Day 11 Wednesday 1 October

Froghall to Leek on the Caldon Canal

I don't think I've already mentioned that the Caldon Canal is Y shaped & has 3 ends; there's the beginning of the canal where the Caldon Canal meets the Trent & Mersey Canal & then about half way along the Caldon Canal splits with the mainline going down to Froghall where it used to meet the Uttoxeter Canal (now filled in) & the Leek branch which terminates close to the centre of Leek.

Yesterday we reached Froghall & as according to the gauge Eos was too big to fit through, so today we headed back up the canal to Hazelhurst junction before heading towards Leek.  As I didn't include pictures or much information on the end section of this canal I will do that today.

Looking into Froghall tunnel, Caldon Canal

Last night before it got too dark we walked from the entrance of the Froghall tunnel where we moored around to the far end & then onto the end of the canal where the Caldon Canal used to meet the Uttoxeter Canal

Lime Kilns at Froghall at the end of the Caldon Canal

The Caldon Canal was used to transport limestone, coal & minerals from the potteries in boats pulled by horses & the picture above shows the kilns where the limestone was turned into quicklime.

As our supplies were running low & we didn't have anything left for lunch this morning started with Blueberry pancakes with maple syrup for breakfast

Stuart's breakfast! Blueberry Pancakes with Maple Syrup!

After breakfast we set off back along this narrow canal which in places now only has room for one boat at a time.  This is because the course of the Caldon Canal had to be moved slightly to allow room for the railway in the narrow valley

Bridge 53 Caldon Canal - Cherry Eye Bridge

Bridge 52 of the Caldon Canal - "Change Over Bridge"

Bridge 52 was built by the Railway Company where the towpath changes from one side of the canal to the other after the canal course was diverted to allow the horse towing the boat to cross the canal without having to be unhitched.

Lock 17 has a gauge so you know if your boat will fit through the Froghall Tunnel & as you can see from the picture below, this was how we knew Eos was too wide

Gauge below Lock 17 Caldon Canal

Above lock 17 the canal merges with the River Churnet & initially makes its way through another diverted channel alongside the railway & the station at Consall which is now a preserved railway line run by volunteers
Find out more about the Churnet Valley Railway here

Consall Station

River Churnet Caldon Canal

As we had been chugging along we'd been watching out for John & Josie to come towards us as they went to Leek yesterday & we travelling to Froghall today.  With the Caldon Canal being so windy & narrow we'd been hooting at sharp corners & as we were just about to go under the aqueduct Stuart gave a hoot as it was another blind corner & we heard 2 hoot back so knew there was another boat approaching & it was John!  As the 2 boats passed John handed us a bottle of Sloe Gin & after a very brief conversation we all continued on our separate ways

Hoot, Hoot - Glad we didn't crash into to John & Josie!

John & Josie's Sloe Gin....made with Sloes they picked whilst on Eos!

After giggling about the exchange of a bottle from boat to boat we made our way back up the 3 locks at Hazelhurst to the junction where we made the sharp left turn towards Leek & then it started to rain so I wasn't able to take any pictures.  Tomorrow we are heading back from Leek aiming for the T&M canal again to head north, so I will get pictures of the canal from the junction to Leek then.

Funny Sights of the Day!

You know sometimes you look at someone & think "what on earth are they wearing?" - Below is a picture of a chap we saw who picture I just had to take!

Hmm....interesting look!

Today we have travelled for 6 hours up 8 locks