Harecastle Tunnel

We set off again about 9am  on Wednesday and headed towards Stoke-on-Trent . On the way we went through Barlaston where Greg liked the look of these 'Boat yard' gates.

I decided to walk Scully along the towpath for a while hoping to tire her out- not a chance. We saw the Wedgewood factory in the distance.

The local scout group decorated this bridge with hands and called it 'The helping hands bridge'.

Stoke City football ground....When there's a match on everyone walks down the canal and over the bridge to the grounds. Greg was a bit disappointed that the beer boat wasn't around .

Not long after the football ground we came across an old factory site which had just been demolished. Of course Greg had to go and investigate and came back with lots of Doulton 'Treasures'.

Even the little trickle of the River Trent which flows from here was quite high this time.

I think this chimney needs a bit of cement between the bricks....one gust of wind and it could fall down!

Going under all the bridges..

This is a very deep and slow filling lock...a little boy last year told me there was a whale at the bottom because of the noise it made.

The next lock goes right underneath the railway line...when your opening the lock gates the train passes right next to you.

Etruria bone and flint mill.

The last lock at Etruria is really deep so I always let Greg take the boat in while I wind the paddles up what seems like 100 times !!!

 

Awwww what a cute little rabbit...

Some of the old pottery factories..

Squatters have moved into this old factory and its now filled with rubbish.

We moored up at Westport lake for the night just before the heavens opened.

Today the sun was out and the sky was blue ..it looked lovely but boy was it cold. We made our way towards Harecastle Tunnel.

 

We had about a 50 minute wait to go through as it is only wide enough to get boats going through in one direction at a time. We filled up with water and chatted to the tunnel keeper. 

Once you go inside the door shuts behind you and the huge fan comes on. It takes about 45 minutes to get through and is 1.66 miles long. It was freezing and very wet  inside today ...we couldn't wait to get out the other side into the sunshine.

Past the end of the Macclesfield canal and the start of many locks (25 in total today).

A lovely summer house.

                           

We saw the first ducklings this year near the Broughton Arms at Rode Heath but they moved so quick I didn't get a picture.

Three donkeys ...just for you Maria , the last one made me laugh-he didn't even stop eating while he was trying to scratch his belly.

This is where the baby owls were sitting last year when I saw them....not many bales left though now.  Instead there was a grey pony in the field who rolled around in the mud under the trees and then went and stood in a big deep puddle up to his knees and kicked the water all over himself. He was filthy and will probably need hosing down to get clean again!!

We went through Wheelock and then moored up for the night as the sun had gone down and it was starting to get chilly.

Happy days.

 

 

Baa Baa Black Sheep.....

We decided to stay where we were on Easter Monday as the weather forecast wasn't good. When we woke up there was snow on the ground but before I could get too excited the rain came....and came....and didn't stop!!

 

This gorgeous little lamb spent most of the day looking in the boat bleating. I did think about picking him up to join us on our travels but thought Scully might not be to happy with that idea.

 The next morning seemed a lot clearer so we decided to set of at 9 and see where we could get to.
                                     
The River Trent was up to the top of its banks..the ducks and Canada geese are having a great time.

This is the dog who was always outside, no matter what the weather-snow rain or sunshine.....She has now decided that at the first spot of rain( and I mean the first one!!) she is going down in the boat on her bed and doesn't come out again until it stops. What a wuss!!

Those rain clouds are gathering again as we go past Shugborourgh Hall...

There was a floating market on over the Easter weekend at Great Haywood but the weather was so bad that they cancelled it on bank holiday Monday because of all the rain and mud.

It took us about an hour to get through Great Haywood lock...I got talking to a guy who was teaching a young woman everything she needed to know about being on a narrow boat. She was only about 25 and had bought the boat to live on and travel around on and was having some lessons. He was telling me that he had a collie/greyhound/whippet cross who was 3 years old that was the great, great, great granddaughter of Alfred who was Greengrasses dog in heartbeat.

This treehouse looked brilliant near Weston . It even had a rope ladder coming down from it.

 

After stopping at Stone for a quick shop we carried on through the locks at Measham before mooring up for the night where the old power station used to be. The land has all been cleared now as they are starting to build industrial units on it.

Happy days.