We had a cereal and toast breakfast and set off at about 10 ish. There was just one lock to go to the top of Heartbreak Hill and this was just around the corner. At the top there was an old wooden British Waterways working boat which was being used by Canal & River Trust staff to do maintenance work to one of the locks. We went straight on and at the Harecastle Tunnel entrance we were waved in by the tunnel keeper. He handed us a package, wrapped up in black plastic, for Bryan the tunnel keeper at the other end. We speculated as to the contents of this package whose trans-shipment of the tunnel we had been entrusted with. Maybe it was drugs and we had become unwittingly involved in some CRT workers drug transporting ring!
Harecastle tunnel is 2926 yards long and does not have any ventilation shafts. So for ventilation the south end of the tunnel is closed off by an airtight gate and VERY LOUD FANS suck air through from the north end. The upshot of this is that there is no light at the end of the tunnel until you get there and the tunnel keeper opens the doors.
We took about half an hour to get through and handed over the drugs to Bryan. We stopped for water there.
Never have I seen so much goose poo in one place as at the south end of Harecastle Tunnel. According to Bryan all the poo comes from just two geese. I think there must have been more!. We were the first southbound boat of the day. They expect a couple of boats a day at this time of year but at the height of the season they can get upto 50. Today is the first day of the summer opening hours. It doesn't feel very summery!
Then onwards towards Stoke. There is a very nice park and lake on the right, Westport Lake. Then it becomes more and more industrialised as we get to the outskirts of Stoke. Lots of old potteries factories some of which are still in use.
Past Stoke on Trent Boats on the left and past a marina then we take a fork left onto the Caldon Canal. There is a snow storm at this point and blizzard conditions. The blizzard eases as we get to the Etruria staircase lock.
We go up the staircase and are then into urban canalscape. I don't think we'll moor here!. At a local park there is a chap practising fire juggling, he's only wearing a tee shirt, whereas I've got five layers on with a scarf and winter deperty dawg hat on.
It was seriously cold so we moor up for some lunch and it is a serious dog poo alley. Quickly onwards through a couple of lift bridges (Pip only managed to stop one car and one pedestrian, very poor show!). Slowly the scenery becomes less urban and eventually can be classed as countryside. Did I mention that it was cold? We are all wrapped up with many layers. My Heat Holder socks are doing a sterling job.
We go up a very deep lock (over 12') and then moor up below a flight of five locks at Stockton Brook. There is a spectacular sunset.
After a wash and brush up we head off to an Italian restaurant (that used to be The Hollybush pub) and have a pizza each. We then take in a couple of pints of Marstons Bitter at the canal side pub The Sportsman and return to Winding Down.
There is a hint of ice on the canal surface. This is not a good thing.
11 miles in the open, 2,926 yards in a tunnel. 3 normal locks, 2 locks in a staircase.
Harecastle tunnel is 2926 yards long and does not have any ventilation shafts. So for ventilation the south end of the tunnel is closed off by an airtight gate and VERY LOUD FANS suck air through from the north end. The upshot of this is that there is no light at the end of the tunnel until you get there and the tunnel keeper opens the doors.
We took about half an hour to get through and handed over the drugs to Bryan. We stopped for water there.
Never have I seen so much goose poo in one place as at the south end of Harecastle Tunnel. According to Bryan all the poo comes from just two geese. I think there must have been more!. We were the first southbound boat of the day. They expect a couple of boats a day at this time of year but at the height of the season they can get upto 50. Today is the first day of the summer opening hours. It doesn't feel very summery!
Then onwards towards Stoke. There is a very nice park and lake on the right, Westport Lake. Then it becomes more and more industrialised as we get to the outskirts of Stoke. Lots of old potteries factories some of which are still in use.
It was seriously cold so we moor up for some lunch and it is a serious dog poo alley. Quickly onwards through a couple of lift bridges (Pip only managed to stop one car and one pedestrian, very poor show!). Slowly the scenery becomes less urban and eventually can be classed as countryside. Did I mention that it was cold? We are all wrapped up with many layers. My Heat Holder socks are doing a sterling job.
We go up a very deep lock (over 12') and then moor up below a flight of five locks at Stockton Brook. There is a spectacular sunset.
After a wash and brush up we head off to an Italian restaurant (that used to be The Hollybush pub) and have a pizza each. We then take in a couple of pints of Marstons Bitter at the canal side pub The Sportsman and return to Winding Down.
There is a hint of ice on the canal surface. This is not a good thing.
11 miles in the open, 2,926 yards in a tunnel. 3 normal locks, 2 locks in a staircase.
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