Rufford to Tarleton

Friday, 22 May 2009 19:37

Time to move - fairly early to make sure of a mooring at Tarleton. As we went down the final lock (7), Rufford Lock, we met a boat coming up so were able to leave closing the paddles and handcuffs to them.

Below Chapel Bridge (7) immediately after the lock, is a wooded cutting and some visitor moorings. The 5 boats that were moored here had moved to Tarleton for their crossing today.

We caught a glimpse of Old Rufford Hall as we passed through the pretty cutting. The gardens there are alongside the canal but unfortunately not accessible from the canal.
Town Meadow Swing Bridge at the end of this stretch is the first of three manual swing bridges, handcuff keys are needed for these too.

We used the facilities at Sparks Bridge, just beyond the permanent moorings there. They are good facilities, including showers and a very small book swap. I left more books than I took!

We timed Fearn's Swing Bridge well as our friendly BW man opened it for me! We thanked him and again for his help in Lock 3. We did not see why they were there, but there were two vans!

After Strand Bridge the canal follows the old course of the River Douglas and twists and turns. The "new" course - the navigable bit built in the 17th C, from Tarleton to Wigan stays pretty close.

We were reminded of the river bits of the Kennet and Avon Canal parts of which shares the bed of the River Kennet. like the K & A it is lined with reeds and bulrushes.


Finally, the final swing bridge, Town End - at Tarleton - came into sight
Having avoided the concrete landing stage that had fallen into the water, we passed through and were the third boat to moor on the Visitor moorings. Others arrived later, presumably to cross to the Ribble Link tomorrow. We have things to do, of which more in due course.

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