Stoke on Trent and Caldon canal.

We went up in June. Fabulous canal. Very quiet and plenty of moorings when we went through

Don't stop overnight until you get out of Stoke, some say lock 4 (Engine Lock) but I stopped both ways on the VM at Milton and didn't have a problem. It's only a couple of hours from Etruria. The Caldon doesn't really get going until after lock 4 though. After that there are canalside pubs at fairly regular intervals. The Boat at Cheddleton is good but probably the quirkiest pub on the Caldon is the Black Lion at Consall Forge. There's a flint mill at Cheddleton which I didn't visit, and the Churnet Valley Railway runs alongside the Caldon for much of its length.

Make sure you have plenty of provisions before you go as chances for shopping are limited, although there is a Morrisons about 20 minutes walk from Leek terminus. There is also only one Elsan point (at Park Lane) unless you can get through the tunnel at Froghall, which many boats can't. I didn't bother, I fouled the loading gauge at Flint Mill although I probably could have made it if I had re-trimmed the boat.



A lovely canal, I'll definitely be going back.

Is that two short blasts at the junction? But if turning right it should be one short blast! Toot toot.

If you turn on to the Caldon, you can normally moor by the Brindley statue just before the staircase lock,there's Elsan, water, rubbish disposal here too. I've moored on the main line at Etruria a few times and never had any issues. It probably is a good idea to go early before the scrotes get up although a lot of the first section has been re-developed and I don't think it's as bad as it once was. You'll need a BW key for a couple of the lift bridges.

Years (probably 20) ago we hired from Alvechurch Anderton and did the Caldon. The engine alarm sounded in the first lock after the staircase (Engine lock?) and it transpired the alternator had fallen slack, losing drive to the water pump in the process. We had just passed under a bridge where a small child had held a brick over our heads, and around the lockside was a liberal scattering of syringes and other drug paraphernalia. Jeff said “we can’t stop here” so I managed to cobble together a mounting for the alternator (it was just the adjustment arm that had sheared) using rope and we staggered on.

On revisiting the same spot last year, it all seemed much more pleasant and not at all intimidating. So I think the stories of dodgy goings on are mostly historical.

Barlaston's fine, there's a fairly well stocked convenience store there too right next to the canal. Anywhere on the left after the Plume of Feathers is good enough. Then it will be a moderate length day to Etruria, if you set off from there about 9 a.m. you'll be on the pretty bit of the Caldon by mid-day.

It's compulsory to get this photo at Consall Forge.