We had estimated that it would take us between 6 & 7 hours to
complete the Wigan flight. The flight
consists of 21 locks (plus an extra 2 locks on the Leigh arm) over a distance
of roughly 2 miles, which on the day we completed in just over 5 hours. Well done Flo. For us, this marked the end of the Leeds
& Liverpool Canal, a canal that seems not to have a very good reputation,
but from our point of view had become one of our favourite trips.
We were now heading south on the Bridgewater Canal on a route we had
travelled 2 years previously on our way to Liverpool. Moored just short of Worsley we got to
chatting with a couple of guys that were carrying what looked like a pair of
expensive cameras. They were keen
aircraft buffs and were waiting for a Vulcan bomber that had flight path that
should take in over our location. What a
bit of luck when, at the exact time they had predicted, the Vulcan flew at
reasonably low level directly overhead.
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| Vulcan Bomber |
We passed through the small village of Worsley the day after the Vulcan
fly pass. Today it’s a conservation area
with many buildings scheduled as ancient monuments. If you are not a canal user you probably
won’t realise that Worsley is considered as the birthplace of the ‘transport
revolution’ at its height of the ‘revolution’ it was a busy, noisy, industrial
area. The Bridgewater Canal was the
brainchild of the Duke of Bridgewater, who after visiting the French canals,
wanted a system that would move the coal from his mines throughout the
area. Rather than bring his coal to the
surface he had built underground canals, from the coal face and onto the
Bridgewater Canal. In total nearly 52 miles of underground canal were built by
pick and shovel.
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The Packet House Worsley
Note the colour of the canal - it's water draining from the old mines that makes the canal orange. This is because water seeping through the rocks collects small particles containing iron hydroxide, called ochre. The particles are washed into the canal giving it a 'rusty' colour.
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Passed Manchester, down through Sale and Altrincham and onto Lymm,
possibly one of the most picturesque canal villages on the network, stopped for
shopping and an excellent lunch at the Golden Fleece before moving down the cut
and mooring close to Higher Walton.
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| Lymm |
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| Lymm |
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| Lymm |
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| Lymm |
The weather was very hot, sunny
and humid. We had a lovely walk around
Moore Nature Reserve then back to the boat for a well-earned glass of wine and
BBQ. We stayed put at this mooring to
enable a walk to Walton Hall Gardens which were very pretty. As the hall was no longer a residence only
the outside features have been maintained as a period property. That evening
produced a spectacular display of heavy rain, thunder, lightning and hail.
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| Walton Hall |
The next day took us on to the Trent & Mersey Canal and on by the
Anderton Boat Lift. Constructed in 1875
it connects the Trent & Mersey with the Weaver Navigation 50ft below. We’d used the lift before so we didn’t stop,
continuing to chug to the evening’s mooring opposite a broad flash (wide
expanse) of water. Which once again
showed its best during the evening after another warm day. Really magical, even if our photos don’t do
it justice.
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| Anderton Lift Bridge |
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| Anderton Lift Bridge |
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| The Flash |
We left the Trent and Mersey Canal at
Middlewich and joined the Shropshire Canal heading for Nantwich. It was important that we stopped at Nantwich
as the first test against Australia starts in a week’s time and our radio as
given up the ghost. Ken desperately
needs to replace it and is considering DAB reception. Advice is required.
Left Nantwich to go through 15 locks and passing by the Shroppie Fly at
Audlem before mooring after lock 3. Once again weather is kind to us and is
bright and sunny. Next day through 7
more locks to Market Drayton and moored for the night.
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| Shroppie Fly |
Stopped at Norbury Junction for diesel and then continued until
reaching Gnosall Heath. By this time the weather had turned wet and we decided
to moor for the day. Next day dawned
bright and sunny and after shopping in the village we did a 6 mile circular
walk along a disused railway and then across open country.
England won - thumping Australia with a day to spare in the
first Ashes Test.
Next Brewood.
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