Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Monday 27 July
Departed at 10.30am, arrived in the centre of Leigh at 12.15pm. Good reasonable pub for lunch, a good shopping centre, so stocked up and set off to try and find more rural moorings. Moored just before Plank Lane Swing Bridge, very friendly BW staff and some lovely walks around this area. ( in between showers!) Total 2.5 hours
Tuesday 28 July
Rain again… However a bacon butty van parks just near the swing bridge, so enjoyed a nice butty before we departed at 9.30am, arrived at Wigan BW moorings at 12.30pm. Went down to the Bottom lock to turn round at Wigan Pier (Orwell Pub, closed boarded up). There wasn’t a sanitary station as stated in the Nicholson guide. Had a walk into Wigan and went for an evening meal to Bar 15. What a lovely cosy pub, nicely done out, excellent value, 2 pizzas and a bottle of wine £10.. very good value. Eventually found way back to boat, really enjoyable evening! Total 3 hours
Wednesday 29 July
Non cruising day, had a walk into Wigan and lunch at Wetherspoons pub. Early night to get ready for the Wigan 21 locks tomorrow…. Thundered and lightened in the night!!!
Thursday 30 July
Woke up to black clouds, thunder and lightening, great day for the ‘Wigan flight’
Left BWB at 8.00am. Came up the locks with a lovely couple on ‘Tara’, with 3 Irish wolfhounds on board and 2 cats!. Martin and family came to give us a hand halfway. Suddenly the weather improved and we made it smoothly to the top, down to great teamwork. Arrived at the top lock at 2pm. Pleasant afternoon and evening. Had a celebratory drink at the ‘Kirklees Hall Inn’ and Chris and I went back in the evening for a meal. Had an early night…. Total 6 hours
Friday 31 July
Pam and Natalie came to join us for an overnight stay. Left Wigan Top Lock at 2pm and arrived at Red Rock, Bridge 63 at 3pm. Quite a nice cruise, decent weather. We had planned to go to the pub at the bridge, but now a restaurant and a little out of our league. Chris peddled back for Pams car and then we drove into Standish a little town not far away but not really walking distance from the canal. Found a nice Chinese, took a menu and they then delivered it to the boat in the evening. Yummy food, would go there again! Total 1 hour
Saturday 1 August
Left Red Rock at 11.30am, arrived at Adlington marina, fuelled up and bought new gas. Found a mooring space for 2 weeks. Pam kindly drove us home. The two weeks have gone very fast… Total 1 hour
Thursday 13 August
Left Adlington at 9.50am, stoped at Cowling bridge at 11.00am, moved van to Botany Bay 2.05pm. We then decided to go to the top of Johnsons Locks as a lot of road noise at Botany Bay. Left there at 3.30pm and arrived at the top of the 6th lock at 5.30pm, had some help from a lovely chap with learning difficulties called peter. Stayed over but left at 6.30am as both working on Friday Total 4 hours
Friday evening Mum and Dad brought us to Chorley stayed over for our next 2 week holiday…
Saturday 15 August
Took Coventina up above Top Lock and then Mum and Dad and Helen went into Chorley, nice little town, plenty of shops etc. Went to the Top Lock Pub for lunch, however due to an accident the chef was late, so we opted for fish and chips in the village. Mum and Dad went home and we left Top lock at 2pm, passed a good mooring at bridge 88 for a BBQ. Arrived at Riley Green bridge 91a at 3.30pm. Total 2 hours
Sunday 16 August
Riley Green to Cherry Tree Bridge 1 hour, to meet Martin and family and Mark. Went up 6 locks at Blackburn and moored up at Rishton. Rain held off thank goodness, had a good day, scenery not brilliant but decent trip through. Arrived at Rishton at 3pm. Moored next to ‘Northern Pride’, a lovely couple on a 6 month holiday from NZ. Went to the Balti house just over the bridge, excellent meal and service. Total 5 hours
Monday 17 August
Left Rishton at 9.15am and arrived at Rose Grove BW moorings at Burnley at 12.30pm. Passed Fosters Swing bridge where Chris had had his toe chopped off 23 years ago and had a one minute silence in memory!!. The BW moorings were excellent as toilets, water etc but there were locked gates, so actually felt quite secure. Chris left to get the train home as attending funeral, I did feel safe on board overnight as locked in. I got a train into Burnley on Friday, only 5 minutes and £1.50 to get provisions. Although another boat told me they had seen kids throwing stones from the bridge at passing boats, we didn’t encounter any problems thank goodness Total 3.25 hours
Wednesday 19 August
Rose Grove to bottom of Barrowford Locks took 3 hours, to top of Barrowford, 2.50 hours. Arrived at the top at 5.00pm. Came up the locks with Pheonix who were taking their boat to moor at the marina at Reedley – Bardon. The moorings looked quite pleasant. Total 5 hours
Thursday 20 August
Left top of Barrowford Locks at 9.00am, arrived at Foulridge tunnel at 9.15am, lights at red, went through at 9.30am. Filled with water after the tunnel and left Foulridge at 10.30am. Stopped at Barnoldswick at 11.30am for filling with diesel (24L @ £13.20p). 12.30pm arrived at Greenberfield. Had some lunch and then decided to carry on down the locks to East Marton. Arrived there ar 2.45pm. Went into the Cross Keys pub for a meal. Belly pork stuffed with blue cheese and sausagemeat on a bed of mashed potato absolutely scrummy, poor Bisto although allowed in the pub, not much left for her! Total 3.5 hours
Friday 21 August
Departed East Marton at 9.30am, sunny but lots of showers. Came down Bank Newton with a very nice Scottish family on a hire boat, moored at bridge 168a, secluded rural place. Helen cooked a Tappas meal, several dishes as Chris’ s birthday tomorrow, played CD’s rather loud from Yes to Evita! Great evening Total 3 hours
Saturday 22 August
Gargrave to rural mooring just past swing bridge 173, called at the Gargrave show on the way, which was very good. BBQ in evening, nice weather. Chris had his surprise birthday cake. Although secluded when we arrived, soon a boat in front and then a large party on a hire boat behind. Went indoors for rest of party!!. Total 3 hours
Sunday 23 August
Left moorings at 10.05am, arrived at Skipton at 12 noon. Managed to get a mooring in the centre on rings. Met up with June and family, hadn’t seen her for about 10 years. Both couldn’t sleep had a midnight snack of ice cream???!!
Total 2 hours
Monday 24 August
Got some photos developed in Skipton then met Anne and Chris who joined us for the day. Had a good cruise, although weather not too brilliant the rain did hold off until the last hour. Stopped off for some lunch and then arrived at Kildwick at 3.00pm. Anne and Chris got a taxi back for their car. Total 2.5 hours
Tuesday 25 August
Showers and sun again ! Kildwick to Silsden. Pam and Natalie joined us and stayed overnight, had a Chinese take away, which was very tasty. Heather, Darren and family joined us for a glass or two. Total 1 hour
Wednesday 26 August
Pam kindly took us into Skipton for some shopping and to empty the toilet and then they left. Cruised from Silsden to Bridge 195, showers and windy, when is the Summer going to arrive! Total 1.5 hours
Wednesday 26 August
Bridge 195 to top of Bingley Five Rise, stopped at Puffer Parts on the way, bought a new light for the boat. Had a short walk into Bingley for some provisions and early night ready for tomorrow.
Friday 28 August
It was decided Helen would steer Coventina down the locks whilst Chris and crewe and BW staff manned the locks. Anna and Andrea and families joined us for the descent. Helen did very well and got us all down in one piece. Rain was torrential at first but brightened up when we went down. Moored at Fishermans Inn at Dowley Gap. Total 2 hours
Saturday 29 August
Dowley Gap to Shipley. Stayed over on the visitor moorings. What was once BW moorings in a locked area are now private. Went to an Indian ‘Sharma’ for the early bird. £5.50 each plus take own drink, food fantastic and excellent value, well worth going. Total 2 hours
Sunday 30 August
Stocked up at Aldi, which is near to the mooring, left at 11.00am and arrived at Dobson Locks at 2.30pm At Field three locks a wide beam was grounded in the second lock due to letting water out into bottom lock with its paddles still open. Everybody was safe which is the main thing. Total 3 hours
Monday 31 August
Filled up with Water at Dobsons locks and set off to Rodley. Jackie and Brian visited us, Helen up all night ill and for next week had upset stomach, no it wasn’t too much wine!! Total 3 hours
Sunday 6 September Coventina arrived home.