We set off early in the grey but dry and arrived at Harecastle tunnel soon after nine. The tunnel keeper gave us some basic instructions and opened the wooden barrier to let us in.
The tunnel is one way. It's almost 2 miles long, designed by Thomas Telford and was completed in1827. The canal here is bright orange from the iron in the soil. Jo stayed inside and found things to do to distract her from claustrophobia. Robin helmed us through and loved every minute of it. He didn't stop smiling for hours afterwards!
Immediately after the lock is the junction with the Macclesfield canal and the first of our 27 Cheshire locks. The Macclesfield canal goes across the T&M on an aquaduct after the second lock. All you can see from below is a head moving along the wall edge.
We stopped at Kidsgrove and nipped to Tesco's for milk, beer and eggs (you can see how we roll on our boat!). Then it was more locks, all singles but some with two side by side and some where one is derelict and just one remains operational. There was a lovely view of what we think is Mowcop hill and castle.
These canal cottages made a pretty edge to Thurlwood lock. The blue one had a lovely garden full of flowers.
After lock 54 (mid-afternoon and about halfway down the flight) we decided to look for a mooring. We were temporarily distracted by this herdsman rounding up and counting his longhorn cows. It looked like he was lecturing them....
We found a very nice mooring spot, surprised that the concrete bank didn't curve or have a step in it, opposite another field of pretty cows and calves.
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