Well, we made it through Harecastle Tunnel with only a slight bump on the way in!
At 1.6 miles long and only wide enough for one boat, Harecastle Tunnel had been playing on my mind for days. We had booked our passage for 2:00 pm and arrived at 1:50 pm to allow the Canal & River Trust team time to carry out their safety checks, including inspecting our tunnel lights and making sure our horn was working correctly.
Once given the all-clear, we entered the darkness. Thirty-nine minutes later we emerged back into the sunshine, and it really wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I had let my imagination convince me it would be.
From Harecastle we cruised down to Westport Lake and settled in for a few days. Located on the northern edge of Stoke-on-Trent, Westport Lake is the largest expanse of water in the city and a designated nature reserve. Surrounded by woodland and walking trails, it provides a peaceful escape from the urban surroundings and proved to be a lovely place to stop and relax. Apart from the goose poop !! Oh My ! So much goose poop !!
On Saturday, May 30th, we walked along the towpath to Etruria to visit the annual canal festival. The event featured historic narrowboats, live music, food stalls, local crafts, and, of course, plenty of beer. We also got to catch up with Aaron and see our favourite fuel boat, Halsall.
The following day we visited Middleport Pottery, which we had passed on our way to the festival. Founded in 1888 by Burgess & Leigh, Middleport Pottery is one of the UK’s last working Victorian potteries. The site remains in active production today and offers a fascinating glimpse into Stoke-on-Trent’s rich pottery heritage. After exploring the pottery, we rounded off the day with a Sunday roast at a nearby Toby Carvery. It wasn’t my favourite roast dinner, but it was convenient and close by!
After four days at Westport Lake, we left and headed onto the Caldon Canal.
Our first overnight stop was at Milton, where we moored up much to the apparent disgust of a homeowner whose property overlooks the canal. It did leave me wondering why you would buy a house next to a canal if you don’t like boats! Fortunately, the excellent fish and chips we enjoyed that evening more than made up for the frosty reception.
The next day we said goodbye to our friendly neighbour and continued further along the canal.
On Friday, June 5th, we travelled up the Leek Branch, passing through Leek Tunnel in the hope of reaching the terminus. Unfortunately, AndAway proved to be just a little too long, and we were unable to reach the very end. After winding the boat, we headed back through the tunnel and found a beautiful mooring where we stayed for a few days and enjoyed the peaceful surroundings.
Sunday saw us leave the Leek Branch and make the very tight turn onto the Froghall Branch.
The Froghall Branch is one of the most scenic sections of the Caldon Canal, winding through the stunning Churnet Valley. However, it is also one of the narrowest and shallowest waterways we have encountered so far. We quickly discovered this for ourselves, getting firmly grounded on at least two occasions and having to pole ourselves free before continuing.
Eventually, we reached Consall, located on a section where the canal shares its route with the River Churnet. This was our first experience mooring on a river, and what a location it was. We secured a spot directly opposite the tracks of the Churnet Valley Railway.
The Churnet Valley Railway is a heritage steam railway that operates along part of the former North Staffordshire Railway route. Running through the beautiful Churnet Valley, it offers visitors the chance to travel behind lovingly restored steam and diesel locomotives while enjoying spectacular countryside views. Watching the trains pass from our mooring was a real treat.
From Consall, we walked to the end of the Froghall Branch because, once again, AndAway’s dimensions prevented us from reaching the actual terminus. Froghall Tunnel, built in 1811, is famous for its exceptionally low headroom, and sadly we were simply too tall to fit through safely.
After three wonderful days at Consall, we winded the boat and began the journey back up the branch before rejoining the main Caldon Canal. We are currently moored at a lovely spot near the bottom of Lock 4, where we’ll spend a little time before slowly making our way back towards Stoke-on-Trent.
Next week I’ll be leaving AndAway for a few days to catch the train down to Devon and spend some time visiting my mum.
While both the Leek and Froghall Branches are undeniably beautiful and interesting, they haven’t quite become my favourites. Their shallow and narrow nature can make boating challenging and, at times, rather stressful. That said, the stunning countryside, peaceful moorings, and unique character of the waterways have certainly made them memorable parts of our journey.
As always you can also view all our adventures on our You Tube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@nbandaway
And the merch store!
And Away... 
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