Monday 4th June We left Barlaston at 9am in glorious sunshine. It's quieter today with little moving. We soon arrive at Stoke and the two dominant features from the canal. Sainsbury's huge distribution depot on the left and the football stadium on the right. At the first lock in the stoke flight we stop to unfold the bike and empty the lock. Boats are coming and going and we are soon up the flight, it's now noon. There is much building work going on all along the canal through Burslem. The canal twists and turns. My hat flies off so it's a quick reverse to collect it. When we arrive at Harecastle tunnel the tunnelie tells us there will be a wait of about 75 minutes. No worries, time for a spot of lunch and a bit of polishing. Three other boats arrive to travel with us. The time soon goes and 4 boats exit the tunnel towards us. One says "what a nightmare" as they exit. Turns out their light failed in the tunnel and their big torch also failed. They had gone through with only a tiny little light!. We are given our passage instructions and off we go. At first in wonder what all the fuss is about, then the roof drops and I am glad I have a torch to see the roof top. About a third of the way in there is a sudden gust of wind and the temperature drops. It appears the fans have been switched on and air is being sucked from one end of the tunnel to the other. It drips water. Gently on and 45 minutes or so later we come to the end and very brown water. There is now a sharp turn onto the Macclesfield canal. We pass slowly through Red Bull and another sharp right, over the aqueduct and through very pretty canal. At the stop lock there is a tin box on the wall inviting the purchase of a map. A BW key opens the box. I take one out and leave a donation as suggested. This map is extremely good and I would suggest anyone coming here buy one and help the Macclesfield Canal Society at the same time. We stop 100 yards on and wash LT's roof at the water point. We moor above bridge 87, although we cannot get all of LT into the side.Bit shallow here. Smashing day. Great TV picture.
Regards Andrew & Wendy from The Cut
