A different landscape after Andy Murray's late night marathon at Wimbledon

Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:32

The only noises last night, despite being moored right outside a pub, were the family of coots and the occasional car bumping over the swing bridge. The baby coots are continually calling out to mum and dad, frightened of being left behind, I suppose. John heard a fox barking in the night so we hope that the family is not depleted at all.

When we started off at about 9.40 am it was humid and overcast. John went to open New Lane Swing Bridge - an easy one, as it is electric. Why do I always offer to do the hard locks and bridges?!

New Lane Swing Bridge, looking back

The next swing bridge is left open and that was the last of them for today! There is what looks like a pull pin for a plug on the towpath side. Is there a culvert to drain the canal into if they need to repair the lining?

Great Score Swing Bridge (30)

Canal plug?

The rain decided to fall in short sharp showers for the rest of our journey. It was hard to know what to do as it was not at all cold and too warm in waterproofs! I kept taking my waterproof jacket off, then in the next 10 minutes or so putting it on again!

Heatons Bridge Inn has a couple of visitor moorings outside

So far all the VMs seem to be outside pubs - I wonder why? Are they expecting some hard drinking boaters preparing for the Liverpool scene! Or maybe it is the walkers who are their stock in trade. Whichever way some of the pubs were here before the canal apparently!

A new addition to the canal is Scarisbrick Marina

It is owned by Fettlers Wharf Marina on the Rufford Branch and still has lots of empty pontoons to fill. Boaters can move between the marinas by prior arrangement. There is diesel available if boaters ring ahead.

Empty pontoons

The Saracens Head at Halsall is one pub that pre-dates the canal

The countryside we were travelling through is surprisingly flat - almost like Lincolnshire. Farming is obviously the major industry on what was once marsh land, much of it below sea level. At one time the River Douglas flowed to the sea at Southport. A major storm and the deposited sand changed its course to the present northern one to the Ribble estuary.

Martin Mere, as it is now called was drained for agricultural use in 1787 by Thomas Eccleston of Scarisbrick Hall. John Gilbert, agent to the Duke of Bridgewater helped and enlisted James Brindley to help.

The first section dug is reputed to be between bridges 24 and 25

The canal world in those days of construction was a "small world" and the famous names keep reappearing! We "met" John Gilbert etc. on the Bridgewater Canal!

Modern machinery is now used for farming at Halsall!

There is a lovely wooded cutting before Harkers Bridge (23)

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