Moorings Near Etruria on The Caldon

[alan_fincher]

We have decided we may head on down the Caldon and Leek branches of the T&M, (or as "herself" has started calling it the "Leeky Caldon" ).

 

We face a long run up to Etruria from the South tomorrow, and if we go straight on to it, probably will not have very long on the Caldon before we run out of day.

 

Can anybody please advise good overnight moorings at any points, once you have actually come on to it at Etruria.

 

Many thanks.

 

Alan & Cath

[stagedamager]

Etruria always used to be ok, just off the junction before the staircase. Not sure about now though. After that I'd prob go to the other side of Hanley to the Engine lock area.

HTH

Dan

[alan_fincher]

Thanks,

 

We really don't know anything about the areas it passes through.

 

I note that Waterscape records that anti-vandal locks got added to Planet Lock (3), so clearly it appears not to be totally trouble free in that immediate area.

 

You mentioned Hanley - Nicholson's says

 

.... this is followed by Hanley Park where there are good moorings.

 

So is that fair comment still, or are there any reasons not to moor there that anyone knows of, please ?

 

We would simply not have time to get right out the other side to "Engine Lock" which just got a mention - too far!

[stagedamager]

I havent been up there for a few years but Hanley park always used to be a bit of a no go, but for the rest I can recommend the following, if still accessible that is:

Hazlehurst top, just on the leek arm

Holly bush @ denford

Deep Hayes country park, just past denford on the off side

Cheddleton Flint mill

Consall forge, black lion, say no more

Ruelow wood, about 1 mile shy of froghall tunnel on the offside

Leek pool on the lerk arm next to the tunnel.

Most are within walking distance of a pub, but some are in the middle of no where and nice and quiet. Great cut, full of happy memories!

Dan

[rgreg]

I stayed at Etruria last year just below the staircase locks and it was fine. Then you have plenty of time to get well up in a day's cruising and there are lots of good moorings. It's a wonderful canal, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

[FredW]

Hi,we were moored outside the Museum on Sunday 31st July,no problems at all.

We stopped at around 2 o'clock to visit the museum and stayed the night.

On the Thursday before we had moored by the footbridge for Daltons Factory shop

on the T&M and walked down to the junction and spoke to another boater who was

moored there,and had been for a couple of days.He was from the Stoke area and

said that it was fine anywhere before the Staircase.

We went down both the Caldon and the Leek branch,it was great.Moored opposite

the Black Lion at Consall on the Friday and by the excellent services near bridge

31,Endon Bank,on the Saturday.Shower was very good.Walked up the T&M on the

Sunday night and went into the Toby Carvery at Festival Park,had an excellent

meal with wonderful service.Hope this helps.Enjoy a lot of your posts.

Fred.

[FredW]

Hi again,

Sorry didnt't see your second post.

The boater we spoke to at Etruria advised us against stopping at

Hanley Park,just to be on the safe side.Yes you need a Handcuff

Key at Planet Lock 3 and one of the ground paddles was jammed shut

because it looked as though someone had tried to force the lock.

You will also need a Key at lock 40 on the Stoke flight.Again hope

this helps.Everyone on the towpath was friendly by the way.

Fred.

[slammer]

The Euturia moorings are fine , and you will most probably have company ,as they seem to be popular at the moment. As stated once you have done the staircase the next decent spot is just after or just before engine lock.I personally wouldnt more in Hanley park (YMCA) and student lodgings very near, so alot of late evening noise. Great canal tho and very under used, lovely views and good pubs, the holly bush by far the best. Enjoy

[NB Alton]

Another recommendation for Etruria outside the museum, this is a regular tie-up for us. Nearest "good" real pub is the Coachmaker's Arm about 15mins walk up the hill in Hanley near the bus station. Enjoy the "Leaky Cauldron" its a cracking canal.

[alan_fincher]

Thanks all......

 

Sounds like that's the place, although not confident we will get there.

 

There are queues at each northbound lock on the bit of the T & M we are on, and progress is pedestrian at best.

 

Possibly people who want to fill 10 feet deep locks on just one paddle when there are already 4 boats queued behind them at the foot of the lock are being a bit unreasonable ? Discuss!

[Ray]

From memory the jammed lock on Planet Lock was easily solved. Wind the paddle back down (just a tooth on the cog) and the lock will undo, at least it did earlier this year when we were there.

 

The museum looked a good overnight mooring, although we stayed on the main line and went up to the marina (outside the pub) and then returned to cruise the branch the following morning. From memory there are overnight moorings on the main line immediately after the top lock as well.

 

Next day we managed to go to Leek, spend a short while there - the shops are a little way from the canal - and then return to Denford for the night. The following day we went down to Froghall, winded before the tunnel, moored up and walked to tunnel and basin. We failed the tunnel gauge at Flint Mill Lock but when we got to the basin we saw a boat there that looked no smaller than ours, so it might be worth mooring before you wind (before the tunnel) and walk down to see what you think about going through. My guess is that you'll probably be able to manage it.

 

We went back to the bottom of Stockton Brook Locks that night. We made a reasonably early start the following day and managed to get through the tunnel by lunch time although it was probably much quieter in April than it is now.

[alan_fincher]

Well the moorings by the museum just after you turn on to the branch certainly looked fine.

 

That said, only one single other boat was using them.

 

Not because we had any concerns about mooring there, but simply because we got there a lot sooner than expected, we decided to carry on.

 

It has been a very long cruising day, but we are now moored at a lovely spot just below Engine Lock, about 5 miles down the Caldon.

 

My one gripe is that despite lots of BW signs, "picking up" after your dog has fouled the to-wpath seems to be considered "optional" by too many people. Sadly when we took Charlie for a walk, we were consistently dodging other people's dogs poo.......

 

The canal does seem very shallow in parts, and we are often grazing over things in what you might reasonably expect to be the deepest bits.

[Wyn2joy]

At the Frognal end there`s a wildlife centre up in the woods. The directions and details can be obtained at the visitor centre by the basin through the tunnel. Well worth a visit as they give a guided tour and usually bring out a large bird of prey for you to hold. A small place with a very good service to visitors.

[adam1uk]

I loved the Caldon when we did it a couple of years ago -- it went up the rankings as one of my facourites. It's very pretty and feels very remote when you get to the far end.

 

My one gripe is that despite lots of BW signs, "picking up" after your dog has fouled the to-wpath seems to be considered "optional" by too many people. Sadly when we took Charlie for a walk, we were consistently dodging other people's dogs poo.......

 

Even the owners who pick it up don't seem to know what to do with it. Half way up the Stockton Brook Locks there was a bush with dozens of "doggy bags" hanging in it. I guess they'll still be there.

[slammer]

I also love the Cauldon , yes it can get very shallow in places and the mooring in certain places is impossible but its bloody worth it, Great pubs ,food ,and lovely views all day long. Be sure to do the leek arm and call in at the flint mill near Cheadlton , amazing place and fully restored and working. Steam railways and giant lime kilns consal forge is a one off place .Dinner at the holly bush well worth it , sensible price and a grand pint .

[alan_fincher]

I also love the Cauldon , yes it can get very shallow in places and the mooring in certain places is impossible but its bloody worth it, Great pubs ,food ,and lovely views all day long. Be sure to do the leek arm and call in at the flint mill near Cheadlton , amazing place and fully restored and working. Steam railways and giant lime kilns consal forge is a one off place .Dinner at the holly bush well worth it , sensible price and a grand pint .

Well we managed the whole of both the Caldon and the Leek branches, including to our surprise Froghall tunnel.

 

The steam railway was excellent, (despite being a "faces on engines" day), and we also managed a visit to the Cheddleton flint mill which I would also endorse the recommendation for.

 

We ate at the Black Lion at Consall Forge, also well recommended. It just needed the steam trains to still be running for the full effect, but sadly by that time of the evening they had stopped.

 

Our impressions of what became dubbed the "Leaky Cauldron" are now in our blog, for anybody who can cope with the boredom of such things ! (Link in signature).

[n.b.Goldie]

I also love the Cauldon , yes it can get very shallow in places and the mooring in certain places is impossible but its bloody worth it, Great pubs ,food ,and lovely views all day long. Be sure to do the leek arm and call in at the flint mill near Cheadlton , amazing place and fully restored and working. Steam railways and giant lime kilns consal forge is a one off place .Dinner at the holly bush well worth it , sensible price and a grand pint .

 

Spot on.

 

The Caldon is my no.1 canal. Done it twice and looking forward to another visit.

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler

[Johnnie Mackem]

We have decided we may head on down the Caldon and Leek branches of the T&M, (or as "herself" has started calling it the "Leeky Caldon" ).

 

We face a long run up to Etruria from the South tomorrow, and if we go straight on to it, probably will not have very long on the Caldon before we run out of day.

 

Can anybody please advise good overnight moorings at any points, once you have actually come on to it at Etruria.

 

Many thanks.

 

Alan & Cath

[Johnnie Mackem]

A bit late I know but we actually stayed overnight in Hanley Park last year.

We tried to moor at Milton but it was full so carried on and as we were "tatered", decided to give Hanley Park a go.

There were one or two suspicious characters about but that`s quite normal for Hanley I suspect.

A group of Indians who had obviously never seen a narrowboat before asked us if our boat was an hotel and could they have a look inside.

We gave them a look round ( or should that be through ?)and they went away quite bemused.

We felt quite safe although people afterwards said we were brave to do what we did.