As there is are no signals here and I needed to speak to my daughter I was trudging out of the valley at 07:30 this morning, after what seemed like a 5 mile hike I was high enough to get a phone signal.
We pulled the pins and set off towards Froghall the sun was trying it's hardest to get through the thin cloud cover. The canal gets very narrow in parts and is not helped by the Consall Forge Railway station dangling over the water.
I like to find out why bridges have been given their name one bridge we passed is called Cherryeye bridge after the red bloodshot eyes of the flint workers who used to use it.
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| The wooden hut structure is not a drop through dunny, it's the station waiting room. |
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| I love this picture Sue took of an old semaphore signal |
The canal gets very narrow in parts, we squeezed through long sections with only inches to spare, we were glad there wasn't any other traffic to negotiate. At Flint Mill lock there is a gauge as you exit the lock to advise if the boat will fit through the Froghall tunnel.
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| We wont fit under the tunnel. |
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| Coming to a narrow section |
Arriving at Froghall is a bit frustrating, the small portal stopping any further progress, a walk over the top of the tunnel brings you to Froghall Basin a serene oasis with immaculate pontoons. I shouldn't think many boats are shallow enough to make it to the basin but those that do are rewarded with a remote secure place to stay.
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| Froghall Basin |
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One of the six lime kilns.
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There are better places to moor on the Caldon than just before the tunnel so we made use of the winding hole and started our return journey to the Trent & Mersey. The sun was out in full so we shed our fleeces for t-shirts. We had a long chat in a lock with a couple from Antwerp who were really interested in our life style.
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| Early hay cut. |
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| Sue walking between locks. |
We have moored for the night opposite the Boat Inn we were going to have our tea there but they don't do meals on a Tuesday evening so we made do with meatballs and pasta from the onboard provisions.
One interesting note ..... we have been travelling for a week and we have never been more than 20 minutes away from our starting point by road.
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