Haigh Hall to Withnell Fold

We are finally on the move again, stopping for diesel and services at White Bear Marina at Adlington. We originally planned to moor at Botany Bay and visit the shopping complex, but found nowhere suitable to moor. So we carried on through Johnson’s Hillock locks, a pretty flight of seven. Mooring for the night at Withnell Fold at the side of a former paper mill, which once produced bank-note paper.

Our first view of the Pennine moorlands

White Bear Marina, modern services, including card machine to pay for diesel

Botany Bay, converted mill, now a shopping complex

U-boat on the Leeds and Liverpool?

The Preston Temple of the Church of Latter Day Saints

Approaching Johnson’s Hillock locks, the course of the Lancaster canal on the left, which peters out after a few miles being buried under the M61

Halfway up the flight

Withnell Fold visitors moorings

Haigh Hall Country Park

Our visitors arrived, unfortunately so did the rain. Saturday’s plans of a game of pitch and putt and then a bbq ended up with us all piling in Carol and Tony’s camper van and going to find a pub for lunch. Sunday was just as enjoyable as we celebrated Ian’s birthday in the hall for Sunday lunch.

Max and Poppy

Saying goodbye to Carol and Tony after a lovely day

Lunch was very nice indeed

Saying goodbye to Claire and Jason after a great weekend

A stroll around the walled gardens to walk off our dinner

Haigh Hall Country Park

We had time today to explore some of the grounds of Haigh Park. We will have a busy weekend without moving anywhere. Claire and Jason are arriving later this evening to spend the weekend with us, so we went to check out the car parking. It will be lovely to catch up with them as we haven’t seen them since their wedding. Also our friends Carol and Tony are popping over to see us tomorrow as well. With a stroke of luck the hall has an event on Sunday, a 3 course carvery with ambience music from a guest pianist, which works out great as it is Ian’s birthday.

A porthole view from the galley

A small basin provided for goods destined for the hall

Haigh Hall Lodge

An ornate footbridge to the Hall

The grounds are full of masses of rhododendrons

Haigh Hall, built in 1827. Formerly owned by the Earl of Crawford, sold in 1947 to Wigan Council

Plank Lane Lift Bridge to Haigh Hall Country Park

Our hard work started today. We did plan on doing the Wigan flight of 21 locks tomorrow, but the forecast was rain, so we decided to have an early start and go for it. We set off at 8.00 am as we had over an hour cruising and the two Poolstock locks to do before we hit the Wigan flight, finally mooring at 5.45. A very tiring day, 23 locks and 9 hours cruising. Although we waited an hour, hoping another boat would arrive, three locks up I dashed to the shops and still no boats arrived, the only luck we had was that all the locks were in our favour.

Cruising past many of the former colliery sites and ironworks

Approaching Poolstock lock. Our first lock since the Big lock at Middlewich (not counting the Weaver locks as they were manned)

This is our first time on the Leeds and Liverpool and we are coming across new and strange winding gear. The gates are so heavy, the winding gear and chain helps the back pain

Poolstock Lock

Due to the short beam, winding gear assists again

Another interesting paddle gear

The locks on the Wigan flight are very deep with heavy gates. All the paddles are locked with anti vandal locks.

Wigan below

Many ropes over the years have worn away this bollard

Moorings for tonight, high above Wigan, having climbed 214 ft 7 ins in 2 miles

Little Bollington to Plank Lane Lift Bridge

It was to be our last day of cruising with Windsong today, we said our goodbyes first thing as we were separating at Waters Meeting junction. Windsong carried onto Castlefield, Manchester and we are now on the Leeds and Liverpool heading towards Wigan.

The Linotype Works, Broadheath. An old cotton warehouse.

In contrast, new apartments in Broadheath

Waters Meeting junction

Waving goodbye to Pip and Rog

Barton Swing Aqueduct. Built in 1893, 235 ft long and weighs 1450 tons and spans the Manchester Ship canal

Barton road bridge adjacent to the Barton Swing Aqueduct with the M60 in the background

Approaching Worsley, the site of the very first canal. The water has now changed to orange caused by the ironstone

The half timbered Packet House. Canal passengers of two centuries ago descended the steps to board the packets for Wigan and Manchester. To the right of the house is the entrance to the old coal mines, over forty miles of underground system of canals on three levels connected by an inclined plane.

 

One of the many cotton mills at Bedford

 

Pennington Flash Country Park, behind our moorings for tonight

Plank Lane Lift Bridge, operated by BW bridge keeper

Moore to Little Bollington

Another very windy day, but luckily the Bridgewater canal is quite wide so we managed okay. We had a stop at Lymm, which is a lovely town, a lot of the shops were closed as it was bank holiday Monday. We had a walk down the Dingle to Lymm Dam, then had a quick shop for provisions and called in at the chip shop for lunch. Carried on a little further to moor at Little Bollington.

Walton New Bridge

The Dingle at Lymm

Lymm

The stocks in the centre of Lymm

Leaving Lymm

Bartington to Moore

Just a short cruise today, the sun is still shining but we have had very high winds. The highlight of today has been going through Preston Brook tunnel, as with Saltersford tunnel we had a timed entry, which we unfortunately missed by five minutes due to the amount of boats travelling northbound. Preston Brook tunnel was the first major tunnel to be built on the canal system, joining the Trent and Mersey to the Bridgewater canal. In 1982 the centre section of the tunnel had to be rebuilt after a post office collapsed into it. Had a lazy Sunday afternoon and went to the Red Lion at Moore for lunch.

Just setting off

  

Preston Brook tunnel, 1239 yards

Mooring for the night at Moore

Total locks to date = 163