SATURDAY. At Br.61, Sennicar Bridge, Wigan
The 2008 journey thus far: 270 Locks; 408Miles; 55 Swing\Lift Bridges
Journeys using bus pass: 20
Rain again as I made the tea, a short day in prospect having only to reach the top of Wigan flight.
We delayed moving until 10am, in a dry spell. We passed Botany Bay, formerly Canal Mill, which now has 5 floors of shopping, restaurant and coffee bars; a garden centre and children’s play area.
Canal Mill was built in 1855 for Richard Smethurst, the mill having a very short working life as it was an early casualty of the Cotton Famine owing to the American civil war. Closure was the unfortunate result in 1861. During the intervening years, a variety of owners then carried on many tasks concerned with the cotton industry; final closure came in the late 1950’s.
We called in at PB Mechanical services, Chorley for diesel (80p/litre) and Gas. The transaction took a few minutes, the chatting took considerably longer. What a friendly bunch they were; a pig roast was to take place this evening washed down with a barrel of ‘Black Sheep’, an excellent drop of the brewer’s craft. Moving away, the next call was at White Bear Marina, to empty the Portapotti.
Regular readers may have detected a certain animosity, either express or implied, toward BW.
I would like to place on record that I have today witnessed a shining example of the compliance, by the aforementioned BW, with their remit to care for the heritage of the waterways.
When we visited this Marina some six years ago, BW (later to be BWML, a clouding of the issue which remains unaddressed) had just completed the purchase. The building has been left in the original state, absolutely untouched. I could find no evidence of ownership apart from a gate with a 4 inch by 6 inch security notice which had BWML on the bottom. Indeed, a fine example.
Onward again, shorter, heavy showers, we arrived at our mooring place opposite the golf club.
In the evening, a birthday party was held at the clubhouse which ended with a good firework display, visible from our mooring.
Weather – Short rain showers, very strong wind.
