Sunday 14 July 2013

Stopped before Burnley

And what a fantastic spot, again thanks to Canal World Forum.
A photograph cannot do it justice.
Three swing bridges today.  At the first one there are a load of lads mucking about on motorbikes and roaring across the bridge and up the canal path.  At least there is a place to moor on the operational side of the bridge so I tie up and approach with some trepidation.  It was unjustified and one of the lads warns that if I leave my boat there it will be crushed by the bridge.  He is right - I thought the bridge would open the other way, but if I leave it on the bollards the bridge will hit it.  What is the point of the bollards!!!  I mange to secure the centre rope to the first bollard which should keep the boat back far enough from the bridge.  He offers to work the bridge for a fiver - my reply is that if I paid a fiver for every bridge I would soon run out of money.  I cannot move the bridge on my own and two of them help - without payment - and close it behind me - thank you.  The next two bridges pose no problems - except one will not stay open but that is a simple matter of tying it off with a rope.








A rare sight in these parts - another boat!





  




There are fields opposite the canal where James can chase his ball and run about to his hearts content.  He spends a good quarter of an hour chasing swifts at full tilt.  Not surprisingly he did not catch any!







It is a lovely spot, with good TV and internet reception so I will be staying put for a couple of days.  At last I have got the blog up to date - hopefully it will remain so.


4 miles; 0 locks; 3 moveable bridges
TOTAL:  448 miles (149 miles broad, 40 miles river); 216 locks (83 broad); 37 moveable bridges

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