Winter in West Lancashire

This will be our 3^rd winter in West Lancashire, it’s ideal as we are close to 2/3 of our children and all the friends we’ve made in the area.

There are very few boats moving at the moment as most people moor up for winter. So to our delight we were able to moor right outside Aldi at Leigh to restock the cupboards. It was Halloween and the Waterside Inn had a kiddies disco, which we were unaware of when we went in for a pint.

We spent a damp and misty few days at Abram on the outskirts of Wigan where we teamed up with Carole & Colin on The Wool boat for a few pints and then travelled around Wigan with them. The landscape in the area is so scarred from the subsidence of the coal mines. The canal has also subsided and 3 locks have been removed and the canal banks raised to compensate. Where we moored at Abram there used to be two locks.

 There are a lot of renovations going on in the Wigan Pier area, so may be when we next cruise by it’ll all be finished.

 We spent a couple of days at Appley Bridge and strolled up to Fairy Glen. 

 

We’ve never seen the waterfall so full before.

 

The Canal & River Trust (CRT) let us know in June where they are doing planned essential repairs over winter. We knew the Rufford Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal would be closed from next Monday, 11^th November for 3 weeks, so a 3^rd party could work on a railway bridge. 

But there is now an emergency stoppage as the top of one of the gate posts on lock 2 on the branch has sheared off. So, we are mooring in Burscough tonight. We strolled to have a look at the problem.

The repairs are due to be done tomorrow. Once the bottom gate of lock to is repaired the stretch of canal needs to be refilled and all before 11^th. We’ll be down there in the morning ready to take a few snaps.

Because the canal is empty it was so good to see the clough ground paddles. I do struggle to lift these paddles and usually end up taking the boat down the locks as John’s obviously much stronger than me!!!