Portaging trolley essential

7 miles, 2 locks, no car shuttle but three 400m portages.

Meet at the car park in Burston, just next to the church at 10:00 – OS Sheet 127 grid 934301
Getting there:
Burston is a Hamlet off the A51 Stone to Rugeley road. It is halfway between Stone and Weston.
The turning into Burston is at the bottom of a hill and the Greyhound Pub is well signposted. After leaving the A51, go past the pub and across the railway bridge, you’ll come to the small car park. We’ll unload here then park at the pub. If the small car park is full, please go back to the pub and portage from there.
From the small car park, we portage past the pool and on the footpath alongside the stream to the canal.

The trip:
We portage to the canal then paddle up to Stone, leaving the canal just before the A520 and Town Lock. This is Westbridge Park. We portage across the park to Stafford and Stone Canoe Club’s base and either access the Trent above or below the slalom course (If people are training on the course, we’ll get on below it).
On the paddle back to Burston, there’s one very small weir (about 6 inches).
Getting out at Burston will require some agility.

The portages at Burston may be muddy. I’ll be taking my wellies.