The day started very grey but the weather was very variable, from the occasional shower to warm sunshine.
We started in good time, pushing across to the opposite bank to avail ourselves of a water point - not sure when the next one will be. As we for the tank to fill Mike chatted to the person in charge of a gang who were attaching slatted material against the fence bend which is the playground for a Free school. Apparently they are concerned about passers by watching the children! Since the school looks purpose built not long ago, perhaps the designers should be asked to comment. The construction company like to be able to do some community projects wherever they are working - the favourite seems to have been an adventure play house.
We joined the main line and soon began our ascent of the Rochdale with no prospect of any relief from constant locks until much later in the day. At the first lock we saw yet another housing development - hope that this will not result in the loos of too much open space as it looks as if it was a grassy play area before.
A number of the former mills are remembered in 'gates' to the open spaces, such as this one named Victoria Mill Park.
Close by is Miles Platting Bee Garden in memory of those who died in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017.
In the overflow channel beside the next lock sits an abandoned microwave oven. Since the nearest buildings or road are over 100 m away, one wonders what sort of reasoning people have for doing this. Folks, there are proper ways of disposing of these things.
A little further and we could look back at Victoria Mill, now converted in apartments and offices. It was originally built in 1869 for cotton spinning.
A surprisingly robust handrail has been installed to keep towpath users \way from the edge which is collapsing into the canal.
The approach to several locks, such as Lock 77, is made more difficult with extensive vegetation obscuring the view. No doubt in time it will start to affect the structure.
This lock had to be extended upwards during the restoration to compensate for mining subsidence. This photo shows the extent with the original level of the towpath alongside. Alas, somehow the front door swung open and the top gates had a spray of water that went straight into the front cabin!
The lock name is a little ironic. Should have been at the previous lock - Slaters Lower!
OK, so we are into making fun at the expense of vandalised or damaged lock name signs but just had to include this misshapen one at Drunken Bridge Lock.
The route gradually became greener as we left the city and passed through a succession of suburban towns.
The tail part of this lock seems to have been reconstructed even before the restoration - the large blocks adjoining the bottom gates are much larger and strictly shaped than the other parts of the lock walls.
Oops! Most sources give this as Scotchmans Lock. Where's the cee?
A family took quite an interest in the lock operation here - the mother suggested that the estate on the far side was a 'problem' estate but, to be fair, we only encountered friendly people, young and old all day. However we cannot say the same for the next couple of pounds which are very slow to navigate - the shallowness is probably a result of not fully removing the effect of works done during the time that the canal was not operational.
We 'only' saw three supermarket trolleys above water today (who knows what others lay below the surface?) What happened to the scheme for reporting them?
Christine popped to Failsworth Morrisons for a paper as we came up the nearby lock. The store is the middle building, designed to look as if it was a converted mill but we are sure that it is purpose built. The real thing is in the background.
Lock 66 was closed a little earlier in the spring when a gate started to collapse (giving quite a fright to two boats that were in the lock at the time) Despite fears that the canal might be closed for some time, it was re-opened in really short time, with the anchor stone having to be re-built as well as new gates manufactured. (See here for more detail)( We were a bit puzzled with a sign on the other gate that asked boaters to leave the lock empty. Did this date from before the failure? Since the locks were overflowing at the top and quickly re-filling we left a bottom paddle up - hope this was the right thing to do, especially as it was full when we arrived.
Another collapsed towpath edge. Perhaps the robustness of the protective fence that we noted earlier was the result of this more modest wooden one not surviving well.
This lad, out with his Grandad, helped enthusiastically with the lock and at the end very much insisted that we took his photo. "Will it be in the news?" he wanted to know. Whilst we are usually rather cautious about including photos of strangers in our blogs, perhaps this counts as being in the news. Ours news at least.
Swan Mill at Middleton produces paper tableware products such as napkins, crackers and gift wrap.#
Grimshaw Bridge is a ;powered lift bridge carrying a busy commuter road. Two years ago we had real problems with the control mechanism malfunctioning but today, with a new control panel (so small that is is hard to spot!)
We like to grade lift and swing bridges that carry public roads according to the length of queues that form. This one was most satisfying!
Not much later we arrived at our target mooring - Irk Aqueduct, pretty much on our expected schedule! The better mooring, just beyond the aqueduct, was already so we were left with the other mooring which offers the added security of a protective moat! (aka 0.5 m from the bank!)
6.9 Miles - 18 Locks
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