Stone to Froghall Basin - the Easter escape attempt!

[robtheplod]

Hi All

 

Our first non Tixall wide cruise this year!   Looks like a good one for a week and a bit... I have a mooring query since my wife get nervous mooring in new places and I like to be sure we're ok and appear to be calm and in control! On our trip out Canalplan recommends our first night mooring be 'The nearest known good moorings are Sideaway Bridge No 108 (1 mile, 7¼ furlongs and 1 lock earlier) and Etruria Junction (4¾ furlongs and 4 locks further on)' - does anyone have any comments/recommendations on these as they seem close to Stoke?

 

thanks!!!!

[Rob-M]

I've moored at Etruria a few times with no issues, normally there are a few boats along from the junction before you get to the staircase.

 

Adam on Kingley Vale stopped by bridge 108 according to his recent blog.

[Arthur Marshall]

The mooring below Engine Lock is one of my favourite places. Unusually for the Caldon, it's nice and wide, there's about a mile of piling and the view is good.

You can also moor just after Milton bridge on the curve, there's a supermarket in Milton, and if you're into reading, there's a superb second hand bookshop on the left as you walk into the village.

[IanD]

Etruria is fine, and you can then stroll down to the Holy Inadequate... 🙂

[Stroudwater1]

A bit further out from Stoke we have moored  at Trentham by the pipe bridge  and I think Ditchcrawler has done too. All seems fine there. 

[haggis]

You mean Ditchcrawler is boating and hadn't been updating his blog 

Surely not 😄

[trane]

I usually stop at Barlaston, somewhere near the winding hole. You do have the trains but they aren't that intrusive and there are usually ducks and geese in the field so it feels more rural. There's the wedgwood factory if you're interested, the Plume of Feathers pub is by the canal side. I have seen boats moored by Bridge 108--traders are there sometimes to catch the passing trade when Stoke City are at home but it is next to a lorry park from memory and I've never wanted to stop there. It's about an hour on from Barlaston so I'd rather take an hour longer on the second day and stop just before Engine Lock as suggested by Arthur. After that there isn't a bad mooring and plenty of good ones.

Etruria is fine but it would be a 7 or 8 hour day from Aston and I prefer an easier first day. Also there are sometimes Markets/events on at Etruria and mooring can then be at a premium(i.e. there are none) so if you do want to stop there check beforehand

[Victor Vectis]

Never had a problem mooring by the museum.

Once the moorings there were full and we tied up round the corner before the staircase. Some kids started to throw crab apples from the offside at the boat. I put on my best teacher's voice to shout "What would you mothers say if they saw you doing that"?

They stopped!

And yes, its not far from there to the Holy Inadequate but last time I was over that way I visited the pub over the road from Hanley bus station, the Coachmakers Arms. Well worth a visit, IMHO, as is the Potteries museum.

[phantom_iv]

The only problem with mooring at Eturia outside the museum is the Canadian Geese which are extremely noisy. I think the residents of the old people’s home feed them, leading them to congregate and fight over the prime territory with regular bread handouts.

[Arthur Marshall]

38 minutes ago, phantom_iv said:

The only problem with mooring at Eturia outside the museum is the Canadian Geese which are extremely noisy. I think the residents of the old people’s home feed them, leading them to congregate and fight over the prime territory with regular bread handouts.

They're noisy up by Engine Lock too. They tend to congregate near the lock, so it's quieter a bit further from it. But you can't escape the damn things. Westport Lake has thousands in residence which seem to go to sleep about 5am, just when you've given up trying...

[adam1uk]

12 hours ago, Rob-M said:

I've moored at Etruria a few times with no issues, normally there are a few boats along from the junction before you get to the staircase.

 

Adam on Kingley Vale stopped by bridge 108 according to his recent blog.

No we stopped south of Bridge 104, which is where trane also suggested, near the winding hole.  In Stoke itself we’ve stopped many times at Festival Park near the Toby Carvery, and although that’s on from Etruria Junction there’s a winding hole there so it would be a reasonable stop.  It’s nice by Engine Lock on the Caldon too; we’ve stopped both above and below it.  From Aston I’d do Barlston/Br 104 one night then Engine Lock the next.

[IanD]

1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said:

They're noisy up by Engine Lock too. They tend to congregate near the lock, so it's quieter a bit further from it. But you can't escape the damn things. Westport Lake has thousands in residence which seem to go to sleep about 5am, just when you've given up trying...

Last time we stopped at Westport the geese seemed to congregate up the far (North) end, luckily we were moored at the other end. Green goose sh*t everywhere though... 😞

[robtheplod]

making slow progress.. in Milton currently having had a chap called 'Rob the Lock' appear out of nowhere to help with locks... top guy!

so far... not impressed with the Caldon, hope it gets better as we progress...

 

rob

[Rob-M]

Not seen Rob the Lock for a few years, sometimes he pops up on the lift bridge on the Caldon and gets that open for you as well.  The Caldon gets better as you move away from Stoke.

[Arthur Marshall]

1 hour ago, robtheplod said:

making slow progress.. in Milton currently having had a chap called 'Rob the Lock' appear out of nowhere to help with locks... top guy!

so far... not impressed with the Caldon, hope it gets better as we progress...

 

rob

He's a nice chap. Met him more years ago than I can remember.

Bottom of the Caldon is unimpressive.  Further you go the nicer it gets.

[agg221]

On 28/03/2026 at 21:09, Arthur Marshall said:

They're noisy up by Engine Lock too. They tend to congregate near the lock, so it's quieter a bit further from it. But you can't escape the damn things. Westport Lake has thousands in residence which seem to go to sleep about 5am, just when you've given up trying...

As the owner of a brass instrument, I would have thought you were perfectly placed to exact revenge for that at around 5:15am...

 

The Caldon does indeed get progressively nicer as you get out of Milton.

 

Alec

[robtheplod]

Excellent! ... we shall push on then and see what beholds us!!  

[Victor Vectis]

Hazlehurst Junction is about the prettiest on the whole system, IMHO.

[agg221]

13 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

Hazlehurst Junction is about the prettiest on the whole system, IMHO.

It's a very pleasant place indeed - don't miss the Holly Bush and for anyone interested in such things the enormous elm tree up the hill is pretty impressive.

 

Other highlights for me are the trip down the river section to Consall Forge, Cheddleton flint mill and seeing steam trains across the valley. The trip up from Cherry Eye Bridge to Froghall is rather nice too.

 

Alec

[Chris Lowe]

I may vist Froghall wharf over Easter, not been there for ages.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

18 hours ago, Rob-M said:

Not seen Rob the Lock for a few years, sometimes he pops up on the lift bridge on the Caldon and gets that open for you as well.  The Caldon gets better as you move away from Stoke.

So many things get better, the further away you get from Smoke on Stench! 😛

[Chris Lowe]

But isn't it better than when the steelworks was still working.

[robtheplod]

We've made it to Hazlehurst Junction and it is indeed better past Milton as you all said...  MrsPlod got a nasty surprise on Stockton Brook Locks... a flasher!!  A bloke on a bike with balaclava stopped by the lock and undressed.... spring really must be in the air!  on a serious note, not sure what to do - ignore or report.. any point in reporting??

[Arthur Marshall]

3 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

We've made it to Hazlehurst Junction and it is indeed better past Milton as you all said...  MrsPlod got a nasty surprise on Stockton Brook Locks... a flasher!!  A bloke on a bike with balaclava stopped by the lock and undressed.... spring really must be in the air!  on a serious note, not sure what to do - ignore or report.. any point in reporting??

Not really, if he did nothing but flash! Though he might escalate, so maybe...

There used to be a halfway house along near the staircase and you'd meet some interesting characters there sometimes. I got offered a selection of the dope of my choice by a couple of guys on bikes up there too. All very friendly.

[midnight cowboy]

Keepgoing to the Black Lion at Consall Forge if the River Churnet level allows (it was in full flood in February when we were there)