Caldon Canal to Froghall

After poor weather the previous day, June 23rd improved as the day progressed.  We waited beside the Hollybush Inn until the mechanic came and looked at the boat which turned out to be a sticking valve on an injector which needed to be replaced but we would be able to continue to travel in the boat, but it could produce blue smoke.  Martin was relieved so we continued down the Caldon Canal as proposed leaving about 11 am. 

Boats moored outside Hollybush Inn.

 After leaving the Hollybush Inn we went under the Leek Canal Branch, the Hazelwood Aqueduct and the Caldon Canal wended its way up the valley, beside the Churnet River, the countryside beautiful with lovely reflections and woodlands to Cheddleton where there is a Flint Mill.  This Mill was not open so after lunch continued down through the 2 Cheddleton locks (flight of 16 foot 1 inch) and 2 more stand alone locks to Consall Forge, 4 and a half miles from Hollybush.  The locks on this section of the canal were much deeper and heavier, you had to work more working the gates and paddles !!!

Hazelhurst Aqueduct carrying the Leek Canal over the Caldon Canal

View of canal near Consall

Consall has only dry weather vehicle access but the Churnet Railway goes through it beside the Black Lion Pub and the canal.  Consall was the scene of intense activity in centuries past when forges, furnaces and slitting mills went about their business.  Nowadays the pub and the railway and canal are the main features in the picturesque countryside.  This is a favourite mooring place so 6 boats moored alongside the canal and after "Pimms" time on the edge of the canal it was across the railway for dinner at the pub.

Black Lion Pub and the railway line in front of it.

"Pimms" time on the canal at Consall.

Next morning, 24th June, it was up early to continue to Froghall at the end of the canal, a further 2 miles.  The canal becomes much narrower with denser woodlands on the sides of it, one further lock and we are at the Froghall Tunnel which is quite low and only some boats can go through it.  Martin's boat was too high so we moored before it and walked the last short distance.  To our amazement the tunnel was only 76 yards long and easy to walk around on the tow-path and then not far to the end of the canal at the Froghall Basin.

Entrance to Froghall Tunnel

Froghall Basin with no boats moored there.

At Froghall there are lime kilns which were used in the past and the limestone was transhipped by canal boats out of the valley.  There is also remains of previous industry including a huge copper wire works that was sited there for 120 years, stopped 5 years ago and is now derelict.

Disused Lime Kilns at Froghall.

Notice about the Lime Works

The main attraction from Froghall is the Churnet Railway, a preserved railway from Cheddleton to Froghall with a steam train, stations and a tearooms at Froghall.  It only runs on Wednesdays and at weekends and as it was running this day, Sue and I decided to take the train back to Cheddleton while Martin took the boat back to meet up with us. 

Froghall Station and people.

Steam train and carriages at Froghall Station

It was a distance of 5 and a half miles and took 30 minutes, all run by volunteers.  It was a change to ride in a steam train, soot and all and see the countryside from the train.  We passed Martin in the boat at Consall and got off at Cheddleton after going through the Cheddleton Tunnel, a fun thing to do.


The steam train we were on in front of Black Lion Pub at Consall.

Cheddleton Station where we got off the train and met Martin and the boat.

Once Martin got back to Cheddleton, the boat was moored beside the Flint Mill and this time it was open so we were able to see a working flint mill, very important to the pottery industry. (The following blog covers the Flint Mill in more detail).

Cheddleton Flint Mill from the towpath beside the canal.

We left Cheddleton and continued back up the Caldon Canal, through all the locks including the Hazelhurst deep locks to Park Lane, where there were services and moored there the night for an early start in the morning back to Stoke-On-Trent to get the boat repaired.

Boat permanently moored along the side of the canal and the land they use beside it.  This is a fairly common view.