Thought that Graham may fancy this!
We stopped after about 30mins to have a look at Leigh. Lots of shops and a thriving indoor market. We continued on and seamlessly entered The Bridgewater Canal. This is privately owned by The Peel Group and in the last year they have imposed lots of restrictions on Canal and River Trust licence holders - which is by far the majority of boaters. You are allowed to pass through their water for 7 days but cannot return for 3 weeks. This must have a detrimental effect on businesses along the canal. Their facility blocks are not as well looked after as CRT's but it is a very useful waterway for people wishing to access Northern canals from the Midlands.
This carved hand grasp of friendship between the two canal systems is somewhat ironic.
Looking for the clue to this scarecrow. Oops, not at the Urchfont scarecrow festival now!
A photo for Karen.
Fly boats were so called as they travelled the canals as quickly as possible. This restored boat is at Worsley where we are spending the night.
In The Mood moored for the night and showing how the water which runs from the disused mines through Iron Hydroxide turns the water ochre coloured. The pseudo Tudor buildings are a feature here.
The Earl of Bridgewater had coal mines throughout the area and developed a system of tunnels to get the coal from deep in the mines to the canal. The whole system (46miles) was on 3 levels deep underground. You can just see one of the twin entrances to the tunnels on the left of the photo.
The M60 runs very close to the village and this slip road certainly intends to confuse drivers.
Just opposite our mooring is the boat house which housed the Royal Barge when Queen Victoria came to visit in the mid 19th Century. She travelled part of the way by canal and part by carriage. Informations boards say that one of the horses was so spooked by the cheering crowds that it fell into the canal.
Rather a fine view from the rear of the boat.
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