Moorings on the Caldon Canal

The Caldon Canal is one of the most scenically rewarding cruises on the entire inland network, a 28-kilometre branch from the Trent & Mersey Canal at Etruria in Stoke-on-Trent that climbs through the Pottery towns and then plunges down the steep-sided Churnet Valley to Froghall — with a separate arm to Leek through the moorland. Built in 1779 to serve the Staffordshire limestone quarries, the Caldon was nearly lost to dereliction in the mid-20th century but was reopened by enthusiast restoration in 1974. For boat owners, the Caldon offers a unique cruising experience: the Pottery heritage of Stoke at the upper end, the dramatic descent into the Churnet Valley, the canal sharing its bed with the river at Consall Forge (one of the most photographed spots on the network), and the wooded gorge running into Froghall. Long-stay moorings are available at Etruria Junction, Hazelhurst Junction, Cheddleton, Park Lane (Endon) and the Leek Branch terminus. The 17 locks are mostly clustered at Stockton Brook and Hazelhurst, leaving long lock-free pounds for relaxed cruising. Liveaboards seeking peace, scenery and Pottery heritage will find the Caldon a hidden gem; rail at Stoke-on-Trent (West Coast Main Line, London in 90 minutes) gives excellent connectivity from a remarkably rural-feeling waterway.