Umbrellas on the Bridgewater

Friday, 15 May 2009 18:34

What a grey day! I suppose we were lucky that most of the heavy rain fell in the night and by the time we got going it was much lighter. I was amused by a couple of boats that passed us with the helmsman juggling with an umbrella!

Surely it is much easier to put on wet weather gear, or a hooded anorak at least. Maybe they didn't have one, so it was a good job that there was no wind today.  Each to his own, as they say.

The canal travelled through the old mill town of Leigh, crossing open country and reclaimed land. Mining has had a big effect on this part of the world and there is quite a lot of subsidence.

In the outskirts of Leigh the Bridgewater Leigh Branch suddenly becomes the Leeds and Liverpool. There is no trumpeting, just a discrete BW sign welcoming boaters to the L & L, on Mather Lane Bridge, bridge 66. Leigh Bridge is numbered 11. The canal seems no different though for quite a while, the concrete blocks still line the banks and it is still pretty wide.

Plank Lane Swing Bridge (8) is a misnomer as it is actually a lift bridge operated by BW staff. The operator saw us arriving, stopped the traffic and waved us through. As we went by he noted our license date and BW number. The last time this was taken was at Anderton - if they ever look at the records and compare, they will see that we certainly do cruise continuously!

If you have a new Nicholson for the NW and Pennines you need to make a correction on page 44 going west the map continues on page 107 NOT 101! It takes a bit of working out!

After Plank Lane the canal is on a bit of an embankment, built with pit waste and the landscape again is restored land. Dover Lock Inn is the site of two locks that had to be moved to Wigan due to the subsidence, but their imprint remains.

Soon, shock, horror (!) we were at our first locks for days - the last being only the stop lock at Preston Brook! The two Poolstock locks have a very different feel - industrial and functional with the need for a handcuff key to release the gear to work the paddles.

After the locks, everything becomes "towny" again. We had arrived in Wigan and the junction of the Leigh Branch onto the L & L Main Line. I was grateful we turned left, not right as that way was exhausting. It made me tired just thinking about the 21 Wigan Locks, We had only the last two to do before arriving at Wigan Pier.

The Cotton Warehouse at Wigan Pier has been made into a pub - the Orwell, but sadly it looked as if it has gone the way of a number of canal pubs we have passed recently, as it was boarded up and looked closed. The Coal staithe here has also been rebuilt and it almost gives a flavour of how it used to be,

We moored for a short while to go to the very large Asda that is about 5 minutes away from Seven Stars Bridge (50). The cupboards, fridge and freezer are now all FTB (full to bursting).

We continued onwards, negotiating Pagefield Lock and Ell Meadow Lock. Crooke and the marina at Grimshaw's Bridge looked attractive but we still carried on! We finally moored, very late for us, just before Gathurst Bridge (46). Not a moment too soon, as the rain came back and is now making its presence known on the roof!

A long day, but it means that we can take it a bit easier over the weekend before we tackle the Rufford Branch down to Tarelton. Sadly, a lousy internet connection, so no photos at the moment!

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