Paws On The Cut

13/06/2026

Day 1 trading at the Middleport Pottery Canal Festival and what a fabulous day it was. We met so many wonderful pooches and their owners, answered some questions from curious children about living on a boat and met this lovely Percheron, a heavy horse with such a calm temperament. We were also interviewed by Blue Sky radio and appeared on air this afternoon.
We’re open again tomorrow for day 2 of the festival. Entry is free and opens at 10am.
We’d love to meet you.

Our friends on 𝘕𝘈𝘙𝘙𝘖𝘞𝘉𝘖𝘈𝘛 𝘖𝘌 and March-Hare-Emporium are also trading here from their boats.
On a doggy note don’t forget to visit Darwin's Grooming & Training at their permanent premises at the pottery.
Fellow South African’s LoveKnott - Creative Craft Workshops also have a permanent store here too.

13/06/2026

A huge thank you to Darwin’s Grooming & Training based at Middleport Pottery for the share.

13/06/2026

We were interviewed for the Scott James show on Blue Sky radio for Stoke On Trent and Staffordshire today. You can find us on the Scott James Show, 13/6 14:00 show. We appear about 37 minutes in.

We are trading tomorrow, Sunday 14 June at the Middleport Pottery Canal Festival. Entry is free. Come along and say hello.

https://blueskyradio.co.uk/presenters/scott-james

13/06/2026

12/06/2026

Paul has taken us on a verry romantic boat journey to go and use the boaters facilities.

This took us Onto The Caldon Canal where we used the elsan. We then went to the winding hole to turn around. That was very interesting as it is a very windy day.

We are now headed back along the T&M towards Middleport potteries where we will be moored until the end of the middle port Canal festival on Sunday.

We are looking really forward to meeting lots of you and your furry friends.

12/06/2026

Paul really does deserve another medal, although Lee-Ann probably wouldn’t agree.

Yesterday Lee-Ann had a follow-up appointment at Leighton Hospital to check on her fractured ankle.

Paul, being the unsung hero that he is, walked alongside Lee-Ann in the pouring rain holding an umbrella. Not over himself, you understand. No, in a completely selfless act he held the umbrella over Lee-Ann’s head while he himself got more than a little damp.

Not only that, but he remained calm and encouraging as Lee-Ann tackled the stairs on the footbridge over to Platform 2 at Longport Station. The train was on time, and one train journey and a bus ride later we arrived at the hospital.

Lee-Ann even refused Paul’s offer to let him hold the umbrella for her. How ungrateful can you get? 😞

Once inside the hospital, Paul performed another act of kindness by finding a wheelchair and pushing Lee-Ann to the X-ray department. 🦽

Long story short, the X-ray was taken and we then headed to the fracture clinic. They were running about an hour behind schedule, so there was quite a wait. 🩻

Eventually we saw the consultant, a cheerful chap with a great sense of humour. There has been no significant change in the fracture, so Lee-Ann’s instructions remain the same: keep wearing the boot, rest when needed, and return in four weeks.

He also mentioned that, as time goes on, Paul will be doing less and less for Lee-Ann.

Paul was delighted to hear that. 😃👏👏👏

The journey home was easier. We caught an Uber to Crewe Station, then the train back to Longport, followed by a short, stair-free walk back to the boat.

If only we were at Ellesmere Port. Lee-Ann could commission the blacksmith to forge the many medals Paul so richly deserves🥇

11/06/2026

🐾 Why Do We Repack Some of Our Dog Treats? 🐾

It’s a question we’re occasionally asked, so we thought we’d explain.

Many of our natural dog treats are available from suppliers in large bulk packs. While that’s great for businesses, it isn’t always practical for dog owners who simply want to try a product or buy a smaller quantity.

That’s where repacking comes in.

By purchasing in bulk and carefully repacking into smaller retail packs, we’re able to:

✅ Offer more affordable entry prices

✅ Let customers try new treats without buying large quantities

✅ Reduce waste from buying more than your dog needs

✅ Offer a wider range of treats at our stall

All products are sourced from trusted suppliers and are repacked by us with care. We maintain traceability, batch information and best before dates so customers can buy with confidence.

For many dog owners, a pack of 6 pizzles, 10 chicken feet or a smaller bag of training treats is simply more practical than a large wholesale pack.

Our aim is simple: give your dog access to quality natural treats in quantities that make sense for you.

🐶 Because every dog deserves a treat, without you having to buy a warehouse full of them!

10/06/2026

After what can only be described as our biggest canal journey challenge since we started cruising, we’ve arrived at Middleport Pottery ready for this weekend’s Canal Festival! 🚤🐾

We’re moored opposite the pottery and have spent today exploring the site, visiting the café, and taking a look at where Paws On The Cut will be trading from when the festival begins on Saturday.

We also had the chance to meet Aimee, who has been working hard behind the scenes organising the event. It’s always nice to put a face to a name after so many messages and emails.

Middleport Pottery is a fascinating place with so much history, and we’re really looking forward to being part of the festival this weekend. We even met some lovely South African ladies in one of the studios and Lee-Ann couldn’t resist buying some homemade South African treats for later!

Tomorrow Lee-Ann has a hospital appointment to check on her fracture, then Friday will be all about the final preparations before the festival gets underway.

If you’re visiting the Middleport Canal Festival this weekend, come and say hello. We’ll be there with plenty of natural dog treats and we’d love to meet you and your four-legged friends.

See you this weekend! 🐕❤️

10/06/2026

We are moored opposite ready to pounce on our spot on Friday 😃

THIS SATURDAY & SUNDAY - HAVE YOU GOT YOUR FREE TICKETS?
13th & 14th June
Middleport Pottery Canal Festival
10am to 4pm
FREE EVENT
It’s back by popular demand and it’s bigger and better than ever before! This year we have two days of family fun and entertainment. Heritage Narrowboats, Floating Traders, Stalls, Kid’s Fun, Live Entertainment and so much more!
Featuring:
Stalls: Crystals and Colours, Number 15 Designs, Creations by Kaz, Bohanna Chocolart, Jones's Cheesecakes, Stoke Glass and Willow, Viking Pizza, Grace & Flo, Photography by Kev Maslin, Vicky's Bakes (Sunday only), Taylor Made Cakes and Bakery, The Cat Moon Art Base, Luosko German Shepard Dog Rescue (Saturday only), Valcor Designs (Saturday only), Rainbow Craft (Sunday only), None of your Beeswax, Emma Kathryn Pottery, Eyes Cats, Boho Chic Glass, Goomoo: The Adventure Merchants, BeardyNature (Sunday only), Crafts by Clare, Patriotic Hayley (Sunday only), Saffa Treats, Inland Waterways Association, Canal & River Trust, Burslem Port Trust, Gangplank Spirits & Preserves, Double Delight (Sat only), Lovely Little Sparrow, Greyhound Gap, The Kashmiri Guys
Shops: Canadian Pine Co, Alex Allday Ceramics, LoveKnott Creations, Burslem Pottery, PotteriesImages, Muddy Publishing Ltd, Gilders Wheel Gallery, Darwins Dog Grooming, Betty & Grace, Middleport Pottery Gift Shop, Burleigh Pottery Factory Shop
Entertainment/Activities: Rock Choir (Saturday only), Trentham Brass Band (Sunday only) Koogie the Draft Horse (Saturday only), Trentham Canoe Club Paddleboarding, Creative Faces by Jess, Knobstick Roses Painting Demonstrations, Lino Printing by Muddy Publishing (Saturday Only), Imperial Outlaws (Saturday Only)
Boats: NB Norway, Paws On The Cut, March-Hare-Emporium, 𝘕𝘈𝘙𝘙𝘖𝘞𝘉𝘖𝘈𝘛 𝘖𝘌
Tickets: https://re-form.org/heritage-buildings/middleport-pottery/whats-on/

09/06/2026

Yesterday we travelled from Red Bull Wharf to Westport Lake. I’d like to say it was uneventful, but that wouldn’t be true.

While at the water point, Paul chatted with a CRT ranger. The ranger has been in the job for a year, and this was the first time a boater had told him they thought CRT was doing a good job. It doesn’t seem to be an opinion held by many people, or at least not one that many people voice.

Anyway, we headed off and cruised through the next two locks without any issues. The third lock was a different story!

The bridge before the lock was a little low and I misjudged the height, ending up shattering one of our solar panels. Needless to say, the air was blue!

After that, we continued through the lock to the entrance of Harecastle Tunnel. It’s a narrow, low tunnel, so CRT controllers manage all passages. It’s not possible for two oncoming boats to pass each other inside, so we had to wait for the boat coming through to exit before we could enter.

After a brief horn and light check, and shortly after the other boat emerged, we were on our way.

Now, Paul usually enjoys tunnels. Lee-Ann, not so much. She sat inside while Paul took the helm.

This tunnel, however, was different.

I, Paul, did not like this tunnel at all.

It’s dead straight, yet surprisingly difficult to hold a straight line through. There is no light at the end of the tunnel because the doors are closed during passage. The darkness, the noise of the extraction fans, the constantly changing profile of the tunnel and the sheer loneliness of it all were unsettling.

We were the only boat in the tunnel.

Forty-five minutes felt like an eternity. With no boats coming towards us, there were no polite “good mornings” exchanged with passing boaters. The boredom, the noise, the darkness, the ever-changing tunnel profile and the constant concentration required to get through without incident all became overwhelming.

A couple of times I found myself close to tears and wishing I could somehow be magically teleported out of there into the relief of fresh air, daylight and open space.

Thankfully, we made it through unscathed and finally moored up at Westport Lake. Both Lee-Ann and I were hugely relieved.

The only downside?

At some point, we have to make the return journey through the tunnel… 😮‍💨