Wigan to Parbold

Sunday 24 July 2016

Its down the Wigan flight and onwards to the Ribble Link and the Lancaster Canal - yippee!!

Martin and Andrea  joined us for the descent and we had a good run through the locks. The Wigan flight seems much improved in recent years.  Mooring at the bottom of the locks it was off to the nearby 'India Lounge' for a tasty take away which we can thoroughly recommend.

Monday 25 July

After a hearty breakfast we set off towards Gathurst, mooring up at the visitor moorings at Gathurst bridge next to the 'Baby Elephant' indian restaurant.

M6 Viaduct over the canal

 A short walk over the bridge and up the hill brings you to several shops including a large Co-op, fish and chip shop  and post office etc.  After shuffling the cars around (thank you Martin), we had some lunch and then Martin and Andrea headed home after a very enjoyable weekend.

Tuesday 26 July


At Gathurst, the M6 viaduct passes over the Douglas Valley which in turn  passes over the railway and canal.

Three very distinct modes of transport!  - we know which we prefer.

In less than two hours we moored up in Parbold.  Here there is a useful train station and car park with all the facilities of a small village. 



Plans for 2016

Over the bank holiday we had a short cruise around the Adlington/Wigan area on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and completed some jobs in preparation for summer. 

There are some lovely walks in this area and Adlington is handy for supplies, groceries, pubs and takeaways etc .

The glorious weather, wildlife and beautiful scenery certainly made the trip worthwhile.  

This Summer we are once again attempting the Lancaster Canal (after the cancellation last year  due to a breach) .  Our passage is booked for August and we are really looking forward to it, even more so after reading Helen and Ian's blog on nb Leo who have just returned.

Return to moorings

Since our last posting we came down Johnsons Locks  in record time in just over an hour and moored up just before bridge 74 which is handy for  'Fredericks Ice-cream parlour'.  Had a yummy ice cream there  (it is also a café serving meals and drinks).  On the Friday morning we cruised on to Adlington where we met up with Martin and Andrea.  Did a circular walk in the afternoon and had a curry onboard for our final night.. On the Saturday Martin and Andrea kindly brought us home which was much appreciated.



Nugget ready for her next adventure on Coventina

So... the end of another adventure !!... not as originally planned on the Lancaster Canal, however we have had a pleasant along the  wonderful Leeds and Liverpool Canal.  We have met up with friends and family and met some new interesting people/dogs and boats on the way....  and in 2016, we will attempt the Lancaster Canal once again!!

Visitors onboard!

Lauren came to join us for a few days, meeting up at Riley Green.
 

Darwen 'Jubilee Tower'

We went to the Boatyard Inn which is next to the canal and visitor moorings for our evening meal.  Although it was convenient to our moorings, we were a little disappointed as it was quite expensive and only basic pub food.



On the Sunday, John joined us and we all went in the car to Darwen where we went on a walk up to the Darwen 'Jubilee' Tower.  The tower was completed in 1898 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and to mark a local victory for the right to access the moors. 

We climbed the tower and the views were amazing.. apparently on a clear day, you can see as far as Morecombe Bay, the Lakes, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Nugget enjoying the views from Darwen Tower

In the evening, we went to a pub in this area for a meal, The Royal Arms at Tockleworth; good food and good value.

On Monday, 31 August, we moved on a short stretch to Withnell Fold where we had arranged to meet up with Ian and Helen on narrowboat 'Leo'.  It was great to meet up again having first met on the Wigan flight in 2012 when Chris had fond memories of the delicious flapjack that appeared half way down the flight reviving our flagging spirits!  Imagine our delight when Helen offered us some more yummy flapjack  on-board Leo, complete with recipe.  We enjoyed a shared lunch, after which, Leo set off to Blackburn and we cruised a short distance to the top of Johnsons Locks.

On Tuesday, had a short trip to 'Botany Bay' for a look around.  It is a five storey converted 19th century cotton mill full of shops/cafes etc.  There is an old penny arcade (including a laughing policeman).  You have the opportunity to buy some old pennies and see them working.


'Team Coventina' 

In the evening, Chris, Lauren and I went to the 'Dressers Arms' for an evening meal.  What a great pub, lots of atmosphere and a fantastic deal from Monday to Saturday of two steak meals and a bottle of wine for £14.95p, exceptional value.

We entered the pub quiz as 'Team Coventina'  which has apparently been running for the last 20 years.  We put in a good performance, but not good enough!!

Wednesday - Lauren left for home after  a lovely few days together. We are remaining at the top of Johnsons Locks for a further night.
          

Burnley and Blackburn

Since the last post we have stayed at the C&RT moorings at Rose Grove.  This is a secure mooring as the access gates are locked on an evening and they have all the facilities here which are very good and clean.

Shuttleworth Hall

  We didn't fancy mooring on the embankment at Burnley (as didn't know if it would be safe or not)  to have a look round the shops, so caught a train from Rose Grove into Burnley (£2 return) .  Carol came to visit us which was lovely to have a brew and a good chat. 


We moored just before pipe bridge 115a on the outskirts of Clayton Le Moors on Wednesday and went on a long circular walk passing Shuttleworth Hall, a 17th century manor house, now a farm and timber yard.


 On Thursday, we went on further to Rishton and moored up at the visitor moorings.  Next to the moorings is the Canalside café,  with basic cheap food (70p for a cuppa) and a nice jolly owner.


Eanam Wharf

 In the evening after stocking up at the Co-op which is at the top of the high street, we went out for an indian meal at the 'Rishton Balti House'.  Very nice food/service and you can take your own drink.  

Friday - moved on to Blackburn where we moored up at Eanam Wharf.




We went to the Calypso Jamaican restaurant for a snack at lunch time.  Helen had traditional Jamaican Salt fish fritters and Chris, jerk chicken.  Both dishes were very tasty and well presented and very good value.         


Jamaican Salt fish Fritters

Barrowford and Birthday celebrations

Friday 21 August - We came down Barrowford Locks with a lovely family on a hire boat. The female lock keeper was brilliant, setting up the locks to help us down.  She certainly keeps this set of locks tidy and has planted flowers in tubs etc at the top lock which look nice..


Views near Roughlee

 We were down all seven locks in an hour.... amazing!!  Moored at the bottom of the locks

The old St Thomas' Church

 and then went on a walk to the village of Roughlee which lies in the forest of Pendle.  It is a quaint village with a pub 'The Bay Horse';  is close to Pendle Hill and has links to the Pendle witches!!!

On the way back we passed the old and new St Thomas' Church in Barrowford.   The old quaint church was burned down in 1964 and a modern replacement church was built further up the hill in 1970..

Yummy pork pie!

Saturday - Happy Birthday Chris!!! The weather forecast was terrible, so we had planned a day in, however it turned out lovely, so we ventured out into Barrowford.
We bought a pork pie each from 'Beech's' Butchers, (we certainly know how to live it up)!!! Scrumptious and full of meat; we can certainly recommend!
After returning to Coventina, there were several youths sat at the picnic table just next to us and as more and more joined them, we decided to move on and not go out for a meal as initially planned.  We headed off,  mooring up just before Reedley Marina, stopping off at Morrisons on the way.  There is a small mooring place that actually has a gate leading into Morrisons car park, which is extremely useful.  This is hard to spot if you are not aware of it.  (between bridges 141b and 141a).  So, to celebrate, we had a tapas evening onboard and had a great time....

Sunday - a lovely hot day for a change. .. yippee



Nugget celebrating the sun!!

Went on a walk to 'Fence' a village nearby.  The paths were terrible on the walk and a lot were overgrown, but we made it there, hoping to have a Sunday lunch at one of the two pubs shown on the map.  The first one we came to was the 'Fence Gate Inn', which looked lovely inside and out, however a bit on the expensive side.  Unfortunately the other pub had closed down.... so after nibbling on apples and some sweets we had taken with us, we headed back to Coventina and had something onboard instead!!       



Red Light jumper!!!

After mooring overnight near Lower Park Marina at Barnoldswick (chandlery, diesel, gas etc here) on Tuesday evening, we filled up with fuel and set off to moor at Foulridge Wednesday Morning.



Salterforth

After several failed attempts at mooring at the visitor moorings (in urgent need of dredging),  we had no option but to go through the tunnel. 
The green light is only on, on the hour from this end of the tunnel for 10 minutes to allow plenty of time for passage from the other direction.  However, we couldn't set off through the tunnel even though it was showing green as we could hear (bouncing off the sides) and see the light of a hire boat who quite clearly had jumped the red light at the other end of the tunnel!!!  We were one of three boats waiting and we all only just made it through before it turned to red at our end.  Safely through the tunnel, we moored up at the visitor moorings at the top of Barrowford Locks.


Foulridge Tunnel

We went on a walk in the area and ended up in Barrowford, a  lovely little town with all the shops on the high street and a nice large recreation park and visitor centre.  There is also a recently opened (Dec 2014) 'Booths' store with ample parking.    Decided to have a drink in the 'George and Dragon' pub and due to the incessant rain, ended up staying for something to eat.   Their meat and potato pie served with  mushy peas, pickled red cabbage and onions in vinegar was absolutely delicious and can be well recommended at £3.95p each.