Leek

Today's Canal : Caldon

Another grey day but one which ended with quite high winds. 

Soon after setting off we arrived at the deep Engine Lock. It gained this name from a large beam engine nearby that pumped water out of local mines.

Two lift bridges to negotiate before the next set of locks. The first one provides vehicle access to an adjacent property and is electrified, opening and closing comparatively quickly.

In between is a feeder bringing water to top up the canal.

The next lift bridge is manual so this was to be Mike's turn to open. As we neared we could see that it was left open so a bonus!

And so to the bottom of the five lock Stockton Brook flight. These locks are also fairly deep and the bottom paddles on the first few were unusually stiff.

Mid flight there is the site of a former waterworks and pumping station. Last used by Severn Trent in 2004 it is now slowly being renovated to create a Community Centre for Arts, Nature and Heritage. It is clearly not an undertaking for the faint hearted but they are holding an open day later this month so that local people can see what is the aim. Good luck - it would be a shame to lose such an impressive piece of Victorian industrial architecture.

Alongside a couple locks there is a piece of modern sculpture that seeks to remind people of the typo of industry for which the region was once famous, much of which has now disappeared.

Our old friend the Leek Branch railway line makes yet another appearance as it crosses the canal below another lock.

Eventually we arrived at the top lock - five locks completed in 7 minutes over an hour.

At Stanley Moss there is a much-photographed 'obstruction' (or so the guides and maps say) complete with a blue keep left sign. (It is keep right coming the other way as only one side is navigable!) Originally this was the base for the centre pivot of a swing bridge that carried a tramway from a nearby factory making colours for the ceramic industry. Initially it connected to the Leek Branch running very close as well as to a wharf alongside the main canal.

Later, a short arm was added to provide an expanded loading capacity. This is now home to a local boat club. Some history of the factory can be found here. (There are several our interesting articles via Google)

Is this a genuine 'trailer' boat?

We stopped at Endon Wharf where there is a full range of boater facilities.(Actually, some our out of commission as the result of continued misuse - sad. Still, what we wanted was OK. We have our own shower but not every liveaboard boater does)

At Hazlehurst (or Hazelhurst) Junction the canal divides into two branches. One drops down the locks ahead and continues to Froghall where it once connected to the Uttoxeter Canal. The other was principally a feeder to bring water from Rudyard Lake, but made navigable - just! It is very bendy and at times quite narrow. Steerers need to be constantly alert.

We opted for the Leek Branch. After running parallel to the now lower Froghall Branch, it crosses over on a short aqueduct.

Immediately the canal also crosses the Leek Branch Railway - our turn to be over the top after so many bridges earlier.

Although it seemed much slower than we recalled from previous visits, we later looked back at our cruising logs. We came here twice with Take Five, a shallower draft. The four times between Hazlehurst Junction and the start of the Leek Tunnel were around 45-50 minutes whereas today it took 66. Slower, yes, but not by a great margin given that we scraped the bottom through every bridge hole, almost coming to a dead stop.

There is a large open expanse of water just before the tunnel entrance and we certainly felt how strong the wind has suddenly become.

Leek Tunnel has an unusual profile. We do not often bother with photos inside tunnels - not a lot to see! However, in this case it does indicate just how snug a fit it is - but only for 120 m.

On the other side there is a Tunnel Waiting Area feature - the cattle might have a long wait!

Nearly at the end we came to the sign that requires most boats to wind at Bridge 9 as the winding hole at the terminus is otherwise too shirt for anything over 56 ft. After we had turned we reversed a few boat lengths only a known mooring space. We do not expect a great amount of passing traffic in the night! The wind is forecast to die down after a few hours and be rather calmer tomorrow. Still a breeze but bright, warm sunshine - we sleep in hope.

6.9 Miles - 6 Locks