The Wigan flight

30/9/2017


On a lovely summery day, early, mist rising, we set off  to tackle the 21 locks in the Wigan flight.  These locks take you down 214'8", to the junction with the Bridgewater canal which runs westwards from Manchester.
It took us 6 hours to complete the flight,  with assistance from a lock keeper. The locks are capable of taking a 14' wide boat, and are about 60' long.  Some have cascades (as in the pic), requiring the rear doors to be hastily closed to avoid a drenching. The walkie talkies came into their own, and saved our sanity ('please tell me why I am still stuck in this lock, getting wet?'), and assisted marital harmony.

At the end of the flight we moored up,  and organised our mooring in Liverpool. A free mooring in the heart of the docks, for a week. Now we are in contact with a river pilot, to hopefully accompany us across the Mersey,  and into Ellsmere Port below Chester. An exciting prospect.

Have attached a washing day pic, and one of friends Val and Richard who have just been with us for a couple of days. Great fun.

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