Nearly there!
Finally on the last leg I think – got to Congleton and am finally on the Macclesfield Canal!
From Newbold went to Hawkesbury Junction which has great pub (the Greyhound) and soon ran into Glen and his wife Sandra . Had 4 pints with Glen and the went to set off but as the engine was warming up the alarm went off and found water leak! Fixed two hoses and went back to pub for another beer with Glen and came back half pissed. Sat on boat and thought should I fish or not – decided to have ago and in just over an hour had two bream around a pound and a half a roach which weighed in at one and three quarters, another about a pond and a half and a two pound tench - all on sweet corn as it was going dark. Sorry to bore you non fisherman with this but made my week!
Glen also caught some nice roach next day so not just a fluke.......
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Next day set off fo Atherstone and stopped off at Nuneaton for supplies - good cheap shopping centre but crap pubs apart from the Rose on the way back – Tony is a great landlord and Vic Reeves lookalike! Atherstone has loads of pubs – Hat and Beaver one of the best! Tuesday was Atherstone to Polesworth after a problem getting started with the with the mysterious "white box wires".Not really sure what the white box does but seems to be quite important! Polesworth has a tackle shop and a nice stretch of river (the Anker) which according to the tackle shop owner is full of fish but nobody fishes! Yard Hotel not up to much, the Bulls Head good beer and proper local village pub. Typical comment when a guy walked in sporting a tie " heres the politician after a hard day's work snorting cocaine off the breasts of prostitutes" - turns out he was on the parish council!
Next day was Tamworth, pretty place but a bit of a walk from the canal – two great pubs – the Mrket Vaults and the Robert Peel. From there it was on to Fradley Junction with famous Swan Inn (Mucky Duck) – not much there apart from that and a bit full off itself with serious narrow boaters clogging up the route to the locks.
From Fradley it was on to Rugeley which is a bit of a dump but has Tescoss, and Morrisons close to the canal – loads of noisy teenagers creating havoc all night.
Next stop was Great Haywood with a good farm shop and great pub (the Clifford Arms) where Mick the bailiff gave me good advice about the fishing on the Trent next door where apparently there are barbel and free fishing (in dispute). Shuggborough Hall is nearby and sounds worth a visit.
Next was great Haywood to Stone which was a bit of a slog with loads of queues at the locks. Also nearly lost the boat again - as I stepped off with the rope I knocked it into reverse and couldn't hold it and so had to chase it back down the canal and leap onto it Tom Cruise style!
Stone interesting with the two best pubs by the lock in the centre. From Stone headed to Stoke but got waylaid at Barlaston where the Plume of Feathers (part owned by Neil Morrisey) is a great pub with 10 real ales and moorings right outside. Here I met Alan, Bill and Basil his 15 year old cocker spaniel, and got pissed and went no further. Alan is amzing, 74 years old and has a whiskey for breakfast (in a cup of tea so it doesn’t count) a BOX of wine (4 bottles) and a couple of pints everyday and still travels about single handed. But he did admit that he can’t drink like he used to!!..........
Spent ages trying to find the Holy Inadequate pub (what a great name!) which actually just past the the top lock (as described in the Guide), and well worth the effort! Yesterday left Stoke and finally ripped the vent of the water heater with one of the ropes going through a lock some of which are pretty deep and fast flowing........
Yesterday came through the famous Harecastle Tunnel which is over one and a half miles long and in parts so low you have to bend your knees. Boats travel through in convoy and it takes around 40 minutes to get through....
Still some bits are quyite realxing.............
