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Trent and Mersey - Part 1

Great Haywood Junction to Trentham Gardens

The Trent and Mersey Canal was designed and built by the Staffordshire engineer James Brindley. Following the Trent Valley north from Great Haywood and close along side the railway as far as Stoke-on-Trent . The locks are few and far between as James Brindley followed the contours of the land as closely as possible, as was his style.

After about 5km (2 miles) you will pass Weston where there is a canal side pub. After meandering along for a few largely lockless miles you will enter the self proclaimed ‘ Canal Town ’ of Stone. The Trent and Mersey Canal is an integral part of the community there with a couple of boatyards, the Canal Cruising Company narrowboat hire centre, two canal side pubs, one of which is the well known pub, The Star. There is also an attractive canal side Italian restaurant (but no canal museum). As you pass through Stone there is the much photographed Joules – ‘Stone Ales’ brewery. This is a prominent feature as you leave and head north again through the closely grouped four locks at Meaford. Before long you will passing the huge Wedgwood Factory with its Visitor Centre and Museum (moor close to bridge No.104 to visit).

The huge Trentham Gardens at Trentham is about a mile west of the canal as it passes through Trentham, just south of Stoke-on-Trent . Well worth the walk on a summers day, (moor close to bridge No. 106)

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• Four Counties Ring
  • Middlewich Arm, SU
  • Shropshire Union Part 1
  • Shropshire Union Part 2
  • Shropshire Union Part 3
  • Shropshire Union Part 4
  • Staffs and Worcester Part 1
  • Staffs and Worcester Part 2
  • Staffs and Worcester Part 3
  • Trent and Mersey Part 1
  • Trent and Mersey Part 2
  • Trent and Mersey Part 3
• Llangollen Canal