The first lock that you meet is a staircase just round the corner from the canal entrance. It is not long until you enter the attractive park at Hanley. Milton is well worth a stop and is the first obvious mooring spot out of Stoke. The Miners Arms is an excellent basic pub serving a fine pint of Websters Mild.
Next door is a butchers where they sell a vast range of homemade pies.
Also in Milton is the excellent Millrace where Burtonwood Bitter and Forshaws are served in top condition. Neither pub do food. The countryside gets prettier and prettier as you continue eastwards. Our favourite mooring spot is on the aqueduct at Denford where we can admire the wonderful countryside. A beautiful spot.