Going North Down the Trent & Mersey

We had a look at Mercia Marina, as we were moored near to it NB Takey Tezey moors here, wow - it's huge. After a visit to Midland Swindlers Chandlers, we set off towards Derby, Nottingham, well north, then east.

View of the entrance to Mercia Marina off the Trent & Mersey canal, with Willington Power Station dominating the sky line.

At Stenson, the locks become large wide ones, with a very powerful intake of water from the top gates.

Don't panic - I was filling the lock waiting for Beefur to arrive and travel down hill.  You wouldn't want this lot on your front deck!

We moored up at Weston-On-Trent, we were amazed at the lack of boats around here.  We passed the odd one, and moored above Weston Lock on our own, however, within half an hour, two boats had moored up behind us - not surprising really- with views like this from your kitchen window.

Dave was disappointed to discover that "The Old Plough" had been bulldozed to make way for a housing estate, but very pleased to find "The Coopers Arms", a rather grand building, with a car park full of 4 X 4's with personalised number plates.  He persevered, and found a lovely bar with great real ales, and the best fireplace we've seen for a long time .

Round every corner - more lopped trees - there's more wood round here than you can shake a stick at.  Despite lots of trees been cut down, there's still rather alot overhanging the canal, waiting to catch one's aerial.  Thankfully the canal is very quiet, so we're able to dodge the worst of them.

Beefur going downhill in one of the big locks.  The gates are extremely heavy - my sciatica's playing up something awful!  We were moving over the weekend, which meant LOTS of gongoozlers.  "Wow, those gate seem really difficult to move".  "Yes - they are - I'm struggling to close them just for your entertainment, no need to help, just stand and watch me heave".

And into Shardlow, with it's beautiful old buildings and old wharves.

This one, now a pub, is the old 18thC Trent Mill - no we didn't investigate further!

Old warehouse building with a now filled in arm

Converted warehouses

I love this house - well it's garden anyway - it's got a miniture train track running all the way round it.

Dave took this pic, it's where there used to be moorings & seemed a nice little community going on here years ago.  Now, nothing, no sign of any boats.  Dave remembers it as "the cuttle" , opposite this rather grand building...