What a Lark!: Orange water, he dropped it and old farmers.

So then, the Harecastle Tunnel.

Yesterday ago the nice lady I had chatted to at Barlaston lock had told me that nowadays you have to book to go through the tunnel with 48 hours notice, they hadn't been aware either. But they had called up and spoken to a nice lady called Charlotte, who had explained that without any bookings they men are deployed to other work.

I called up immediately to make a booking for the following day, to be told by another person, that there was only 1pm and 3pm left, can we just roll up in the morning and go through asked I? There is only 1pm and 3pm available said she... Marvellously helpful as we all wanted to go through early.

Nothing more to say to that person, I think she is working from home in a spare bedroom, sometimes I wonder at staff training at CART, we have in the past asked about a problem in Stoke and the CART employee asked David where Stoke was!

Anyway after a team meeting over supper last night we all agreed to rendezvous at the tunnel entrance first thing to hope and ensure that we could all go though.

We were first away for a change although to be fair Amanda and Lesley had already walked the three doggies there and back and I think around the lake.

We watered up, I'd done a wash for Lesley of all her soggy clothes, then I put a wash on for ourselves. The very nice CART man on duty readily agreed that we could go though last of about 6 or 7 boats so that we could stay on the waterpoint until the last minute.

Off went all the boats having had their safety talk, light check and sounding of their horns. We followed on well behind and cancelled the booking!!

Since the accident ...

HERE

in the tunnel back in 2014, a year after we made our first passage though, David appeases me by wearing his cycling helmet in the tunnel, he forgot this time so I fitted it on in the dark holding a torch in my mouth!

I was faffing inside with the washing and nearly missed the off.

All the other boats long disappeared inside.

Its a teeny bit unnerving when the CART man wallops the door shut behind you, its takes a few minutes for your eyes to adjust to the black and cold.

The light in front looks like it could be the exit but I think I took this just after going in.

It was about 45 minutes to get though then out into the orange waters of Kidsgrove. Orange from the iron ore in the water.

Straight past the junction for the Macclesfield canal. Two boats did turn here, we didn't as there was a breach earlier in the year which we hope will be repaired by August.... we hope.

I take a photo each time we come though here, this little place is still standing but now the sign on the first floor is illegible.

HERE I can't find out much online but it was built in the 1850's and was the entrance to the Kidsgrove Gas Light Company works estate. I hope it doesn't fall down.

At the first lock was a volunteer. He lived locally and told me that this is his home patch, he grew up here and as a child these canals were full of rubbish. He was delighted to be here and working the locks.

We past the other two team members who's crew had gone food shopping close to here. We just popped onto the water point at Red Bull to top up after the laundry and away we went again.

Now Reader I just want to point out to you that the next batch of locks we met two single handers, both jolly, both chatty, both sharing information and I helped both of them.

At the very last lock we were to do today, there was a CART workboat being worked up.

I was HORRIFIED that the crew dropped two paddles. I did say it was shocking to him but I think he thought I was joking. So I told another crew member if this was standard CART practice and he said no.

We moored up at Church Lawton. A fav spot with dairy cows on the nearby farm, a sunny west facing aspect.