Gentle day.

After yesterday’s protracted cruise we decided to have a short day today. Very short. This morning was considerably better weather-wise, the wind weaker and the rain lighter.

We got off at around noon, it was still grey but promising a bit more brightness.

Through Dover Bridge alongside the Dover Lock Inn

The towpath under the bridge has been closed for a while, so to walk south you have to cross the busy main road above.

The towpath is being resurfaced by a team from community payback, the new gravel topping is far better than the colliery waste that was laid previously, it used to puddle and go muddy in wet weather.

New towpath work.  

I wonder if they’ll get around to the bit under the bridge at some point?

We toddled along, nice and gently as we didn’t want to arrive at Plank Lane Bridge while the operator was having his lunch break. As it happened we arrived at 12:50, but he opened the bridge for us anyway.

Plank Lane Bridge

The narrows before the bridge used to be a lock, like at Dover Bridge, till the canal levels were adjusted.

We pulled in just around the corner. Here we’re almost alongside Pennington Flash, where there’re lots of good walks. We’ve had a bit of a look this afternoon, but Meg and I will have a better look round tomorrow before we leave.

Mixed clouds towards Leigh

 

Today we’ve seen several boats that we came across up on the Lancaster. First was NB Kathleen Margaret, spotted moored near Ince Moss this morning then passing us at our mooring a little later. Then after we’d moored here at Plank Lane the 3 boats that constitute the “Braunston Mob” came past and have moored a little further on.

Hi Doug, good to hear from you. Sorry, we’ll not be heading into the city this trip, we want to be down at Anderton this time next week. We’ll catch up at some point, I don’t doubt.

Locks 0, miles 2