Day 10 Tuesday 30 September - Milton to Froghall 

Can't Fit a Square Boat in a Roundish Hole! 

This morning we were up & ready to leave at 9am as we didn't want John & Josie thinking we were lazy & didn't get going until mid-day!  The weather was brilliant sunshine again which really is amazing for the last day of September.

Within about 10 minutes we reached our first lock of the day "Engine Lock" which is lock 4 of the Caldon Canal & is 12'1" deep.  Rather unusually for us there was a queue with 2 boats in front of us waiting as it sounded like there had been 2 more boats in front of those.  I used that time to finish off yesterdays blog as I'd not had a chance to do it last night as we had our dinner guests, so Stuart did the lock.

Our next stop was for a manual lift bridge; these require you to wind them up & back down again once the boat has passed under using a windlass (like you would to operate a lock)

A Lift Bridge - Bridge 21 of the Caldon Canal

After a second lift bridge we reached Stockton Brook Locks; a flight of 5 locks which raise the canal just over 41'.  Just after the first of these locks there was a Victorian Pumping Station, This pumping station was built by the Staffordshire Pottery Water Company in 1884 & once contained a pair of horizontal compound tandem "Davey" differential steam engines.

Pumping Station above Lock 5 Caldon Canal

 On the next 2 locks there were some sculptures that have a selection of images for this area

Sculpture at Lock 6 Caldon Canal

Sculpture at Lock 7 Caldon Canal

Click here for more information on these sculptures

Shortly ahead there is a "keep left" sign in the middle of the canal; this is where a swing bridge for a light railway used to cross the canal for transportation of lime

Obstruction - Caldon Canal!

After another mile we reach Hazelhurst Junction where you keep left if you want to go right towards Froghall or you turn right if you want to go left towards Leek - it's a bit like the junction on the M40/M42!  Today we went left, down the 3 locks & under the Leek branch towards Froghall

Hazelhurst Junction, Caldon Canal

Hazelhurst Aqueduct Caldon Canal, built in 1841

The canal continued to wind its way through some beautiful countryside, in fact I think this canal goes through some of the prettiest, unspoilt countryside I have passed on Eos so far.  On the approach to the next 2 locks at Cheddleton we passed this picturesque flint mill which is powered by 2 watermills, it is here that the flint was ground for use by the potteries

From Cheddleton the canal drops through 1 more lock & onto the River Churnet before passing through another lock where the canal runs alongside a railway before reaching our final destination which should have been Froghall Wharf, but Eos is a modern narrowboat which is far more square than the traditional boats of yesteryear.  So this evening we are moored at the entrance of Froghall tunnel but we walked to the other end on foot.  Tomorrow I will include pictures of this final part of the journey as we will be heading back to Hazelhurst Junction & then on towards Leek

Funny Sights of the Day!

Yes today we have a new feature & I know a couple of young ladies who will giggle at these!

Pigeon upside down eating Elderberries!

So I know 2 of these signs are for loos & showers...is the other image somewhere you can wash your pants?

Porta Loo?

Today we travelled for 9 hours through 14 locks & 3 lift bridges