Stoke on Trent

[PCSB]

We are currently headed up the T&M and are moored at Weston just now. When getting diesel and doing the usual chores at Great Haywood we got chatting with a number of other boaters as is normal. They all advised not stopping in Stoke on Trent with varying horror stories, mainly around youths climbing on boats and general unruly behaviour. We have not done this stretch of the T&M before so have no first hand experience of Stoke.

 

Is it best avoided, i.e. cruise straight through? Someone did mention something about Etruria but I was distracted at the time ...

 

I'm guessing it would be ok to moor at Baralston, but where to moor after Stoke if we need to wait for Harecastle? It looks as though we would have to moor before bridge 130 just passed Tunstall.

 

As always advice welcomed.

TIA

Paul.

[Beo]

We did Barlaston to Westport Lake to get through Stoke in a day if going North through the tunnel. 

[PCSB]

2 minutes ago, Beo said:

We did Barlaston to Westport Lake to get through Stoke in a day if going North through the tunnel. 

Thanks. I want to moor at Westport Lake as we have family near there and want to meet our great niece

[jonesthenuke]

We have Moored at Etruria and at Westport several times and its been OK.

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

West Port lake is fine to moor over night. 
And I’ve never had a problem mooring at the tunnel entrance overnight too. 

[Arthur Marshall]

Barlaston is good, nice moorings all the way from the bridge to the Pottery museum, and Westport Lake is fine with a half hour run to the tunnel. Or there are good moorings outside the carvery. If the lake moorings are full, just go and moor by the tunnel entrance, that's very pleasant too.

[PCSB]

2 minutes ago, jonesthenuke said:

We have Moored at Etruria and at Westport several times and its been OK.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Goliath said:

West Port lake is fine to moor over night. 
And I’ve never had a problem mooring at the tunnel entrance overnight too. 

 

2 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Barlaston is good, nice moorings all the way from the bridge to the Pottery museum, and Westport Lake is fine with a half hour run to the tunnel. Or there are good moorings outside the carvery. If the lake moorings are full, just go and moor by the tunnel entrance, that's very pleasant too.

Thanks all. It means I can stick with our original plan of mooring at Westport Lake

[jonesthenuke]

If you moor at Etruria, the Holy Inadequate is a good pub.

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I don’t think there’ll be any argument over that 😃😂😃

[IanD]

3 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Barlaston is good, nice moorings all the way from the bridge to the Pottery museum, and Westport Lake is fine with a half hour run to the tunnel. Or there are good moorings outside the carvery. If the lake moorings are full, just go and moor by the tunnel entrance, that's very pleasant too.

Just after the A53 bridge there are safe VMs (Festival Park), or a bit further on right outside the Toby Carvery -- then you can walk down to the Holy Inadequate for some delicious beers... 🙂

[PCSB]

2 minutes ago, IanD said:

Just after the A53 bridge there are safe VMs (Festival Park), or a bit further on right outside the Toby Carvery -- then you can walk down to the Holy Inadequate for some delicious beers... 🙂

Thanks Ian, nice to have alternatives.

[IanD]

5 minutes ago, PCSB said:

Thanks Ian, nice to have alternatives.

Fantastic beer, pork pies and Scotch eggs only though at the Holy Inadequate IIRC, so don't go there hungry... 😉

[dmr]

Although SoT is not the most inviting of places we have stopped overnight on the main moorings several times without trouble in order to visit the Holy Inadequate.

 

I have heard of boats having trouble in Stoke, but am also aware of boats having trouble at Wetport lake. Any urban mooring has a small risk.

[Alan de Enfield]

It is a few years ago so it may have changed - Stoke is the only place we have ever been 'stoned' (by a gang of children - probably no more than about 10 or 11 years old)

[Machpoint005]

We had no trouble whatsoever the last time we went through SoT.

 

It was persisting it down with rain, though, which might have deterred some elements of the local populace.

 

 

As for stoning: much less likely anywhere, on weekdays during term time!

 

 

[PCSB]

20 minutes ago, dmr said:

Although SoT is not the most inviting of places we have stopped overnight on the main moorings several times without trouble in order to visit the Holy Inadequate.

 

I have heard of boats having trouble in Stoke, but am also aware of boats having trouble at Wetport lake. Any urban mooring has a small risk.

I think keeping the risk in perspective is really what I was looking for. My wife was a little concerned by some of the stories we heard today so thanks for the re-assurances. 

 

The Holy Inadequate sounds like a must visit too so it would be rude not to

20 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

It is a few years ago so it may have changed - Stoke is the only place we have ever been 'stoned' (by a gang of children - probably no more than about 10 or 11 years old)

This tallies with what we heard but I also know of it happening on the Shroppie near Brewood so I guess it can happen anywhere.

19 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

We had no trouble whatsoever the last time we went through SoT.

 

It was persisting it down with rain, though, which might have deterred some elements of the local populace.

 

 

As for stoning: much less likely anywhere, on weekdays during term time!

 

 

We will be going through there in the next few days so hopefully it will be a weekday

[ditchcrawler]

1. This trip I have moored just above Stoke Top Lock and also the entrance to the tunnel, I don't like the geese at Westport Lake. I have also moored a little bit further up than Barlston about half a mile above Hem Heath Bridge 106 that is just after the houses on the offside end and past the winding hole, they are now building a new housing estate on the off side.. All the other places suggested are also fine. 

[PCSB]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

1. This trip I have moored just above Stoke Top Lock and also the entrance to the tunnel, I don't like the geese at Westport Lake. I have also moored a little bit further up than Barlston about half a mile above Hem Heath Bridge 106 that is just after the houses on the offside end and past the winding hole, they are now building a new housing estate on the off side.. All the other places suggested are also fine. 

Thanks Brian, the geese are in full voice here too, but there are only a few of them. Time for a pint I think

[MPR]

Sheer luck of the draw.  Personally we have never had any trouble mooring in Stoke.  If you are really worried you could always go into Festival Park Marina

[Pie Eater]

We have stopped at the junction of the Caldon canal and also near Westport lake without any problems.

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, MPR said:

Sheer luck of the draw.  Personally we have never had any trouble mooring in Stoke.  If you are really worried you could always go into Festival Park Marina

Where do you moor in Stoke?

[MPR]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

Where do you moor in Stoke?

Etruria, outside Festival Park Marina or outside the Toby Carvery if very lucky.

[ditchcrawler]

9 minutes ago, MPR said:

Etruria, outside Festival Park Marina or outside the Toby Carvery if very lucky.

I thought maybe you stopped in Stoke at somewhere that had not been mentioned.

[Puffling]

Mooring on the Bet365 side of the canal in Stoke on Trent isn't massively comfortable. The towpath is narrow with nothing between your boat and the walkers. Not forgetting the occasional imbecile buzzing by on a moped.

 

The Etruria side is nicer, but I heard a couple of stories of drunken idiots jumping onto boats. As others have commented, it's a crapshoot of when you are there; it's likely you'll be fine. However, the Festival Park marina is friendly and inexpensive and provides a shim of security from life along the paths. Good food shopping at the big Morrisons further into Etruria. Mall fans will enjoy the Go Outdoors and B&Q stores in the same complex.

[Mike55]

We moored up at the tunnel entrance about 3 weeks ago, & it was very quiet. But then I've moored at Etruria, Festival Park (outside the carvery) & Westport Lake and they've always been fine apart from the goose poo at Westport Lake.