The Final Words

About the boat

Sophia Ginger at 68' long handled like a dream. That's been said a few times on the Blog and rightly so, but what of the interior?

Obviously this boat was roomy as it is intended for six. Three separate cabins with permanent double beds gave our three musketeers a degree of comfort and guaranteed a good nights sleep

The following might help those who may be thinking of a canal holiday but have yet to experience the pleasure

The galley was very well equipped with a quality full sized cooker that included a fan assisted oven and grill, probably worthy of a master chef. All the utensils anyone could possibly want were available along with crockery and cutlery

The saloon area was roomy and comfortable with excellent seating. Nice television with built in DVD player added to the entertainment along with a decent radio

Plenty of room to stow clothes and stuff. Cupboards and drawers were plentiful

Good standard of lighting throughout

Central heating throughout, not that we needed it, nice to know it was available though



Waterways World from 1981

Board games were provided along with canal guides and a nice touch was the inclusion of a set of Waterway World magazines covering the year 1981. One copy even had a write-up about a trip on the Caldon Canal, so that made interesting reading as we cruised along that splendid waterway and compared then with now

Thank you Karen and Staff.

Nothing was too much trouble

The handover was professional and thorough. The inclusion of diesel, when some firms add this to the cost, was simply another example of how well this firm treats its customers




Interestingly this articles describes the Caldon Canal as an
experience no-one should miss
Remember it was published in 1981 and yet the words
are as true today as they were all those years ago
Please note: Leek tunnel is open and in good shape!



As current today as it was in 1981

These days you can ignore the reference to Leek tunnel being closed
It's open and in good condition



 



How this Blog works

By way of an explanation

Dave, Malc and Trev
Photo courtesy of 'Crimewatch'

Please take a moment to understand the rationale behind this Blog

The Blog started as a brief daily record of our holiday. Lack of a signal at times and the use of a mobile phone app to produce the pages made for a somewhat limited  snapshot. We always knew this would be the case

The handwritten diary covering each day and photo's will fill the posts with a lot more content and this little status menu will be updated as and when there are additions to the posts. I expect it to be at least two weeks before the story is told in detail

Finally I would like to apologise to the English language for my lack of understanding of the same. My English master once said to me "You boy are an idiot" - Looking back, he was right!





This is me on a canal holiday in 1966.
It was my intention to become an
International rock star, The Beatles and
Stones got there first.  Never mind at least
I've still got those jeans and they fit!

Blog Status

Summary - completed
Day 1 completed
Day 2 completed
Day 3 completed
Day 4 completed
Day 5 completed
Day 6 completed
Day 7 completed
Day 8 editing in progress
You Tube Slide show Not started

please note: Initial editing is nearing completion, however there will be a continuous edit in progress during the next two months with many more photo's being added

Fantastic Holiday

Holiday Summary

This holiday from Stone to Leek and Froghall took place in late September early October 2013 as our three retired bank robbers ventured once again onto the Trent & Mersey and Caldon Canals

The holiday, lasting one week, had plenty to offer and despite the changeable weather we met some friendly folk, enjoyed good beer, good food and a boat that was more than comfortable.

The 'Blog' started as was intended with snapshots of the days when we could get a signal and will now be populated with a lot more information including photo's

It was sad to hear some tales being passed along that suggest the Caldon Canal is in poor condition at the beginning and dismal until one leaves the boundary of Stoke on Trent. This is simply not true and is disrespectful to those that fought to restore navigation many years ago and also to those that maintain the waterway at the present time. It's an unfair picture to paint of a canal that indeed starts in urban surroundings, but quite frankly apart from a few cans and food containers thrown in by people that don't seem to care, it has a character that befits the heritage of the area and although there are some derelict buildings they add to the unique blend of old and new.

Saturday
Leaving Stone  it soon became obvious that despite its length (68') our boat  handled very well. Approaching Barlaston with its much photographed row of white cottages alongside one can feel the pace of slowing down gathering speed. The Wedgewood factory stands proud in the distance before we reach Trentham

Stoke on Trent beckons and we take note of the impressive Britannia stadium, home of Stoke City Football Club. The city fathers have done their best and the canal is pleasant enough. One wonders at the minds of the graffiti artists as well as their dexterity in doing what they do and where they do it

The gateway to the Caldon at Etruria is landscaped and well cared for with a splendid statue of James Brindley at its entrance . The turn into the Caldon was something of a challenge but the crew and boat were up to it. Interestingly there was no-one about to see the excellent manoeuvre, however as is always the case on the canals when you do something well it is unseen, but when it goes pear shaped then somehow there are crowds watching. Gently passing the fine statue of James Brindley and paying a silent tribute to the great man our three explorers decided this was a place to moor for the night click here to see the full Blog entry for Day 1 Saturday

Sunday
Sunday morning brought about an early start and after passing through the Bedford Street staircase locks we moved along and eventually came to the motorised bridge that is known as Ivy House lift bridge. Waiting a few minutes to ensure there was no traffic we started to raise the bridge and sure enough as soon as it left its horizontal plane a car appeared, then another and another and so on. After the bridge we meandered along taking note of the surroundings and particularly the new build properties alongside the canal. We passed through the village of Milton with little thought (more of this place on the way back) other than it appeared a nice settlement from the canal. We had now left the urban area for the countryside and pondered our eventual overnight mooring in the country just short of the waterway offices at Park Lane Wharf. After mooring our thoughts turned to food and therefore a barbecue followed to be enjoyed by all click here to see the full Blog entry for Day 2 Sunday

Monday
Monday saw us up at the crack of dawn and heading for the Leek arm which eventually appeared at the impressive Hazelhurst junction, No locks on this arm and a gentle one and a half hours brought us to the winding hole and decent moorings to explore the town of Leek

Dave and Trev elected to go into Leek for some much needed provisions and pointed out they had to visit a local pub in the interests of obtaining local knowledge as to the whereabouts of an Indian Restaurant. This trip proved useful as when we went into the town later, catching a bus rather than walking, Trev and Dave had excelled as they proved they had found a pub that was very much to our mutual liking, The Quiet Woman. Unusual name but a very nice pub with a good feel to it and of course real ale on draught. Hazel looked after us and pulled a fine pint. A cosy place with a warmness about  it, that's why we stayed for more beer. A visit to a fine Indian Restaurant followed and believe us we know all about curry. The Shapla Tandoori was waiting for our visit. great staff a good atmosphere and splendid food. We are sure there are other similar restaurants in the town, however if in Leek again this is the one we'll be visiting as it was sublime with quality food and service as a reasonable price, and so back to the boat for a nights well earned sleep click here to see the full Blog entry for Day 3 Monday

Tuesday
Tuesday morning and we set off to meet up with  Dave's wife Brenda and a couple of friends, the plan being to meet them and go for a lunch break at the Hollybush Inn as Denford. After having refreshments in the Hollybush we set off intending to stop somewhere in the country for a second barbecue. Sadly the wind was a little too strong and so what started as a barbecue ended up as a grill as we cooked and ate on board click here to see the full Blog entry for Day 4 Tuesday

Wednesday
Wednesday morning saw us up early once again and we set off after a short time hoping the rain, that was falling freely from the sky, would stop so that we could enjoy this rather scenic part of the trip. The rain continued though until we moored at Consall Forge to take on water. It was at this stage we noted the last winding hole before Froghall Tunnel was 65' according to the Pearson's guide. as previously mentioned our boat was 68' . Not the end of the world but we didn't fancy poling the boat back to the (70') winding hole and so decided that we should turn at the next opportunity which came soon enough just after the station at Consall. It has to be noted that we had a mission on this trip and that was to discover 'The Spirit of the Caldon' We achieved this at Consall Forge in the shadow of the former lime kilns. After digging a hole at least one hundred feet deep a bottle of Glenfiddich Single Malt Whisky came to light and so we lay claim to finding 'The Spirit of the Caldon' and held a toast at the canal side. It's a wonderful place, full of imagination.

Setting off from Consall we arrived a little later at Cheddleton and decided to explore the wonderfully restored railway station. Sadly the little cafe that we visited last year was closed so that was that. Moving on we moored for the night close to the Hollybush Inn at Denford. We knew from experience that this is a fine establishment with an excellent menu and a fine selection of real ales served in a wonderful atmosphere with a welcoming coal fire Met a nice couple there, Linda and John (I told them I'd give them a mention) click here to see the full Blog entry for Day 5 Wednesday

Thursday
Thursday morning and yet another early start and also a bit of a downturn in the weather conditions, not that we were bothered by this. After stopping for water at the well kept Waterways  Park  Lane Wharf our need for provisions meant a stop and we decided that Milton might have what we wanted. That's an understatement, Milton had everything we could possibly need. Curiosity took us into  The Village Kitchen where we enjoyed a nice lunch at a very reasonable price. Nice place and good value, this is a fairly new undertaking and one that will surely succeed with its friendly and welcoming staff. We had a laugh with them and then moved to the local pie shop, this place has a lot to offer and we purchased our meals there ready for the night. Milton is well worth a visit not just because it has a lot to offer, it really is a nice place to walk around. We'll be back. click here to see the full Blog entry for Day 6 Thursday

Friday
Friday appeared and a very wet start with the promise of worse to come as we headed toward Etruria and eventually the base at Stone. The weather did improve and the forecast changed by the hour. We moored at Stoke half under a wide bridge where Trev undertook a spot of fishing. Plenty of fish there and sadly a fair bit of rubbish in the water and alongside the towpath. It didn't spoil our thoughts on the area and the canal in these parts seems to be in really good condition and the towpath is a haven for walkers and cyclists. We arrived at the base in Stone at about 5:00pm and prepared to go and see what the town had to offer and so we first of all discovered a well run Wetherspoons establishment where the real ale was well kept, so we had another, as you do. It would have been impolite not to. Then it was down the road to The Crown of India where we had a fair menu to choose from. Good service and nice food. After this we returned to the boat for yet another well deserved rest click here to see the full Blog entry for Day7 Friday

Saturday
Saturday morning and a dry start saw us loading the cars after breakfast at Wetherspoons and saying farewell to the boat and to Karen at the hire base. All in all we agreed this had been a fantastic holiday click here to see the full Blog entry for Day 8 Saturday

This has been a summary of our weeks trip. Read the posts that are below and you will see more detail of the trip (posts being updated currently)

Day 8 Saturday

The Holiday is over!

An early start to the final day as we are required to hand the boat over before 10:00am

A cup of tea and a tidy up and then off to Wetherspoons for what turned out to be an excellent breakfast

Although the holiday had just about ended we were in buoyant mood for we realised this had been a memorable experience with plenty to do and plenty of interest along the way.

Breakfast finished and back to the boat for the last time in order to pack our belongings into the waiting cars

Time to bid farewell to Karen but not before looking at the boat we will probably hire next year. Oh yes, we intend to do this again during 2014. Too early to say when but watch this space for the announcement of www.canal-holiday-2014-blogspot.co.uk

If you have followed our 'Blog' we hope that you found it of interest

What a boat!

Now back at base. Tell you what, this boat handles like a dream. 68' long and turns on a sixpence, even on a windy day. More later.

Indian meal tonight?

Indian meal beckons if we can get to Stone tonight. It's in the balance so have to wait and see.
Nice to see this horse as we passed by.

Day 7 Friday

Leaky lock at Etruria

Rain went off and now It's not a bad day.


from the diary
The forecast was for a wet day with heavy rain and thunder in the afternoon. There was nothing for it other than grin and bare it. Setting off in the rain does not really bother our trio of bank robbers although we would much prefer it to be dry.Interestingly after travelling for about an hour the rain went off. The expected thunder didn't materialise either

Reaching the wharf at Etruria there was time once again to reflect on the stretch that had just been completed. Going from rural to urban as the landscape grew more industrial our thoughts turned to those that had been critical of the Stoke area and the words "How wrong can they be" spring to mind

Cutting through Hanley Park, it's hard to believe one is in the middle of a vast conurbation that probably does reflect on the ups and downs of city life. As we drift along we note a section of towpath is being repaired with stone just as it would have been built years ago, nice to see

The Industrial Museum at Etruria
(just at the start of the Caldon canal)



Negotiating the tight turn onto the main line was achieved and so dropping down from the summit level commenced. After the first lock the superb setting of the Industrial Museum comes into view. Fine looking buildings that served the area so well and hats off to the folk that made and still contribute to this fine place

The Industrial Museum at Etruria
(after dropping down at the first lock on The Trent & Mersey canal)



Trev decided he wanted to do a spot of fishing and so we moored partway under a wide bridge whilst Malc climbed up to the road to investigate what was above, quickly returning to avoid getting run over. Kettle on and a glance at Trev showed this canal is clean because he kept catching fish. We are all aware that fish cannot live in contaminated water and so that's further proof that the canal is clean, although there were a few beer cans floating along. Malc and Dave were having a cuppa when Malc uttered the words that made Dave wonder at his sanity. He said "Here I am sitting on a boat, under a road bridge in the heart of Stoke, drinking coffee and thinking this isn't everyones cup of tea" We worry about Malc sometimes

Under the bridge at the heart of it all
Handy for a walk into town though!

 

Roadside merging with canalside. Which do you prefer?

 

Not sure of the name of this former factory
Nice to see the Bottle Kiln - heritage matters!

 Onward then towards Trentham and beyond

Hard to believe this is still in the City

Told everyone we saw Hyde Park - Well it's true and here's the proof

 

Lunchtime saw us moor just past Trentham in some nice surroundings eating bacon sandwiches. Something rather good about the smell of bacon cooking in the countryside. With satisfied bellies it was time to move on

Out into the countryside and very nice it is too

 

Afternoon was getting on as we reached Stone

The decision had been taken earlier that we would moor at the base and look for a suitable pub and Indian Restaurant as we sought a fitting end to a fantastic holiday

Stone did not disappoint and we soon came across a Wetherspoons pub with a nice choice of real ales. Service was good, friendly staff and the beer first class. Asking a member of staff if he could recommend and Indian restaurant the reply quickly came without hesitation, The Crown of India and so it was to be but not before another pint in this excellent setting

Late afternoon in this Wetherspoons pub at Stone
Good service, nice pint and a pleasant atmosphere

'Crown of India'
Nice place and very popular



Didn't take us long to find The Crown of India and we were not disappointed. the service was fast and the menu had everything you could possibly want. An enjoyable meal was had by all and we made our way back to the boat

Time for another episode of Spartacus with a few cups of tea and then to bed ready to say farewell to our excellent home for the week

Rise and Shine

Wet out there and going to get wetter. Never mind, its a good laugh. More later

Spirit of the Caldon

The Blog began by explaining our three escaped convicts are seeking the 'Spirit of the Caldon' and I am pleased to report that the 'Spirit' was indeed found by the old kilns at Consall
A picture records the historic finding.

Our boat

Here's a pic of our hire boaton the river at Consall Forge. Taken from the river bridge.

Captain Trev

This is Trev steering into a lock. Perfect and he didn't swear once

Day 6 Thursday

Early start and eventually arrived at a small village, Milton. What a gem of a place this is. Just about every type if shop you would want. Nice lunch in 'The Village Kitchen" we had a laugh with the staff and owner. Friendly place and good value. Scroll down for more on "The Village Kitchen"



from the diary
Another early start aiming to take on water at the excellent Park Lane Wharf. The shower block here proved to be welcoming with Malc heard singing in there (he still thinks he's a rock & roll star) whilst the rest of the crew took on water and attended to the disposal of rubbish

Last of the terraced houses that adjoin 'The Hollybush Inn'
It's early morning and there's a touch of mist about

Even the presence of overhead power lines doesn't spoil the view

'Engine Lock'
Between Norton Green and Milton

The feeder gently joins the canal having provided water from the nearby Knypersley Reservoir
a distance of approx two miles

This feeder, one of three that provide water not only for this canal but also the summit pound of The Trent & Mersey, reminds us all of the clever engineering involved in building the waterways for the need for water was constant, and still is to this day

A gentle cruise took us to Milton. We had not stopped here en-route but had taken note of the shop direction sign on the canal bridge

Into the village for provisions then and it wasn't too long before we spotted a rather pleasant looking cafe, The Village Kitchen. Venturing inside and looking at the menu it was decided to have a spot of lunch. We had originally gone in for a coffee, however the menu was far too tempting. A chat with the friendly staff told us this is a new venture. Not sure how long it had been open, nice place though and there were a few people coming and going while we were in there so really it can only go from strength to strength. It's worth noting the prices were reasonable as was the choice of food.

Take a look at this great place on Facebook

The fabulous girls from 'The Village Kitchen'
We didn't get their names but decided to call them 'The Angels'

Tried to think of some fitting music to go with the above photo and since the girls angelic hands prepared and served our meals this gentle little song best fits the picture

remember it's only "rock n roll"

The shop next door sold pies and much more and it was here that we purchased pies for tea, big choices and good prices along with friendly helpful service. Didn't remember the name of the shop but you can't miss it

Milton was something of a surprise and well worth a visit. Even got an Indian Restaurant as well as numerous other shops. If you are on a boating holiday then this is the last place to stock up on provisions as you head towards Leek and/or Froghall. Cheddleton has a nice shop but it's a hard climb to get there from the canal

We liked Milton and elected to stay for the night. We did contemplate a visit to the already mentioned Indian Restaurant but as pies had been bought for tea it was decided to have a relaxing evening on the boat, so that's what we did.

Day 5 Wednesday

Blog failed. First no signal then a software problem.
Hollybush this night. Good ale, great food, as always, also met a nice couple. Hello Linda and John. I'll post your pic later.


from the diary
Heavy rain started the day and so it was decided to partake of a light breakfast before setting off. As we slipped our mooring the rain continued unabated. At this time Dave uttered the words "it's going to go off, trust me" It was ok till he said "trust me" we know from experience that the opposite usually happens, anyway Me and Trev resolved to remind Dave of his words later in the day

Despite the rain there was no danger of the river being above its safe level when we joined it and that was the case as a look at the level safety indicator confirmed all was ok

Heading downstream towards Consall Forge the tree lined stretch was pleasant enough and suddenly the rain stopped, as Dave said it would. He was to remind us of this many more times during this day

 

Moored and about to take on water at Consall Forge

Our boat at the water point and in the shadow of the Lime Kilns
This is the point at which the river leaves the canal



Looking towards the river bridge with the weir just beyond
The 'Black Lion' is just out of sight to the left

'Black Lion'  Consall Forge

                                                                                                                                                                      Approaching
Consall Forge and the final water point before Frogall Tunnel gave us the opportunity to take on water. There is a water point after the tunnel but our boat would not get through due to limited headroom

A look at the Pearson's guide, to determine the journey time to Froghall was called for and by chance a glance at the stats for the winding hole (turning point) just before the tunnel that we intended to use, suddenly revealed it would not be possible. The winding hole is 65' wide and our boat is 68' oh dear flippin 'eck! (or words to that effect) What now...............after a brief discussion the decision was taken to turn the boat at Consall. Easier said than done and although it looks wide enough it wasn't believe me we tried and were just about six inches short of making the turn. With the increasing likelihood of taking the boat closer to the river weir (Karen wouldn't have been too happy if we had taken the boat over that particular obstacle) there was nothing for it other than to head toward Froghall and the next 70' indicated winding hole, it appeared after we passed the overhanging structure that is a part of Consall Forge railway station

The Lime Kilns at Consall Forge
What a hive of activity this would have been in years gone by

Arriving back where river and canal split the opportunity was taken to consider our mission, declared before we ever set off, namely to find the 'Spirit of the Caldon'  Digging a hole at least 200' deep in the shadow of the former lime kiln we uncovered the 'Spirit of The Caldon' and our mission was accomplished. A bottle of 'Glenfiddich' Single Malt appeared from the ground as if by magic. This miracle was duly toasted. The place is a veritable haven for those with a vivid imagination. Looking through the trees beyond the railway bridge stands The Black Lion pub, reputedly a fine place to stay for food and ale and so it must be because this came from the canal grapevine. Sadly we were unable to visit this time as the weather was looking to take a turn for the worse

"The Spirit of the Caldon"

A sensible place for the evening was deemed to be The Hollybush at Denford .....and so off we went. En-route to Denford we stopped at Cheddleton where our three idiots considered a visit to the well preserved and working railway station would be worthwhile. We had seen the steam train running and it seemed reasonable to us that the station cafe would be open. sadly it wasn't, well it was but as a private venue for educational purposes involving schoolchildren. Nice to see them getting a glimpse of the past we thought. On then to Denford taking note of the significantly improved towpath, compared to last year, between bridge nos  42 & 44. Mooring just before the Hollybush there was time for a little fishing by Dave and Trev. Malc elected to pull his toe nails out with pliers rather than partake

Hunger pangs told us it was time to eat and so we walked the short distance to The Hollybush. The setting is superb with the little row of terraced cottages and backdrop of a tree lined hill. Tennyson would have written a poem about this place and that's a fact

Hollybush Inn at Denford

 

Warm, welcoming and friendly
Super public house in every respect





Entering the welcoming pub with its open fire was just the right thing to do. Three pints of ale (Wainwrights) were promptly pulled by a very attractive young lady, we had three more after this and then ordered food. fabulous menu and reasonably priced. Soup first and then the main course. Trev always goes for the posh stuff so he went for the Braised lamb Shank whereas Dave and Malc had Cod & Chips and Sausage, egg & chips respectively. fantastic food. Impossible to fault this place, no wonder its popular

Whilst at the table Dave asked a question about the real ale and Malc felt the need to educate both he and Trev reminding them that he is a member of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale)  After speaking on the subject for a good half hour Malc pointed out he was pleased to have added to Dave and Trev's education on the subject of beer. This hit home because Dave was heard to say "Well that taught me a lesson"  We got talking to a couple, Linda and John, at a nearby table and shared a laugh and a joke or two with them. Living locally they were able to confirm the commonly held view that this is one of the best eating establishments around

Linda and John. Great couple. Met by chance and had a real laugh with them
Sorry we couldn't stay longer. Hope we meet up with them again next year

More to be added

Blog failed

Blog failed

Somewhere near Cheddleton.

so we will need to see how things pan out. More later if there's still a signal.

Shapla

Finished the evening at the Shapla Indian restaurant. Excellent food and friendly helpful staff.

Our thoughts on Leek - A real nice place and one that we hope to return to one day. More to be added.

Thank you for following our Blog

Quiet Woman!

I've seen it all now. Went into a pub in Leek. Its name, the Quiet Woman fancy calling a pub something that doesn't exist. Only joking folks. What a great pub. A good range of real Ales on offer and we went for the Batemans Autumn Fall. First class! Well kept and a fine pint, so we had another. A shame we cannot stay here another day and pay another visit to this pub with its warm and friendly atmosphere. Nice fire gave it a cosy feel. Thanks Hazel. We rate your pub five star 

Day 4 Tuesday

Dave and Trev walked into town yesterday for provisions. I asked them to get two loaves so they got four! It was windy and on return they reported they had been blown into a pub! More later



From the diary

Our overnight mooring at Leek
Fair walk into town but well worth it

It's Tuesday morning and we are on the mooring at Leek. Plan is to meet Dave's wife Brenda, and a couple of friends then go to The Hollybush Inn, Denford at lunchtime

A decent but cool day with a fairly strong breeze did little to damage our appetite for this arm of the canal as we took a gentle cruise with tea and coffee being demanded and served in abundance

The eastern portal of Leek tunnel

Plenty of photo opportunities along this stretch with quite a few classy looking homes to whet the appetite

The pool just as we exit the tunnel
Marvellous location and totally secluded

 

Just crossed over Hezelhurst Aqueduct

 Eventually met up with Brenda and friends and so to the Hollybush. A splendid open fire greeted us and somehow it made the coffee we ordered seem out of place. A drop of beer would have gone down nicely but we were having to keep track of the time and there was a fair way to travel before we would reach Froghall. (We didn't realise at this stage we would not be going to the end of the canal)

The decision was made to have an early stop and set up the barbecue. Sadly the wind took effect and try as we may the damn thing wouldn't light, we persisted and eventually agreed that what started as a barbecue would end with an on board grill. Shame really as food on a barbecue seems to have more appeal

After the meal managed to watch some European football on the tele followed by an episode of Spartacus. Think the football was more violent than Spartacus however that's a matter of opinion

Day 3 Monday

Awakened in the night by a bang and scream. It appears Dave stubbed his toe when entering the toilet.
Never heard such language. He swore for a good five minutes without repeating himself. We are currently having a cuppa whilst waiting for daylight and then set sail for Leek.
Just arrived at Leek. Good moorings
Dave and Trev off to town for provisions



The junction at Hazelhurst

 

The pool before Leek tunnel
I regret I accidentally changed the camera setting so lost most of the colour



from the diary

Dave and Trev pointed out the uncanny similarity between me and the ape!

 

A leisurely cruise took us along the Leek arm and extremely picturesque it was too. Magnificent pool at the western portal of the Leek tunnel - out at the other side and not too far from the last winding hole . After turning it was time to moor and explore. Dave and Trev decided to go on a reconnaissance trip into Leek and at the same time get some provisions. It's a long walk into Leek and our two musketeers managed to discover a pub they though I might like and so in they went; for test purposes of course. This proved a good move (more later) On returning in good spirits it was time for a spot of fishing before setting off into the town. A chat with a local couple ensued and their suggestion of walking along to the Leek Road bus stop seemed a good idea. Short bus ride later and the centre of Leek appeared and more importantly the pub that Dave and Trev had tried previously. What a nice place is 'The Quiet Woman' seems a strange title for a pub and there was much mirth as we shared our thoughts on the name. The pub had a really warm feel, the fire probably helped, and the beer was first class. Three pints of 'Batemans' Autumn Fall were ordered and proved very popular and so we had more. Had a lively chat about the day past and the day ahead before bidding farewell to Hazel, she certainly pulls a fine pint

A welcome sight at the 'Quiet Woman'

 

 

 

Next on the agenda, food! It had to be curry of course and once again Dave and Trev had spotted a place full of promise. The Shapla Tandoori Restaurant beckoned. It was perfect, immediately impressed by the friendly helpful staff. Three pints of Cobra whilst studying the menu then we were spoilt for choice because there was so much on offer, though the decisions were soon made and food ordered. When the food arrived it was sublime. The taste buds had a good time. Leaving this fine restaurant had us declaring we would return on our next trip. It really was that good and it was with great pleasure that we told the owner of our intention to give the establishment a mention on this Blog




Dave, Malc and Trev
In the magnificent 'Shapla Tandoori Restaurant'