Moving Again..

Steady rain made the decision to stay in bed Easy, about 11.30am the rain eased so we decided to take a walk, about a mile and half, back along  the tow path, over the hill the tunnel goes through,  to catch up with Paul and Elaine. They were just pulling up at the tunnel entrance,had a 15 min, wait before they could enter so we had a Yak, caught up on some news.They entered the tunnel,Leonie and myself hoofed it back over the tunnel  hill and then helped through the lock.We jumped on board for the return to our boat,untied and followed
until we both moored up. Paul done an early  Recky, checked out the nearest pub where we later went for a meal and drinks.

NB Caxton approaches tunnel entry.

Always a good sight when boat emerges from tunnel.

Chain sawed seat at site  of canal wash out.

Blow out of canal side went to valley below, 9 months and 2.5 mill,pounds its all go..

When we stopped Elaines dogs got off to have a gallop,sam jumped on Fireflynz  for a perve,when he didn't reappear an investigation found him Right At Home.Good Dog..

BomBo  wouldn't enter, just barked, he'd learnt "stranger danger".

Small farm house adjacent..

Clearing skies,looks good for tomorrow..

Could'nt get a TV signal so had to use the KIWI enginuity, boat pole with  window cleaning blade for a base, then sat TV areial on all held together with insulation tape, got about 10channels..

At the Pub, Paul, Elaine  +(Leonies finger) all pointing to Pudd,n....

Tomorrow weather permitting it's the Anderton Boat Lift....can't wait...

Gone NoWhere

If you can't handle  R20 photo's and text go to another blog now.........

Still reading?? well today's weather wasn't too  flash, showers of rain and blowing quite strong gusts. We don't need to move in that weather so we didn't and the day saw some high drama.

 First off Leonie looked  up the net and taught herself to splice rope, will come in handy. Especially the hangmans noose if anyone ever suggests  I get a job...

 Then it was on to bread making, first attempt, multi grain buns and they turned out good. Dangerous around a hot oven. A burn scar on a buttock can put an end to photo shoots for life..

After all that excitement and stress a game of solitaire was fitted in, got to be carefull, RSI can be work and pleasure ending..

 Then it was bathroom cleaning time, hand basin and crapper, could've  smelt like a house of ill repute and one may never rid the memory of that..

And the shower, wash the evidence down the drain..

The weather cleared toward the end of the day..

A day like that's enough to send one around the bend..

Clear skies to the west...

Tomorrow  we'll just move on...

To Runcorn & Back...

Had a Crap sleep last night, noise from M56 motorway was painful even though we had  allowed plenty of distance before mooring.Today's weather looked suspect bout 10.30am, light shower, cloud, but we headed off and it cleared quickly and was pretty mild. Travelled to Runcorn  which used to link with the Mersey to Liverpool but since 1966 its become a dead end. The towns old, crappy really, the best part was the trip there and leaving. Walked to the Mersey for a look.

 The Old, the railway bridge spanning the Mersey and Manchester Ship Canal.

The New, The single span road bridge doing the same.

The dead end of the canal.Through the centre arch  there used to be 10 double locks down  to the Mersey..

Headed back past Preston Brook turned right to head South. Stopped at entrance to Preston Brook Tunnel, our first tunnel, going this way can only enter tunnel on the half hr,to 20 mins to the hr.

 Never look back...
1239 yds long, not quite straight, all brick lined, opened 1776. Only wide enough for one boat.

 The Southern end in sight.

Exited the tunnel and done Dutton Stop Lock.Sunken Plastic boat on right and a line up of NB's being worked on to the left. The plastic needs a couple stiks of Jelly, its tight steering.

Travelled another mile and chucked in the piks by bridge 213, washed one side of the boat, that's another day done.

On To Preston Brook

Another sunny hot day, headed across canal to Lymm village,saw a real butcher shop yesterday and wanted a look when he was open, did you know  my Dad was a "village" butcher?, meats all looked good but didn't buy.Also had a look in two charity shops,for a steal,yeah I know everythings cheap, to sharpen knives,no luck.

Head'd off and meet this fella trying to u turn,had inches to spare but didn't make it so pulled boat to side and waved us through.

Another NB had just passed and tooted his horn, got these kids wound up,so I did the same, they were running, screaming out horn, horn, tugging on the fence,funny thing was teacher running behind yelling Children,Children not one took any notice, sikk..

 

Saw this dominating tower, Its part of the Daresbury Science Park. You can imagine the "Brains" that work in there. What would the tower be used for? maybe measuring the falling rate of say Jam Sandwiches.

Anyway we turn the corner and here's some of these "brains" out on the patio hav"n lunch so I pull over and say " Oui there, can anybody tell me howcome  someone's like us got no job and we can afford to buy a boat,diesel,food,travel wherever whenever while you guys work 12 hrs a day",  NO answer,  Who"s got the brains then?..

Leonie got off and walked 3 miles today, they say walking in the sun and fresh air in an unspoilt  country side is the best..

What The.......

 

Pulled over at Preston Brook, walked to chandlery bout mile away,got some toilet no smell stuff then took it easy.....

 
 

To Lymm

 Before heading off this morning, 9.50am, a hire day boat pulled in front to load a couple more people.The fella in green is on the turps and another fella off the boat had been to the rubbish bin to discard several empties. They headed off and after 50mtrs turned hard right into the canal side.Oh well, not their boat.
From Worsley to Sale is pretty uninteresting canal,but the Barton Swing Aqueduct breaks the journey and luckily for us the  Aqueduct and adjacent road bridge were both swung sideways to let a ship pass through to Manchester.

Canal ends with the lock gate, ship passes behind ..

This is the "canal" swung sideways full of water. Looked for a sign of a leak but nothing.

a third of the way back..

Now back in place..

In place but still with lock gates shut each end..

Off we go onto Aqueduct...

View from half way across  toward Manchester...

 Other direction showing the road swing bridge...

Crossed it and looking back, can't even see the "joins" where the two water's meet..
Must be one of the seven wonders of the world.. Opened 1894..

Carried on to Lymm, done 14 miles today,was so hot and easy to just "cruze" on and find a nice looking place to moor up..and Lymm is that..     Looking over Lymm bridge toward village.

Small old village with 4 pubs and plenty off restaurants...The drinkers in the "garden bar" at the pub on right were about 2 feet of  a busy road..


Moored up about 4.15pm, the village and canal side was "goin off",hot day, ice creams, beer, narrow boats and plastics  nose to tail,  Awesome...

Worsley..

 First thing this morning pulled over to Bridgewater Marina for diesel and a couple of  other items,while there Ray and Diane pulled up on NB Ferndale for similar,on their way up to Lancaster Canal.Had  a cuppa and a bite of Diane's banana bread,tasty.Good to catch up and  know you'll have great weather for the Ribble Link. Dave is the man to see at Bridgewater, Excellent service, diesel prices and goes the extra mile at no extra cost.

 Only travelled a mile and half to Worsley and what a picturesque setting around the Delph where the underground mining for stone to build the Bridgewater Canal took  place.Parked up and went for a walk to check out some local history all about 500 metres from our mooring.

 Houses facing the Green,once a place for ship building, carpentry iron fabrication etc.

 Two separate houses under one roof but very tasty.

The left and right tunnel entrances, went back 500 metres then joined then went for 52 miles under ground on 4 levels .To bring rock out used wagons horses and barges that carried from 2 to 30 tonne
propelled by people on their backs pushing off tunnel roof with feet, Started 1754.

Leonie outside old court house.

 This little house was about twice the size of the picture.Canal in background is that colour cos, the water and iron is still flowing out of tunnels.

 

 

 

 

 Worsley's  oldest building,1725, called the Nail House  because that's what was made there..Tunnel on far right was thought to be a stable type buiding for horses used underground.

 

 

 A nice private residence..

 Opposite our mooring this boat house was built 1851 to house a royal barge used  for Queen Victoria's visit.

1760 building,the steps in front is where boats pulled up to load passengers for trips to Manchester, Warrington and Runcorn.

Guess whats cooking??  Sante biscuits,,Wicked..

Hit the cut tomorrow and clock up a few K's, now going to clock up a few ZZZZZZsssssss...