Heading South

We are just over a week into our journey southwards. We’re so hoping to explore some new stretches of water, as these last couple of years we’ve mainly been on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

Mother’s Day we spent in one of our favourite mooring spots beside Moss Bridge, Lathom. There’s a little hazel thicket that the kids love to play in and make dens.

The 9 of us had a BBQ and Jason and the kids built some fairy houses.

We haven’t been in lock for more than 6 months. We love Dean Lock as the M6 is way above and the local railway line is close too.

I love operating Plank Lane lift bridge as it is traffic light controlled as it’s narrow. This means the drivers are used to stopping there & don’t hurl abuse at you for holding them up.

While we were filling up with water at Plank Lane a unicyclist filled his water-bottle from the tap.  We had a nice chat and held our breaths when he got on and wobbled a bit towards the canal before stabilising and cycling off down the towpath. He likes to cycle at least 40 miles a day!

 

Once again, we have been spoiled by spectacular sun rises.

There are miles and miles of banks filled with daffodils.

We once again went crossed Barton swing aqueduct, over the Manchester Ship Canal.

 

 

Last Monday we travelled through three tunnels that we’ve been through many times before. We managed to get to the two timed ones, without waiting for the allotted time, which was on the hour.

It is so nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!

Luckily, this air shaft wasn’t oozing gallons of water.

We are now spending a few days at a quiet spot on the Trent & Mersey Canal, near Northwich, just before Wincham Bend, to let the strong winds blow over.

March Catch Up

 

This is a February/March catch up!!

The storms of February, with all their nice names, seem a long while ago. It was probably the worst wind we’ve had since we’ve lived aboard. The waves and spray were incredible.

John helped a chap re-moor his boat, while Lance and I headed back to make sure the fire was nice and hot.

Then John assisted the landlady of the Slipway pub rescue her bin from the canal. She paid us by buying us and our pals a drink.

Lance stayed for a few days. We met the rest of his family in Liverpool for a breezy wet day.

  We got a fuel delivery from Ambush.

As the weather was so dreadful, we only ventured out a few times. But we had lots to do indoors.

The boys swapped over and Magnus came for a few days. He enjoyed doing his knitting at the knit & natter session.

On going home day we had a crafty pint at ‘The Thirsty Duck’, a super mico-pub on Burscough Wharf.

We hired a car for a few days to head south for a ‘celebration of Mike’s life’. Our good pal Mike sadly died at the beginning of the year, but hadn’t wanted a funeral, as he ‘hated them’. Yvonne arranged an afternoon celebration tea with lots of wonderful photos & memories. Yvonne and I are now slipper sisters, as we loved the same ones, at Freya Jones craft shop.

While in the south we stayed at Louise & Paul’s and got to meet our niece & nephew’s new partners and one of them’s daughter. We were last at their house 4 years ago when we moored just down the hill from them for Ada’s wedding.

In addition, we spent a day in London with Edmund. We had brunch on a café boat at Paddington Basin.

 

Just had to have a tourist snap from London Bridge.

 

Had a great time at The Old Operating Theatre Museum.

Our Thursday knit & natter was disrupted by Jordan North, the radio 1 DJ, stopping there for his dinner break whilst rowing 100 miles of canal for Comic Relief.

A few pics of lovely mooring spots.

 

We were invited to have a ‘Jubilee Fibres’ stall at a ‘Wool & Wine’ evening, it would have been far too rude to say “no”.

John has put a new seal on our weed hatch. We met some people last year who had to be rescued on a river crossing because theirs was leaking. We aren’t going on any tidal rivers, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!!

 

February’s whizzing by!

 

We finally had a family get together for Nikita’s birthday, more than a month ago now. We all went for a super meal in new burger restaurant in Chorley.

I spun on the platform on our way to Chorley, it was a dreary, damp day.

The same spinning on a spring like day.

We have had some lovely weather, which has meant I could dry the washing on the line.

You can never get fed up with the glorious sun rises on an icy day.

  Or moon rises

 

Plus, sun sets that can change in colour in a second.

A new mural has appeared under one of the bridges.

We’ve not cruised very far and often moor near Burscough Wharf.

My good deed for the day, operating two swing bridges for us and two single-handed boaters.

Ada modelling her super chunky cardigan I knitted her, a belated Chrissi prezzi.

Heather got her chunky jumper I made, on her actual birthday.

Jason made her an amazing Black Forest gâteau.

We made marmalade again this year and think we’ve actually got it to set really well this time.

This is the welcome we had at the water point. Dog poo all over and around the mooring bollard. John had to hammer in a mooring pin and I cleared it all up and washed down the bollard ready for the next boater!!

These last few weeks have seen some very harsh stormy weather. This photo just about sums up how changeable it’s been, plus, look at the waves on the water!!!

Yesterday we caught the train to Southport so we could buy (not catch) kippers for breakfast today.