We stayed at the mooring on the edge of Marbury Wood for a few days. The fine dry weather gave me a chance to touch up a few “bruises” on the hull, incurred on the last bits of the L&L.

Misty mornings and fine days.
It also gave me and Meg an excuse for some splendid long walks through the woods, and in the Anderton Nature Reserve. Meg is in her element here. Lots of dogs to play with, and squirrels to chase, when we’re not playing ball.

Autumn Colours
I walked in to the edge of Northwich for a bit of shopping on Friday. Dot, John and Paul were arriving at the Anderton lift on Sunday to see us, and we needed provisions.

Left around 10 on Sunday morning, made a quick stop at the services and arrived at the 24 hour moorings near the lift around 11. Got the dinner started, then I took the hairy one up in the reserve to have a look around.

Sunbathing heron on the way to Anderton
20 minutes later our visitors arrived, and we had a pleasant afternoon, eating and chatting. They’d bought our latest lot of mail with them too. Beautiful weather, warm and sunny. They left about 3, so I put the aerial up, took Meg out for her constitutional, and then settled down to watch Lewis Hamilton lose the F1 world championship in Brazil. It must have been desperately disappointing to be let down by the car that’s been so reliable all season. Still, Raikonnen had put in the work to be a deserved winner. I’m glad Alonso didn’t get it though, after all the snide comments there have been this year.

We moved back to the edge of Marbury Wood yesterday morning, then today did the 3½ miles to just short of Orchard Marina. I’d rung on Friday to book an engine and gearbox service for tomorrow morning, and we’ve also arranged a Tesco delivery at the same time.
I was surprised to learn that Mike Rimmer is no longer there, having moved back to Liverpool Boats. I’ll meet the new guy tomorrow morning.

Leaving Marbury Wood
Busy as usual at Wincham Wharf
It’s been another lovely day, sunny with deep blue skies.

Since last post – Locks none, miles 5½.

We wanted to catch the 10:30 entry “window” for Preston Brook Tunnel, so were on the move at 09:50.

Saw this very young family of ducklings just down the canal. Could this be the last clutch of the year?
Followed another boat into the tunnel, and had to wait to go through the stop lock just the other side. Although only rising 4” it plays a role in safeguarding the water levels on the Trent and Mersey and Bridgewater. If the Bridgewater Canal were in the hands of BW instead of the Manchester Ship Canal Co. (Peel Holdings), it is possible that the levels could be equalised so the lock could be left open except in an emergency. As it is, it’s a bottleneck for boats leaving the tunnel.

Dutton Stop Lock
You can tell the season is almost over. The Black Prince base at Acton Bridge was bursting at the seams with moored boats.

Acton Bridge
2¼ hours and a drop of rain later we were in Saltersford Tunnel, coming out into the rain again at 12:55. Meg was due a “comfort break”, so we pulled over in the basin just before Barnton Tunnel and had lunch as well.

Followed another couple of boats through the last tunnel of the day, passed the Anderton Lift and dropped rubbish off at the Sanitary Station, and were moored at our favourite spot just on the edge of Marbury Woods by 15:00.
Finally, when the traffic had eased, about 18:30, we turned the boat around. We prefer the left side to the bank if possible.

Locks 1, miles 9.

PS Can't publish pictures tonight. I'll try again tomorrow.
Update 18th Oct - Looks like they've fixed the problem.

A grey start to the day, with threatening clouds from the start.
While I was untying the boat I managed to miss the bank and finished up with my right leg wet to the knee. Not a good start to the day!
We finally moved off around 10:30, and had a steady run down to Lymm. Just pulled onto the visitor moorings as it started to rain. Only the towpath side moorings are available at the moment, the ones alongside the car park are being refurbished. Good job we’re out of the busy period!

Smart new moorings in Lymm (eventually…..).Did a shop at Somerfield, then went back into the town for fish and chips for lunch. The rain showed no sign of stopping, and we didn’t want to stay overnight in Lymm, so we pushed off at around half-past one. The rain wasn’t too bad, anyway.

Next stop was at Thorne Marine in Stockton Heath. They’re still there, although still under threat of closure by the leaseholder, Peel Holdings. They want to redevelop the site. More “des res’s”.

Near Grappenhall. A heron waiting for the Number 57 to Stockton Heath.
Topped off the diesel and water, picked up some more solid fuel and emptied the loo. This took some time as our arrival coincided with school finishing, and the boatyard shop is a favourite stop for sweets on the way home. By the time we got away it was gone half-past four.

It took nearly 1½ to cover the last 4 miles to the spot we usually stop at, about 20 minutes from Preston Brook Tunnel.

Not long before we stopped, we passed the charity boat from Claymore Boatyard at Preston Brook. It was tied to the bank, with a chap with his head in the engine bay. I gave him a shout, but he said he was OK, just some rubbish around the prop. We’d had the same problem all day. Anyway, after tying up I walked Meg back up the canal, and the boat was coming around the corner. Just as it approached, the engine died in a cloud of steam and diesel smoke. He tried to restart it with no success. I suggested that he leave it to cool down, but he decided to leave the boat where it was for the night and walk the 20 minutes back to the marina as it would soon be dark. We walked back to Seyella so he could use the phone to tell them what he was doing. I just hope it’s not completely seized. I guess the rubbish around the prop had caused the overheating. The boatyard will collect it in the morning.

The rain stayed with us all afternoon, but it’s supposed to be fine the rest of the week.

Locks none, miles 12.

Had a quiet day yesterday. Took Meg for a long walk down into Worsley, and spent some time exploring the village. It’s not particularly old, but is known as the birthplace of the British canals. It was here, in 1759, that Francis Egerton, the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, started construction of the first wholey artificial waterway in the country to link his coal mines around Worsley with his market in the rapidly expanding Manchester. Later, the canal was extended to join the Trent and Mersey at Preston Brook, and finally the Leeds and Liverpool at Leigh.
During the construction of the original line, he had cut about 46 miles of underground canal, to link the coal seams to Worsley Delph.

Worsley Delph, where the coal was brought to the surface.
There are several interesting buildings in the village, like the Court House and the Packet House.

The Court House
The Packet House
We set off today at 10:40, and cruised for 10 minutes till we paused so I could retrieve a substantial pallet from the cut. 2 reasons – it saves anyone running over it, and I want one for the roof to carry bags of coal.

Then on to and through Worsley

Worsley
From here to Waters Meeting was much as expected. Urban canal with the associated rubbish, anglers and disused factories and mills.

The grandly named Eccles Spinning and Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Still in use, but not it’s original function, I suspect.
All of these new office buildings in Trafford Park are standing empty.
The highlight for me was passing over the Barton Swing Aqueduct. Mags kept telling me to watch where I was going, as I spent all my time taking photos!

Barton Swing Aqueduct


The aqueduct can be sealed at both ends and swung through 90° to allow large vessels to pass below on the Ship Canal. This, and the adjacent road bridge (pic 2), pivot on a central island. The moving section is 235 feet long and carries 800 tons of water.

At Waters Meeting we were back on familiar water, and after a short stop at Sale Bridge for groceries, we pressed on through Stretford and Sale and out of the conurbation to Dunham Massey, where we moored for the night.

The forecast was for showery weather today, but, apart from a few drops soon after we moored, we got away with it.

Locks none, miles 12½

Woke up to another gloomy, damp morning. Still quite mild, but feeler cooler because of the damp air. We were meeting Mags’ sister Audrey in Leigh, so got under way at 10:00.

Although landscaped and starting to recover from its industrial past, I thought this area was still pretty bleak. The towpaths have been surfaced with colliery waste, and as such, support little in the way of vegetation. The embankments raising the canal above the subsided land are faring better, with scrub oak, beech and birch taking a hold. Give it another 20 years.

In places you can see the successive layers of concrete that have been added to contain the channel.
Plank Lane with its BW bridgekeeper was reached after about 35 minutes, and we were waved straight through.

Plank Lane
Pennington Flash, a large expanse of water caused once again by subsidence, is now a country park, with sailing, golfing, picnic areas etc. Doesn’t look very inspiring in drizzly weather, though.

Pennington Flash
We moored just after Leigh Bridge to wait for Audrey, but somehow missed her. She’s not got a mobile phone, so we couldn’t get hold of her. We’ll probably catch up later in the week.

Leigh Bridge marks the end of the Leeds and Liverpool Leigh Branch, and the start of the Bridgewater Canal. Not much in the way of a dramatic change-over, though. You’d have thought that moving from a section of the longest artificial waterway in the country, to a section of the oldest, would have justified a little more celebration.

Leigh Bridge
Leaving Leigh, the canal continues it’s course, a lot of the time still elevated over the surrounding country. You’d have thought the views would be attractive, but I found these raised sections oddly depressing.

We passed through Astley Green with it’s mining museum, and moored just past Boothstown Basin, now occupied by Bridgewater Marina. I think we’ll stay here tomorrow, not wanting to cruise down through Sale and Stretford on a Sunday. The fishermen will be out in force, I expect. I’ll have a walk down to Worsley Delph, the entrance to the Duke of Bridgewater’s mines, which were the reason for the original cutting of the canal.

Locks none, miles 9

Last night we’d arranged to meet up with the crew of a hire boat below the 2nd lock at 9 this morning, so we were up early. Another boat had arrived overnight, and, speaking to them this morning, we decided it would be better for them to share with us, instead of the hire boat. This arrangement gave 4 people to work the locks for each locking.

So we entered the top lock at 08:20 with Paul and Cathryn on NB GREY DOG. We’d seen them around on the upper stretches of the L&L, but had never spoken. I met and had a word with the people on the hire boat, and they were fine with the new arrangement.

On down the seemingly unending run of locks, but working well together we reached the halfway point after 1¾ hours. 11 done, 10 to go!

Mags and Paul nattering while Cathryn and I do the work!
The lower 8 or 9 locks are a lot shallower, and being nearer the town, contain a lot more rubbish.

Nearing the bottom of the flight
We met the lock-keeper at Rose Bridge, wondering how to get a wheelie-bin out of the lock.
We left him to his challenge for the day, and, meeting only 1 other boat coming up, reached the bottom in just over 3½ hours. A lot faster than I expected. Working with an experienced crew who are prepared to get on makes all the difference.

Leaving the last lock on the Wigan flight. Just 2 more!
A left turn onto the Leigh Branch, then the 2 final locks at Poolstock, saw us breasted up below the lock enjoying a well earned can of beer and some buttys.

Onto the Leigh Branch. Left to Leigh and Manchester, straight ahead to Liverpool.
The last lock for quite a few miles – Poolstock No 2
Paul and Cathryn had to get on, they were meeting someone at Astley Green, so we followed more slowly, taking another hour or so to get to Dover Bridge, where we stopped for the night.

Leigh Branch, embanked above the surrounding mining subsidence.
Dover Lock Inn
The flight was not as bad as we thought it might be, though it would have been a lot harder “solo”. Still pretty tiring, though.

It’s been an indifferent day weather-wise. Grey and damp, with the occasional light drizzle.

But a good day for cobweb photos
Locks 23 (yes, 23), miles 5½

A pretty grey sort of day today. And cool too. I actually put jeans on instead of shorts this morning!

Away at around 11, no rush, we’ve got a steady 9 miles or so without locks to the edge of Wigan. It’s surprisingly rural around Chorley, as the canal skirts the town to the East.

Botany Bay Outlet Village. The building used to be British Leyland Truck and Bus.
I seem to be collecting photos of motorway bridges. This is the M61 North of Chorley.
The rest of the long pound down to Wigan is pretty countryside only interrupted briefly by Adlington.
A long line of moored boats line the way into the town, ending at White Bear Marina. Last spring we came here to have a look at a boat for sale called Jackal. Not impressed. Then had a look at a new boat for sale. Not impressed with that, either.

White Bear Marina.
When you’ve not cruised a particular waterway before, you tend to try to organise night halts based on the map, and sometimes come unstuck. So I always make notes of suitable looking spots as we go along.

Like this stretch, South of Adlington.
There are also 48 hour Visitor Moorings at Red Rock Bridge, no 63.
The pleasant cruise continues in a pretty straight line SE to Wigan Top Lock, passing Haigh Hall Country Park with its golf course on the side of the canal. Do golf balls float? Didn’t see any in the water as we went past.

Golf Course.
We needed to stop before the top lock, as we’re planning an early start tomorrow to get through the 23 locks as soon as possible. So we pulled over near Springs Bridge and I had a walk down to the locks to check out mooring opportunities. Then we moved down and stopped next to the services just at the head of the flight.

Overnight mooring and top lock.
I took Meg for a walk down the locks this evening.

Some of them ain’t ‘alf deep!
On the way back Meg stood on a wasp and was stung at least twice. She hopped back on 3 legs, feeling very sorry for herself. I think she felt a little better after I bathed her paw with cold water, though.

Sore Paw.
Locks none, miles 9½.

Nearly had a casualty last night when I took Meg out for her last walk. This little chap was sitting in the middle of the path, just waiting to be stood on.

Lucky Toad.
He disappeared off into the undergrowth after I explained the perils of jay-walking. Or should that be hopping?

A steady 1½ hour run this morning took us to the top of Johnsons Hillock Locks. This is an attractive 4 mile stretch, especially when you leave the motorway behind.

Last look at the M65, with “traffic calming” in the foreground. I’m pleased to say we’ve not found any speed bumps, unless you count the sofa in the water under a bridge yesterday…
The navigation hangs on the side of the hill, passing Withnell Fold with its 48 hour moorings near the nature reserve.

Withnell Fold Moorings
There are also good moorings a little earlier, near Riley Green Bridge.

Some very nice property in the area, too.
Johnsons Hillock is a popular spot for mooring, the Wheelton Boat Club has a good ¼ mile along the towpath, and there are more boats on the offside. 2 “short boats” made a chicane of the approach to the top lock.

Johnsons Hillock Top Lock
All the locks were in our favour so we made good time down the flight of 7, finishing them in 1½ hours.


Johnsons Hillock Bottom Lock, disused Walton Summit Branch on the left.
The Walton Summit branch intended to link up with the Lancaster Canal at Preston. This meant an expensive aqueduct carrying the canal over the River Ribble. A temporary link was made by tramway in 1803, which was never replaced by a water route in the lifetime of the branch. Hence the Lancaster Canal was never properly joined to the main network, at least not until the opening of the Ribble Link in 2002, using the Rufford Arm and the tidal rivers Douglas and Ribble.

We didn’t want to push through to Chorley today, so moored about ½ mile below the locks.
We’ve seen very few boats on the move the last few days, just 2 today.

Locks 7, miles 5.

Today started dull and misty after overnight rain.

Misty Morning
We got away at just after 10 today, heading into Blackburn. Through the centre there is evidence of regeneration, but closed factories and mills follow the pattern set since Barrowford.

Imperial Mill

Part of the regeneration is a large retail park just before the locks, and we took advantage of the Asda to stock up with a few essentials. (Milk, bread, whisky…..).
Then down the locks. Unfortunately we’d been overtaken by another boat whilst shopping, so all the locks were against us, but, even with a stop at the sanitary station part way down, we were still clear of the flight by 14:00. The locks and surroundings are tidy and well maintained, but there is unfortunately a lot of rubbish in the water, including a large quantity of oil in the second lock.

Blackburn Locks
Two of the locks are very close to bridges, so incorporate unusual opening mechanisms for the bottom gates.

Lock 54
Out of the town, we passed through the suburb called Cherry Tree (no sign of the eponymous shrub, though), and moored a little further on near bridge 92. Out in the country, but the buzz of traffic from the M65 can be heard in the distance. It follows pretty much the same route as the canal, taking advantage of the same contours the canal engineer (John Longbottom) did 200 years ago.

Locks 6, miles 7.

Another fine, dry day yesterday so we had a blitz on the inside of the boat. At one point we had all of the mats hanging on a barbed wire fence alongside the boat!

Sunday’s mooring.
The weather changed overnight, rain blew in and gave us a grey, damp start to today. We got off around 10:30, down into Clayton-Le-Moors, past the site of Moorfields Colliery. This is where, in 1883, 68 men and boys died in an explosion caused by a build-up of methane and coal-dust. The youngest was just 10 years old.
There is an industrial estate there now, but a memorial near Pilkington Bridge acts as a reminder to passers-by.

Leaving Clayton we passed the half-way point between Leeds and Liverpool.

We had 3 swing bridges to negotiate today, all simple to operate being generally for farm access. No automatic barriers and flashing lights on these!

Several disused factories line the canal in Church.
Mural as we pass into Oswaldtwistle.
The canal does a long loop around the valley of the Hyndburn Brook, which joins the Calder near Clayton. It (the canal) runs south from Clayton, west from Church, then north and west again at Rishton.

Across the valley back to Church.
Through Rishton, and another mile or so further on we pulled over for the night. We’re a couple of miles from Blackburn, here. The built up area covers around 5 miles, and with 6 locks, will take probably 4 hours to get through. Tomorrow’s task.

Locks 0, miles 7