We did little travelling last week and this week have done even less, only one mile against last weeks eight and a half.
We moved from Tixall Bridge to Tixall Wide
Tixall Wide is a body of water that forms part of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal near Tixall in Staffordshire, to the south of the former Tixall Hall.
The lake was possibly created during the construction of the canal in 1771. At that time, the hall was owned by Thomas Clifford, the fourth son of Hugh Clifford, 3rd Baron Clifford of Chudleigh, and the grounds had been designed on the advice of the landscape architect Lancelot “Capability” Brown. It is said Clifford “gave permission for the canal to pass through his land on the condition that it was made “… wide enough to look like a lake from the house” in order not to spoil the view.
The towpath is a very popular overnight mooring spot. Boaters moored here, or just passing through, have an excellent view of the magnificent Elizabethan gatehouse that is the only remaining part of Tixall Hall.
We left the boat a few times during our stay at tidal Wide, to visit:-
- The Canaliside Farmshop & Café. We have visited this shop on several occasions in past years finding it to be expensive but supplying absolutely top quality produce. On this occasion we found the prices still as high but the quality has, it seems, not been maintained in all departments. The fruit and vegetables whilst well presented was not of the very best quality and the butchery while selling well above supermarket quality was nowhere near the quality expected at the price point. It must be said, though, that the bakery goods were as good as anywhere we have purchased bread and cakes.
- Spar Convenience Store. Standard convenience store perhaps not with quite the stock range of others of similar size but still very useful.
- The Clifford Arms.
Apart from those three places we relaxed, read books and did little else