This cruise is really designed as a way to visit Tixall Wide for a peaceful night or so and to facilitate a visit to Shugborough Hall.  

 

When our guests have come aboard (around 1.30pm) once we’ve had  our introductory blah blah (and probably a glass of something fizzy) we’ll pull ropes and begin our journey. 

 

Our first lock (depending on where we’ve been able to moor in Stone) will probably be Aston Lock near the Marina.  We’ll chug on for a couple of hours –working our way through Sandon lock and aim to tie up for our first night together around Weston Upon Trent… a short walk after dinner to visit a pub might be the order of the day.

 

Next morning after a leisurely  breakfast, we’ll head down Weston Lock  and meander our way towards Great Haywood Junction. We’ll turn right at the junction and on to the Staffs and Worcestershire Canal.

 

Tonight’s mooring spot will be the lovely “Tixall Wide” – the Capt. May get the urge to try and do a couple of donuts first though. 

 

We’ll discuss whether we’ll stay here for the next day (to facilitate a walking visit to the beautiful Shugborough hall) but if that isn’t needed, we can have a gentle chug to Acton Trussell , into Penkridge (where  we’ll need to top up with water etc. )and tie up for the night  wherever we fancy.

 

Our penultimate days journey will find us chugging on to our turning point which is not far after Cross Green Farm and then we’ll try and get moored  near the pub, (with a view to having tea there) - from Memory , pre-covid , the food at the Anchor was always quite good.

 

Assuming we’re not too worse for wear on our final full day, we’ll make a decent start and meander our way back to Penkridge and moor for our last night together.  We’ll say goodbye to our guests when they depart following breakfast the next morning.  If they are travelling by train, we’ll walk with them to the station to help with luggage if required…  We’re nice like that -sometimes.

 

 

A Leisurely cruise with time to explore and enjoy the scenery.

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Stopping places aren’t set in stone so we can make it up as we go along.  Total distance is 35 miles, and 22 locks with  14 small aqueducts or underbridges along the way.