May Bank Holiday in Manchester.

May Bank Holiday in Manchester.

Our solar panels were replaced last week and had some final adjustments this morning to ensure they don't come unstuck. While at Higher Poynton we enjoyed a walk to Lyme Park and saw a mystical morning mist over the canal.

 Edmund went home yesterday after spending three nights with us. We met him at Marple Station and

the following day headed down the Marple flight of 16 locks in a mile. This is an amazingly beautiful flight going past pretty little cottages & converted warehouses and at the same time having views of the Peaks. Then over the stunning Marple Aqueduct and through the Woodley Tunnel (obviously named after my cousins).

His second day with us we went down 18 locks from Ashton-under-Lyne towards Manchester. Some of the pounds were very low and we had to let water into them to be able to get to the next lock. It's such a shame I didn't capture John's antics trying to coax mummy mallard & her brood of 6 out of a lock I was just about to steer into. He ended up pretending to be a dog, which worked!!!

As we ventured nearer to the Manchester suburbs we could see lots of disused factories & mills as well as derelict sites. In the past we saw on the news how industries had closed down but it never really felt real as it was so far up north.

The cycling veladrome and Manchester City Football ground looked huge. As we passed by the City ground there was a hive of activity getting ready for the big Real Madrid match that evening. The quickest way to the ground from the station is along the towpath, so we had streams of people all in good spirits (thank goodness) going by our mooring.

We are moored in Manchester City centre and plan to stay here over the bank holiday weekend. We'll be going for a ride on the trams as they look and sound so nice. We are surrounded by new flats & some converted from warehouses. However, a little further into the city it's not quite so pretty. We have been shocked by the amount of homeless people living in tents under bridges in the street and in railway arches along the canal. As you walk along the tow path it's very evident many use any little nook or cranny for all their toilet needs!!!!!

We spent our second St. George's Day on a narrow boat. The first was a couple of years ago when we were moored at Cassiobury Park, Watford, the last time we hired a Wyvern boat. We had our flags and bunting out again this year.

Next week we'll be heading down the infamous Rochdale 9 locks. The first three are under the buildings where the aforementioned homeless hang out and use as their public convenience. So we're planning to be up & off early. The next leg of the journey will be along the Bridgwater Canal going past Manchester United's ground and the Trafford Centre. We'll be on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal before we know it, which means we'll soon and be at Tarleton to visit Heather, Jason and the children.