What a carry on up the Caldon...

Fred and the boys needed to be setting off for home around midday, so he and Barry formulated a plan which meant we could still get to the end of the line at Leek.  Fred left mid-morning on Barry's fold-up bike and headed back to collect his car.  Meanwhile Barry, the boys and I continued eastwards in the boat.

 

Crisp fresh morning dew, but brilliantly sunny!

Rolling countryside with lush looking farms

I think the boys were getting a little fed-up being cooped up in such a confined space, so we had a game of 'frustration'; very aptly named because it frustrated the hell out of them when they couldn't get the dice to spin a six or their player got sent back when it was almost 'home'!  But it kept them amused for a short while ...

I thought I'd better get some blogging done as we were getting very behind, but while I was writing it world war three was erupting in the cabin!  I may've turned into the bitch from hell (sorry boys!) because I couldn't take it anymore and marched poor little Alex to the back of the boat and locked him out there with Barry, keeping Tom inside the cabin with me. Shame, they insisted they weren't really fighting and it was just what boys do, but the noise level was too high voltage for my poor ear drums!

The boys take a spell on top

Nice way to see the countryside

Keith, I finally found you a boat!

The left arm of the Caldon took us about an hour and a half to travel down; there's not much to see apart from trees, hills and birdlife.  Then suddenly you come to the end of the line with no warning, the canal just tapers into nothing, with an Industrial Estate on the side.  So it was a case of turning around and going back the way we'd been. We moored up and walked to the closest road ready to meet with Fred, and it wasn't long before he found us.  Bless him he'd bought us some presents - a cooked chook (aka chicken); toilet rolls; fresh bread; ground coffee; replacement coca cola (for Barry's rum!) and other bits and pieces.

We had lunch and then the boys left us in peace - it was a great weekend and we loved to have them on board, despite the shenanigans of brotherly love!

The Leek Tunnel, at 130yds long, just wide enough for a boat

  Sandra heading away from the Leek  winding hole after we dropped Fred and the boys off ...

...  and back through the tunnel

Still bright and sunny

Back over the aqueduct to the Froghall turnoff

More lovely English countryside around here

As we'd come this far, we decided we really ought to complete the other arm of the Caldon, towards Utoxeter.  So back we went to a sharp right hand turn and three locks.  At the top lock were a family of five who volunteered (or did I volunteer them maybe?!) to assist me with the locks.  Once through, I asked if they'd like a ride on the boat and they jumped at the chance.  They'd been walking towards the Holly Bush where we were drinking last night, so much to their delight we took them all the way there and dropped them off right outside.

Barry said to me afterwards, "I thought you'd had enough of children?", and I laughed and said that I loved kids really, I just couldn't eat a whole one!  Lol!

We had to wait for this old working boat to come through the lock at the turnoff, the old engine puffing and panting and beating a lovely tune!

  There were plenty of spectators through the locks considering how isolated this area is 

 We gave one family a ride to the Holly Bush Inn for helping us with the locks: Tore, Tony, Joe, Jill and Lucy (hope we've spelt them all correctly!)

The waterwheel and mill at Flint Mill near Cheddleton

More of Flint Mill

 

Going under part of the old mill buildings

   The steam engine of the Churnet Valley Railway line

The canal joins the river at the lock for just over a mile from Oakmeadow lock to Consall Forge ...

... the weir in the background, the river becomes a canal again round to the left

The lime kilns at Consall Forge

 

 A semi-derelict cottage which appeared to be getting a make-over by an elderly couple

We continued along the canal, which was now eerily silent both inside and outside of the boat, stopping at Consall Forge where we met up again with Don and had a meal and a couple of drinks at The Black Lion pub.  We also got chatting to Chris and Morgan who were moored up beside us - spookily enough Chris is a midwife so Barry and Morgan had to contend with a bit of shop talk!

The Black Lion

Don regales Sandra with a tale or two

  Jason, the manager, and the chef (sorry we didn't get your name!) - plenty of real ale here for Barry - a proper job!

 

Night-time at Consall Forge - spooky but very impressive!

Watch out, kids on board!

Fred, the boys and I had a short walk through the park this morning to the Spar shop and to check on the car while Barry got the boat ready for today's journey. Within the space of a hundred yards there were two traffic wardens, one writing out a ticket for a car parked on a single yellow line; Fred checked with the other one that this car would be OK until tomorrow, just in case.

Tom and Alex, having a bit of a lie-in!

The boarded up Pavilion in Hanley Park - such a waste of a beautiful building

Alex alone in the bandstand

Supplies bought, back on the boat ...

With the provisions loaded, we set off to see how far we could get towards Leek.

Cool metal sculpture on the bridge close to our mooring

Old pottery kilns on the outskirts of Stoke ...

... with tasteful canal-side apartments

The semi automatic lift bridge, still had to lower and raise the barriers by hand

Not sure how it got in the canal - a refrigerated trailer - and a boat for Poppy, Tom & Alex's dog

We stopped for lunch and watched a few boats pass and tackle the locks - one was 'Don' a gentleman we met up with a few of times over the coming days

Tom and Alex chill on the boat roof with the big boys

Talk about outnumbered, I think I was the 'boat wench' today, with Barry and Fred having a great time chatting and driving the boat while I entertained the boys, did the locks, lift bridges and made lunch, lol! It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the 'Pokemon cards' that Alex and Tom played on and off but couldn't quite manage to complete a game without trying to kill each other, or at least that's how it sounded! Crikey, boys are hard work, thank goodness I had two girls! I think I'm just a little out of practice though, it's been 20 years since I had a six year old to contend with.

Tom and Alex do their bit with the locks - look at that concentration!

Alex gets a lesson from Sandra - a very capable six year old!

The boys came and helped me with the locks and did really well bless them. No accidents or near misses, they were enthralled by the way the locks worked and wanted to prove how muscular they were opening the paddles and gates. They did spend some time at the tiller end with the bigger boys too and seemed to enjoy the experience.

A bit of a garden centre on the front of this boat - maybe Jack and the Beanstalk? And what's with all those tyres?!

The junction of the two arms

Early in the evening we took the left hand arm towards Leek, and drove over an aqueduct which crosses the right hand arm towards Utoxeter - Barry found a great pub just down the road called 'The Holly Bush' and we stopped for a drink and dinner there. It was a very busy place with a playground for the kids; a fabulous spot on a sunny autumnal evening.

Tom and Alex look out over the aqueduct

It's a very peaceful and picturesque stretch of canal, which is good for us adults wanting a quiet life, but not so fabulous for the boys who really wanted to find a town for a change as they live out in the country!

Tom and Alex bring the boat in - muscles of steel!

Fred's had a good day driving the boat - time for a beer though now maybe?

The Holly Bush - a fantastic canal-side pub in what appears to be the middle of nowhere and very well patronised

The canal-side cottages next to the pub - what a magnificent place to live, though it may get quite noisy at times!

The sun sets on another magical day ...

Back on the boat and the boys were desperate to watch a movie but of course couldn't agree which one, so we wrote the tittles of two down on separate pieces of paper and Barry picked one out - 'Star Wars; Revenge of the Sith' it was! We all tried to stay awake until the end, and mostly succeeded, though I think I may have dozed off once or twice.