Wigan to Liverpool

This lovely duck house might have been on an MP's expenses, but I doubt it

Monday 25^th June We took caffeine in Wigan first then I went into BW Wigan Office to check details of our trip into Liverpool and to buy electricity cards. I had intended to get one large card but we are being made to move moorings halfway through our stay so bought two smaller ones. Away around 11 as we came out of the first lock we met Cyril & ?Daphne Blackford from Ashby Canal Association and friends coming up. A few friendly words then it was a scramble back aboard because the towpath is some 5 feet higher than the water. We met other boats at other locks on this day of lovely weather.

Just as we were exiting one lock the charity trip boat Rose of Parbold cast off & made its way in the same direction as us. Well they nearly didn’t move as we struggled to keep behind them even at tickover. Really considerate boating. At the next lock we met the worst boat we came across, an old Norman cruiser being moved single handed from a boatyard on the Lancaster Canal and so he had already managed the Ribble Link.......but I don’t know how! He was complaining that the gear & throttle linkage to his outboard was not working well so needed both gates open (!) but made no effort to help. Just pleased Carol no end after the Rose effort but at least because of his very slow progress through the lock we were no longer close behind the charity boat.

We are stationary here & Rose of Pabold, a widebeam, has just
crashed into another widebeam on a bend

We carried on through three swing bridges, meeting two old flats returning from last weekend’s Burscough Rally. We tied up at 5 after 10 miles, 5 locks & 3 swing bridges.

Meeting a flat close to Burscough

Tuesday 26^th and we were able to renew friendships made last year in Burscough, and the coffee was great & I was able to tip my old engine oil at Arthur’s garage. We decided to take a trip into Southport where we were unable to see the sea as we had forgotten the binoculars! Weather was mixed.

Wednesday 27^th and fortunately we receive Waterscape Stoppage Notices as through these we knew that less than a mile from Burscough the New Lane swing bridge was mis-behaving and was being operated by BW, but only between 9 & 12 and 4 & 7. If I hadn’t seen this we’d have been stuck the wrong side at 4 & faced with arriving at the collection point sometime after 7 pm! 

A boater has made this floating nest site

It was lovely that the hand cranked bridge that caused me grief last year is now a push button job, but I am contacting BW about the new screens they have for these bridges. They have poor contrast on the screen & no cover to cut down outside glare. 

The pan was moored on the inside of a bend with a road cone as a warning.
I suspect it was placed there to warn of an underwater obstruction.

As it was we got there in good time after a lovely cruise in warm weather, mooring where we did last year just past bridge 11 after 12 miles & 7 swing bridges. We popped along to the two other boats waiting for our trip and found out that they only found out about the limited swing bridge hours when they spoke to someone in Burscough and if they hadn’t they would have been cruising late!

Our mooring below br 10. We could see the towers of both Liverpool Cathedrals
from this spot, provided we looked the other way from the way I took this!

Thursday 28^th and at 9 we waited for BW to swing the bridge with Roger & Teresa Fuller on Azelia and Glyn & Rosemary on their unconverted working boat Aquarius, and soon after were cruising alongside Aintree race course. 

Waiting at bridge 9

Thursdays are supposed to be “out” days but for some reason I don’t understand we were going in this day & others were going out on Friday. Part way through we met up with 3 other boats that had spent the night at the Litherland services and we all went down the Stanley Locks, we shared with Tony & Jenny on Josh 2. 

Josh turns by the Jesse Hartley tower.
Birkenhead is in the background

Part of the route through a partially filled dock

The pleasant weather we had enjoyed so far began to change and a fine drizzle started at the locks, but our luck held and it eased, only to throw it down just after we had tied up on mooring S2. The wind got up through the evening and night and  Lily was buffeted and blown making our ropes and fenders creak & keeping us awake, about 25 feet of Lily sticks out from the end of the pontoon! 11 miles and 5 locks and of course as it was Thursday we had a curry!!

Friday 29^th and just after 10 Trevor from RCR came to remove our engine alternator to get it rewound, now we were on mains power we did not need to run the engine. He was the man who founded RCR and it was interesting hearing from him about how it happened. He was also glad that the chap next to us came across and told him how wonderful his men are, doing lots of jobs that are not really in the job spec. After he had left we were able to set off for Lime Street to return us to our car in Narborough to spend the weekend celebrating our grandson Sam’s 18^th birthday. The trains were on time and we had a really wonderful time, even if some of that time was spent hacking at Himalayan Balsam growing though slabs in the yard of our flat.

Sam at his party. Many of our boating friends know him
from Leicester Festivals, but he has grown a bit since then!

Via Manchester to Wigan

Monday 18^th June A pleasant day but not warm. We were recommended whilst taking coffee (!!) to visit Grappenhall which was just 2 miles further on from Stockton Heath. The old part of the village around the church is on the south of the canal and includes a length of cobbled street, two recommended pubs (by others, too early for us) and some pleasant houses.

Fantastic carving in this reredos

The church was heavily altered by the Victorians but had an incredibly beautifully carved pulpit and had a magnificently carved reredos depicting the Last Supper. It was carved by men working at nearby Dunham Massey (NT) that we visited last year.

This lead lined Saxon font was found buried when the church was extended.

One of the customers sitting outside one of the pubs asked if we had seen “The Cheshire Cat”, and as we hadn’t, pointed it out to us. Why on earth would a stone carver incorporate this in his stone shaping?

The Cheshire cat on the church tower

We moved on, stopping for water at a remote, but popular, water point before stopping near Dunham Massey. It was a lovely evening so I polished the brasses and of course it then rained overnight! A lazy 8 miles in the day.

Tuesday was a lovely day, lots of sun and not too much breeze, though it was cool. We moved into Sale to re-provision before reversing about a mile to moor close to the house of two friends we were seeing that night. Had a good meal and a wonderful evening after a hard 6 mile cruise!

We could not see the Linotype offices last year until other buildings were demolished

It has been many years since we saw one of these fuel brand signs
When we started driving there were very many brands around

Wednesday & Thursday we moved into Castlefields in Manchester and did city centre things. I had noticed that my feet got damp when I wore one pair of shoes, yet they looked sound, until I bent the soles and saw large cracks in the soles! New shoes were bought from a firm that has its UK head office in Lubbenham and we pass it each time we travel into Market Harborough from Debdale. On Wednesday we entertained friends who were old customers of our business years and whom we re-met when up here last year.

We also went to see “Lady Windermere’s Fan” at The Exchange Theatre having been recommended to go by Tuesday’s friends. We didn’t know what this strange structure was when we entered the Exchange building, it held a theatre for around 400 people, we sat in low “banquette” seats at stage level, and had to keep our feet in so the actors didn’t trip over them. A very enjoyable evening, but the weather whilst we were in the city was wet and windy.

The stage taken from my seat. We didn't need opera glasses!

This weird structure, a bit like Tardis, is the theatre inside the fabulous Exchange.

Friday 22^nd and a foul day, but we had to move after filling and emptying. Carol stayed below whilst I suffered the heavy rain and gusting winds, but not for too long as we had decided to visit the Trafford Centre. We had never been before and both were jaw struck by the place. It immediately reminded us of Planet Hollywood resort hotel in Las Vegas, incredibly tacky but an incredible amount of money poured into its building, great fun. The best thing about the place was The Pen Shop and was able to get some propelling pencil leads I have failed to find in Leicester or on-line. The weather lifted a bit but we had more heavy rain over night, we decided not to cruise on as the weather was bad.

I found out later I was not supposed to take photos, but the main food court area is
designed to look like an ocean liner and Katie Price was due on stage to sign books

The statues are of marble, the columns of polished granite, the trees are false....of course!!

Saturday Stayed at Trafford and watched qualifying for the European GP before moving off. It was breezy but brightening and we cruised to Leigh in about 2 hours, we cruise fairly fast on this deep, wide, lock free canal. On this occasion the Barton Swing Aqueduct was not closed, as it was both ways last year. Over the two days we have managed 0 locks and 13 miles.

Sunday 24^th was a GP day with the broadcast to start at 12.15. We had a coffee and bought some fresh salad and were going to stop until after the GP until I noticed that the Plank Lane swing bridge a mile along the cut was BW controlled and only operated between 10 and 2, with a half hour lunch break so we set off, only to arrive and find it had changed to being boater operated so we passed through under our own control and tied up to watch the race. Normally the GP in Valencia is a boring procession, but not so this year.

The gate opening mechanism at lock 86

I walked part of the way up the Wigan flight & saw all these Giant Hogweed plants
I also paced out the lock length, Nicholson says they are 60 ft, I reckon they are
near 70 ft & on our return I'm going to measure them with my tape & we might go up!

Race over we pushed on to Wigan arriving about 5.30 mooring outside the BW offices after 6 miles and 3 locks, a week’s total of just 33 miles and 3 locks.

From Chester to the Bridgewater

Monday 11^th and to our surprise Carol’s phone was ready for collection so we were away at 11.30 with Masie accompanying us, with me doing all the lock work and the girls nattering on a fine day moderately warm and some sun.

Does Old Mother Hubbard live here?

We carried on to moor outside Tattenhall marina, but the thing that disturbed our day was a phone call with BW Wigan over booking into Liverpool. I asked to go in around 25^th June, and certainly to be there by the 28^th as we are to return to Leicester & want to leave Lily plugged into the mains. Wigan said that all trips were full for June, last year we only had to give a few days notice! Disaster was averted when they called us back around 4pm to say there had been a cancellation & we would be going in on the 28^th, hoorah!!

Deer on the land by Beeston Castle below which a WW2 fuel store was buried

Tuesday 12^th started bright and sunny, but clouded up with a cool breeze and we cruised on with Masie through to Nantwich. We crossed with a boat in the Bunbury staircase, as did Masie following on. Masie was delighted that I was able to work her through the Beeston Iron Lock as there was no lock ladder and the lock landing stage  through in pairs due to the lock having distorted, so I had to do it twice over. (I heard a few days later that this only applies with 2 full length boats as the distortion is only at the top end of the lock). Calverley services were welcome before we passed Barbridge and Huddlesford junctions. Over the two days 18 miles and 11 locks, and a walk into get a coffee!!

Wednesday 13^th we cruised the short distance and two locks to Heald Green where we moored on the SUCS moorings before going to see the Secret Nuclear Bunker. Well it’s not secret any more but close to the canal and a very interesting stop. It greatly worried Carol to read just what she had lived through in terms of possible war scenarios without realising it. The bunker started life as part of a radar base, and was developed at the height of the Cold War to provide a secure, blast proof base from which to administer the country in case of a nuclear war.

The State of Alert is shown

The multiple warhead for a Trident missile

This nuclear bomb was in service from 1966 to 1998

We had a near nuclear experience on the lower level when I said to Carol “I know that chap” to which she concurred, as did he, before we realised he was Pete who had phoned me on Jubilee Sunday about tuning in a satellite tv. We had met in Wigan & Liverpool last year and whom we had hoped we might meet again, with Sue & nb Sokai, this year. When I told him about my booking problems he had said something had cropped up that prevented them going to Liverpool, yet here we both were. We shared a good natter over lunch and arranged to carry on with it in the evening back in Nantwich.

Sitting with Pete & Sue experiencing the sound of a nuclear explosion nearby

To get back we reversed down the two locks to the winding hole and got totally soaked as the heavens opened! Anyway we didn’t see anywhere in Nantwich we fancied eating at so we dined separately and then had a really good evening over a glass (or two++) of red.

Thursday and after a quick beverage and fruit shop we left Nantwich and turned towards Middlewich, the direction many others were using to get to the weekend canal Festival. Weather was pleasant, if cool, so being 4^th in the queue for the first lock was no hardship. I had a good natter with the treasurer of the Cheshire IWA, a sprightly 80 year old, who said their branch too was suffering from a shortage of young committee members. We stopped where we had last year but had forgotten about the ledge 6 inches below water level. It mattered this time as the wind got up to very strong gusts and heavy rain bashed us onto the ledge through the night, despite my best efforts at fendering. It kept Carol awake much of the night, but not me!!!

Church Minshull mooring

The wind overnight almost blew this geranium overboard!

Friday we were away before 9, it was fine and less windy. As so often happens, I had cast off the bows and was about to do the same with the stern when a boat came through the bridge! We met at the first lock, he was another spring chicken going to man the IWA presence at Middlewich & then on the next weekend to do the same in Northwich. The boat that arrived after us had its crew already togged up in waterproofs & willies, yet it wasn’t raining, they were prepared and by the second lock we certainly needed them! It was exactly the same last year but this year we had quite a queue squeezing into the short lengths between bridges already taken up by Festival goers.

At the Festival we saw “Gerald” again, but not Roy, and also Jim Macdonald’s Elizabeth a very unusual and old conversion of an old working boat that delighted Leicester IWA when they joined us at one of our 1996 Golden Jubilee Harborough Festival, repeating their attendance in 1946. Sorry, heavy rain, no pics. Lso saw Alton and filled with diesel at 84p and the rain came down so heavily I expected Noah to float by on his Ark! It brightened up a bit later as we cruised past Northwich to moor but there were more showers, though it was mild.

We moored alongside the old Lion Salt Works and were delighted to see that this scheduled monument won one of the BBC Lottery appeals and is now in the process of being restored to show how salt used to be made in the area.

The floor inside the building, plenty to restore!

Saturday 16^th Started overcast and with a poor forecast and we cruised to the Anderton services which are the last ones on the direct line to Liverpool before Wigan, other than those at boatyards where charges are levied. We intend to divert into Castlefields to hopefully have friends join us for a meal, returning their favour from last year. There was one boat at the services as we arrived, which we did a minute or two before another arrived from the opposite direction, followed by another, replacing the original boat. These are busy services and on one of the boats the crew knew Lily Pad from Loughborough Festivals and knew friends Mick & Lynda.

A steady cruise, managing to arrive at Barnton tunnel as the tunnel was clear, only one boat wide we were pleased to see it clear. We arrived at Saltersford just in time for a passage, these being limited to 0 to 20 mins past going north, 30 to 50 mins past coming south. Heavy showers brightened(!) our way and we were glad of the trees growing on the river Weaver side as they broke the strong winds. Carrying on to Dutton Stop lock it didn’t attract me in for a swim like last year, but I was not able to shut one of the bottom gates and there was nobody around to help push, I reported it to BW.

Our luck held as we were again just in time for Preston Brook tunnel (0 to 10mins past north, 30 to 40 mins past south) and entered the tunnel to see a light up ahead!! We checked the time, we were right and carried on. We never got any closer and then they left the tunnel, why do people use navigation lights in tunnels, or if they do, why don’t they cover the white rear light? It gave us a few anxious moments. The weather carried on not very pleasant when we were out the other end and we carried on to Stockton Heath where we moored where we did a year before and wandered in for essentials (Costa!!!).

Our mooring at Stockton Heath

Sunday and as we have an appointment with friends 4 hours cruise away in Sale on Tuesday we stayed put, watched the British Moto GP and cleaned the oven. What a great way to celebrate Fathers’ Day! The weather overnight was very wet but it brightened around 10 and the sun poked through. Calls from daughters wished me a happy Fathers' day, the words in an email from one got me damp eyed, but we needed papers & coffee. Carol took a coat, I packed one & didn't need it, great coffee & good papers & we decided we'd do "Sunday Lunch" at a pub and sought one out, the London Bridge by the canal was suggested. We stopped by at Thorn Marine to get an oil filter & fuel additive & asked if they were still threatened with redevelopment, which they are. Peel Holdings, owners of the Bridgewater and lots of other stuff have plans to build 5 homes on the site. This photo is of a protest meeting some time ago.

Thorn Marine protest a few years ago

Thorn Marine now on the right of shot

Back to Lily to start jobs, such as my special Fathers' Day treat of cleaning the oven plus watching the British Moto GP, and what a tremendous race it was!

Whilst eating lunch I saw yellow jackets at work on the canal bridge by the pub. Coming out we found it was this large hole & the Police were about to close the A49 whilst it was repaired. We were glad Lily is a good 100 yards from here as there is obviously going to be a lot of noise from the repair. 

The meal was pretty good & I got 3 special Fathers' Day pint glasses for nothing, the beer was from one of the oldest family brewers in the country J.W.Lees. I tried 3 of their bitters and enjoyed them all. As you can see from the photos, the weather turned to bright sun and warm as the afternoon progressed.


During the week we covered 54 miles & 24 locks


Final bit of a rant. I just received notifications by email about Wheaton Aston & Market Drayton services both being closed because of blockages. When will people realised that elsans & pumpouts are for waste & paper only, not baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, nappies etc. I feel sorry for people with full tanks because of these mindless individuals.

In and around Chester

Monday to Sunday I’m not going to break this down into days as we have not gone anywhere other than a trip down and up the staircase 3 locks to use the services which we did on a drizzly lunchtime, sharing the locks with a Hardern hire boat on the way down. In their week’s holiday they cruised from Beeston Iron Lock up to Llangollen and returned and then on back into Chester for a night before returning to base. It would have taken us around 3 weeks I reckon, they did it in one and a week of awful weather too!!

On the canal herons never stand still while we pass, this one in Chester
must have got over his fears or have been very hungry, we saw it catch one.

On the way back up we shared with Masie in Global Spirit who was spitting feathers as earlier that day she had been cruising with her new cockpit canopy up and had torn it on a low bridge! She later improvised with a brolly poked through the hole during the downpours, with her mooring behind us.

Umbrella repair to hood

Apart from those exciting bits we joined in with the happy folks of Chester as they thronged the streets on Bank Holiday Monday as their Giants paraded through the city and then meandered around the stalls but resisted the temptations of the burgers, cheeses etc on offer. 

We later took Carol’s new phone back to get a refund.....and failing to get that from the shop have now started a “complaint” with Orange. We did various other bits in Chester, but I noticed this wonderful brickwork. They were apartments built in 1889, commissioned by the Duke of Westminster to improve housing stock, but they only had a communal wash house and no internal toilets or bathrooms. 

On Wednesday, whilst Carol went to a service in the Cathedral I dropped her phone into a shop advertising phone repairs. He told me they’d get it repaired by Friday morning, but when I eventually got through to them on Friday I was told the parts had not arrived, but might be in by later, but on Saturday it was sure to be done.......well it wasn’t, we are now assured it will be ready on Monday.

A magnificent Cheetah

Killing time we had a lovely day at Chester Zoo which we gather is the largest in the UK. It and the animals were in fantastic condition with very large pens and with the zoo actively participating in working to help re-establish good herds in the wild. 

Jubilee decorated zoo train

One reason we suspect it was in such good nick was that it is celebrating its diamond jubilee and the Queen had visited it three weeks before us. It was a simple 20 minute bus ride from Chester and we strongly recommend it.

This juvenile "Black Rhino" was very photogenic.
Black Rhinos have a semi prehensile top lip which gets a bit dark

Last year when in Liverpool we had talked (OK, I had talked) about going to Port Sunlight but never made it, so on Friday we took the bus to get there and really enjoyed it. It is amazing what Lord Lever achieved from making soap. The estate is like a slightly more modern Bournville but with a lovely mixture of architect designed houses. 

One of many architectural house types

At a time when most rental property for workers was lines of slums at a cost to build of just £60, his houses cost £250 to build, had indoor bathrooms and hot and cold running water and each house had its own back garden. So it could be seen he wasn’t exploiting his workers, setting an 8 hour working day and organising that there were many sports and social clubs as well as providing allotments and trying to get everyone to grow their own food and arranging immense works days out.

Lord Lever arranged for this incredible war memorial to the over 500 of his employees
who died in WW1. The bronzes are of an incredible an very moving quailty

In Port Sunlight is the Lady Leverhume Gallery where are displayed some of the immense collection of works of art he acquired.....as well as owning four very large houses......from making soap!

On Sunday I had thought we might take the bus to Rhyl on the coast as I thought we might be able to do it for free (bus passes). I was told we’d have to pay, and then I saw it would take 2 hours each way and just knew our bladders wouldn’t make it, so decided to go by train. People said we were mad as there was nothing to really see and so we went to Llandudno and had a lovely day, including a bit of a paddle and a trip up the Great Orme on the cable railway just as the sun started to break through. 

Descending from the Gt Orme 

We are so glad we did, both of us had been there in our childhood but remembered nothing of the place. We can recommend the trip. By the way Rhyl & Prestatyn looked dire and we have never seen so many bungalows or static caravans, we were so glad we hadn't bussed there!!

Conwy Castle seen from the train

There are some things I have to do at the seaside

At Chester station we failed to hire a post horse and caught the train

And finally, these people love their view from their bedroom window
note the enormous TV filling almost the whole window!