Tuesday 26 July 2016

I had hoped to have a good night’s sleep as Liverpool had been noisy but the couple that we shared the staircase locks with told us that they had had a brick put through their window and their mooring pins pulled out of the ground by a passer-by on their way into Liverpool.  Whilst it didn’t happen in Melling it was playing on my mind!

We decided that we would push through to Wigan to get to the safe mooring by the CRT office.  A long cruising day.  We did most of the day in the dry but it did rain just before we got there.  We shared the last two locks into town with Dave and Beryl who live and moor their boat on the River Thames.  

Unfortunately when we got there the moorings outside the office were already taken but there were lots of boats on the other side so we stopped there and Dave and Beryl moored alongside.  They are going back via the Leigh Branch, shame it would have been handy if there were going to do the Wigan flight too.

Just as we were about to go to sleep we heard a load of youths running down the towpath and somebody shouting Bas*%$*s – another sleepless night!

Nice flowerbed!

Lovely to be back in the country.

Overtaking.....slowly!

I don't suppose many birds stop here for lunch!

Getting ready for Noah's Ark - two sheep, two ponies and two cows!

Another swing bridge.

Steve did the lock this time - last time I could hardly open the door and he didn't fancy climbing out of here if I couldn't manage it!

The Rose of Parbold out for the day - We must have had our photo taken 20 times coming out of the lock!

Interesting wall ornaments - a half penny, a farthing and a clock!

A helping hand.

You wouldn't want to meet this person on a dark night.

Where is it then.

Oh there it is - Wigan Pier, the home of Northern Soul - all closed up now.

One more lock and we will be in the town centre.