Into the Heart of Liverpool

Sunday 13th September
Geoff had taken Barnaby for a long walk along the towpath early this morning as we anticipated that the one thing Liverpool would not be was dog walk friendly.

We were ready and waiting for our rendezvous with BW at 10.am for the run down starting at The Stanley Locks. A phone call from BW announced that they would be late as the 3 of the 4 boats departing through Swing Bridge 6 had been 1 hour late for their rendezvous!!!!

They eventually arrived and we donned our life jackets as we had read that they were compulsory. Better safe than sorry.

At the bottom of the locks in the first basin we wondered what these warehouses would eventually be turned into, they were certainly vast.
What a view

Looking into sun at the Liver Building

Although they will take 6 boats in and 6 out per day, we were the only one going in today. It was a wonderful experience slowly traversing all these huge basins which once has been full of ships.

Tunnels are not really my thing so I reluctantly handed the tiller to Geoff as we approached the first of the 3 new tunnels going under some of the vast buildings. These are all part of the new Millennium Link into Liverpool. In fact although they were very low they were also quite short (compared to some we have been through!)...I might even have managed

New tunnel looks very different from all the older ones on the system

A couple more locks also manned by BW brought us to the vast Albert Dock which has been redeveloped and is now surrounded by cafes restaurants and smaller shops etc.

The last bridge takes us into Salthouse Dock where new pontoons have been but in for the likes of us. There are about 40 pontoons and we are the 6th boat in so plenty of choice we thought.
However our designated berth was over in an area we had been told by another boatie to avoid so with a vast choice before us I turned round and reversed into a more appealing space......the intention was to find the harbour master and ask if it was OK to stay here. However no sign on anyone so we have settled in......now at 0830 waiting to see if he (or she) comes around and asks us to move..........with so much space that would be a little galling...........
We did some sightseeing yesterday(have gone into tourist mode) Geoff visited the Maritime Museum and I went to the Anglican Cathedral for the 4pm Communion. When I eventually managed to enter the building it was an awesome sight. I nearly gave up getting in as my map did not indicate the entrance and I navigated myself to the wrong end and it is a very roundabout route to reach the other end..........
We plan a longer visit today amongst other things. Daughter Emma is joining us this afternoon for a week so we thought Cathedrals would be visited prior to her arrival as they are probably not her cup of tea.
We only have two days to fit everything in and if it was not so late in the season we would probably ask to extend our stay. As it is we need to have Emma in Manchester to catch her return train next Sunday

Sunset from our mooring

Night sky from our mooring

So here we sit in this vast expanse of water, makes us feel quite small. We are surrounded by all the new regenerated part of Liverpool. Nobody is even asking us for a mooring fee!! Electricity and water are at the end of every pontoon. Electricity is via card and the water is not yet flowing but can be obtained by a short trip out to the next dock.

En Route to Liverpool

Saturday 12th September
First day of out 2 day booked trip to Liverpool. BW opened Bridge 9 at the start for us and then met us to open Bridge 6 and that was all they had to do. From what we can gather it is something to do with the locals complaining that they get held up when all these thousands of narrow boats keep opening the bridges!!! We were the only boat going on this stretch today

and there were just 4 coming out who were all together. So that would have stopped traffic for not very long....still there may be another reason that we are unaware of...anybody reading this may be able to enlighten me......

We stopped at the reported last place to empty loos and water at Litherland. Petroc had a bath which was long overdue. This was partly due to the weather and also trying to find a water point where we were not holding anyone else up whilst we had a mini spring clean.

I did do my fair share but Geoff decided to take a picture during coffee break.

Further along we spotted this strange edifice on some waste looking land that said it was a marina. There were people sitting on blue striped deck chairs having coffee so maybe it was!!

Reached Eldonian Basin which is where we night stop. As advised we reversed into the basin to make life easier in the morning. Geoff got off ready to take lines as is our normal practice but then I discovered that the mooring was on the other side so I went across and Geoff said he would walk around. I continued to skilfully reverse (with only a tad of bow thruster!) and lost Geoff. Moored up and discovered he was marooned on the other side with no way of getting across as my side was completely fenced in. Eventually discovered a small gate which our handcuff key opened and I could let him in.......

There were two narrow boats there when we arrived but surprisingly for narrowboaters were not very chatty. They left soon afterwards so we were not able to glean any good gen from them for the day ahead.

Geoff left to explore Liverpool and I sat on the stern in the sun. My afternoon was livened up by a police chase at the end of the basin. A car roared up hotly pursued by a police car. Both stopped and a man got out of the first car and ran off swiftly followed by one of the policeman. A helicopter then appeared overhead and appeared to be co-ordinating the chase. It remained there for at least half an hour but we shall never know if they caught their prey or not.......I hope so because the helicopter must have used a lot of fuel!!!

Now ready for the next step tomorrow which is the run down through all the docks.

Positioning for Liverpool

Friday 11th September

The forecast was good for today but we awoke to quite a thick mist which did not clear until about 10am.

Fuelled at St Mary's marina as they opened at 8am. We had hoped to meet up with Tazey Teazey whom I had been in email contact with and we had been reading each others blogs. However as we had a long day ahead of us we needed an early start and there was no sign of life aboard.! The meet that never was....................

We then tackled the 7 locks to the top of the Rufford arm. (The mist was clearing, at least we could see the lock!) Two of the pounds were very low and I had to go very slowly and dead in the middle. Once at the top we turned right back onto the Leeds and Liverpool. For the past two days we had not met any other travelling boats but that all changed and now we had the occasional glimpse of other fellow travellers.

Shown below is some of the different paddle gear on the Rufford Locks.

We eventually reached Hancocks Bridge which was where BW were to meet us the following morning. We were unsure why they had to meet us as we had negotiated quite a few swing bridges all on our own. The last but one of the day was the most hazardous and all because it was school letting out time. It appeared that every child wanted to cross the bridge and all their parents wanted to cross over in their cars...Geoff had quite a job to clear the bridge to move it

This was the sky on our mooring that night which we hoped heralded another good day....could we really have 3 good days on the trot?

Early morning there was some mist and lovely clear skies so our luck was holding.

Back down the Ribble Link

Thursday 10th September
So the time has come to leave the Lancaster. We have been here for 5 weeks. I wish I could say five glorious weeks but that would be a lie....five interesting weeks maybe but good weather we have not had! However since yesterday the sun has been shining....could this be the start of an Indian Summer.......

Meeting time at the top lock was 1122hrs and when we arrived about 10am it was devoid of humanity but such a lovely sight. In fact we had not passed another boat on the move for two days......

Not a breath of wind and wall to wall sunshine
Top Lock all ready for us ...... just need the lock keepers
Barnaby inspecting

Looking down the flight of 3

We had been told there was one other boat and CITRINE arrived about 1045 and was told to go straight into the lock. We followed, reversing in again because of the very sharp turn at the bottom of the flight.

They certainly are BIG locks

Once you have reversed out you go under these bridges with a sharp left hand bend

Not a lot of headroom

After that there are 5 more locks down to lock 8 where we had to hold for just over an hour. Since there were only two boats today Geoff had an easy ride as the lock keepers did most of the work. During this lunch break Barnaby had been quietly sleeping on the shore and when the call came to start off again we forgot about him!!!! By the time we realised he was not aboard the level in the lock was well down. Geoff leaped ashore and tried to persuade him to jump down....to no avail.......he had to manhandle him onto the roof and then encourage him to climb down into the cockpit...needless to say he was not amused!

Once at the bottom of this lock we set off for the twisty journey to the last lock which is the sea lock. The lock keepers warned us that the water was still quite low and they were not wrong. It was a tortuous trip down and hard to believe that this was the section where we had been towed by NB Ragamuffin on the journey up. It is little more that an large ditch and we felt we had been let out a little soon. The tide was coming in and we had to be through the last bridge whilst there was still enough height but had we been a little later we would have had more water and still have got under the bridge.

Big Ditch!!

Nobody would know there was a navigable waterway here

We touched bottom in several places

Could have been going up the Amazon!

We had to hold once again on the pontoon just before the sea lock. This is not a lock in the normal sense as once there is enough water we just go right over it.

And so to the River Ribble. Citrine just turning onto it

Because of the clearances requires both for bridges and locks the whole trip up both the Ribble and the Douglas is done against the tide.

We were just so lucky today as the weather was perfect. Citrine had not been so lucky with their trip over. They only came over last Saturday having waited 3 days for the wind to die down. It was touch and go whether they would go even on the Saturday and they had a very rough trip....rather them than me!

Captain Birdseye on the helm going down the Ribble

And so to Tarleton Lock and the entry back onto the main canal system. Citrine entering the lock here at an angle as there is quite a current coming from the right. The tide is still flowing out fast.

We stopped briefly at Tarleton to buy milk but then pushed on to the bottom of the next locks. We have to position ourselves tomorrow evening ready for the run to Liverpool so it will be another long day.

Forecast looks set fair for a few more days yet....can we be this lucky

Weekend in London

Wednesday 9th September
I left Garstang in the driving rain to catch the bus to Preston, I had no rain at all whilst away and I returned yesterday to driving rain..... are we in the wrong part of the country...apparently the London I left behind had wonderful sunshine and high temperatures!

I had two days with Emma and Boe, followed by a reunion and a night at the RAF Club where I met some colleagues whom I had not seen for well over 40 years!!! That was followed by a couple of nights with Giles and Susannah and the grandchildren. I couldn't resist putting a few pictures as a change from canals and boats.

I had booked my train tickets well in advance so managed to get a cheap first class for the outward journey and it was great, free lunch, snacks, and even alcohol...I arrived in London after two free glasses of wine feeling no pain! This was on a Virgin Pendolino service. The journey back was less delightful as I had booked standard class and the train was crowded and we were packed in like sardines. What a contrast.

Ella at 4 1/2 has just started school and appears to be loving it and Finley is 10 months, standing with very little help and not far off walking.

Wonderful to see them all but very exhausting and great to be back to this slower pace of life. We moved down from Garstang today in a fair amount of sunshine, although there is a slight nip in the air. Now moored in a delightful spot in the open about 3 miles from the top of the locks. Forecast tomorrow looks good for the trip down to Savick brook and the river trip back to Tarleton.

Garstang again

Thursday 3rd September


Steve from Altham Marine sorted our engine problem out on Tuesday. He took an enormous amount of water out of the fuel tank and we seem to be OK now.


Set off in the rain (again) on Wednesday with Geoff on the tiller all togged up in his wet weather gear but soon afterwards the rain stopped and we had a dry run most of the way.


We had arranged to pick up fuel at Garstang Marina. They don't have alongside pumps but by pre-arrangement they bring large containers down and pump it in for you. They were extremely helpful and we could declare our own split which my spread sheet this time told me we were 80/20......that is 80% domestic..........

The only downside was that the price seemed to have risen sharply since our last purchase....now 69.9p per litre + tax.

The rain appeared just before we had finished filling up so Geoff & I had to stand with two large umbrella guarding the operation....the last thing we needed was more water in the diesel!!

Now moored in Garstang where it has been a wild and woolly night. Geoff will stay here for the weekend as I am off to the bright lights of London. I have a reunion to attend and all the family to visit including the grandchildren. I return on Tuesday so will be off the air until then.

Still at Galgate

Tuesday 1st September

Today should have been moving on day to Garstang, however whilst running the engine yesterday it decided to give up the ghost. Called our friendly mechanic Steve from Altham Marine who had come when we broke down last time. We had already arranged for him to return and clean out the fuel tank this coming Saturday but had to bring the visit forward.

Yesterday (Monday) Geoff walked down to the Glasson Basin again and reported that the wind was still blowing strongly there. There were some boats leaving as can be seen from this crowd in the top lock on the Glasson Branch.

It has been a pleasant stop here at Galgate, it fulfilled all our criteria for the weekend, ie Church, Pub for Sunday Lunch and shop for papers etc. It even has a bank wide enough to put out my chair in the sun...........what it did not provide was the sun so to do!!!!

I have been desperate to do a bit of touching up to the black sides of Petroc so I risked it this afternoon. I managed to almost finish just as the clouds loomed dark again and began to dump their load..........we have certainly had some heavy showers in the last few days, and some thunderstorms also.

We had had some minor trouble with small leaks in two of our windows but have just acquired some "Captain Tolleys Creeping Crack Cure". During a brief dry spell Geoff used this and , fingers crossed, it may have done the trick.

Galgate and walk to Glasson

Saturday 29th August
Uneventful but pleasant trip to Galgate and I do believe there was no rain! On a trip like this with no locks Geoff likes to hog the tiller, but I have no complaints as after my domestic duties (lest my readers get carried away with the thought that I am on holiday!) I generally take my chair and paper up in the cratch and watch the world go slowly and gently by. Depending on the temperature outside I can either open up to the elements or close up and be snug inside.

Sod's Law, no boats all morning and you meet the first one at a bridge!

No trouble with mooring at Galgate which we reached just before lunch. The original intention had been to carry on down the 6 locks of the Glasson Branch but having been told that there was a rally on this weekend and it was very crowded we decided to walk down first and see for ourselves. We set off in sunshine, luckily fortified by our umbrellas just in case. The wind had been blowing strongly all morning and soon after we started the rain came back. We managed to use the umbrellas so long as we pointed them into wind!! We saw one narrowboat and 2 plastic boats going down and saw how hard the paddles and gates were to operate.

We passed by Glasson Church which was holding it's flower festival so I had a short detour to admire the lovely arrangements....the talent of some people always amazes me as I cannot arrange a simple vase of flowers, let alone some of the complicated and beautiful arrangements.

And so to the basin itself which was much larger than we had imagined. A lot of sea going boats as here they lock out into the Lune Estuary and thence to the Irish Sea.

All the mooring space appeared to be full with boats two and three abreast.

However the biggest off put from our point of view was the wind. It was blowing much more strongly down here and there were almost white horses. The picture above doesn't really convey the strength of it, but it's the best I can do.
On the other side of the lock, the tide is out and the river Lune looks quite benign and peaceful

The walk back was largely in the driving rain and was quite exciting when I went under a bridge and the funnel effect of the wind blew my large umbrella inside out. After that I gave up using it! By the time we reached Lock 1 at the top we had walked about 6 miles which my back was telling me was too much so I am surprised I was still standing in the picture above.......luckily the rain had ceased by then.

Geoff has more stamina (or something) than me and after a cup of coffee he departed on a recce of Galgate for church and pub for the morrow. The Church at Glasson had an 0830 and 7pm service, which wasn't quite what we wanted apart from the fact that I could not attempt the walk two days running! He eventually returned to report that the service was at 11am and there was a choice of places for my Sunday Lunch.

Longer in Lancaster than planned

One night in Lancaster turned into two......need I say that the weather was the cause. Friday was forecast for very strong winds and heavy rain showers so we decided to stay over. It wasn't too much of a hardship as we are back in the same place as on our journey north and it very convenient for the town but still with access to the towpath and country. We even have the pub right on our doorstep for a quick drink before supper without having to close the boat up. It also gave Geoff the opportunity to visit the Maritime Museum which he had missed out on last time.

Barnaby loves being Groomed

Watering at Lancaster (Barnaby still being groomed!)

Both visits to Lancaster we have managed to moor in the same convenient place, close to the pub, the town and to open countryside along the towpath. Sad to be on our way again but destination is the Galgate area, hoping to moor somewhere near the top of the Glasson Locks and new pastures to explore.

View from our mooring looking south. Water Witch pub on left.

Brief Encounter at Carnforth

Wednesday 26th August
The forecast for today was dire so we decided to stay put. Despite being rather adjacent to the pub we have had no problem with noise.......probably because the weather is not good enough for people to sit outside.

Our entertainment for the day was a visit to the Carnforth Railway Visitor Centre. The station buffet provided the setting for the 1945/6 film Brief Encounter with Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson. When the old station buildings were abandoned in 1968 they fell into ruins. A lot of work and fundraising meant that in 2003 the visitor centre opened. Everything is centered around their claim to fame through the film but it has been extremely well done and in addition shows all the history of the railways in this area. The buffet has been reconstructed to the same as that used in the film and is a working cafe.

Station Clock

Buffet circa 1945

Tomorrow we shall venture back to Lancaster for the night.

The summer (if it can be called that) seems to have sped past. We only have about 6 weeks left on Petroc...very sad.