Stone to Wheelock

The following day we stayed inStone and Peter Ady and I drove to the other side of Stoke to sus out the moorings before Harecastle tunnel. We decided on Westport Lake where there is a nature reserve alongside the canal and vice versa. There is an excellent Visitors Centre and the whole thing is run onn the same lines as our local College Lake near Tring. The moorings are without any facilities including pubs which meant "quiet" which was fine by us.

We returned to Stone and all met up in the excellent Swan near to Star Lock, a Free House, with a choice of 8 real ales, no children, no dogs after 9, no tv and packed with proper people,no nuisances and unusually I would hazard 40% of the clientele were of the female gender. Great pub.
Round the corner, cos we were feeling lazy, was a fish and chip shop so that was dinner sorted Next to the pub was the excellently named Lock Keepers. Is it a pub, a restaurant, a bistro? No it was an hairdressers. Brilliant name.

The local yobs queue for their fish and chips

An early start planned for Sunday so an early night was required. Pity we didn't have it.

Through Star Lock at Stone

Sunday did not start well. In fact Sunday started badly. I fired up the engine at 7.30 as planned and promptly crowned my bonce on the engine room door which has only been there 17 years to my knowledge! Claret everywhere plus a lot of foul language, numerous stars and a rather giddy feeling. Peter and Adrian struggled manfully with the First Aid box and then even more manfully (manfullierly?) with the plasters to patch me up while I sat on the bunk anticipating an early demise.
Order having been restored and I having donned some sensible head wear (see self portrait) to hide the plasters which made me look silly we set off stopping only to fill up with water and empty the loo.
We headed for Stoke but progress was soooooo slow. We seemed to catch up with or meet a splendid selection of people who must all have banged their heads that morning and decided "Lets all meet on the canal between Stone and Stoke and slow Independence down-"

The journey through Stoke was uneventful (we knew Stoke City had played and lost at Anfield on the previous day so there weren't any hoolies around). Plenty of locks with plenty of boats so plenty to do. After 7 hours we reached West Port Lake and prepared to bbq

West Port Lake

Nearly a full moon for our barbecue

A very fine bbq indeed-a fitting farewell to Peter who leaves us on the morrow.
A morrow where the Harecastle Tunnel awaits-a tunnel that takes you underground for 45 minutes, gets seriously low in the middle, is markedly narrower than most and just for good measure is allegedly haunted by a Boggart whatever that is. I suspect it was invented by Stoke Tourist Board to drum up a bit of interest.
Roy's son Gordon joined us at the Lake-so nice to have crew with a pulse.
We arrived at the tunnel entrance, had a briefing from the Tunnelkeeper, and at two minute intervals seven boats, inc Panther, preceded us in with us being followed by the last in the queue.
Harecastle is unique for another reason. Once the last boat is in they close a door behind you taking all light away and start up the air-conditioning. made good speed but t'others in front were slower so I had to dawdle in neutral for fear of tapping Roy on the rear end. Never recommended. I banged the side at the lowest point when I was in fact down the steps to avoid rebanging my bonce and thus unable to see. Not much damage but it sounded meaningful

Queuing for Harecastle Tunnel

The exit from the tunnel. No the water isn't dirty-that's the colour of the clay bottom

North of the tunnel and a couple of locks down and we were out in the country again. We moored up and walked back to the Red Bull pub which we new from past experience is very good. There we met Kay, Peter's wife who had come to collect him and take him back to the Home. Kay, bless her, had brought scones and jam and clotted cream for both boat crews so she can come again. Farewell to Peter-a good man in a crisis.
That evening the five of us dined at the Red Bull. As previously it was superb. Roy and I both had skate and here it is.

The following day we travelled the 21 locks to Wheelock where we struggled in the last pound for want of water. Independence was scraping her bottom and making very slow progress. Apparently some berk had left paddles up. That apart it was a glorious day's boating through Church Lawton, Rode Heath and Hassall Green where I saw a sign saying

For Sale

Mountain Bike

Jam

I can't imagine what it tastes like but presumably must contain nuts.

At Wheelock there are two pubs, a small provisions shop,a Chinese takeaway and THE SHAMPAAN INDIAN Restaurant. After slaking our thirst we headed off for a hot and nasty and very good it was too.

If Peter has a failing it is a dislike of spicy food so we hadn't had our usual quantity of Curry out of consideration for him. It was excellent.

Tomorrow we move on to Middlewich. I think we'll all be up early!