Our first helper arrived at around 09:00, Paul Balmer had travelled up by train to give us a hand.
We were away soon after, a sharp left turn took us straight into the top lock.
![IMG_8892 IMG_8892](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cOKyiJDkp2o/Vv1sxSUMpMI/AAAAAAAA3vg/sOMN809vJfI/IMG_8892_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
One down, 22 to go!
![IMG_8893 IMG_8893](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-15461-zzOck/Vv1szOrmtcI/AAAAAAAA3vo/wm5oTE57F8Q/IMG_8893_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
With Paul closing up and me going ahead to set the locks we made good progress, working from one to another without Mags having to hold off and wait.
Winch assistance for some short balance beams
![IMG_8896 IMG_8896](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u6pieqrShfY/Vv1s08mlPsI/AAAAAAAA3vw/zoztIurrWaQ/IMG_8896_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
First view of All Saints, Wigan .
![IMG_8898 IMG_8898](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MXj03UcCo58/Vv1s2kYObiI/AAAAAAAA3v4/VwnaW80EUL4/IMG_8898_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
It’s hard to imagine now, but the lock flight was flanked by heavy industry, collieries and steelworks dropping down the slope on the east of the town, cotton mills in and near the centre.
A spoil heap gives a clue…
![IMG_8899 IMG_8899](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--d4ux0BDqQE/Vv1s4NjmoqI/AAAAAAAA3wA/BHCyGxSJaKg/IMG_8899_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Jan off NB Waiouru joined us part-way down, and was welcome as Mags was starting to flag. By this time she’d steered through 10 of the locks. So I took over the tiller, leaving Jan with setting up duties.
With a little help from our friends – Jan and Paul at Lock 77
![IMG_8901 IMG_8901](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4I1vDNwkUTE/Vv1s56ajdKI/AAAAAAAA3wI/aDQtBEwa1Qs/IMG_8901_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
We pulled in for a brew between 77 and 78, then set off on the lower half of the flight. It changes character from here, there’s a cluster of houses around the road crossing at Rose Bridge, then light industry takes over.
Below Rose Bridge
![IMG_8903 IMG_8903](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cj6gbsWzp7E/Vv1s7h4j56I/AAAAAAAA3wQ/nLDtY65GBMg/IMG_8903_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
No, I’ve not been cloned. Since the brew-break Paul took the tiller and I resumed with the setting ahead. Meg came off and joined me, but having already spent most of the flight up and down the towpath, she, like her Mum, was feeling the strain. At L82 she sat and refused to follow me down to the next one, only getting up when she realised she’d be left behind!
Tired pooch
![IMG_8906 IMG_8906](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R7KrE14rpB0/Vv1s9CZJWoI/AAAAAAAA3wY/ruTc-qPD_RE/IMG_8906_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
She got back aboard and rode the rest of the way.
Lock 85, the last of the Wigan Locks we’ll tackle today, in sight.
![IMG_8910 IMG_8910](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fDTs6r7EXmk/Vv1s_Cq8fCI/AAAAAAAA3wg/1y5dKdd80uc/IMG_8910_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
It was here we had a bit of a pause, waiting for two boats to come up.
![IMG_8911 IMG_8911](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vbHgHJe7Z7E/Vv1tA3xPlNI/AAAAAAAA3wo/kWw5LMqTtdY/IMG_8911_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
These were the first boats we’d seen, and also the first CRT chap as well!
Down the last lock with a sigh of relief and a brew as we came to the junction at the bottom and turned left onto the Leigh Branch.
Left to Leigh and points south, right to Liverpool.
![IMG_8914 IMG_8914](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-81XdimnJquI/Vv1tClTZu4I/AAAAAAAA3ww/9nlgeDwcd30/IMG_8914_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![IMG_8915 IMG_8915](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3TKLJho2g-Y/Vv1tEhLu2nI/AAAAAAAA3w4/GE1MN4z5FMA/IMG_8915_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
A little further on we came to the last two locks for some days, at Poolstock.
Poolstock Top Lock, St James’ Church in the background
![IMG_8918 IMG_8918](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hcZ-oa1kdSk/Vv1tGum-DuI/AAAAAAAA3xA/VOB8UIRBkts/IMG_8918_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Quack, quack, quack!
![IMG_8919 IMG_8919](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eXIpvVcJKRY/Vv1tIdLMG4I/AAAAAAAA3xI/pei1oSf75Mc/IMG_8919_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![IMG_8921 IMG_8921](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1H_aJudd_sM/Vv1tKU3sRVI/AAAAAAAA3xQ/2EdYLdn60Dc/IMG_8921_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
The top lock had been re-gated but the bottom was as leaky as ever, taking all the paddles up put enough water in to counteract the flow out between the bottom gates. But we got there in the end…
![IMG_8923 IMG_8923](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WW6UJ7ROLzY/Vv1tMbdH66I/AAAAAAAA3xY/Y4b7-s-mUXg/IMG_8923_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Having said goodbye to Jan at the junction, Paul now took his leave, and we set off south between the Wigan flashes, subsidence caused by coal extraction.
Scotsman’s Flash on the right…
![IMG_8924 IMG_8924](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GGH0Y6typ-M/Vv1tOFdogJI/AAAAAAAA3xg/ULs3qv0pekk/IMG_8924_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
…and Pearson’s on the left.
![IMG_8925 IMG_8925](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qhAtcbIizrU/Vv1tQAW22nI/AAAAAAAA3xo/zW8GhcWgI-A/IMG_8925_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Just over an hour of steady cruising along the wide branch and we arrived at Dover Locks where we called it a day. There are no locks here now, shifts in ground levels due to mining subsidence required a re-alignment of the canal, the locks that were here were moved up to Poolstock.
Cruising through Dover Lock 1
![IMG_8934 IMG_8934](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-g8g4i_rWlDg/Vv1tSYbvY8I/AAAAAAAA3xw/wxXg5lkt89Q/IMG_8934_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Moored after a long day.
![IMG_8936 IMG_8936](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XVxlA0s6Ddo/Vv1tXdSUyeI/AAAAAAAA3x4/pPG9XbyESHY/IMG_8936_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
It would have been considerably longer without the assistance of Paul and Jan. Very much appreciated, people!
With the locks out of the way for a while we can make some distance now.
Hiya Sue! Hope we didn't disappoint!
Locks 23, miles 5½