Not the way to do it!

Friday 23^rd August; Endon to Leek terminus

It was a wild night, at least the latter part!  There was some rain, but it was the wind that woke us with violent gusts just before first light, rattling the windows that were open and buffeting the boat.  But we managed to get back to sleep.  I took the dog out first thing and it felt like the end of September, the wind was so cold.  But by the time we left, some time after 9, with the wind helping rather too much with casting off, there was plenty of sunshine between the scudding clouds.  There was need for careful steering past the remains of an old swing bridge at bridge 27. 

The wind was cold but the sun was warm.  On the offside, a couple of cows suddenly appeared at speed at the water’s edge, followed by the entire herd running as they spotted the action.  Cows at a canter can move quite fast, and we were glad there was a well-defined edge to stop them all ending up half-way across the canal.  And all they wanted was a drink!

We arrived at Park Lane services to find a boat on the pump-out machine, which we needed, but the first water-point was free so we got on with filling the tank, and disposing of the rubbish and recycling before he moved off and we moved up.  It was a shame there was no book swap there, as I have two or three books to pass on.  Doing the domestics took about an hour by the time we had finished, but it was nowhere near lunch time so I put the kettle on and we continued to Hazelhurst Junction, where we took the right branch towards Leek.

Looking across to Hazelhurst top lock

The canal proceeded to twist and turn as it followed the contours, crossing the main line on the Hazelhurst aqueduct, and then there followed a stretch with many boats on farm moorings on the offside, and then some very desirable properties some of which had their own boats too.  It felt very slow going, quite shady too, then the vista opened out to the ‘lagoon’ at the south portal of the Leek tunnel.

It's a lovely mooring here, and one boat was already there, but we will need shopping tomorrow so we went on to the terminus.  The tunnel isn’t long, only 130 yards, and has an interesting profile – tall and narrow, so although the sides are very close to the boat, you can see right through and the roof is quite high, so it didn’t feel at all constricted.  Dry, too, always a bonus. 

High and narrow

We reached the final full-length winding hole at bridge 9, winded and reversed back past the boat already moored.  Another boat was further back, but there was still room for someone to moor behind us although they would have been on a bend.

It was still only 12.30.  We had lunch then took Jess for a walk up to the road through Ladderedge Country Park.  The canal finishes a hundred yards or so from the end of the moorings, at the Churnet aqueduct, where a 40’ boat could turn.

Leek terminus, looking very shallow and weedy

The aqueduct still crosses the Churnet, though now as a footpath, and the rest of the canal has disappeared.

The Churnet below the aqueduct

The sun was warm as we returned to the boat, and with a sheltered position, a wide verge and short grass I took the opportunity to remove the cratch cover for a much-needed clean.  It wasn’t ideal, as it turned out you really need to spread it over a wooden picnic table for several reasons.  First, it saves your back, and second, your trousers won’t get so filthy that you have to wash them afterwards. 

The cover was sooo green!

Third, the green water from the washing drains away unevenly so you get patches of dried green water, even if you prop the whole thing up on footstools and a coffee table.  The same thing happens with the rinsing water. And fourth, it somehow gets covered in bits of dried grass, that is apart from the zips which pick up wodges of wet grass if you were foolish enough to unzip them to try and dry it quicker.

There were a lot of spiders to be carried to safety in the hedge too, mostly a fetching grey and white pattern except for this fat shiny one

Even though I’d rinsed it there was still a lot of green showing, so after I'd put it back in place I scrubbed the port side again with fresh water and it looked much better.   The starboard side will have to wait till the towpath changes sides and I can reach it safely.  Meanwhile Dave added a shelf to my clothes cupboard which has made a great difference to my tidiness.  After we’d eaten, he took Jess for a walk up over the tunnel.  She suddenly saw something and was off like a rocket, zig-zagging after it all over the place till she lost whatever it was.  While she was still sniffing and trying to find its trail, it appeared just in front of Dave who was standing quietly waiting for Jess to return.  It was a beautiful hare, who sat there, oblivious to Dave, watching the dog’s fruitless efforts till it decided she was no threat, casually loped off and disappeared.  Jess lost her ball, but that was more than made up for by the close view of the hare, lucky Dave!

4.5 miles, Leek tunnel