Caldon
Canal (and it's Leek Branch):(Adjacent
canals can be viewed with
the above links)
The upper ’pounds’ of the Caldon and it’s Leek branch have got to be one of the prettiest canals in the UK. The photos we have taken on recent trips just don’t do it justice. Turning off the T&M at Etruria, the canal climbs up to the east, initially via a staircase set of locks. The initial few hours travelling through Stoke’s suburbs cannot be described as pretty (some might describe it as a stretch that is ‘nothing to write home about’), although I find it nevertheless 'interesting'. It also has to be said that much has been done in recent years to upgrade the look of the place, with a new towpath and 'new-build' townhouses replacing some of the earlier dereliction. It is true that we prefer to do this stretch in the morning, before there are too many local youths around. But don’t be put off - as soon as we pass 'Engine' lock, the canal scene changes dramatically into a land of dry-stane dykes, wooded valleys, and small holdings - it's quite charming. Between Stockton Brook Locks and Hazelhurst Junction, we are travelling on the 'summit pound' (highest level of the canal), over a landscape of open farmlands.
The upper ’pounds’ of the Caldon and it’s Leek branch have got to be one of the prettiest canals in the UK. The photos we have taken on recent trips just don’t do it justice. Turning off the T&M at Etruria, the canal climbs up to the east, initially via a staircase set of locks. The initial few hours travelling through Stoke’s suburbs cannot be described as pretty (some might describe it as a stretch that is ‘nothing to write home about’), although I find it nevertheless 'interesting'. It also has to be said that much has been done in recent years to upgrade the look of the place, with a new towpath and 'new-build' townhouses replacing some of the earlier dereliction. It is true that we prefer to do this stretch in the morning, before there are too many local youths around. But don’t be put off - as soon as we pass 'Engine' lock, the canal scene changes dramatically into a land of dry-stane dykes, wooded valleys, and small holdings - it's quite charming. Between Stockton Brook Locks and Hazelhurst Junction, we are travelling on the 'summit pound' (highest level of the canal), over a landscape of open farmlands.
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| Ornate
foot bridge at Hanley Park, at Stoke. |
Many of the factories around Hanley have been razed to the ground - new town houses and improved towpath go some way to regeneration of the area. | Described as an 'obstruction' in the canal guides, this was the site of an unusual swing bridge used in the commercial days, here near Endon Basin. | Hazelhurst Locks in the middle distance - these are the open rolling farmlands of the summit pound of the Caldon. |
At Hazelhurst junction the Leek
branch heads off eastwards - eventually.
Immediately after the junction, the main line of the Caldon descends
down a flight of three locks - meanwhile the Leek branch runs alongside
the west side of the main line for a while, but doesn’t lock down. Then
the Leek branch turns abruptly east over the top of the, now lowered,
main line on an impressive aqueduct. For a full length
narrowboat, the Caldon and it’s Leek branch are quite challenging with
some unusually tight and abrupt turns - but that just adds to the fun
of
it. Having crossed the main canal line, the Leek branch crosses the
railway on
another aqueduct before following along the hillside towards Leek. From
wood sided slopes, covered in a blanket of bluebells in spring, the
canal suddenly emerges into a hill surrounded tranquil pool.
From this
crater like pool the canal breaks through the hill using an ornate
tunnel, for
the short run to the canal terminus approaching Leek. The Leek branch
has to be a candidate for one of the UK's prettiest lengths of canal.
The branch
retains it rural nature right to the end, at a winding hole (turn
point), just short of the town itself. Here's some photos of
the Leek branch....
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| The
leek branch turns sharp (very sharp) left here, to cross the main line.
Originally the canal dropped down to the main line just to the right of
the cottage via a set of staircase locks. |
On the Leek branch overlooking the valley of one of the Churnet's tributaries - a peaceful idyll. | The Leek Tunnel is only 130yds long, but is quite ornate with stone block inner walls. | This has to be the most peaceful setting for a winding hole (turning point) despite it's proximity to Leek. |
If, at Hazelhurst junction,
we
stay on the main line we descend down a flight of three locks, and take
up a course running alongside
the River Churnet through Cheddleton, with it’s flint mill
and adjacent steam
railway line. Then after a few locks we join the river itself
to cruise down the meandering river course through deep woodlands to
Consall Forge. At Consall Forge there is the Black Lion pub poised
almost on top of where the steam railway crosses the navigation with
the old lime kilns opposite. The river passes over a weir but the canal
then continues, passing the pub, down a very narrow channel
towards Frogall. Passing the Black Lion, we have the canalside 1950s
style railway station, beautifully restored. This area is the heart of
the hidden, almost secret, gorge like valley of the River Churnet. The
Churnet Valley Steam Railway is a short but charming railway. To travel on the train is not
expensive and guests
can incorporate a short train trip with one of our cruises - quite
charming! The best way of describing all of this is just to
include more photos.
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| Hazelhurst
locks start the Caldon's descent to the level of the River Churnet. |
Having descended Hazelhurst on the main line we pass the site of staircase locks which used to bring boats down a more direct route from the Leek branch above. | An unusual rear view of the canalside Cheddleton Mill's water wheels, both turning - the mill,is now operated by volunteers, and well worth a visit. | These workshops form part of the road bridge over the canal, here just above Cheddleton locks. |
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| The
remains of Lime Kilns beside the visitor moorings show that the
Caldon/Churnet was less idyllic in days gone by. |
Although we had joined the navigation of the R.Churnet, it now escapes via this weir at Consall. | 'Churnet Valley' passenger steam train crosses the Caldon in front of the Black Lion pub, beside the now pedestrianised road bridge. | Steam train pulls in to Consall Forge railway station beside the now narrowed canal. |
Previously we could go on to
the
Frogall Tunnel and turn there, but now we must turn at Flint Mill Lock
about 1.5miles short of the tunnel. BW in an effort to
‘improve’ facilities at the tunnel have narrowed the turning point at
the tunnel,
which now prevents full length narrowboats from turning “**!!##%**”?
But it’s worthwhile for us to moor up for a while at Flint Mill lock to
allow for a walk
along the side of the narrow channel to the tunnel. But we
moor for a while at the lock, before turning, with the opportunity to
walk for a while through a stunning glen down towards the tunnel - how
far depends on how much you like to walk. The
canal here is
narrower than it was in it's heyday. As the railway
took the trade away from the canal in the area, they narrowed the canal
to make room for the adjacent railway - which was considered more
important at the time.
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| Two
bridges in
front of the Black Lion at Consall. One for the railway and
one
for for an access road. The railway bridge is one of the narrowest
I've seen on the canal in the UK - but it makes skippering a full
length narrowboat interesting. |
Willow moored beside the winding hole above Flint Mill lock at Consall. | At the base of Flint Mill lock there is a boat height gauge (red and white). Anything that can't get under that gauge without touching won't get through Frogall Tunnel - canoes should be OK. | We moor above the lock and walk down a very pretty canal towards Frogall - not likely to see any 70ft narrowboats down here. |
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