Monday 19 August 2013

It is now a week since we left Liverpool and travelled back up the link and on to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.  At the moment we are on the Bridgewater Canal, moored up near Dunham Woodhouses and Dunham Massey Hall, once the seat of the Earl of Stamford.

The trip up the Liverpool link was enlivened by the tales of the lock keeper, which involved a toaster, cheese on toast and a kitchen fire.  He kept us all entertained for the morning!!

We shared locks from Liverpool and up onto the Leeds and Liverpool with Amphora, a boat owned by a couple from New Zealand, who spend the summer here cruising the canals and then return to NZ for their summer.  They were heading of up the Bridgewater to a borrowed mooring and to spend some time in Manchester.  Passed the boat today and they went past us this evening.  Think they are headed back to Rugby, where the boat is moored and then heading to Italy for a holiday, before heading home, what a terrible life!! 

Goodbye to Liverpool



Leaving Liverpool

Sharing the lock with nb Amphora

We had a lazy weekend moored up near a place called Astley Green, where we managed to moor with no other boats nearby for the whole weekend.  Bliss and the dogs could just mooch around on the towpath.  We celebrated Graham's birthday with a meal in the nearby pub, although didn't go on Saturday as planned due to the heavy rain and a ten minute walk along a muddy towpath.  Lovely sunny day on Sunday though so we went then.


A quiet weekend mooring with no other boats in sight!

We stopped at Worsley to top up with water, a very attractive place and the site of the Duke of Bridgewater's coal mines.  The Bridgewater Canal was constructed to carry his coal to Manchester.  I think he made a few shillings out of the deal as he ended up the richest nobleman in England.




Today we again crossed the Barton swing Aqueduct, which takes the Bridgewater Canal over the Manchester Ship Canal, and can be swung open to allow ships to pass through.  An amazing feat of engineering!  
Barton swing Aqueduct

Manchester Ship Canal from the aqueduct

Manchester Ship Canal from the aqueduct

We also stopped for a look around the Trafford Centre, an incredible shopping and leisure complex which defies description.  Unfortunately I didn't have the camera, who knew you needed a camera in a shopping centre!  It takes shopping to a whole new level.  Seriously if you are ever nearby it shouldn't be missed.

 

2 comments:

  1. Hello there, Sarah from NB Amphora. I randomly found your blog on Google. We visited the Trafford Centre too...I have never see such a Mecca to shopping...all that marble! We got stuck at Barton swing bridge for two hours as they'd closed it - seemingly randomly as no ship passed through on the MSC. We're now in Stoke on Trent. Take care and happy boating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, I saw a picture on one of the forums re a delay at the Barton swing bridge, not sure if it was the same time you got stuck though. Enjoy the rest of your summer x

      Delete