The Great Haywood And Return From Gailey.php Canal Boating Cruising Route
Great Haywood & return incorporating a visit to Shugborough hall the 900 acre estate & home of the Earl of Lichfield.
Day 1
There is an attractive round Toll-keepers watch tower just above the lock, with a small canal shop on the ground floor. There follows a succession of single locks dropping your boat down towards Penkridge. There is a small store at Penkridge Lock for basic supplies but if you chose to go into the centre there is a wide choice of shops and pubs. Above the lock is the best place to moor to visit this relatively old village.
It is a good place to moor (after Penkridge bridge 86) as it is 2.5 hours to here from Gailey.
Day 2
At Acton Trussell you start to leave the M6 well behind, despite having no nearby pubs or shops the nice houses and adjoining gardens are worth a look. In Baswich there is a footpath which leads into Stafford town centre where you will not be short of stores, pubs and facilities. From bridge 98 it is 1.5 miles into Stafford town centre (to your left) , there is a frequent bus service.
In Stafford there are many shops & pubs- also good to visit is the Ancient High house- Four hundred years of history are waiting to be discovered within the walls of England's largest timber framed town house. Step inside and embark on a journey from Elizabethan days through the turbulent Civil War era to the more refined Edwardian period.
Also visit Stafford castle:First built by William the Conqueror to subdue the rebellious population, the Castle has dominated the Stafford skyline for over 900 years. Uncover the secrets of the site through Norman times, the medieval period, the English Civil War, right up to the present day.Stafford has a great mix of national and independent retailers along the bustling high street, in modern indoor shopping centres, and in picturesque cobbled streets.
Working away from Stafford you begin to rediscover the natural beauty so prevalent in the earlier part of the cruise, the water meadows with a view to the ever-closer Cannock Chase is quite stunning. Milford is the gateway to Cannock Chase and as a consequence can be quite busy in high season but nearby Tixhall is a fine crescendo to this stretch of waterway. Tixhall Lock has a wonderful whitewashed lock house and beyond that the famous Tixhall wide section of canal and Tixhall Gatehouse which is just a stones throw from the canal, as grand as most grand houses which is the only remnant of Tixhall Hall which burnt down long ago, well worth a short walk for a closer inspection. It is recommended that you leave enough time to enjoy Tixhall Wide, moor up, have a picnic or a walk and enjoy this impressive area as it certainly is a highlight of the cruise.
All too soon you arrive at Great Haywood Junction where the Staffs and Worcs canal meets theTrent and Mersey. Shugborough Hall is close by & you can moor up & walk to the Estate & house.
It is 5 hours cruising to here
Journey through the historic estate of Shugborough and experience the nation's best 'upstairs downstairs' experience. Set in 900 acres of stunning parkland and riverside gardens with elegant mansion House, working Victorian Servants' Quarters, Georgian farm, dairy & mill and restored walled garden, which are brought to life by costumed living history characters who share their lives and powerful stories from the past with visitors. Explore Lord Lichfield's private rooms and hear the stories of one of the nation's grandest families, with NEW Shugborough Revisited.
Day 3
Cruise the 7.5 hours back to Gailey