Boat Blog – Narrowboat Firecrest

Liverpool Canal Link

I’ve been putting off sharing our triumphant entry into Liverpool for far too long, simply put, I’ve just been too busy enjoying myself. The history surrounding this area is so interesting, every time I start to gather up all my info to share I find another snippet to take me off on a tangent. So in order to actually share our own story, I’ll point you towards this website for some insight into this newest of canals. The Pennine waterways.

We turned and waved goodbye to the Leeds and Liverpool canal, and began our journey along the Liverpool Link Canal with James and his dad for company. Under several bridges that I’d be crossing by train later during our stay.

The four locks took us down into Stanley Dock On our left the derelict tobacco warehouse is awaiting it’s makeover into unaffordable apartments.

And on our right the developers have created the highly desirable Titanic Hotel where the bedrooms are in brick vaulted bays.

Stanley Dock is traversed by a Scherzer Bascule Rolling Bridge, similar to the one we saw near Keadby on the River Trent. The engineering involved in these bridges is amazing, just a pity they look like scrap metal now.

Collingwood, Clarence and Trafalgar Docks are wide open spaces giving us opportunity to look around. Most of the warehouses have been pulled down but the octagonal Victoria clock tower still stands proud telling the correct time twice a day.

Most of Trafalgar Dock has been filled in but the 2007 regeneration saw a brand new channel being cut, affectionately known as Sid’s Ditch.

Unfortunately there’s no Towpath along this section, although it’s clear the work is on going, as I’m sure the smart apartment owners would appreciate somewhere to walk their dogs. The waterway opens up again into Princes Half Tide Dock. The opening onto the Mersey currently closed off but it’s intended that this area should be the new terminal for the Isle of Man Steam Packet company. It’s an impressive skyline and reminded me of New York.

It’s where we got our first real glimpses of the Liver Birds, perched on their building.

Princes Dock lock took us down to enter the exciting tunnel section of Pierhead. Liverpool benefited from being European City of culture in 2008 and funding paid for this public space to be developed. Initially there was a lot of opposition for fear that the contemporary would obscure the beauty of the Three Graces.

However personally I love the way the canal is sunken in an open tunnel, looking up at the iconic Liver building, the Cunnard building and the Port of Liverpool building on one side, and going underneath the nautical Museum of Liverpool on the other.

Canal traffic is one way, changing direction in the afternoon, so no worries about meeting someone round the corner, weird to know there’s a building and pedestrians above you, and the Mersey tunnel somewhere underneath.

We had one more lock to go through, the Mann Island stop lock and flood gate,

And into Canning Dock with the pumping station and it’s chimney, competing with the tall buildings.

And some more 20th century dock yard relics.

Not sure if this is modern art, an alien or old machinery

It’s where thousands waited to board their ships before emigrating to America. And the permenant mooring of a couple of historic ships

The Kathleen and May infront of the Maritime museum

But for us, we had to run the gauntlet of thousands of tourists all making the most of this historic site, passing under bridges into Albert Dock, the first Bonded warehouse which was used to unload the flammable goods back in the day.

The entrance to Albert Dock, next to the Tate museum

We were almost there, one last bridge and we saw our mooring in Salthouse Dock.

We could hardly believe our eyes when we saw this amazing mooring. Spacious finger pontoons in the heart of the city.

Initially we made this journey at the end of September accompanied by Lynne, Freya, Reuben and Aunty.

And Eric has a new first Mate, Reuben keen to join him at the helm

We were permitted to stay for one week, which we did, but shortly after our departure, events overtook us and we realised we would be hard pushed to get through to Cheshire as planned before the winter closures. A chance comment from another boater made us reassess our plans and low and behold we opted to take a winter mooring here in Salthouse Dock, centre of Liverpool, still a city of culture in my opinion, close to family, easy access to trains and public transport, and best of all not a single muddy Towpath for the whole winter.

From Litherland to the Stanley Lock Flight

Farewell Leeds and Liverpool canal. Today we were about to complete the final 5 miles our 127 mile journey from Leeds into Liverpool Our passage through the Stanley flight onto the Liverpool Canal Link was booked for 1 o’clock. Our family wanted to share the experience of this epic stage with us, so we stocked up at Tesco and collected Aunty from the train station, and off we set. The astute with realise my diary is being written from memory as this was actually 2 months ago at the end of September. We said goodbye to Litherland

And set off through Bootle, not the most desirable places to visit.

Hurrying as quickly as possible, though quickly wasn’t really an option as the water was still diluted with weed and plastic and the best way to avoid fouling your prop is to take it slowly.

We did get some tantilising views of what was to come, as the Anglican cathedral came into sight in the far distance, although the sunshine wasn’t making it easy to look straight ahead.

Under the Boundry Bridge, although the area is so built up I’m not quite sure what Boundry it sits upon, probably Bootle and Liverpool.

And into Eldonian village, which is the end of the line, the 127miles of the Leeds and Liverpool canal,

where we picked up Lynne and Reuben

Before turning right into the Stanley Lock Flight, the Liverpool Link Canal

And we’re now waiting in the top lock of the Stanley lock flight waiting to go into Liverpool. It’s not often I’ll split one days journeying into two pages but the passage into Liverpool deserves it’s own page.

Another Place, coming home to Crosby

It was with a little trepidation that Firecrest cruised through Crosby, to Litherland. It is the very last stop before we reach Liverpool. Why? Because Crosby is where I started life’s big adventure over 50 years ago. And I had such a happy childhood. Unlike Eric in Leeds, I was reluctant to go and see if the palacial mansion with a 100 rooms that I knew as home, was really just a Victorian red brick semi, like everyone else’s. It’s also where I first ventured onto a canal when Dad thought it would be a good idea for me and him to build a Canadian canoe in the cellar of our home. I was about 7 or 8. He built a wooden frame, then my job was to staple and glue on three layers of mahogany veneer strips. She was a beautiful boat, big enough to take all 4 of us and a tent. We launched her on the Leeds and Liverpool canal, probably somewhere around Lydiate, though I can’t be sure. But who would have thought that over half a century later I’d be living on a narrowboat with a man born in Leeds, reminiscing about my early years.

Of course so much has changed, these southern Lancashire towns have been swallowed up by the borough of Sefton and become part of Mersyside. And what I remember being grand and palacial is now littered with run down boarded up eyesores. And ironically what I remember as being dodgy areas, including the flotsam strewn sandunes of Crosby beach and the Liverpool Docks have been revitalised, made accessible, and are now the place to go.

Crosby Beach has now become quite a tourist attraction because of a permanent art installation called “Another Place.” It consists of 100 cast iron figures placed over 2 miles of sandy beach, all looking out to sea. Initially they caused some controversy as they are modelled on the artist’s, Antony Gormley, naked body, but nowadays they are adorned with barnacles, rust and occasional dressing up clothes provided by concerned passers by.

I’m a great fan of installation art. I don’t like it all, but I do like that it makes me stop and think, and look at the surroundings. I do like this piece.

Crosby beach has always been a vast open space, facing west so commandering spectacular sunsets, (clouds permitting) and on clear days you can see across to Wales, and I’m sure I remember the Blackpool tower being pointed out to the north, but perhaps that was from Southport. Today it’s an off shore wind farm and drilling platform that dominates the horizon.

And looking south takes you towards the mouth of the Mersey, its the towering cranes of the modernised dockland.

Firecrest was moored in Litherland, on the official visitor moorings. waiting for our booked passage through the Stanley flight. Not the most salubrious of places but with a giant Tesco right next door and boaters “facilities” certainly very convenient.

Browsing around Burscough

We’re always excited by how much there is to see in an area, and saddened by how blinkered we were when we were land based. Usually we don’t feel the need to go beyond walking distance of Firecrest, but Burscough has a train station so I took the opportunity to visit Southport, where my Aunty and cousins lived during my teenage years. Then I’d been interested in cheap fashion and exploring my “new romantic” image, it’s where I saw the first Star wars film and had a crush on Mark Hamill. Now I saw the beautiful Victorian buildings and the covered walkway and arcades along Lord Street. Sadly Southport looked tired and run down, which is such a shame, it’s a high street worth celebrating even though I am no longer a fashionista, (was I ever) Red Rum still stands proudly in Wayfayrers Arcade.

Burscough also is home to Emma Maye, The Wool Boat, yes a whole narrowboat dedicated to selling wool,

Although they were cruising in Cheshire they had returned by road to attend the knit and Natter at the Slipway Pub, and I was able to catch up with them and a super group of knitters, who made me very welcome when I joined them.

There are some gorgeous cottages along the cut

And some “Interesting” homes between here and Liverpool

A Family Affair

Now that Firecrest has passed through Wigan, we have reached the area I grew up in. For despite my numerous addresses, I’m a Lancashire girl-or was until they redrew the county lines and it became Merseyside. I have fond memories of place names, places we drove through before the motorways made escaping north to the Lake District a more sanitised journey. I still have aunties, uncles and cousins in this area, all wanting to see Firecrest and our alternative lifestyle. So when we got to Parbold, Aunty Avril, Mum and Mike joined us as we cruised from Parbold to Burscough

It was a good day to have company, showing off all the lovely aspects of narrowboating, pretty bridges

And colourful countryside

pumpkin patch at Burscough — Pumpkins at Burscough

And me hopping on and off, showing just how capable I am at hauling the boat in and working locks and swing bridges.

We cruised past the Rufford Arm, that’ll be next years route, and moored up in Burscough just in time to enjoy a perfect sunset

Cousin Lynne and her children Reubin and Freya joined us a few days later,

They were keen to join in and help with the swing bridges, and they made a good crew.

That’s lorra lorra locks

There are a lot of locks on the 127 miles of the Leeds and Liverpool canal, 91 to be precise, and the next 12 miles of our journey was to include 30 of them.
We started our week at Johnson’s Locks visitor mooring where the Top Lock pub serves pizza and charges you the time on clock face. So at ten past three we were ready for a very late lunch/early tea and had an acceptable pizza for £3.10

We were well fuelled and geared up for what lay ahead but when Heather and Anthony said they’d like to visit us, we made sure we “just happened” to be at the top of the Wigan flight when they arrived. Knowing I’d have a crew and hopefully some volunteers to feed I made cake and cookies.

But it was the bacon butties that tempted Tim to hop on a train and join us for the day.

The Wigan flight descends 200feet through 21 locks. Sadly these locks are old and leaky and prone to vandalism so they are kept locked and passage is restricted to certain times of the day. We made it to the top lock just in time, before they were fastened shut for the day.

It’s the first time Anthony has been narrowboating but he took to locking like a pro.

It’s always a debate about who has drawn the short straw, the helmsman or the lock labourers, but I knew the Wigan locks are short and leaky and it would be Eric that had to dodge the deluge. I’ll take the dry land any day.

We made it through the bottom lock in 3 hours 2 minutes. And we were all still smiling. We even had enough energy left to walk further along to find the famous Wigan Pier.
It’s thought that Wigan pier became an icon when a train excursion to Southport was delayed and to keep the passengers amused this little coal loading jetty was given an elevated status. That particular “pier” was demolished in the early 1900s, so various protrusions in the location claim the historic title now, this one being the most like the original.

Tim could only stay for the day but Heather and Anthony enjoyed another night on board, if only so they could have a proper boaters breakfast.

And as a final reward for all their efforts, Ant got to prove that he doesn’t just like fast cars but slow boats also have a certain appeal.

We’d better watch out he’s a natural. But we had to say goodbye to our helpers as they had to be at work the day.

Only 30 miles to go now.

Gawthorpe Hall and the Shuttleworth Textile collection

Whilst we were travelling through the abandoned industrial heritage of the Lancashire mills, we came across a National Trust Property within walking distance of the canal. Gawthorpe Hall at Hapton.

Never one to miss an opportunity I set off to indulge in a bit of house fantasy. The Hall’s origins were in the 14th century when the pele tower was build to fend off the marauding Scots. As with most old buildings like this, it’s been added to to and renovated many times over as fortunes waxed and wained. What we see now is basically a 16th century Elizabethan country house that’s had a Victorian makeover. The guides were keen to point out that a lot of the internal structure was designed by Pugin, who had a hand in the Houses of Parliament. It was intended to be, and is, all very grand and ornate. My house fantasy prefers something with a few less nooks and crannies that need dusting.

I was however bowled over by the Rachel Shuttleworth textile collection. Rachel was the last of the “family” to live in the hall, she was a great needlewoman, educator and philanthropist. In fact my Aunty spent a lot of time studying lace making in the hall. It was all very inspirational.

The other artifact inside the Hall that caught my eye was the Davy Automatic Fire escape.

It’s gears and braking system ensure a controlled descent. And it reassuringly says “do not hesitate, it is perfectly safe” and that these mechanisms are still for sale today.

I always like to look out of the window and the Gawthorpe Hall garden is bordered by the Lancashire River Calder. The course of this river has been altered several times to enhance to view and to allow opencast coal mining in the fields behind the tree line. There are several Calder Rivers in the UK. The word Calder derives from celtic origins, meaning hard rapid water.

Looking out towards the River Calder and the now landscaped opencast coal field

On the other side of the hall, in a drought year, you can look down onto a ghost garden. As the outlines of the old Elizabethan garden emerge through the grass. I’m not sure whether to say luckily or unluckily I didn’t get to see this phenomenon, suffice to say that the Leeds and Liverpool canal has not suffered from water shortages this summer.

We didn’t linger long, as we’d got a break in the weather and set off cruising south towards Blackburn with the Forest of Bowland to our north west.

Lancashire’s industrial waterway

The next few days took us through some Lancashire mill towns. These places grew and thrived during the industrial revolution, when 1.5 million bales of cotton were imported through Liverpool Docks. Sadly as with so many areas like this, modern technology and cheap labour closer to where cotton is grown has left a lot of derelict buildings which didn’t encourage us to linger

but when the sun shone we certainly had something to reflect upon.

reflection of a Blackburn mill — Seeing the mills in a good light

We were very glad when we cruised through Nelson and saw this facility. Eric had just done a service on our generator so we had a few litres of dirty oil looking for a home, a dedicated Canal Users Recycling Point and oil bank made us very excited and between bridges 141b and c has been marked on our map.

We made another stop shortly after this, as the huge Burnley Tesco is conveniently right next to the canal. Although I prefered the view opposite. And as the benches were inhabited by several drunks, not somewhere we wanted to stay overnight.

And the canal kept traversing the M65 motorway, which always makes us smile as we enjoy our snails pace.

And it’s here, by bridge 112, in a small village called Church, near Accrington, we realised that we had reached exactly half way inbetween Leeds and Liverpool. 63 5/8 miles each way. It had taken us 38 days to get this far.

As we were busy looking at the fancy art work we noticed a fire engine parked up and 3 officers throwing a rescue line into the canal.

Thankfully they were just practicing, so we stopped to watch and learn as we have also chosen to have one of these life savers on board in preference to a traditional bulky ring.

Hopefully we’ll never have to use it, but as it lives on the coat hooks at the stern, it’s easily accessible should one of us ever go for an unintentional swim.

A beautiful but unwanted warehouse in Blackburn

Reaching the summit and starting the descent

Resuming our journey
Apologies for quite a lengthy absence, we had a significant family health issue to deal with, which is now fully resolved and not expected to cause any further problem.
However the account of our journey to Liverpool is now very behind schedule as we actually reached the big city a month ago now. (You’ll have to wait for photos) When I last wrote, we were in East Marton with its double bridge,

double bridge at East Marton — East Marton, double bridge

and it had started to rain. To be honest, it’s felt like it’s rained most of the past six weeks and as we were leaving the intense beauty of the Dales a grey drabness enveloped us.

Being true codiwomplers we do have the luxury of time and are able to stay put inside if it rains. But undeterred we dodged the showers and continued up the last few locks at Greenberfield.

Arriving at the summit of Leeds and Liverpool canal

And shortly after crossed the border from Yorkshire into Lancashire at bridge 149.

Then came the one way Fouldridge tunnel with its traffic lights. Because of number of widebeams using this canal it’s inappropriate for CRT to ask them to restrict passage to 8am as they do for other one way tunnels. So each direction has an allocated 10 minute time slot per hour in which to enter the tunnel and make it’s minute journey into the darkness. Can you imagine car drivers waiting 50 minutes for the lights to change.

Waiting for the lights at Fouldridge tunnel

We were now descending the Pennines and our first series of locks at Barrowford didn’t disappoint.

Looking down over Barrowford locks at Barnoldswick

In one sense going down is easier because I can open the paddles fully to empty the lock but on the shorter locks it’s harder to open the gates without the helm getting soaked under the deluge from leaky gates.

Skipton to East Marton

This is true Yorkshire Dales country. We’re high up and it feels like the canal is still climbing although this is an optical illusion as we haven’t seen a lock since Bingley. It’s because we’re reaching the top of the valleys.

But we still had a few hundred feet to climb before we reached the summit of the canal and locking up began again at Gargrave.

We were a bit disappointed that the footpath closures meant the mooring in Gargrave was restricted and limited, which is a pity because it’s a pretty village, one that we have driven through many times. But the generous side of my nature says it’ll be a fantastic asset to the walkers and cyclists once it’s finished.

We moored one night but then took advantage of a fellow traveller to share the locks

Proof that it’s not just the women who like to chat

People aren’t wrong when they say this is the prettiest section of the canal, and I think the Gargrave flight definatelty makes it into my top 10 for views. We were lucky that our dramatic cloudy backdrop held onto the rain until after we had cruised.

We were able to stretch our legs with some bracing walks

Thankful that we didn’t have too strenuous a climb to reach the top.

Sadly the weather didn’t play fair and we had to dodge some heavy downpours before reaching East Marton, though without rain you dont get rainbows and I was able to take advantage of a sunny break to show off my Towpath spinning.

It would have been easy to slip through the tiny village of East Marton if we hadn’t been on the lookout for the water point. And the lock keeper had told us that the Cross Keys pub did a good Sunday carvery.

We could just about see Firecrest nestled below us, in the far left, as we ate the best roast beef and Yorkshire pudding we’d had since I last cooked it in Boroughbridge.

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