Meaford (on the look out for Brimstones)



We woke to a beautiful sunny cold day on Tuesday. There was no wind as can be seen in this almost upside down picture of a slim bottle kiln taken as we left our overnight moorings at Middleport pottery.
 
We awoke to a still spring-like day on Tuesday
After a mile or so we hit our first lock of the day, Stoke Top Lock.  I have included this picture as it proves I do operate locks sometimes.  Also it was our first descent this year signifying that we are now on the southern part of the Trent & Mersey that descends all the way to Derwent Mouth where the canal meets the River Trent near Nottingham.

Proving I can operate a lock
Just before the first lock was the junction with the Caldon canal which is one of our favourite canals.  We'll definitely be back there with the new boat as it will be easier to navigate the narrow twisty turns with a shorter boat.  At the second lock was a party of schoolchildren who were learning about cogs and also how locks work.  Unfortunately, due to Health & Safety, they were not allowed to help us at the lock even though there were some willing hands.

Schoolchildren learning about locks and cogs
This cheeky trainspotter was standing on the lock balance beam when Karen arrived at the third lock.

Man waiting to take a picture of a freight train

We had to remove some things from the roof to get through this low bridge in Stoke city centre.

Low bridge at Etruria, Stoke-On-Trent
Hanley cemetery is practically in the middle of Stoke but covers a really wide area with the older graves set well apart from each other – rather a pleasing sight.

Hanley cemetery
As we left Stoke we passed the Wedgwood factory (I always forget that there is no ‘e’ in Wedgwood)…

The Wedgwood factory
… and headed for open country again, stopping at the next village, Barlaston, to use the post office.

Between Wedgwood and Burlaston
More daffs are out on the back deck now and some of the pansies are blooming.  It felt really spring-like in the sun and we kept a constant look out for butterflies but didn’t manage to see any.

Our colourful deck


We moored for the day at Meaford after covering 10 miles and going down 10 locks.  

Our mooring for the night opposite a new housing estate at Meaford
Here are the locks not shown above.

 




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