Dates: Thursday March 19th to Friday 3rd April 2026
Overview: Starting at Aston Marina we head north on the Trent and Mersey canal to Etruria, and then turn onto the Caldon Canal. This splits in two by the Hazelhurst locks. We take the Leek arm of the canal, before returning to follow the Churnet valley to the end of the navigable section at Frogall. Then back to Aston. We have a few extra days due to Andrew and Jacky leaving the boat early
We leave the marina with about 90 minutes of daylight left. I am keen to make a start to the journey, however small. There is a shrill alarm sounding from the instrument panel, and a faint red glow from the battery light. This is disconcerting, and has not previously been reported. The engine rev counter also waves around rather randomly. The first lock comes immediately after leaving the marina, and while tied up I lift the engine hatch to confirm both alternators are turning and their drive belts look OK.
We moor immediately above the first lock, and walk to the nearby Three Crowns for food and refreshment.
The next day we travel the short distance into Stone, which everyone has told us is a great little town. I have consulted the engine manual about the alarm, and the indication seems to be an alternator problem. The boat is woefully I'll-equipped to deal with this, having a multimeter with only one working lead, and an extension cable that doesn't reach to the engine bay
Stone is indeed a lovely place, made all the better by warm autumn sunshine. There is a very busy Joules pub overlooking the canal, which shares its building with the Crown Warf Theatre. Our favourite pub however is the Royal Exchange, no food, but great beer from the Titanic brewery, and pleasantly lively and friendly.
The next day we visit the Saturday market and pick up some very tasty feta and dried tomatoes. These will feature in many a future lunch. So a late start and a short journey takes us to The Plume of Feathers at Barlaston. Despite the shortness of the distance traveled, the lateness of the start means we are mooring up in the fading light of the evening, something that we always seem to be doing
And then a slightly longer day, six miles and six locks into through the fading industrial sites lining the canal into the centre of Stoke on Trent and the turn-off for the Caldon canal
City centre mooring always has a slight air of trepidation about it. Tales of gangs of feral youth, aggrieved and aggressive drunks, and general rowdiness. Our mooring spot in Etruria had none of these things, being very pleasant with flowering cherry trees, quiet save for the Canada geese, and an excellent pub twenty minutes walk away. The Holy Inadequate, the pub in question, was busy and with a great beer range. Pubs that get the basics right, decent beer and a friendly atmosphere, seem to be thriving. No food on offer, so back to Venture for food
I head to Screwfix early the next morning for a longer extension reel and a new multimeter. The canal above the staircase lock near our boat is almost out of water, there had been a problem with one of the gates yesterday. Perhaps we are going nowhere today. Returning from my expedition I see a kingfisher, but more significantly a CRT worker at the locks. He tells me that the low section is being refilled and will be fine later.
By early afternoon we are on the move. Hanley Park is an oasis of green in a mainly old industrial landscape, but it is surprisingly soon that we are gliding through trees and a tranquil environment. We travel for four hours, through eight locks, and Moor up in the fading light just after bridge 27a near Endon. A large flock of crows performs an evening murmation before settling down for the night to roost in their nearby trees.
We walk up the hill to the Travellers Rest in the small village of Stanley. It's lively, but we manage to get a table and manage to get food. We are joined by a group of local cyclists, and I get much respect for having completed the Fred Witton challenge, as evidenced by my t-shirt
Bad weather is heading our way. Over the next two days we only travel 500m to get to the services at Endon where we can empty our toilet cassette. We sit in the cosy boat, with our stove burning, while outside the wind howls, and rain and snow comes down in copious quantities. In between heavy showers I look at the alternator, clean all its electrical connections, and check voltage readings. The advice from Beta Marine is that we need a new alternator at a cost of £240. There seems little enthusiasm in the owners group to spend this money. We will see what transpires
Thursday dawns bright and clear, the calm after the storm. At Hazelhurst junction we take the right hand branch and the three lock-free miles to Leek. Exploring Leek will have to be part of a future journey, as Chris and Chris are joining us later today and we need to get back to our rendezvous point near Hazelhurst junction. There is time to stock up on provisions, but we don't get sight of the town centre.
We moor just above the Hollybush pub, and go for a cheeky afternoon pint, and more importantly to check whether our guests can leave their car in the pub car park for three days (yes they can). C&C arrive at around 6pm, and we all help carry their gear up to Venture. We spend a merry evening in the pub, and a quiet night on the boat.
The plan over the next few days is to travel to Froghall, which is as far as the navigable section of the canal will take us. This would include what is described as the amazingly low and narrow Froghall tunnel, and I am not certain Venture will fit through this. Today's target however is the Black Lion at Consall Forge, a pub that has come highly recommended, being next to the canal and the Churnet Valley heritage rail line and described as a splendid pub of outstanding isolation.
Two hours or so after setting off we are less than 100m from where we started. Admittedly we have travelled over a mile and down through three locks, to pass underneath the canal where we had moored. We then chug past the Hollybush and on towards Cheddleton where we have lunch aboard.
The last mile of the day is on the river Churnet itself, and speeds by: the river must be deeper than the canal. There are only two mooring spots by the Black Lion, but we manage to secure one of them.
It's an idyllic setting
Even more so the next morning as steam trains thunder past, with much smoke and steam, huffing and puffing.
My measurements tell me that Venture should just about fit through the Froghall tunnel. It is with some trepidation that I very slowly approach the entrance portal, ready to stop at the slightest hint of trouble. But it is a perfect passage: the boat enters with the correct alignment to the direction of the tunnel, and we slip through without touching the sides. The is not much on the far side. One lock down to a basin where we moor, and a cafe. Then the whole process has to be repeated, but at least I know the passage is doable.
We are now on a race against the sun, to get back to Cheddleton where we have booked a table at the Black Lion (yes, another one)
The sun is setting as we reach the Cheddleton locks. Coming out of the first lock the boat judders to a halt with a violent thud. We are grounded.
There is not enough water in the pound to float our boat. My crew is ahead, getting the next lock ready, and unaware of the situation. Thank goodness for the walkie-talkies, which enable us to communicate and get some water sent down to get us to float.
The next day is showery. We have only a short distance to travel today, so after breakfast we visit the nearby church. There is a service going on, and go in once this has finished. We get a personal guided tour of the church, its history, interesting artworks, etc. All very unexpected and all the more charming for it
The two mile journey to the Hollybush is cold and wet. At least for the skipper, steering at the stern. Inside it's a different experience, the woodburner is throwing out heat and it's very cosy, the windows filling with condensation and much chit chat exchanged
We manage to squeeze into a mooring space at the pub, and the two Chris's leave us and head home.
Over the next five days we make our way back to Aston Marina, where Venture is based. A day is spent in Stoke on Trent, and we visit the Emma Bridgewater pottery where we buy gifts for various people and enjoy a nice lunch. On our way out of Stoke we drop by the Portmeirion shop and stock up on plates to replace some of our fading crockery at home
Canadian geese keep a close watch as we walk across the fields to the Duke of York, a community owned pub at Barleston. We always seem to have an overnight stop at Barlaston and we always eat at the Plume of Feathers. I want to try somewhere different tonight. The Duke of York is open, offering drinks but no food. So we have a pint, but then it's down the hill to the Plume of Feathers, again
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