The Road to Wigan Pier

More adventures after I posted the blog last night, when I took the dogs out for their final tiddle. The three Labradors all ran off, and headed for the flashes – fortunately we have given them illuminated collars, so I could see which way they had gone, though they were soon out of sight. I grabbed Ruby and put her on board, then set off in pursuit. I had a head torch, but I was charging down hill over rough ground, and I was lucky to make it in one piece. Fortunately the dogs had stopped in the same bit of water they visited before, but they were reluctant to come back and in the end I had to grab Bridget and Posie by the collars and drag them home – happily Minnie tagged along.

So we got up this morning, not too early by dog standards (7:25) and this time they didn’t disappear entirely when let out. It’s nice to be able to let them run freely, we always try to find a mooring which will allow that. We only sailed for about five minutes once we set off, then stopped at Plank Lane lift bridge. We took on water, about 35 minutes, then went through the bridge. Loulie worked it – you have to put in the C&RT key, then press a button. Sirens come on, barriers drop to stop the traffic, and then the whole bridge lifts up to let the boat through. Afterwards you press another button to reverse the process.

After a few more miles we came to the first lock of the journey, at Poolstock on the edge of Wigan. This and the next one were very big and heavy to work, and we saw a notice telling us that some of the locks in Wigan would be padlocked at 3pm to save water, so we were under time pressure. We turned west on the Leeds & Liverpool main line in the centre of Wigan, and did a couple more locks – one of which had a winding handle instead of a long wooden beam to open the gates. We passed Wigan Pier – but most of the attractions seem abandoned now, and the pubs shut. The next lock was beside the DW Stadium, and the one after that was the last one under threat of closure, so we stopped and had a late lunch.

John and Dogs in a lock

Wigan Bottom Lock

Wigan Pier

DW Stadium

The transition after that point was quite dramatic, and suddenly we were in rural Lancashire – even if the M6 passed high overhead at one point. The canal winds down the valley of the River Douglas, with small villages and farms, and lots of woodland. We did one lock, Deans Lock, in the shadow of the motorway, and then drifted into Appley Bridge – well named, because Loulie had to work a swing bridge here. Unlike the lift bridge this is manual – she had to unlock the mechanism (the hardest part) and then use a long handle to pivot the bridge clear of the canal.

Gathurst

M6 at Gathurst

Loulie (and dogs) helming

Dean Locks

Douglas Valley

First Swing Bridge - Appley Bridge

Tired but happy dogs

Jigsaw picture?

Waterside trees in the October sun

Welcome to Lancashire - though we have been in the real Lancashire since Barton

Loulie took the dogs on another walk, and after a mile or so of winding along beside the river and railway we chose a mooring spot. Behind the towpath are woods, which seem to be full of pheasants, and Bridget had a bit of a time chasing them – without success, but with a great deal of noise. A man in a widebeam liveaboard moored on the other bank was very impressed by the dogs’ illuminated collars when I took them out for a walk later on.

Today: 6 hours. 12.5 miles. 8 locks. 2 bridges.

Voyage: 19 hours. 45.6 miles. 8 locks. 2 bridges.