We are now planning to stay in Burascough Bridge for a couple of days as it has transport links and we cannot go much further until Friday. Bridge 20 has been badly damaged, many reports that it was vandalism, but until the control box can be replaced it has to be opened by hand and CaRT only offer to do this at midday on Mondays and Fridays. Perhaps we will find out a but more about the real cause when we eventually pass through but we have heard that the repair is now well advanced but not enough for free movement this week. It may help on the way back.
We had hoped from the weather forecast first thing that we would have a dry day, even if not a lot of sunshine but this hope was dashed when, firstly, heavy rain arrived early and then the forecast was revised (downwards!) Looking at the larger picture and the rainfall radar it seems that there is a narrow band of rain stretching from south west to north east and its movement only has to vary by a small amount for the outcome in any one place to be very different.
Shortly after setting off we arrived at Spencer's Swing Bridge. Christine hopped off to operate it - we knew that it was a powered bridge but the road gates still needed to be operated by hand and they were a tad reluctant to slip out of the restraining catches which prevent them from being used until a Watermate Key is inserted.
Eventually the control box sprang into life (or rather shuffled out of its slumber) and Mike was able to bring the boat through. Although the road looked like a lonely country lane, we still bagged 5 waiting cars.
After stopping briefly at the rubbish point by Moss Bridge (fortunately we knew it was there and it is marked on our guides but it is hidden from the canal) we continued on to the second swing bridge just before Burscough Junction. This one is much easier as the barriers are lifted automatically. However, despite being a better bridge and only just off a busy main road, our score here was only nul points.
Burscough Junction is where the Rufford Arm sets off down a short flight of locks on its way to Tarleton and, possibly, to the Ribble Link. We have tried to book a passage but the only dates available do not fit with our other commitments so it will have to wait for yet another year. We are, however, booked for Liverpool.
At one time there was quite a bit of industrial development alongside the canal into Burscough Bridge but that has all now been replaced by identikit housing developments. The only reminder is Ainscough Mill, now converted into numerous apartments. This was originally a steam powered corn mill, built on thee site of a former windmill. Its fortunes were helped by being alongside the Liverpool to Preston railway. It ceased operation in 1998 but it took until around 2014 before the developers moved in.
We pulled onto the service mooring by Burscough Bridge (hence the name of the place) to fill with water and empty the elsan. (As we stopped sun broke through but before we had finished we were again drenched with an unexpected heavy shower) We checked out the options for mooring - not helped by the ambiguity of somewhat dated signs. Eventually we decided to go to the end of the first stretch well beyond and extant signage!
After lunch we walked to Tesco for a medium scale top up - by now the rain had ceased. We had hoped to find a side entrance, indicated on Google Maps, but it has more recently been blocked off. We did spot Martland Mill which has now been converted to a series of serviced offices - you can even rent a virtual office. The original elegance is somewhat spoilt by the telecoms structure on the top.
2.5 Miles - 0 Locks
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