The Liverpool Link

The day I had booked to go into Liverpool had finally arrived.  I left Melling, which was noisier now a young family had moved in next door

Once around the loop in the canal at Aintree, it was now only a couple of miles into Liverpool

 The last stretch to the top of Stanley dock





down the last flight of locks next to the huge tobacco warehouse all the way down to sea level

and then I was out of the canal, and into the huge sea port

 Turning left, the Liver buildings came into sight

and I passed right underneath it

and past the historic boats in Canning Dock

and finished at my reserved mooring in Salthouse dock

 As soon as I moored up I had the nosy neighbours peeking through the window.

I was really impressed by the moorings at the docks

The following day I had a wander around Liverpool.  I had not been here for about 25 years, and the city has undergone a transformation.  Some places I still remember, like Lime Street station.  Nobody makes buildings like this any more.

with St Georges Hall opposite.

I went around to the Museum as I wanted to see the Egyptology exhibition, but it was closed for the week I was here!

I called in at the Baltic Fleet, which is now a brew-pub.

Once the sun had gone down, the lights were turned on transforming Salthouse dock.

Another great discovery during my week in Liverpool was the Grapes, now renamed the dispensary.

Titanic Plum porter was their regular beer, which just hit the spot nicely!

Beers and Piers

I was off down to Newton Abbot judging the South West beer competition.  The train fares were ridiculous, so I decided to drive.  Suprisingly I missed most of the traffic, and getting towards the Devon coast, I vaguely remembered somewhere from a family holiday in 1979 I think.

This was worth a small detour.
I also stopped at the seafront at Sidmouth, where we spent the holiday, to see if it jogged any memories...

Nope, don't remember a thing!
Judging at Newton Abbot was good, and we ended up drinking funny coloured liquids in one of the many cider houses

I had booked the Liverpool link for the beginning of May, so when I got home it was time to leave Wigan.

Passing Gathurst, this is a place where the canal locks and the river are crossed by both the railway and the motorway, one over the other.

 Sailing through great sunshine, I stopped just outside Burscough

 And in the evening sunshine, I polished the diesel to remove the last traces of water.

 

The following morning I passed through Burscough and the junction with the Rufford branch, heading off to the Ribble. I think the Ribble crossing is a trip for next year.

There is the old working boat Viktoria (odd spelling) at Burscough. 

Last time I was here, the Packet house was a superb pub - Now sadly boarded up.

After a windy trip down past Scarisbrick, and having passed through Maghull, I found a great peaceful mooring just outside the village of Melling

Wombling through Wigan

The Wigan locks are now open, so I can leave Chorley. I have my new exhaust, and partly finished engine room, so it is time to have a trip down to Liverpool.
Firstly my new workshop arrives at Chorley.

Now I somewhere to put all the accumulated tools and detritus so I am not tripping over them on my boat all the time!

I filled up with diesel at White Bear, at £1.00 a litre!  they were the only people who had diesel though.
I reached Wigan locks, and shared down with another boat. 

 Quite lucky really because half way down, my engine died, and I had to clean all the water out of the injectors.  Not only had White Bear Marina charged me £1 a litre, but their diesel was full of water!

 There was a wheelbarrow in one of the locks, so I fished it out (wombling)

The Wigan flight took 4 hours, and we finished off with a few beers in Wigan Central.

 Monday night, Sam was leaving the brewery after three years to get a proper job, so we all went out for a meal to celebrate at the Budda Lounge

Back top the boat, and I went down to Plank lane for a pump-out.  On the way back I noticed this great sculpture at the junction of the Leeds Liverpool and the Bridgewater Canals.