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| Mooring at Tixall Wide |
Having crawled past all the moored boats back to the junction, we turned back onto the Trent & Mersey where to our delight the sanitary station moorings were free.
We pulled in to fill up with water, empty both loos and get rid of the rubbish. Whilst we waited for the water tank to fill, Elaine walked back to the village to get the Sunday newspaper. At least we can exercise the little grey cells in completing the crosswords!
Under way again, it is some significant distance before the throttle could be exercised as we crawled by the long line of moored boats tied up on the Canal Farm Shop’s moorings and past the now not so new marina.
The name, Hoo Mill Lock, gives the impression of a bucolic pastoral scene. In reality it is a bit of a mess with a seemingly disused and largely derelict boatyard replete with shacks and rusting containers. Luckily, Lady Luck was shining on us and the lock was empty and by the time we were ready to exit, another boat was waiting to enter.
Soon after Hoo Mill, again with an incongruous name, comes Pasturefield with its haulage depot and warehouses, sited here to take advantage of the A51 that comes down to the canal side for a short distance.
Never mind – look the other way. Across to the River Trent which meanders along its valley playing with the canal; first coming tantalisingly close and then curving away like a shy teenager on a first date not wanting to go too far. Green pastures abound, as do willow lined river banks rising to a low ridge of hills.
These give occasional glimpses of Ingestre Hall, another of the former homes of the Earls of Shrewsbury like Trentham and Alton Towers. It is now a residential arts centre owned and operated by Sandwell Borough Council.
At Shirleywich, an uneven ground surface and a couple of lakes hint at a former industrial activity – salt extraction. A nearby village is called Salt, just to make it clearer.
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| Weston Lock |
Weston Lock is set some way before the village it is named after. Here again, the lock was empty and ready for us, and a boat appeared round the corner just as we were leaving it!
New housing is moving Weston’s boundaries ever further alongside the canal, now surrounding Weston Wharf with its collection of modern contracting craft. The village has a Derbyshire Trent-side namesake, just to the west of Shardlow. We shall have a similar situation tomorrow.
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| William Pitt's Column (c. Geograph) |
Road and railway, both of which have flirted with the canal now move in alongside as more moorings are passed and the canal moves below a high ridge on the offside. The railway is so close you feel as if you could shake hands with the passengers on the trains as they pass!
The ridge hides Sandon Hall & Park – the home of the Earls of Harrowby. Nothing can be seen from the canal except a tall column topped by an urn commemorating William Pitt, the late C18th Prime Minister.
Sandon Lock was the last of the day - we are hard workers really! Here we had to wait for a boat to exit the lock and this time there was no boat in sight at the top so Elaine had to close the gates for once.
About a mile further on the canal passes under Bridge 85 where clear views of Burston Hall can be had. This Victorian villa has an enormous field coming down to the canal edge which they actually take the trouble to mow. Hope they have a ride-on mower!
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| Mooring at Burston |
It was just through this bridge that we pulled in and called it a day – or in our case a morning. Showers and a home-made casserole await. A lovely morning’s cruise through some unspectacular but nonetheless most attractive and unsung countryside in lovely weather. What more can you ask for?
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