Goodbye Kinky

We’ve survived the Kinky Caldon! Another early start this morning and a reasonably uneventful run to Etruria saw us complete our visit. It was my turn to steer and, apart from a close encounter with some hawthorn bushes on the outside of one bend, I managed to do it without too much drama.

I was helped by having the benefit of Sheila’s experience going the other way, of course, and some of the bends are just easier in this direction.

We locked down Bedford Street, crossed with an ex-Black Prince privateer at the bottom and emerged onto the wide and deep waters of the Trent and Mersey summit a bit after nine.

We stopped at the Calor Gas dealers to replace a cylinder; £17.48 for 13 kg of propane gives an idea of the mark up everyone else must charge…

/floor

Leaving the mooring there we crossed with Debdale whose steerer said he reads these burblings. Hi to you, and thanks again for holding back!

We actually found space on the moorings outside the Toby Carvery, just slotting in between the two boats already there. One has since left and been replaced by a very flash looking tug decked beast from a builder who shall be nameless (you pass the yard on your way from Amington to Fazeley…). He’s actually rather long for the space and has tucked his bow inside ours, where it’s bumping a bit, but we can take it if he can.

/hmm

So, what’s our opinion of the Caldon? Like Caesar’s Gaul, it can be divided into three parts. The first section from Etruria to Milton is reminiscent of the not too bad bits of the BCN, something to get through to get where you’re going.

Next comes a very pleasant bit of rural canal from Milton to Hazelhurst. It’s very nice indeed, but no better than say the southern Staffs and Worcs or the Chester Canal from Barbridge to Tattenhall.

Finally, there’s the truly stunningly beautiful part, especially the river section which is the equal of the Upper Thames, the Lower Nene or the Upper Great Ouse, with the advantage that it’s more accessible and you don’t need a Gold Licence to do it.

But…

From its origins it’s always been quite narrow and very twisty, making it hard work in a full length boat, as I’ve already said. And it desperately needs some basic TLC, cutting back the offside vegetation, removing shallows like the one at Cheddleton and improving the moorings at places like Milton. At the moment it’s best done in a 58’ boat that’s already a bit scratched and battered.

Frankly I reckon the Caldon and Uttoxeter Canal Trust would do better to stop spending their resources on one of the more pointless restorations (so few boats can get through Froghall Tunnel, the Uttoxeter is never going to be more than a trail boat waterway) and redirect their efforts to volunteer co-operation with CRT to sort out the canal they’ve already got.

I shall now brace myself for the storm of protest…

/bye