Flint Mill Museum

The wind was getting up as we left our mooring, through the two locks that took us back to the now open Flint Mill Museum. Joe, part of a husband & wife volunteer team, showed us around the old millers cottage, the daughter of the last miller to live here had her 98th birthday last week and she lives in the cottage next door with her husband who is 100 years old, they have been married for 75 years!.

The flint was unloaded from boats onto small trucks and wheeled on tracks and lifted through these trap doors to start the process

 It was fascinating to look at the workings of the mill, Joe opened the sluice to start the water wheel turning and the internal cogs spinning, I was struck by how noiseless the 18th century machinery is  without actually milling anything. The flint for milling was transported to the site from the south coast beaches of England and parts of Ireland.

One of the two mills at the museum started out life as a flour mill 800 years ago before being converted to flint milling in the 18th century.

The Hollybush was our port of call for tea, proper steak & ale pie for me and hunters chicken for Sue.

Tuesday Froghall Basin

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.

The wooden hut structure is not a drop through dunny, it's the station waiting room.

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.

We wont fit under the tunnel.

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.

Froghall Basin

One of the six lime kilns.

 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.

Early hay cut.

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.

Monday at Churnet valley railway

Cast of from our mooring at 09:45 under high cloudy skies, we get glimpses of the boats high above us on the Leek Arm to port. Under New Springs Bridge (38) Grange Bridge (39) the rusty iron of railway tracks follow parallel to the canal for a while, as we take a sharp turn to starboard the tracks are replaced by the bimbling River Churnet down to Cheddleton Locks.

A daffodil  guard of honour

We moored  just before the first lock to have a look around the Flint Mill Museum, unfortunately closed so we just wandered around the buildings, waterwheels and industrial equipment outside. Perhaps try on the return trip.

Flint Mill

Sue locked us through the two locks preparing the second while FL and me descended the first, all the practise she gets is paying dividends.

Half mile further on we made a second stop to look at the Churnet Valley Railway and Cheddleton station, again it is out of season but we were able to walk around the old buildings and rolling stock. On the opposite bank there is a smart pub The Boat, where we have lunch and a glass of Burtons Ale, food and beer were excellent.

River Churnet

Sue enjoying a ham baguette

Setting off once more the canal now cuts through a very attractive landscape. After Oakmeadow Lock the canal merges with the River Churnet to meander through high banks thick with leafless trees that sweep down to the water's edge. We moor for the night at Consall Forge we have no signal for phone PC or TV but it does have it's advantages as well as the quietness and views there is The Black Lion which must be one of the most isolated pubs in England. We went to the pub in the evening and the landlord and locals at the bar are all very friendly. We both had the Smothering Monk ale to drink, here we were told about the transgressors at the water point in the photo. When we left we got a cheery goodnight from all in the bar.

I just love this bridge.

Lime Kilns

We are the second boat back in this picture. The first boat is on a water point and hasn't moved for a couple of weeks ( it has a C&RT notice attached to the bow rope).

The Black Lion

Two pubs visited today does that constitute a pub crawl as narrow boaters are associated with the derogatory term ditch crawlers.

View from Kitchen window today.

Mothers day

I selected this top Mothers day plant for our daughter.

We set of from our Endon mooring at 11:30 on the first day of summer, the sun was warm as we headed towards the service point to dump the unmentionables and fill with water.

Filling the water tank at Park Lane

The vista has become even more rural the more we cruise into the Caldon. It is hard to imagine we are travelling on an artery that was built in 1779 to haul limestone out of quarries for the Potteries and the industrial midlands. In parts a railway line runs parallel to the canal, this sounded the death knell for the canal as freight traffic switched to the faster mode of transport.

We reached Hazelhurst Junction where the Leek branch moves off to the right as we start a descent into the Churnet valley via three locks, we see the Leek branch further on as it passes over us on a fine aqueduct. At the bottom lock we are locked through by a young Oz friend of a family showing her the ropes. (maybe she will be back in years to come on her own adventure).

Rural scene

Hazelhurst top lock, the Leek branch goes under the bridge on the right

Top Lock

I'm able to help at locks on the descents.

Different style of paddle opener.

Young Aussie

Leek arm crossing above us.

We moored at Denford close to the Hollybush pub, only two miles today.

Enjoying an Ale

Handsome stone barn conversion

Bridge 38

The Hollybush, FL second boat back.

One of the mile posts (this one is outside the pub). Unfortunately the canal now terminates at Froghall some 7 miles from here, much of the remainder which went to Uttoxeter has been filled in and one of those pesky short term railway company's laid tracks over it, the railway has long gone and now the route is a bridle way.

Life in the country

Milton to Endon Basin

After a walk into Milton village for some veggies we let go of the bank and set off in warm sunshine. Now the canal becomes much tidier as urbanisation is left behind and the countryside starts to roll. First lock is Engine Lock, the wind has increased as the view has opened up which makes negotiating the lock chambers and bridge 'ole's trickier. Sue raised the lift bridge and we are on our way to the 5 Stockton Brook locks, Sue whizzed us through them while I manfully stood at the tiller.

Sue ratchet's the bridge up

Lock wheeler waiting for FL to arrive

The canal is very quiet, only a few other moving boats all day. Before  bridge 27 a remnant of a swing bridge for a disused light railway that ran into Endon Basin has to be negotiated, which isn't helped by its proximity to the bridge especially in windy conditions. We moored up for the day just above Endon Basin, a total of three miles today, we aren't in any rush.

Remnant now a round about

Magnificent silver birch lock side.

Today's kitchen window view

Endon Basin now the home of Stoke boat club.

Tonight's mooring

We had a long walk past Plant's Bridge before tea to get me some exercise, I get a bit sedentary on the tiller, we must get Sue trained up as a tiller girl this year.