July 18th; Harding’s Wood to Barlaston
I awoke to birdsong at 4.30, put the porthole bungs in and went
back to sleep. We woke at 7.30 to
brilliant sunshine. It all started well,
we weren’t planning to be at the tunnel portal at 8, reasoning if the
northbound boats came through first we’d have to wait anyway, and so it proved. We went up the last lock of Heartbreak Hill
behind Geordie Spirit and a hire boat was coming up after us.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd78IZbxOXYyTOnN-J_6vwTwYGhic1DfHucA7dZG0CYJjCMGXSTrKzC8ni2XoCa24Sk7HZkeSKV1Yh4fDY1W4vZQkwfBdRMWVaF-Ozm4m9RwVpwaXIHU2N91Wz9AriOZgRp2Vagyouaed5LcGyNsD5boXWydysCH-ooLqNqmlAX7D2dSaiXqVS_HveTT4/w640-h480/1%20%20plants%20lock.JPG) |
Plant’s lock is currently a single – there is a stoppage
notice on the pair. |
The single boat coming north was emerging as we did the safety
briefing with the CRT chap, then we donned our lifejackets, shut the dog inside with
a tasty bone to keep her occupied, all the lights on, and in we went, all before 9 o’clock.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCL3hGdyDI284BRoT3j_7iOH8a6oyVvdUvimjN6J9nNMWbD6QNjCFR3dHHSs_DR_TOCLo_yXTz1Rbp4Qu7fOvAoSfPf2h4Ce7e1BnHf-teyPHp4CHZR0-fTddnWPkXxl2TzA7Bwob1IFIY_4WMVUE6dtsVy7wam-Lom-4YtGspOZ_X9C0d_SdVlrYAeE0/w640-h480/2%20looking%20back%20at%20the%20N%20portal%20from%20inside%20the%20tunnel.JPG) |
Looking back at the north portal |
I looked out for the skeleton climbing out of its alcove –
we have been through the Harecastle several times but never seen it. This time I did at least see some alcoves,
but none was occupied. There are several
changes of roof height, clearly marked with white paint, but once your tunnel
light has passed beneath it you have to keep a sharp lookout. We have a low illumination from a light at the
stern, which helps a lot.
The noise of the fans at the south end was much louder and we
heard it much sooner than we remembered.
At long last we saw the south portal door open and the first boat was on
its way out.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3fcrH3mqaBlLRbbqKxyoimtrnnFkg1K9LHvS0WrRMND1JPnvQEfLBDQiWCHds-2XTAWhZslSD27yAn6-5r8zB4wfg7__-z_3GI-1cSpCmBlLp6bHQ2HLXIlfZM_jdbJcW3yIQcoJGIQsbI04uLx6je-iCtTKpTu5QqLxyOMKo3aJdACN-fNtQ93OE9M/w640-h480/7%20the%20boat%20in%20front%20escapes.JPG) |
Geordie Spirit escapes |
If you’ve never gone through the Harecastle you probably don’t
know that when you come in from the south the door shuts behind you and strong
fans switch on to draw air through the tunnel so boaters don’t asphyxiate in
their own fumes. It’s quite alarming the
first time you experience it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbX35qqmqEjanmf6oy-9cWxTxw2GzMaiA_H88hVub25JnUiEGWauo8RSWgFmlKNUPZ4sg5XIw7C6rtYb3h8_Z8SCnF_GO6bsyCfKgmUTh-03aAbAVSpMVk0oly2XlKiCS2aa2Ybev6jOtw2b5XybVzw0vQ8DCNh-SAq9q40RMrcVrwsKd9pOd-8OHXiE/w640-h480/8and%20so%20do%20we.JPG) |
Our turn at last |
We realised that the hire boat that was having its safety briefing as we entered
the tunnel was dropping back – the headlamp on a boat following you is bright
if it is not very far behind you, but although the hireboat’s headlamp was
bright to start with, we could see it growing dimmer the nearer to the exit we
got. By the time we were out it was so
far behind us that the tunnel keeper had to close the doors and start the fans again. We heard this from Geordie Spirit, who
had stopped to water up. The poor steerer
was on his own too – his crew had preferred to walk over the top! We didn’t speak to them, but it must have
been quite stressful for the poor man.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV35AS78bjvRKMLcA2pLOauKKF2NA_3TlBPzsiP7obiuyMVJfoZ9Xput7LXe-HQfxWW-Kxnq-h6QR_SD6cW8qDkhzmL_uy7Be5-X1zZLfs07ObJ2EW5hEdk_hBln9y4oaUoKkXfvXVeQ-CAQdXE7DEb-FyAH07gM9b6_G42UrpMNcrteBixACynm8pVh0/w640-h480/9%20orange%20water%20and%20CRT.JPG) |
The water is still orange here but it soon goes back to normal
|
It took us 40 minutes to get through, but it must have taken
him a lot longer. We didn’t stop at Westport
lake, as we hadn’t really been going for very long, and instead went on past Middleport
pottery, ReadyMick’s cement lorries and a good mural.
We turned onto the Caldon to take on water at the service
block where it meets the Trent and Mersey.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiXVTizMc3kn0UpJID6nZTH44c1LQ40gunouAXWixDPdKPa-ddoN8M4hZ-WaemPXRyRkGtQlsUmwAmihsgh-zQj00tCdoaKOHrbvdM8WHZtLkdnEODNRZAk9M0lEtotXEKXf7dRfecpsVwImXV5xomVZ7eal0Z0uK4UITgUV1ek-7IDMYfOfH0Syerlo/w640-h480/14%20jb%20at%20caldon%20services.JPG) |
James Brindley forever stares at the junction with the
T&M |
While Dave looked after the water I took the rubbish round
to the bins, which are in a large compound.
Someone has nailed up several pallets against the wooden fencing and
turned them into planters.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtpRMv-3PtdBIOjeYd_X2ZwJktISuFrvkwL5WXRfgltVxDLJpp9yWwAARO1uqtHjnF1ILT43ccKKuX1cvfL0skwC8eNWqAyvFY5faUfVzI_8RL-g3Asqm8iyUnU3Le07sh4QPHDCqWcWf9mAmiu8OkE60LPCRARdMTKzBSnl3OdMVfOtHyNf1iBM5BHU/w640-h480/13%20pallett%20use%20at%20stoke%20top%20lock%20services.JPG)
Someone local clearly looks after them – how clever to brighten
up the bins, especially if some tired boater has just slogged up the Stoke
locks on a wet day! There was a bit of a
delay as we emerged from the Caldon to make the sharp turn towards the top of
Stoke locks. There isn’t a lot of room here
as the lock is very close to the junction.
A single-hander was waiting on the lock landing, but the boat coming up
the lock wanted to turn onto the Caldon, the entrance to which we were
blocking. The single hander bow-hauled
his boat as close to the lock as he could – because he was in our way – then Dave
executed a gentle but perfect turn before reversing away from the lock, so that
the boat coming up had space to make the tight turn onto the Caldon. Dave had almost decided to reverse away from
the water point instead of using the winding hole – he thought it probably would
have been easier if he had. Anyway, at
last we were on our way again. The Stoke
locks are all deep, and it was slow going as two of the locks had a paddle out,
but eventually we were down.
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Bottle Kilns along the lock flight
|
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Stoke Bottom Lock
|
Many years ago there used to be a young man who liked to
help out at the lock. He used to exhibit
his paintings along the cottage fence. Unfortunately
he was an alcoholic and the last time we saw him he was ill, and being helped
by a CRT chap – I think in those days there was an office or depot here. We heard later that he had died. Very sad.
There is a long row of moorings under the busy road bridge
below the bottom lock. Should we stop
for a break? With the A500 running alongside,
and the tunnel smelling of piss, we thought not. So I went below to make sandwiches and we ate
on the move. I was out in time to see
the works of Jones and Shufflebottom (Jones & Shuffs), a landmark along here, and then
we were on the lookout for the shooting range.
First came a line of moored craft.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqX3KtUNelnn8KHIoNjSe6RWqUqm3xyNfxkpNmNZpmjRMowuIYpIQTE5pDcfRuvXrdBqkAWHuNcPb4-sOArSAA0Q3YDe5laOcU0VhJL7O9ThfbL0xIsRrB7x6o3cYutAosnNbkX-S1lt07N2ClsxQNckR9oKZMPzmgtYVCh6PBDav5R3KoZ5KuPUfQ_mg/w640-h480/20%20grassy%20boat%20at%20shootingrane.JPG) |
A very green boat |
And then came the shooting range with its interesting mix of
activities. It doesn’t say it’s a
shooting range, but we could hear an airgun in use and see the pockmarked target
wall above the fence.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvky6cYfjHCc6hPW4DHWzpDbM4iYYfuSAUrb8t-yHXxWbunfFNkRU2x4xhKBzFUzlZtbFD2yz5E0BkJNcfMY3YGR9I-mJYWQZC-S3t-iI_T3WMoI9pxyq4A_dGW-cNhjT1NuHFUchpr3GI5kGBPQMtNKaczWR9_H8BGswxVHzgIU6uOvMvCwWIc27clvc/w640-h206/21%20unusual%20mix%20of%20activites.JPG) |
Eclectic variety of activities
|
It was a long, long drag in the heat to get out of
Stoke. It was very, very hot and the afternoon seemed to go on for ever with no mooring opportunities. We could have stopped at Hem Heath bridge in Trentham,
but decided to push on and get out of the built-up area completely. CRT were holding a Let’s Fish! event at
bridge 105 – the CRT fishermen were still tackling up, so we guessed they were
after the kids coming out of school.
We finally moored about 400 yards before the Plume of Feathers
at Barlaston, surrounded by fields with cows opposite for neighbours. After a hot and tiring day, Dave still had
the energy to wash down the starboard side of the boat. It was still hot as we walked down to the pub
for an excellent pint of beer. Neil
Morrissey (whose pub it is) now has his own branded beer, but we had Doom Bar,
Dave’s favourite, and Pedigree, mine.
11 miles, 7 locks, Harecastle tunnel, nearly
8 long hot hours on the move apart from 20 minutes taking on water.