Wigan and Parbold

Rain was forecast for most of the day and, indeed, it was wet from the off, although by the time we moored this evening some sunshine emerged, albeit accompanied by a sharp wind.

We had moored a little short of our planned stopping point last night so, to make up, we set off early today. The first part of the journey continued with similar countryside, with the canal set much higher than the surrounding land which has sunk over time with the mining underneath.

Former Dover Lock

One consequence is that the two locks originally at Dover Bridge are now mere narrows, on the level, but replaced by two newer locks at Poolstock.

Lower Poolstock Lock

Wigan Junction

Shortly afterwards we reached Wigan Junction where we turned left onto the section of the Leeds and Liverpool in to Liverpool itself. Our aim is to be at the meeting point for the escorted navigation into Salthouse Dock on Sunday.

The stonework at the tail of the first lock displays the lock number: 22, a reminder that these locks are the final part of the Wigan flight, with the first 21 on the route that comes over the Pennines, see out blog for last year for our most recent transit through that flight.

This lock also has unusual mechanisms for moving the bottom gates - although we have seen them in one or two other places, mainly on the Leeds and Liverpool.

The next lock provided a reminder of an incident when we came though here in the early 70's, with a year-old Andrew on board our tiny Fiona. As can be seen from this photo, the lock edge has a ledge just below the upper level and out boat caught its gunwhale on this protrusion. We first realised this when the boat was already at an alarming angle but, by closing the paddles quickly we soon had it back on a level keel. Phew!

Wigan Pier

The Road to Wigan Pier is the title of George Orwell's book about conditions of poverty but the name itself was popularised earlier by George Formby. It is often a disappointment to people when they discover that the 'pier' was in fact a coal tippler, a key part of the canal basin when it was originally the terminus of the canal.

As we passed Crooke Marina we spotted a wide beam Take Five!

For a while we have now left left the urban and industrial landscape behind us and, if only it had been sunny, many stretches are quite pretty.

Dean Lock

Abandoned Lock

At Dean Lock, just below the M6 as it strides across the River Douglas, once had a dry dock alongside. This was then converted into a second lock - most of the locks on this stretch were once doubled - but it has now been abandoned.

Ranicar's Swing Bridge

Before Appley there are three swing bridges marked in Nicholsons, the first is now derelict but the second is a farm crossing and very, very difficult to move. As Mike was struggling to close it after our boat had passed through, a tractor arrived and the farmer in a rather superior manner offered (OK, kindly offered) to close it for us and did so without any seeming effort. But he did do it in a strange way! The rest of the swing bridges were much easier.

A little boat moored on the towpath looked very much like our Fiona - albeit with a few more modern facilities!

A mother duck sheltered her brood just a few inches from the lock landing above Appley Lock.

Appley Lock

This lock is very deep - at one time two locks ran  alongside.

Former Lower Appley Lock

Another pretty stretch brought us to Parbold where we moored for a while to allow Christine to pop to the shops. She returned with a newspaper, some scones and a couple of tubs of ice cream from the parlour beside the bridge - but failed to find any eccles cakes (which she really fancied!)

Parbold

We continued only a little further before mooring, stopping a little short of Burscough Bridge.

15.3 miles - 8 locks