Pottery and lockery.

We cast off this morning around 9:30. The weather forecast this morning was for heavy rain and so we had waterproofs at the ready. In the end the weather was quite sunny!

The modern Wedgwood factory stands a short distance from the canal on the other site of Trentham. Josiah Wedgwood saw the benefit of the canal to his business and persuaded the designers to build it through Stoke and right past his original factory. Completed in 1777, the canal brought raw materials in and importantly, finished goods out. The slow smooth ride allowed safe delivery of the delicate pottery around the country and around the world. These days everything is moved by lorry, but that allows us to enjoy the canal in relative peace.

We moored up outside the factory and walked to the visitor centre. After a pleasant cup of tea and cake (or pancakes for some of us) we walked the shop and then around the V&A museum. At this point we realised our tea cups from earlier retail for around £50 each! After lunch we set off once again and tackled the remaining 8 locks for the day (there was just one earlier as we passed through Trentham).

The forecast for this afternoon was accurate and we faced biblical rain and hail showers. Both skipper and crew got so wet we may as well have jumped in the canal! Edward helped with most locks today, he’s thoroughly enjoying his time aboard.

Passing through Stone the large Joule’s Brewery is another industry to sit on the side of the canal. The now closed large doors still evident of a time when beer was transported by boat. One may be forgiven when passing the boat yard in the town centre that this is just another yard. This is in fact the base of the Canal Cruising Company - the pioneer of canal boating holidays.

The Star pub pre-dates the canal by 200 years and holds the record for the number of floors at different levels in a single pub. Here we had an audience as the last lock of the day was effectively in the pub beer garden!

After this we stopped at the water point where the skipper got another drenching from the tap. The crew went to explore the floating market. Dozens of canal traders were moored here for the weekend and by the time we arrived all but one or two had shut up shop for the day.

We are moored for the night just south of Stone.Leer más