Top of Ribble Link

Today's Canal - Lancaster (plus 50m of Ribble Link!)

Today was yet another two degrees cooler than yesterday. Although we were promised some sunny spells after 11, it was rather dull and chilly when we set off.

We had moored adjacent to Woodplumpton Aqueduct which carries the canal over a minor stream. Grey sky can be seen!

We only had ten minutes tio cruise before our first stop for water, just after the next bridge in the tiny hamlet of Swillbrook. We think that the building just before the bridge (behind in the picture) was until recently a boatbuilding business but the main building is standing empty and quickly heading to be derelict unless it soon finds a new use and an owner with a deep pocket. There were a few moorings alongside but we were amused by the unofficial sign on the bridge. We would quite have liked the opportunity to reach 3 mph! Duckweed and lack of depth meant that we rarely went above 2.25 today.

After filling up with water, the only service at this point, we continued. This picture shows how quickly the weed mat re-forms after we had passed through.

We did indeed get a weak sunny spell at the predicted time.

On the way up we noted the signs that tell boaters what to do in the event of an incident at the Westinghouse nuclear fuel plant (one of the two was almost completely overgrown with vegetation) and we were on the lookout for a photo opportunity. Alas, almost all of that side of the canal is bordered by fairly high and dense trees and shrubs but just one gap appeared and so we managed this rather poor, but snatched, shot.

A different picture of the new road bridge. It looks as if the contractors are at the stage of putting in the finishing touches.

Just before lunch time we arrived at the Ribble Lick junction and turned ito the basin to tie up on the waiting pontoon. After our experience when we called back in here the day after we arrived on the Lancaster we expected all of tomorrow's boats to arrive by this time but we had the place all to ourselves.

Mid afternoon, Mike took a short walk around the basin and then down the Lancaster to the first bridge in the Preston direction. This carried a Bridle Way which the old maps show in existence for quite a long time, at least back to 1845. This rather distinctive house, much modernised, is almost part of the bridge but apart from its somewhat tautologous name Bridge House we cannot find out whether it had a specific purpose.

In one direction the path led into a post-war housing estate. It was largely built in a period when such houses were not expected to have cars as there is no off-road parking.

The other way soon became non-traffic except for access to a few houses along the first part. Several had Mill in their name. There was indeed a corn mill here for a long time but we could not tell whether any of the converted properties was the original mill building.

6.2 Miles - 0 Locks