Tuesday 30th July 2013 - Wigan and meeting with Gordon and Janice

Meeting up with Gordon and Janice

End of a lovely day

Wigan Town Centr

Wigan Town Centre

Wigan Town Centre

Monday 29th July 2013 - Southport - A day at the seaside

The Boating Lake Southport

Sunny Southport

Looking across the Ribble estuary at Blackpool

The Marine Way Bridge

Southport Town Centre

Southport Town

Southport Pier Train

Monday 29th July 2013 - excursions from Scarisbrook Marina

6 hour cycle ride along the towpath (never again)

Bus ride to the market town of Ormskirk

Ormskirk Market

Storyboard accompanying the Navvy

Sculpture of a Navvy along the towpath

Plaque along the towpath

Saturday 27th July 2013 Wigan to Scarisbrick Marina

Scarisbrook Marina - our home for 6 nights

Scarisbrook Marina - A new Marina just outside Liverpool

Saying Goodbye to Dave and Barbara on Spider - they are heading off to their mooring on the Rufford Branch

Tom being serenaded by a tuba player on the towpath

Tom and Barbara drew the short straw to do the locks today

Passing through the pretty village of Parbold

At last !!!!

Christine being serenaded whilst going through a lock

Passing through Wigan Pier - no problems despite all the horror stories

Our companion for the day "Spider" making life easier through the locks

Thursday 25th July 2013 Moore to outskirts of Wigan, now on Leeds Liverpool Canal

The red water in this area due to dissolved iron ore

The only ship we saw on the Manchester Ship Canal

Going over the aquaduct over the Manchester ship Canal

One of the canalside old buildings

A disused mine

Canalside at Worsley (this canal is not all industrial)

Tom on the road bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal

Our route in yellow to date

Tuesday 23rd July 2013 Anderton Boat Lift to Moore on Bridgewater Canal



A stressful afternoon in the tunnels - at least we had a boat to follow



Unusual figures on a property in Northwich



Three tunnels in an afternoon on the Bridgewater Canal - my pet hate and we are next in!!!



Boats going down as we were going up

Entering the Anderton Boat Lift to leave the River Weaver

Looking down on the River Weaver as we rejoin the Trent and Mersey Canal

Friday 19th July - Sunday 21st July 2013 Weekend on the River Weaver

Virgin train passing on the viaduct over the River Weaver

Tom looking out to The Manchester Ship Canal

Huge locks on the River Weaver, holding up to 17 narrowboats - the lock keeper has to lower a hook to get your ropes

Group photo before they leave us

Unexpected crew joining us on Saturday - Fred, Tony, Janet and Eileen

River Weaver - Industrial view going downstream

Boat going up on the Anderton Lift