Lancaster

Tuesday 11th August

Yesterday was an enforced layover day due to very unsociable weather. We had thoughts about going in the afternoon if it improved but the improvement did not meet with our approval! In addition I had been successful in changing our booking for the return trip down the Ribble Link. We were booked to leave on 24th but now that we have arrived up here we realise there are lots of places we want to see (some by bus) and we were beginning to think it would be very rushed. Luckily there were spaces in Sept so now we are here until Sep 10th. The last weekend (extended)of that I shall be down in London at a WRAF reunion and visiting family, but it still gives us over 3 weeks to explore.

We had one of our early starts (0645!) for the trip up to Lancaster. A very pleasant 5 hour trip (time off to water etc). Barney and I walked a couple of miles early on and Geoff and he walked a couple of miles into Lancaster.

Amidst mostly very rural area we passed some interesting bridges, including this very ornate pipe bridge.

Galgate Bridge

We came across this cruiser and thought it was a new way of mooring (a la Mediterranean)

Closer inspection revealed a man doing engine maintenance!

We passed a very large lovely house and grounds

But were not so keen on their signs, not sure what one should expect if you build your house alongside a canal.

We passed the entrance to the Glasson branch, which we shall explore later on.

So far this canal is not as busy as we had expected for August although there are a large number of plastic boats around. Some of them look quite nice and very suitable if you had a house up here and did not want to go too far afield.

It would be rather pleasant to have a house by the canal with a small boat in your own water garage!!! Maybe even automatic doors....................

And so to Lancaster itself. We tried to moor just before the Water Witch pub, but the space was just too short. However there was another space just past the pub and so far we are comfortable here. Geoff has just gone on his first explore of the city.

View from our mooring

Sunday in Gargrave

Sunday 9th August
We went to the parish Church this am which had one of the largest congregations we have seen for a while. Later Geoff had a long walk with Barnaby and went to find Greenhalgh Castle.

Or rather what is left of it......it was never rebuilt after the Reformation.

Early evening we walked to the aqueduct which overlooks the 14th hole of Garstang Golf Course. Mike, who had been with us yesterday was playing with his son Rob so we took some photos of the pros at play!

We had lunch in Th'Owd Tithebarn which was excellent. You can sit overlooking the canal basin. We were spoilt for choice of pubs to eat in, there were so many.

Garstang itself is full of flowers. We haven't been anywhere with so many tubs and baskets for a long time. Not just outside pubs and houses, but shops and railings as well.

Canal looking north

Outside Morrisons Car park

I would not like any of my readers to run away with the idea that life is all play so I will tell you that I also had a go at cleaning our cratch cover which is looking a little sorry for itself and I cleaned the windows inside and out....I did miss out the outside of the waterside ones. Geoff was away walking and I have fallen in once this year but at least he was there to pull me out that time, so I didn't think I would risk it!

We plan to move on to Lancaster tomorrow although the forecast is for this nice spell of weather to come to an end tonight. We have realised that we have not nearly enough time to explore all the places we would like to. I plan to call BW tomorrow to see if there is any chance of getting a later booking back down the Ribble Link but I am not holding my breath.

Garstang

Saturday 8th August
A pleasant gentle and uneventful 4 hour trip still with Ros and Mike up to Garstang. We left about 8.30am and quite some time saw no other boats but by about 10am the rest of the world seemed to have woken up. At one point I was gently coming up to a bridge very slowly so that Mike and Ros could get off to walk when a smallish cruiser appeared from the other direction. Since I was there first he backed off and waited for me. However I then went aground and it took a few minutes to manoeuvre myself off and eventually through the bridge. As I passed the boat I politely apologised for holding him up (it really wasn't that long!) and said I had gone aground...but I had a rather frosty reception......some people have no patience.....!!
We moored on the very beginning of the moorings before the aqueduct, once again only bows into the bank, but at least no gang plank needed this time. Ros & Mike were collected by son Rob at tea time and we shall stay here tomorrow and move on early on Monday probably to Lancaster.

Ribble Link continued

Friday 7th August
The pontoon above lock 8 where we had to overnight was a really good mooring. Secluded and secure. We did see the odd dog walker but the place is very difficult to find from the road as we well knew from a couple of years ago when, staying with friends Ros & Mike who live in Wrea Green, we tried to have a look at the link.
The good side of our delay meant that Ros & Mike could join us for the trip up the link today. We were not due to go up until after 2pm so Mike kindly drove us to do a big shop (all the heavy items like beer and dog food!!) in the morning.

Peaceful mooring
Our own pontoon

Even the sun was shining

We set off with Geoff & Mike at the ready with their winch handles but they had very little to do. We were the last boat up so the BW guys did all the work apart from lock 4, the one before the flight of 3.

And here is the approach to the flight. We had no idea what to expect but having done several flights of locks we did not anticipate anything different. What a surprise.

A couple of very sharp bends and then we (I) had to reverse in. Another first....

The lock chambers looked ginormous

Two of the chambers were this height but the last one was slightly smaller. Geoff was forward with the bow rope and Mike back with me (Ros was the photographer). I was very glad of Mike because the rush of water at the stern made it very hard to hold onto the rope.

Eventually we emerged at the top, reversed in the pound and aimed for the Lancaster...we had finally arrived.

The goal was the Hand & Dagger near bridge 26 but first we turned right to use the facilities at Preston. Geoff managed to leave the keys in the water box but luckily a kind lady on a nearby boat rescued them and passed them to us. As we reached the turning point we also realised that amongst the rubbish we had thrown away today's paper! Didn't we do well.

It was almost 8pm when we reached the pub. The moorings were not brilliant and we had our first taste of having to moor bows to the bank and the stern well out. Not only that but we couldn't get the bows very far in and had to use the gang plank...first time this year. This was a novel experience not only for Ros and Mike, who rose to the occasion very well, but also for Barnaby. He was not very impressed but forced himself after a long time considering.
When we reached the pub we discovered it was Karaoke night which was not a good sign. However the food was fine and surprisingly we enjoyed the Karaoke. A lot of the people who sang were obviously regulars and were quite good. So ended a long but good day.

The Ribble Link Trip

Thursday 6th August


So we were off. We had to wait for enough tide to come in and the Harry the lock keeper started to let the boats out. We were in the second set of two boats and from reading Gypsy Rovers blog that was a good place to be. The first two out caught much more of the tide from the side than we did. The first 4 pictures below were taken by Gypsy Rover which show us on the start of our journey.

We were in company with Ragamuffin. They were old hands at this trip so we let them go first.

We couldn't have had a better day, little wind and mainly sunshine. We had no trouble identifying all the marks we were expecting and although we had the engine running much more than normal we never had to go flat out against the tide.

Looking back at Tarleton Lock
Passing the boat yard after which the Douglas widens out

To add to the day a Mk4 Nimrod from nearby Warton was doing circuits and kept flying over us. Geoff said it was 40 years since he had flown in the Mk 1. We thought it was very obliging of them to escort us up the Douglas.

We rounded Asland lamp with no problem and then we were in the Ribble Estuary

Unbeknown to us at the time, our friend Mike Cockrill was flying overhead in a light aircraft and the picture below was taken by him just before we turned into Savick Brook

Now we were off the river and going up the windy narrow stretch to the waiting pontoon. We had to wait for there to be sufficient headroom under the next bridge. We didn't have long to wait and Ragamuffin set off ahead of us......and then was when the perfect trip came to a grinding halt!

Just when we were sufficiently far off the pontoon not to be able to reach it again....the engine made nasty noises, lots of white smoke from the exhaust, and no power. Brilliant!

A bit of drifting and use of the bow thruster eventually allowed us to tie up on the other side. Ragamuffin had seen our plight and very gallantly came to our rescue and towed us up to and through the next lock (Lock 8)

Being towed was a new experience and not that easy as it was very shallow in places, a bit like a giant ditch. It was also very twisty.

Eventually they towed us out of the lock and onto one of the waiting pontoons just above. British Waterways said they would check how we were in the morning and we could go up the next day.

Geoff had a quick look in the engine but there was nothing to see (well not to his untrained eye anyway). Thankfully we belong to RCR (River Canal Rescue) so we called them and an engineer was with us soon after 6pm. This was Steve from Althen Marine near Burnley and he was brilliant. After initially saying he didn't like the sound of the engine at all, and Geoff and I imagining huge bills and no huge delays to our trip.....not to mention how would anyone rescue us from where we were, he did a few more tests and quickly diagnosed the problem and fixed it. I shall not attempt to describe what it was but it was something to do with water and dross of some sort in the diesel. It was nothing to do with the trip we had just done up the river at high revs. We were just so thankful that it had not decided to pack up when we were still on the river.........so maybe it was still our lucky day!

We are trying to track down Ragamuffin so that we can thank them properly, as they disappeared into the distance we were still a little frazzled.

Here endeth the first day of our Ribble trip

Rest day at Tarleton

Wednesday 5th August
Today was a day of rest before the river run, which I at least was very dubious about. Our friends Bill, Hilary & Sue were due to arrive about 11am for the day. However a small hiccup on the navigational side meant a somewhat later arrival!
Nevertheless we managed to have a great day with them. We drove back to Rufford Old Hall and had a wander in the grounds and a very good lunch before eventually returning to Petroc and a light supper. Their journey home was only half as long as the journey to us!!

Rufford Old HallWhich one is the scarecrow?

Yak Yak Yak (must be two females)

The house has been there a long time......

By the evening all the boats for the run next day were assembled as well as Gypsy Rover who were not intending to do the crossing and another boat who were hoping for a cancellation...(they were unlucky) Both of them would be having to turn in what looked like a very meagre winding hole which was not helped by having two large boats moored nearby. Having checked their blog they obviously had no trouble as they are on their way again. (Thursday)

Tarleton

Tuesday 4th August

The forecast dire and wet day did not really materialise although we did have rain to begin with. However by mid morning it was dry so we decided to make the trip to Tarleton. We went into the marina on the left just after the last lock to buy a new gas cylinder and fuel. Although no rain it was quite windy so the entrance and mooring up was quite interesting and needed a bit of wellie......

Diesel 57p and declare our own split for tax and a good book swap so it was worth the effort.

Gentle cruise up with no other boats around and it gets much narrower when you join the course of the old river Douglas

Quite flat and very "backwaterish" around here


Little spots of interest but this one a bit gloomy

Far more interesting(enlarge the picture)

We passed this church just before Tarleton and were fascinated by the route to the scaffolding.

Visitors Moorings

There was plenty of space on the visitor moorings when we arrived but they were not what we were expecting. They are in an industrial setting and although we have a patch of grass Barnaby cannot avail himself of his favourite pastime of sitting on the bank as there are lots of vans etc on the adjacent road.

Having thought we were the only boat in the world all day we found there were plenty here at Tarleton.

We were expecting a huge lock as this was the start of our next big adventure(I don't want adventure!) but once again not what we expected...just a normal lock.

Tarleton Lock

Very pleasant evening with Derek & Dot from Gypsy Rover on board for pre supper drinks. We had last seen them at Braunston on an early trip on Petroc. They have just been to Liverpool, which we were going to miss out. However they spoke so glowingly of their trip that the skipper is reconsidering...watch this space.

A day of rest today (Wednesday)with friends arriving to visit. Also a day of preparation. Anchor and life jackets to dig out and we need to have a good read of the Skippers Guide we have been sent. I am not too sure I am looking forward to tomorrow.......why do we do these things......