No blog on Stoke-on-Trent would be complete without a photo of Wedgwood, the visitor centre is a "living museum, art gallery, gift shop, cinema, displays by skilled craftsmen and a Tea room", all within walking distance to Bridge 104 where we moored last night. We must make a point of visiting.
Trev bobbing about while I set the first lock of the day at Trentham. The gardens are approximately one mile west of bridge 106.
Now this set me off on a rant this morning. We have seen umpteen signs similar to this on our travels this year. Why is the government so insistent of filling in our green spaces when it is clearly not what the country wants!!!!
Like many heavily industrialised regions, The Potteries have passed through a period of transition and from time to time you come upon examples of the area's most potent symbol, the bottle kiln.
Stoke Bottom Lock, the first in a flight of five which take us up fifty feet.
The fascination of this lock has yet to wear off - it fills from just below the cill and every now and again the water is forced up like a fountain.
This extra sign warning the unsuspecting boater.
Hard to believe we are getting close to the town centre....
and closer to home.
The present paying homage to the past.
Plenty of moving boats lends to another easy day on the locks with plenty of 'one in one out' giving excellent water conservation.
This dragon fly had been attached to this chaps t-shit for ten minutes!!!
The small arm below lock 39 has all the ingredients of a compelling canalscape.
Trev waiting for the lock.
At Etruria Junction making a "U" turn onto the Caldon Canal...
where we moor to use the 'facilities'.
With our friend 'Brindley' to watch over us we decide this is our resting place for the night.
5 miles 6 locks 3 hours
