High winds

View from the aqueduct

Lottie woke us at6.30 to go out and use the dog toilet.

After breakfast we were ready to move off with blue sky and sunshine ahead but ominous dark clouds were building to our left. Paul decided to wait out the squall as his forecast suggested gusts of up to 30 miles per hour.

Canal side cottages

Windy views

Just before nine the clouds cleared and the wind dropped so we set out for Leek. The first minute took us over the aqueduct with stunning views along the valley. The cruise continued with lovely views back down the Caldon as the canal clung to the edge of the hill. We passed a boater with a rescue dog that barks at everyone and she waved merrily while her dog loudly told us to keep moving.

Tranquil out of the wind

Leek tunnel was so different from Froghall tunnel with loads of head room, but Paul struggled to get the bow into the tunnel as the wind had started to blow strongly again. By the time he reached the winding hole it was gale force. It spite of that he wound successfully and then tried to reverse past two moored boats to moor. The wind swept down the hill and pinned our boat to the bank as if we had tied up. It would not budge. While we were still stuck against the side of the winding hole another boat turned. Fortunately it was a wide winding hole and we were right up one end.

The end of the canal

As the wind eased Paul reversed back past the first moored boat but as he approached the second the wind gusted strongly.

The gap between the boats seemed big enough for our boat so Paul let the wind blow him over. He slid sideways into the tight gap perfectly without touching either boat using wind power with our side acting like a sail.

winding waterway

We had a pleasant walk along the river from the disused aqueduct at the end of the Leek arm and managed to stock up on edibles.

Lottie settled down for a long sleep before I could clear the sofa of our magazines. Why choose to sleep on top of things when the other sofa was empty? 

Lottie sleeping

After a long lunch break the wind dropped again so we set off back towards the junction. Lottie wanted to walk but rejoining the boat at the tunnel entrance took some nifty steering from Paul.

unusual tower seen from the canal

The return journey was sunny but the wind started to gust again.  We caught another narrow boat at the aqueduct as he dropped his crew. The crew woman hurried down the steps to set the locks for her boat before it cruised round to the top of them, but I doubt if it saved them much time. Due to them stopping ahead of us our loopy Lurcher jumped onto the bank, but for the first time I failed to follow her. A large water rat watched her from the far bank whiskers twitching. It was the biggest and healthiest rat I’ve ever seen, but most stay concealed in the grass. Lottie ran on ahead and waited where we had been moored this morning as if waiting for us to pull over. When we cruised past she ran after us barking, her way of asking to get back on the boat. She jumped back on as soon as we neared her bank and settled down on the back deck.


There were not many boats moving today so it was unfortunate to meet one at an awkward bridge hole on a corner. I couldn’t reverse up as the CaRT boats were moored by the bridge and there was no room for a boat to pass between me and them. The other boater reversed... and got stuck. The rear of the boat was aground but the front floated around and blocked the canal. The other boater pushed off with her barge pole giving me room to slide past.

Today was a no locking day as we moored above the Stockton Brook flight of five in a surprisingly rural spot. Tomorrow we will face the concrete of Stoke on Trent.