boats on the water point at Great Haywood junction but Helen jumped off with the rubbish whilst I hoovered in the bridge hole before continuing on our way to the lock. There was hardly a boat here, above or below the lock, when we came this way the other day, but it is quite packed now.

Web moored up quite far out from the junction and after a bowl of soup we headed up to the shop for some milk. I often wonder why they identical rows of cottages were allowed to have one side painted and the other not as it does ruin the symmetry. It seems they are quite exercised about people parking down here at the moment and there signs and a public meeting planned.

Helen had said she would treat me to a coffee and cake at the National Trust cafe at Shugborough, but they wouldn't let us in without paying the full £14 each, so off we went to the Canalside Cafe and farm shop. The junction looks quite an idyllic spot in this photo, not quite the reality. We had a nice coffee and a good slice of Victoria sponge. The prices in the farm shop were quite remarkable though.

Slow Going.

 It rained in the night, but I had to be told that by Helen as I slept through until after 06:00 when there was a bit more rain, but only slight precipitation. We had a bit of a lay in as the rain was supposed to cease and I wanted to get a coat of paint on the work I sanded on the hull. After breakfast I listened to the Archers and whilst it was on the rain stopped so I dashed out dried off the bit of hull and got the paint out. Bad mistake, as of course, just as I was about half way it started spitting quite a bit and I had to back up. It seemed to stop again and out I went again. However it started more heavily and the window got up too and now the undercoat is pock marked with water marks and worse still it has bits of hay stuck to it. Hey Ho, it will keep me a busy a little longer than I had expected.

Lots of boats had passed when we finally left, most going our way, but two or three heading towards Stone.

This weather seems to have put the harvest on hold for now, but the straw and hay makes me think of a box of Lego or Duplo. The wrapped bales are obviously to make silage, where it is allowed to 'rot' down. I thought they may have added something like molasses but I could well be wrong there. It has to be tightly baled after it has been allowed to lay for a little as it should be about 60% moisture, and then covered to exclude oxygen as this means better fermentation and less spoiling. The other uncovered bales must be for bedding and have come from a wheat crop rather than grass. I have seen rectangular bales covered in plastic too. I get that with mechanical handling large bales are more economical, but surely making them angular, rather than like these round, would take up less space, but maybe when for silage corners may result in more damage to the bales during handling?

We arrived at Sandon lock and there was a queue of boats waiting to go down. There was one coming up too. I always find these queues interesting as folk are used to doing their own thing and when the lock wheelers are off to attend to the lock, and when the landing isn't long enough to accommodate all the boats people are out of their comfort zones, especially when the space is limited further by moored boats a bit further up the cut. Some shuffle up as soon as there is a space but others just sit and wait their turn where they are. n the past I have misunderstood the reason for a large gap and have passed and moored ahead of a waiting boat. They became most indignant that I was queue jumping. My patience is sorely tested at times like this. Today the bloke on the boat behind kept pulling his boat along and banging in to my stern, which I didn't think was cricket. The bloke ahead decided using his ropes wasn't for him and jumped aboard his boat and set off ahead. But he didn't as he was slightly aground at the stern. So instead of jumping off he just applied more power, and off my bow went!

These Muscovy ducks took everything in their stride and were very loath to give up their spot. I thought I would make room for the boat behind on the lock landing with the bollards by putting my bow in the neck of the lock, and quicker to enter too. Of course a boat turned up at the bottom of the lock to come up. I had enough room to let him out though

I'm not sure if the Himalayan Balsm's flowers change colour over their life, or plants next to each other can have a variation in colour from pure white, to pink to purple. Doesn't show it too well above.

These pictures of Salt's Bridge, No.82. Much more fancy than the usual bridge due to the proximity of Sandon Hall. The top picture is the view of it heading towards Stone and looks very fancy with it's almost Norman like archways of brick. The lower picture is the same bridge heading south! The bridge hasn't been widened, or at least it doesn't look as though it has, so why have both side been bult so very different, but with similarities?

We only had one train pass on the line when were were right beside it, but I love the trees of the woods of Sandon Hall. They must be forming a sort of arboretum as there is a great selection of texture and colour, obviously at its best in autumn. There is the very top of the William Pitt monument too. (Must be the worst photo ever on this blog).

Canada geese are often seen with other species mingled, pink footed geese quite often, but this one was a white goose but had colour on it wings. It was certainly the leader as the others just followed what ever it did. Can these geese interbreed?

One of the boats a few ahead of us at the lock was moored at Weston but there was room for us and we pulled in. I don't think that was what caused them to instantly leave, I think that they had just stopped for lunch. We pulled up to another boat astern as this is a popular mooring, but by the time we had finished and were heading into the boat another boat had decided to stop too, and moored up right in the middle of a two berth spot. Several boats have dithered wondering about getting in, or asking his to move up, but he is still there!

We decided on a little walk into Weston, partly to check if there was a shop in the village despite not one on line etc. As soon as we got off the tow path it started to rain so we had a dash a round the green and back. The cottages by the gate from the moorings are wonderfully colourful at the moment, and have homemade bird boxes for sale too.

Looks to be dry but overcast tomorrow, but it is quite pleasant standing on the back deck, so no moans from me. I'm just heading out to set the television up to get a Sunday fix.

Retracing steps.

 We had a surprise opportunity to go out on the town last night and made the most of it. We walked up to the Royal Exchange and had a pint of Titanic Plum Porter and that set the tone for the night.

We walked past the none canal side of the Joule's beer store with the finial with a red cross within,  a brick red cross and wonderful cast iron sign.

The Royal Exchange is a nice pub with Titanic beers. I don't think I have had a bad one yet. They are all very tasty. I had the pom porter which is a long time favorite, but we didn't linger to test all the others on hand pull, but decided to walk into town.

We had noticed a little pub had opened  in the little market place but it had never been open before. As it was Friday evening it was bound to be open, and so it proved. It is a lovely little place with the right level of music and the right music too. The music wasn't the sort you would have 20 somethings flocking to and the clientele was noticeable older. The layout is strange as the level you enter is the high point as you have to go quite steeply down to the small bar, and in the other direction is a comfy snug full of settees and comfy chairs. They serve Lymestone  beers which is a local brewery in Stone. I continued the fruit theme of the evening and had a Cherry Stone ale, and yes it tasted of cherries, but a little too much like medicine for me. We had one and then moved on to another new place just on the corner of the Market Place. It is called 'Bod', but I don't know why! It is obviously paired with the Royal Exchange as they were advertising it. They serve Titanic beers and is a cafe during the day. The decor is younger and modern but was great. I had a pint of Titanic's Raspberry Pale.you could taste the fruit but again  I would rather have had a pint of Steerage.

I must congratulate the local Councillors in Stone as a year or two ago the shops were all closing and it was a pretty dreary walk up the main street. Now there are new independent cafes, bar and shops and there were plenty of people out and about, and not just the young either.

A few boats came down, and even a couple heading up the locks so we decided to head off back down before the pounds run dry!  Before we left however, with the sun shining down and the towpath with busy with dog walkers and others I happened to notice a tandem heading towards us. I must be getting very old as at the distance it was I just noted that it was quite unusual to see a tandem at the best of times. It wasn't until they were nearly level with me that I clocked that they were stark naked. A Mr. at the front and a Mrs. at the back. They were young and I just had time to wish them a good morning, but received no reply. It wasn't my eyesight as it was the talk of the tow path! Made my day. It is not illegal to be naked in public so long as it was done intentionally to cause harassment, alarm or distress (Sexual Offences Act 2003), there is even an annual World Naked Bike Ride Day! There outside the Joules wharf was a boat we last saw at Woodend Lock when the man was very sick. It turns out that he had had an heart attack as we suspected but was being stubborn. After that they went on their way, had COVID really badly, fell and broke a shoulder and had another heart attack, but was still upright. We had a natter at Star Lock.

As I was waiting for Newcastle Road Lock, there was a boat coming up, I had a good look at this wall. The bricks are large so obviously quite old. There were openings in it, partially or totally filled in and a curved indent in the wall. When we stopped I had a look on the maps etc and it seems that the wall is at the rear of Stonefield House.

Stonefield House was built just after the canal was completed in 1780 and also had a large warehouse to the rear as well as a wharf. This map is from 1899. It is interesting that it is connected to the house by a range of buildings. It seems that they may have been two lime kilns among the buildings and obvious the coal and limestone would come via the canal.It seems that you can see the curved indent in the towpath wall too, but I can find no reason it is curved. The 1920's map shows that the warehouse has been demolished, so maybe around the time of WWI.

We moored up at one of our favourite spots between Burston and Sandon and after a bite to eat I set too in the engine hole. I am a bit over due with the oil change in engine and gear box so that job was accomplished without too much mess. I haven't perfected the art of removing the filter without its contents spilling out on the deck. I have tried having it in a plastic bag and having a puppy pad under it, but I still seem to miss or something. When I had done that I got my latest toy out, a random orbital sander, as my fingers don't seem to enjoy rubbing down the rusty bits on the hull. It is cordless so I gave it a test run, and it seemed to do the job and I can still bend my figures!

Every Cloud!

 I have often wondered how the small basin at the foot of Hoo Mill lock originated, and also why there is a little dry dock on the towpath side, now seemingly abandoned. I had had a tentative look to see what I could find and not much came forward. By chance I looked at another map, the OS 6" map of 1880 and found this;

It seems that there was a fling mill down by the River Trent and they had installed a tramway to move the raw materiel and finished product by the canal, the wharf furnished with a crane too. It seems that the mill was part of the Walklate family business of Lane End, Longton, Stoke on Trent. A John Walkgate was manager at the mill in 1841. He had been at nearby Ingestre in 1789. (So maybe another branch of the family). He died in 1857 but his son George must have taken over as he was listed as the occupier of the mill in 1851. He was married to an Ann Newton on Boxing Day 1835 and they proceeded to have 11 children. George died at the mill in 1857. and it seems it was closed at the end of the 1800's. There is nothing left of it now except the dead straight road that was the tramway.

I think is what the wharf with the crane looks like today, with the disused dry dock.

After we had been tied up for a while yesterday a lady knocked and asked if we had seen any sheep on the tow path. As it happened we hadn't bu there had been some of the scatological evidence at Hoo Mill Lock. A little later about 20 sheep passed going towards the lock with the lady and a dog keeping them moving.

This morning it had started light rain at about 5 in the morning and was continuing when we got up. We decided to sit it our for a while as it was forecast to not cease until lunch time. However it had stopped by 1100 and was warming up showing the front had gone through too so off we set.

After Weston upon Trent you can see Weston Hall that was built in 1550 and in the early 1800's the estate was very advanced in agricultural matters as they were always winning medals for farming, such as ploughing, growing the best cabbages to feed life stock, etc etc. It is still quite imposing and is now a 38 bed hotel.

The Sandon Hall Bridge is not quite so pretty from the northern side.

The building just after Aston Lock and the bridge suddenly struck me as looking like a stable or warehouse. Just the other side of the bridge, by the canal was a fling mill. On may until the 1930, where the bit of the building juts out to the left had the canal right up to it, as in a little wharf, so it looks like a warehouse. Now a house.

Not a very good photo of meadow cranesbill, a sort of geranium. It is native and has been used for Cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, nosebleeds ulcers and piles!

I think that this is purple loosestrife and brings a lot of colour to the banks. It is a favourite of Brimstone butterflies, red tailed bumble bees and elephant hawk moths. It has also been used a a medicinal plant for much the same as the cranesbill above.

One the approach to Stone Star Lock, M&S and the winding hole is this old building that was the old sewage works and later had the refuse destructor/incinerator too. It must have been built about 1890/95. It is now the Scout and Guide HQ. I wonder if they know?

The Star by the lock is a very old pub and was serving the public around 200 years before the canal was built ie in the 1500's. It must have been a coaching inn  in its time as it had stabling for around 15 horses. The old pub sign was of a Spitfire. I forgot to check today, but it was to celebrate the pub's raising of sufficient funds to buy a plane in WWII and have it named 'Star of Stone'.

The new Joules pub with the rusty steel clad little theatre. I wond er if it is open yet. (The theatre that is!). I love the detail in the building of the pub, the finials and the red crosses in the gables.

This is the original Joules Brewery beer store. You can see the inspiration for the new building can't you.

We stopped for water and to dump our salvaged dingy before the next lock and we still beat the boat behind to the lock.

I never noticed this at the bottom of a garden past Fullers boat yard. The landing is made from an old lock gate.

As we went up the last Stone Lock a text came through from C&RT with an update to the water shortage on Heartbreak Hill the other side of Harecastle Tunnel. They had found extreme low levels of water along the whole length. I'm not sure if it is just very busy traffic or something dramatic, but the said it may take a day to fill, if they had enough water! Today they updated the notice as they have decided that it will take all the weekend at least!

Before getting to the Meaford Locks we made the decision to wind and head back. We were going to 'do' the Four Counties Ring, but we would have had to have a bit of a dash to get to Brum for when we want/need to so we turned and can take our time heading back. And I can stop for a pint in Stone now too. I think a pint of Titanic Plum Porter at the Royal Exchange, to start. I may even treat Helen to something to eat too. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Plant Based Blog.

With the recent heat episode in the UK it has concentrated minds on the problem of global warning I have decided to do my bit and reduce my carbon output with a plant based blog. The real reason is that we have been up and down this stretch of canal it was difficult to find something new to write about. That and the fact that there are some lovely flowers about at the moment.

There is plenty of Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens Glandulifera) along the Trent and Mersey these days. It was introduced into the UK by those intrepid Victorian plant hunters and has spread more rapidly over the last 50 years. I suppose that seeds are carried along on the water, but the seeds are fired out to a distance of up to 7m when the pods dry out, so they could do a good job of spreading without the flow of water. Gorse does the same, to a lesser degree. It is an invasive species and can cause havoc and we should all play our part in trying to eradicate it as it causes damage to banks that can lead to erosion and it is so big that it shades out many of our native species. The best way to deal with it is to cut or pull it up before it seeds, and then leave it for a few days on the ground. After this it can be composted.

Not a very good photo but I hope this is Great willowherb that is a native of the UK and is common. The pink flower with the white centre has given rise to names such as Codlins and cream (A codlin is a type of apple), apple pie or cherry pie. It is a very useful plant too as it can be used as a hypnotic, astringent, antispasmodic, emollient, laxative and has been used for prostate problems. Every boat should have some it seems!

The Giant Rhubarb ( Gunnera tinctoriais just about full gown now. It is another invasive species as it originates from Southern Chile and Argentina and is known as Nalcas.. It was introduced to Ireland in 1939 ans has spread from there. In Ireland measure have to be taken to curb its spread but doesn't seem to grow too widely here. The leaves can grow to over 2m across. The young leaf stalks can be cut and peeled and cooked or eaten raw for an 'acidic and refreshing' taste. It can be used as an astringent and the roots cane provide a black dye.

Rosebay Willowherb is abundant along the canal and is a native. It is also known as fireweed. The colour is striking, but yet again this is another plant that can be used by uis. In Russia they have made tea from the fermented leaves. The shoots can be cooked like asparagus and the leaves and stems can be wilted like spinach. If it gets in your garden it can be a bit of a thug as the seeds blow everywhere like cotton wool and the roots creep easily and spread rapidly.

Common ragwort can be seen widely in the country side. It is the food plant for those beautiful red and black cinnabar moths and is seen as the most visited plants by insects with at least 200 been found on the plant. It is known as poisonous to both livestock and humans, however it is a horrible taste so is avoided by both. Even today we saw a paddock with several horses in it that large amounts of ragwort within it. I though it was a legal requirement to remove it from pasture, but no apparently the animals hate the taste so much they avoid it.The problem for livestock is when a field is mown for hay and ragwort is in the mix, then they can not differentiate easily, Tansy ragwort can be used to treat cancer, colic and wounds. It can be used to cause sweating and as a laxative. Some apply it directly to the skin as a relief of muscle pain.

Buddleia Davidii is the most common butterfly bush we see, The buddleia bit is after Rev Adam Buddle and English Botanist and a naturalist. The Davidii is after Pere Armand David a French Basque missionary and naturalist. The first buddleia found its way to the UK from China in 1774. It is usually purple but there are white variants (see top photo). It is a mass of butterfly when in flower, hence the nickname. The beautiful smell of honey can be heady on a warm still day.

Meadowsweet is a member of the rose family and has been long valued simply for the sickly sweet smell that was used on the floor of homes along with the straw of times gone by. It can also be used in recipes instead of elderflower. It has long been used to aid joint pain and for heartburn. It is abundant along the Trent and Mersey.

I think this is either a hawkbit or a hawksbeard. The hawk comes into it as in the dim and dark past it was thought that hawks fed on this to make their eyesite so good. I should have got a picture of the leaves to get a better idea. Hawkbit can be used like other dandelion species to treat kidney problems and to treat jaundice and dropsy, which is fluid retention commonly in the arms and legs.

I think I may have put this up before. This really looks like a boundary or mile stone. There is no boundary running here in front of the Hoo Mill Lock House but it is a mile from the up and down mileposts. It is unreadable now. How many stone mile posts on the Trent and Mersey are there as it seems that the cast iron posts were installed soon after the canal was dug.

Also just by Hoo Mill was this weather vane depict a narrowboat stuck on a sill. Quite an unusual subject really, and maybe a visual warning to all who pass to pay attention and not to take photos of weeds and rocks!

We had stopped for shopping and lunch at Rugeley and once back underway a passing boat warned us of a floating hazard as we approached the Trent Aqueduct. We stopped and picked it up and then stood in it to fully deflate it, after adding a few rents in the fabric. We will dispose at the next services.

The day has been overcast the whole time, well except for about 30 ins after we stopped. It had been drizzly all morning and enough to make me quite wet for a while. Have we had summer now?