A grey day

Today we woke to a grey day, but its not raining which is a bonus, though it poured down in the night, straight away we are into a lock. We head to Stockton Locks a set of five that take us to the summit 484ft above sea level. 

This canal has changed drastically from the first leg into a beautiful canal with spectacular views around each bend.We pass the facilities at Park Lane Bridge because one was not able to moor with all the CRT barges taking up the visitor moorings while they carry out work at this location. The canal junction now splits into two arm the Leek and Froghall we head towards Froghall and while using the locks we were joined by a bunch of school children and their teacher who explained the principals of lock operation to them.

Onwards to Cheddleton which has  a Flint Mill  and the Red Lion pub which we were going to moor at but there was no mooring to be had so we decided to go to the next pub.

At Oak Meadow ford Lock the river Churnet merges with the canal, but as the water level hadn't reached red we carry on, and the heavens open. At Cosnall Forge we moor up opposite the Black Lion , where the steam railway runs right  pass. We were tying our mooring ropes when  a man from the pub told us that where we were mooring was prone to be flooded and that this area has had a flood warning, he said that we could moor up a bit further down stream, but I decided that we would turn around are trace our steps to the lock that was after where the river joined so that's what we did.

We then moored up in the middle of nowhere but away from the river and took off our soaking wet clothes, had a nice warm shower and a hot dinner. So no beer tonight again:(