Sunday morning

We all seemed to wake simultaneously at about 7.00 this morning, within short time all were dressed and had coffee in our hands. We sat round the table chatting until someone ask why we were sitting and not traveling. So ....

The Trent and Mersey canal is showing all the signs of autumn (fall for those in the US), golden leaves float on the water and there is a pleasant chill in the wind. One has to say that in is not only leaves that float on the water - ducks, moorhens, swans (and other unmentionable bits). 

There were two great canal architects - James Brindley, who died in 1777, and Thomas Telford, who lived and worked in the early 1800s. These two men must have had amazing vision and an understanding of water mechanics. Brindley was instrumental in constructing the Tent and Mersey canal in order to connect the potteries both with their sources of clay, and their markets.

One of the first locks we traversed this morning was lock 36 - Telford Lock - named after Thomas! Our route has taken us past parks and woods, historic sites and quaint buildings. One high-light was passing a small boatyard at a point when the canal crosses over (aqueduct) the Trent River. Forget the name of the yard, but the services it offered were interesting - boat repairs, fishing, 10 meter shooting range and "line- dancing" (What?????).

We continued on with two excited Californians discussing the merits and demerits of line-dancing to the little town of Meaford (pronounced as in 'method' and it's four locks which lowered us 32.5 feet, and into the town of Stone. At some point between Meaford and Stone the rudder somehow came off its lower mounting and so a call was made to our boatyard for help, which arrived in 20 minutes. (Traveling at 4 mph doesn't get you far!). All was quickly fixed and we made our way through the Stone flight dropping another 39.5 feet. 

The big attraction of Stone for those who travel the canal is the pub "The Star". Built in 1771 it has an interesting place in the Guiness Book of Records as the pub built on the most levels - nearly every door has a sign "Mind you head and mind the step"! Having negotiated the locks and replenished our water tank, we walked back to The Star and had a healthy lunch of Ale and Steak Pie and chips, washed down with our choice of the local brew. Actually, John had diet Pepsi and Stan and I had Stella Artois lager, but "brew" sounds better!

As I write we have just passed down the Aston Lock (9 feet) and will soon be finding a place to moor for the night. Of this part of the journey Pearson (author of the Canal Companion) writes "With no great dramas to catch the eye, the canal traveller is thrown back on his own resources".

We are soon to be arriving in Weston-on-Trent where we will moor for the night and probably make a visit to the Saracan's Head for an evening repast.