Postscripts from The Peak District (35) - Barlaston, Wedgwood, Trentham, Meaford

Monday 10th February 2014

Dubious forecast & I did get a bit of a soaking half-way through the day.... but I do have itchy feet if I don't fit any walking in for a few days!

The plan was to capture the Staffordshire LQ geocache sited on the outskirts of Stoke, at Trentham (see Postscript 32)

No intention of driving there, though, when there's a perfectly good canal I could stroll beside! Took the strolling a little too seriously on my return journey & wandered as far as the edge of Stone!

Parked beside Downs Banks Brook at Wash Dale & wandered upstream before climbing the western Downs with this view across the valley

Potential for superb views all round but rapidly disappearing in rain clouds!

Brindley's canal runs from the Mersey, near Runcorn, to the Trent, near Shardlow &, while I have walked several sections before, this would be the closest to home!

He had already completed one major canal for the Duke of Bridgewater, finished in 1759, when Josiah Wedgwood approached him with the commission for what became 'The Grand Trunk Canal'!

I'd walked through Barlaston & passed the old Wedgwood factory by the time I arrived at the first acknowledgement of The Potteries, close to Trentham Lock

Lots of interesting plaques beside the canal offering a variety of information & most of them, thankfully, are graffiti-free

Included this photo to show just how 'close' to home it is & to show how our local Caldon Canal fits into the scheme of things

You may have to click on the image to read the small-print but Leek & Ipstones are just beyond where the blue stops (top right)!

If you're looking for the bit I'm walking here..... I've just squeezed on to the bottom of the map!

Walked about as far as the yellow 'Museums' dot to secure the 'Ancient Oasis' geocache, nestled in Hem Heath Woods, before heading back to Barlaston & New Pub No.8, 'The Plume of Feathers'!

Friendly people & fine cider but rather bare & cold inside... lacked atmosphere

Nevertheless, comfortably ahead of schedule now!

Best canal-walking of the day, however, was the stretch south of Barlaston

The above photo was taken just beyond a row of cottages & beside a huge carved stone announcing Barlaston Boatyard

Further along I passed through the old site of Meaford 'A' power station where huge cooling-towers once stood..... they were demolished in 1982 but nature seems to have won this particular battle without a great deal of apparent effort!

Meaford Locks
Far enough for me today! If I didn't turn around now I wouldn't get back to the van before dark!
Besides, around the corner at the bottom of this flight & I'd be in Stonefield, a suburb of Stone!