Great Haywood

Good grief, there was a strange sound tap dancing on the roof when we woke this morning ..it's pistoling down. That's a first, not the rain but waking up to it.

Sue dressed for the weather and action at Colwich Lock

Handsome lockside shed

 These two signs are on the old lock keeper's cottage wall.

C&RT actively encourage towpath cycling now

The rain came and on hard then petered out as we moored just before Haywood Lock, we went for a walk through Great Haywood and down to the marina to have a look at its facilities. The marina has manicured lawns and a smart reception block but our first impression on speaking with the staff about a winter mooring wasn't favourable. So we will give GH a miss. It has got a fabulous farm shop/butcher adjacent to it, we came away with pork belly, sausages, bacon, pork pies and veg to last us a few days. We walked back to FL along the towpath and helped a boat through the lock en route.

Sign post at Haywood Junction we are going the Potteries route.

Smart eatery above the Haywood lock

The Staffordshire and Worcester Canal from Haywood Junction, with Anglo Welsh hire fleet.

After a pork pie lunch we walked over the attractive stone pedestrian bridge over the river Trent to Shugborough  Estate, we had a walk in the beautiful grounds but didn't go into the Hall as a £15 each charge was levied.

Bridge over the crystal clear water of the river Trent

Shugborough Hall.

Before tea, we strolled into Great Haywood to the Clifford Arms and had a glass and a half of Lancaster Bomber