Caldon Canal (Proposed trip)

[plainsman]

I propose to start a trip on the Caldon this week-end. I have been told by a recent visitor (a guy I bumped into and don't know at all) it is badly overgrown and moorings difficult. Accepting this is only one opinion and may only be worth a pinch of salt, I would appreciate an informed view as to the merits or otherwise of venturing up the Caldon. What would also be helpful is any suggested mooring spots and decent pubs.

 

Many thanks

Alex

[mayalld]

I propose to start a trip on the Caldon this week-end. I have been told by a recent visitor (a guy I bumped into and don't know at all) it is badly overgrown and moorings difficult. Accepting this is only one opinion and may only be worth a pinch of salt, I would appreciate an informed view as to the merits or otherwise of venturing up the Caldon. What would also be helpful is any suggested mooring spots and decent pubs.

 

Many thanks

Alex

 

The Caldon is a wonderful canal, although not particularly pretty in its lower reaches.

 

Once you pass Engine Lock, the canal is beautiful, and not to be missed.

 

I suspect that the guy you bumped into hasn't been on many of the "non-trunk" canals.

[Tim Lewis]

I propose to start a trip on the Caldon this week-end. I have been told by a recent visitor (a guy I bumped into and don't know at all) it is badly overgrown and moorings difficult. Accepting this is only one opinion and may only be worth a pinch of salt, I would appreciate an informed view as to the merits or otherwise of venturing up the Caldon. What would also be helpful is any suggested mooring spots and decent pubs.

 

Many thanks

Alex

 

Whoever you spoke to was talking rubbish, its one of my favourite waterways and you will not be disappointed.

 

There is a good guide to the Caldon in (i think) the latest edition of Waterways World

 

Tim

[Machpoint005]

The Caldon is a wonderful canal, although not particularly pretty in its lower reaches.

 

Once you pass Engine Lock, the canal is beautiful, and not to be missed.

 

I suspect that the guy you bumped into hasn't been on many of the "non-trunk" canals.

 

The Stoke end is - well - urban... but there are some pleasant linear park bits.

The far end, especially the river section is amazing.

The very far end near Froghall is narrow, but not at all busy. The Leek arm is a bit disappointing - it peters out seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

(Note: all comments are IMO!)

[magpie patrick]

Go for it! The restoration works are ageing a bit now so some paddles are stiff but I still wouldn't regard it as a difficult canal by any means.

 

Magpie recommended pubs, in order from Stoke

 

The Foxley, at Foxley basic but friendly with it's own moorings

The Holly Bush, just below Hazlehurst (and also accessible from the Leek Branch) now more a food pub but still very good. If eating, make sure you see the cheap menu as well as the expensive stuff, a baguette and chips might be listed as a bar snack but it's a major meal in it's own right!

The Boat at Cheddleton, below Cheddleton Locks, good beer, occasionaly holds it's own beer festival, can moor against towpath and then cross the bridge next to the pub

The Black Lion, Consall... has it all, Good Beeer, food, stunning location

The Railway at Froghall: often overlooked, but a worthwhile find

 

All okay with families but not full of kids

 

Beer in mind I'm a CAMRA member, so if you want fizz and big screen the above may not be for you

[shrlyb]

I propose to start a trip on the Caldon this week-end. I have been told by a recent visitor (a guy I bumped into and don't know at all) it is badly overgrown and moorings difficult. Accepting this is only one opinion and may only be worth a pinch of salt, I would appreciate an informed view as to the merits or otherwise of venturing up the Caldon. What would also be helpful is any suggested mooring spots and decent pubs.

 

Many thanks

Alex

 

hello Alex

I live near the Caldon canal and i think you will really enjoy it. The problem is that the Leek arm, which is tru;ly lovely just ends short of anywhere, so if you moor at Tunnell pool, which is beautiful, you have a fair walk int town.

The Cheddleton area is very nice with good pubs, (the boat inn and the Hollybush) and also a nice restaurant ( castro's)

There is also a picturesque steam railway.

Hope you have a good time

Shrlyb

 

I propose to start a trip on the Caldon this week-end. I have been told by a recent visitor (a guy I bumped into and don't know at all) it is badly overgrown and moorings difficult. Accepting this is only one opinion and may only be worth a pinch of salt, I would appreciate an informed view as to the merits or otherwise of venturing up the Caldon. What would also be helpful is any suggested mooring spots and decent pubs.

 

Many thanks

Alex

 

hello Alex

I live near the Caldon canal and i think you will really enjoy it. The problem is that the Leek arm, which is truly lovely just ends short of anywhere, so if you moor at Tunnell pool, which is beautiful, you have a fair walk int town.

The Cheddleton area is very nice with good pubs, (the boat inn and the Hollybush) and also a nice restaurant ( castro's)

There is also a picturesque steam railway.

Hope you have a good time

Shrlyb

[fat & hairy]

The Stoke end is - well - urban... but there are some pleasant linear park bits.

The far end, especially the river section is amazing.

The very far end near Froghall is narrow, but not at all busy. The Leek arm is a bit disappointing - it peters out seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

(Note: all comments are IMO!)

 

 

just want to stand up for the stoke bit of the caldon - its not that urban really - just the short stretch between hanley park and the lime kiln lift bridge - which is now not so much urban but just an unfinished building site. (Note the shiny new bridge that goes nowhere that has been put up for all the houses that haven't been built yet). After that its really quite green and pleasant. Walked along there the other day and saw a kingfisher and that was on the building site stretch so it is well worth it even before you get to the delights of endon, froghall etc

[mayalld]

just want to stand up for the stoke bit of the caldon - its not that urban really - just the short stretch between hanley park and the lime kiln lift bridge - which is now not so much urban but just an unfinished building site. (Note the shiny new bridge that goes nowhere that has been put up for all the houses that haven't been built yet). After that its really quite green and pleasant. Walked along there the other day and saw a kingfisher and that was on the building site stretch so it is well worth it even before you get to the delights of endon, froghall etc

 

It is enjoying some regeneration, and prettifications, but the first bit is not the best advert for the canal

[RichardH]

We did it last year and absolutely loved it.

 

The section around Consall Forge is truly wonderful

[plainsman]

We did it last year and absolutely loved it.

 

The section around Consall Forge is truly wonderful

 

 

OK, the Caldon is sold to me. I'll most prob be up there this week-end or early next week. Many thanks for the info everyone, I am looking forward to it. Incidentally, there is an article on the Caldon in Canal & Riverboat which I picked up today (Thanks Tim Lewis).

 

Thanks again everyone.

Alex

[Neil@CanalVoyagers]

Just spent the last four days up there and it is as lovely as ever - and seems to be even quieter than normal.

 

The banksides as shallow and you should try to moor at the recognised visitor moorings to be sure of depth, but the vegetation has been reduced dramatically in the last couple of days by a veg team with strimmers.

 

Worth mentioning that although the Leek arm finished a couple of miles from the town, there is a Morrison's supermarket in the industrial estate just 10 minutes walk from the end of the navigation - handy on such a rural canal.

[Tim Lewis]

Just spent the last four days up there and it is as lovely as ever - and seems to be even quieter than normal.

 

The banksides as shallow and you should try to moor at the recognised visitor moorings to be sure of depth, but the vegetation has been reduced dramatically in the last couple of days by a veg team with strimmers.

 

Worth mentioning that although the Leek arm finished a couple of miles from the town, there is a Morrison's supermarket in the industrial estate just 10 minutes walk from the end of the navigation - handy on such a rural canal.

 

It's hardly a couple of miles into Leek, it's about a 10/15 minute walk, albeit up a hill!

 

Don't miss the Belgian Beer bar in Leek, Den Engel, or the Wilkes's Head (Assuming that you like decent beer)

 

Tim

 

OK, the Caldon is sold to me. I'll most prob be up there this week-end or early next week. Many thanks for the info everyone, I am looking forward to it. Incidentally, there is an article on the Caldon in Canal & Riverboat which I picked up today (Thanks Tim Lewis).

 

Thanks again everyone.

Alex

 

I wasn't actually thinking of the C & R article, just checked and it's actually the August 2008 edition of Waterways World that contains the Caldon Canal guide - modesty prevents me from mentioning my article on the Caldon Canal in the October 2006 edition of Canal Boat magazine!

 

Tim

Edited July 1, 2009 by Tim Lewis

[Pete of Ebor]

Go for it! The restoration works are ageing a bit now so some paddles are stiff but I still wouldn't regard it as a difficult canal by any means.

 

Magpie recommended pubs, in order from Stoke

 

The Foxley, at Foxley basic but friendly with it's own moorings

The Holly Bush, just below Hazlehurst (and also accessible from the Leek Branch) now more a food pub but still very good. If eating, make sure you see the cheap menu as well as the expensive stuff, a baguette and chips might be listed as a bar snack but it's a major meal in it's own right!

The Boat at Cheddleton, below Cheddleton Locks, good beer, occasionaly holds it's own beer festival, can moor against towpath and then cross the bridge next to the pub

The Black Lion, Consall... has it all, Good Beeer, food, stunning location

The Railway at Froghall: often overlooked, but a worthwhile find

 

All okay with families but not full of kids

 

Beer in mind I'm a CAMRA member, so if you want fizz and big screen the above may not be for you

 

I agree with all of the above - and I'd add The Sportsman at Stockton Brook. Nice little pub with a very nice pint of Marston's Bitter and contrary to it's name it doesn't (or didn't on our last two visits) have big screen sport. We stoped in Stockton Brook on the way up and found The Sportsman after a bit of a disappionting meal in the Hollybush. We liked the Sportsman so much that we went back again on the way down - HOWEVER -

 

The pub you must try is The Coachmakers at Hanley. Yes, it is still in Stoke but it's a really super pub under threat of demolition. We stayed there overnight with no problem. Moor by bridge 8 and it's a 5 min (ok possibly 10 'cos it's quite a hill..) walk up the hill toward the town centre. It's near the bus station which is why it's under threat - The council want to knock it down to build a better access road into the bus station.

[Mark Cotton]

The pub you must try is The Coachmakers at Hanley. Yes, it is still in Stoke but it's a really super pub under threat of demolition. We stayed there overnight with no problem. Moor by bridge 8 and it's a 5 min (ok possibly 10 'cos it's quite a hill..) walk up the hill toward the town centre. It's near the bus station whitch is why it's under threat - The council want to knock it down to build a better access road into the bus station.

 

Does The Coachmakers serve food? Four of us are coming from the U.S. to spend a week on the Caldon in September.

[stewey]

Does The Coachmakers serve food? Four of us are coming from the U.S. to spend a week on the Caldon in September.

Their website doesn't mention food:

 

http://www.thecoachmakers.co.uk/index.php

 

Stewey

[Pete of Ebor]

Does The Coachmakers serve food? Four of us are coming from the U.S. to spend a week on the Caldon in September.

 

I don't think it does food but there is a curry house (Jaflong Curry House) right next door.

 

When you say four, is that four adults ? It's just that The Coachmakers isn't really a "childrens" pub. I've no doubt they'd be welcome, as long as they are well behaved but there is no garden or playthings or anything like that. It might also be worth a quick phone call when you get to Hanley just to make sure that it's still there !

 

Pete.

[Mark Cotton]

I don't think it does food but there is a curry house (Jaflong Curry House) right next door.

 

When you say four, is that four adults ?

Pete.

 

Thanks Pete! We (four beer-swilling adults) will keep it in mind.

 

Mark