A few photos from the group UNESCO Places of Worship.
Day 11 – Tarleton to St. Mary’s Marina, Rufford
Only a very short journey today.
Due to time constraints on travel over the Ribble, I’ve decided not to wait 10 days for the next crossing, and make my way to Scotland tomorrow.
From there I will be Bonnyless.
St. Mary’s Marina, Rufford
I’m parked at St. Mary’s Marina with Mark Ball who seems like an affable fellow.
It’s got a few mod-cons like electric, which means I can watch more telly and use the microwave.
The trip is only a very simple one. From Tarleton, you have to negotiate the 3 swing bridges, follow the river. That’s about it.
The marina is directly before the lock, opposite to another, competing marina.
I did get a look in both. I know my locking partner on the way up planned to leave her boat here. Also, it was the first one I visited. I know the other is slightly more upmarket, if that’s what you’re after.
Trip to Scotland
Today has been busy booking accommodation for my first few days in Scotland.
The weather up there is over 15 for the duration of my stay, even rising to around 20.
I’m quite looking forward to it, because I’ve got no idea what to expect.
The road to Inverness
I know the first few days will be fairly easy.
From now on, I’m going to be using Strava to track my progress and making timelapse video.
From now on, my maps will look like this.
It’s roughly a 500 mile journey back down to the boat.
Day 10 – Tarleton lock
Moored this morning at the lock visitor mooring, expecting to take the next high-tide to Savick Brook.
After doing some shopping in the morning, I got back to my boat, had my lunch and prepared for the journey ahead.
Someone from the pinkpigalternative facebook page had mentioned needing to book in with the lock keeper, ‘Harry’.
I sought out this lock-keeper and after not finding him, or anyone at Mayor’s boatyard, I went back finished my cup of tea, grabbed my bike and went back again.
This time I found someone, he said Harry was ill and he was the lock-keeper for now.
Ribble link
He explained getting out onto the River Douglas was fine, great if you want to go into Preston. Getting onto the Ribble Link and up onto the Lancaster canal was a different matter.
That required a booking.
A booking takes time. Continue reading “Day 10 – Tarleton lock”
Day 9 – Crooke to Tarleton
Today saw the introduction of swing bridges to the list of contraptions I need to man and manipulate.
During the course of my journey from Crooke to Tarleton, I had to pass through 9 working and perhaps 3 or more derelict.
Swing bridges on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
From what I can make out, these exist way rights of way still exist to cross the canal.
Sometimes they are passed by road, sometimes by tracks, sometimes by paths or seemingly nothing.
But they’re still there, adding something to the countryside I guess. And I have to pass through them. Nearly 10 of them on the course of my journey.
For those on the top of my journey, where I as sailing alone, not in convoy, the moorings were always on the other side.
That meant, once I’d operated the machinery, my boat was not reachable.
All swing gates are the same. In theory it takes 2 people to operate them. One to operate the machinery and push the bridge, and the other to man the boat.
For me, this wasn’t possible. Passing through on my own meant I had to be flexible with my mooring.
I practice, I had to moor the boat to the bridge itself, which would pull it through when I opened.
Then I would drive in through at an angle and jump of the stern, and moor it again, to the swing-bridge whilst I closed the bridge. Continue reading “Day 9 – Crooke to Tarleton”
Day 8 – Plank Lane to Crooke
Didn’t really cover a lot of ground today.
What I did discover is that you need an ‘anti-vandal’ or British Waterways Handcuff Key.
Locks on the Leigh Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool
Have the handcuff key, or anti-vandal key fitted throughout the city.
It’s a small square fitting. You basically put it into the lock housing and it releases the paddle.
Without these, you won’t be able to turn the paddles and you won’t be going anywhere.
Luckily due to the queuing at Plank Lane Bridge, I was in convoy so it wasn’t a problem.
Plank Lane Bridge
Had a problem with the counterweight and I was sitting here from 10:00 to 14:00.
More about that in the video.
Passing through Wigan
Seems a nice town, if a little run down, but there’s a lot of character in the buildings, just no money.
Weather – rain
All day until 18:00.
Couldn’t take pictures.
I did make the video, but that was all I could manage.