Small boats and knitted boats

 After 2 weeks at Simsons Fold, it was time to move on.  I headed out towards Blackburn, and passed what is the smallest narrowboat I have ever seen





The bottom lock at Blackburn was leaking badly, it took ages to empty but then filled up quickly.















Once I was moored up at Rishton it was time to load the van again for the medieval fayre at Tatton Park.  We seem to be getting quicker at setting the beer tent up every year.  Soon the Marshmallow Unicorn was flowing!



Tatton over, and back to work.  At Leeds basin there was a boat that had a knitted cover.  That has got to take so much longer than a repaint!

Peace and quiet at Simsons Fold

After a few weeks at Botany Bay, the noise from the motorway gets a bit much.  Kier said he wasn't using his mooring, as his boat is out of the water, so I decided to move on for a couple of days.

I was just passing the mill at Botany Bay when I had a passer by shouting questions at me.  I pulled in, and found it was my old friend, and superb chef, Arif, who I hadn't seen for about five years.  After chatting for a while, I carried on up the Johnson Flight.  Whoever had been up before me had left the ground paddles open, so there was no water in the middle of the flight. I had to go up to the top to let water down before I could move further.

Once I got to the top, Kier joined me for the mile or so onto his mooring.

 This was such a peaceful spot in the middle of nowhere, a complete contrast to Botany Bay next to the M61.

 We went up to the Golden Lion, 3/4 mile up the lane for a pint, and got a welcome from some of the locals outside the pub

 A great view from this peaceful mooring.