Beginning of the Caldon

I have to say that when the weather is not at it's best, or even slightly reasonable, then the first part of the Caldon is not particularly beautiful.   It is a few years since we came up here and we didn't remember this first bit.  

The mooring just beyond the water point was very congenial, grass for Barney to lie out on and a 10 min walk to a giant Tesco's.  The first two locks are a staircase and look very daunting as you enter

A reminder of the once great Potteries

Bridge 9 is extremely low and luckily a boatie had reminded us so we had taken our satellite dish down.  In the event we might just have made it through but we prefer to err on the safe side as having to back off at the last minute is not the preferred option.

Soon after this is a narrow stretch of canal where you would not choose to moor

but low and behold there are new mooring rings!

Not just a couple of rings either but at least a quarter of a miles worth right up to the lift bridge.

I always feel a little vulnerable as I pass under a lift bridge

Our guide book says that the Caldon struggles to extricate itself from the urbanisation of the Potteries and they are not wrong!

There is better to come though, even the weather improved and we eventually decided to moor in a delightful spot just before Stockton Brook Locks.  The latter part of the trip was much better

6.1 miles, 4 locks. 3hrs 28 min