Perhaps deciding to stay close to Biddulph on the Caldon Canal was – with hindsight – a mistake… it’s very narrow and shallow, the bridge holes are even narrower and overgrown. With a boat that swims beautifully through the water and doesn’t want to slow down, and the engine idle/tick-over set a tadge high, it was certainly a challenge, particularly on some corners where on a couple of occasions the boat just went where IT wanted to go, rather than where the steerer wanted. Greenery? What greenery?

Froghall terminus and basin, with its nice buildings and lime kilns across the road is delightful. The final few hundred yards are preceded by a very low tunnel, so – discretion being the better part of valour – we didn’t attempt it. Spoke to some live-aboard boaters that had spent all day removing everything off the roof (top boxes, the work) so the could get through and moor up for a week, and the said the height gauges were very conservative. They said some people even put sacrificial wooden protectors on the top and “drive” their boat through.

Perhaps next time we might fill all the tanks and have a go – very gingerly. Would be a lovely spot to moor up for a day or two and listen to Andy Irvine records.