Narrowboat Tacet

Silent Movement - Our gap year travelling the inland waterways



Monday 7 October 2013

Which Way?

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Yesterday was such a gloriously sunny and warm Autumn day and it was great to be cruising after church and a quick lunch.  Once out of Wigan there are miles and miles of lock free cruising through to Leigh, then Worlsey, across the Barton Swing aqueduct and to Waters Meeting.

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Barton Swing Aqueduct (4) Barton Swing Aqueduct (9)

Now there was a choice to make, Ian had thought we would go into Manchester, up the Ashton and Peak Forest to Marple and then down the Macclesfield to the T&M.  I had assumed we would be heading to Preston Brook…..what to do?……whichever way we have done it before……in the end we turned right……..Bridgewater – Preston Brook.

In the sunshine it was a pleasure to be out and since we so recently came this way, we didn’t stop until we got to Dunham Massey just after sun-set.

Dunham Massey (3)

Whilst today hasn’t been so sunny, it has been dry and warm and we have again covered lots of miles along the Bridgewater passing Steve and Jane on Dolce Far Niente who were moored a little way in front of us last night, through Lymm, Stockton Heath, Moore, to Preston Brook and the first tunnel of the day.  We had to wait, have just missed the 10 minute time slot for travelling through, so I went foraging, finding crab apples and rose hips.

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Whilst waiting for the tunnel, I found this marker that I’ve not seen before, probably because it’s not beside the canal like most of them, but up on the horse path over the tunnel mouth leading to the other end of the tunnel.

The Tunnel mouth marks the start of the Trent & Mersey Canal.

 

 

 

Once through the tunnel, there’s the stop lock, hooray, a lock! all of about 6” rise, it didn’t take long, there’s a sunken boat still tied to the lock mooring.  Been there at least 5 weeks!

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Then through Dutton and the mended breach site, looking down on the River Weaver, two more tunnels and past the Anderton Lift on to a quiet country mooring once again.

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Do love this house at the end of the Barnton Tunnel.

 

 

 

 

Sunday & Monday

Leigh – Anderton, 29.5 miles, 1 lock, 3 tunnels

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