Top Lock

We were at Maestermyn last week - thay had several boats in and they looked excellent. The Ponty aqueduct is fantastic but there can be a wait. Don't be tempted into the Telford pub at the Trevor Basin - it is horrible. In Llangollen itself, can highly reccomend The Mill - over the Dee bridge, first street on the right. It has a fantastic deck over the Dee, does great food and brilliant beer. Have a great trip.

Bacon butties an absolute must for brekkie, and I would reccomend you keep an empty egg box on board for those canal side free-range eggs you see for sale, always worth having but they rarely have boxes! I agree that pasta and a ready made suce with some grated cheese is a good emergancy stand-by (we use the Lloyd Grossman range in jars - long shelf-life). There are some good ready made soups from the Covent Garden Soup Company - excellent with a nice sandwich of English beef & horseradish. As for beer - forget all that canned stuff - all supermarkets sell a great range of bottled traditional ales, many from local micro-breweries. I'm sure if you tell us your route, you'll get lots more helpful advice. Enjoy!

So you reckon the Rising Sun was a "good country pub"?? A bit difficult when it is in the middle of town.......... With keg lager and John Smiths creamflow, selling over-priced, poor food, with an overgrown garden full of broken chairs and plastic tables frequented by raucous parents with even more raoucous offspring, on the main road and next to a second hand car showroom, not to foget the constant screeching music blasting out of speakers outside at the back that could be heard on the Cut....... if that is your taste ( and your knowledge of pubs) you are welcome to the chaff.

The Rising Sun, by Limekiln Lock ( Stone top lock) is indeed, no more - thankfully. It was demolised last autumn and is now in the process of being turned into a block of appartments - called Limelock Court. Just as long as they don't build another Rising Sun - my candidate for the worst pub in Stone. By the way, if anyone wants detailed help on pubs on or near the Cut between Stoke and Alrewas on the T & M , and Gt Haywood and Penkridge on the S & W leave a post here - we reckon we know the wheat from the chaff.

Can I add my vote for "the Water Road" by Paul Gogarty? I also like the sound of the Tales of Old Waterways and found it easily on Amazon for less than £10 - might be tempted....

Liam - Paula means The Hollybush in Salt village on the T&M just outside Stone. [www.hollybushinn.co.uk] It is a wonderful pub and there's lots of mooring available - highly reccomended.

Philip - first time I've used this site and I'm not sure I've got the technology right, but here goes. Is the Star you mentioned the one in Stone? If so, you 're right, it is disappointing. We live and moor in Stone and only ever drink in The Swan which is on the other side of the canal bridge, across the road. It doesn't do food or allow children, which suits us fine. There are lots of good restaurants in Stone - and next door to The Swan is the best pizza take-away ever. Someone else asked about the Clifford Arms and the Fox & Hounds in Gt Haywood - both are good. Have eaten at the Clifford Arms loads of times and it is very good pub food, also very reasonably priced. Regards.