I am Linda and along with my husband Richard and our dog Muffin we enjoy our summers on the UK's canal system

Thursday 27 September 2012

Wednesday 26th September

 
clip_image002The rain wasn’t quite so heavy this morning and we were ready to set off at 8.30am.  We got to the bridge where we were meeting with C&RT and set off down into Liverpool.  We passed Aintree Race Course and the Canal Turn which today, sadly, only had a steeplechase fence.  The Melling Road went over the canal before it crossed the race course.  The entry into Liverpool is very scruffy and the canal is full of rubbish but the leaflet that we had been sent had warned us of this!  There is a sharp right hand turn into the Stanley Dock Branch and before us were fouclip_image004r locks with 2
 
 
 
Lock Keepers and 2 C&RT volunteers which meant we had nothing to do!  We shared the locks with Katynka who we had crossed the Ribble with (it wasn’t Kimberley Jo but to confuse you even more Kimberley Jo did cross the Ribble but on Saturday and was also one of our convoy today along with Ryeland!) 

The first part of the docks through Stanley, Collingwood and Salisbury Docks is very derelict and sad – I thought of my Mother during the war and tried to imagine how it was then.  Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse is a grade II clip_image008listed building and is the world's largest brick warehouse.  We turned left at the Victoria Clock Tower which was often referred to as the 'docker's clock  It was built as an aid to ships in the port, as it allowed them to set the correct time as they sailed out into the Irish Sea, while its bell warned of impending meteorological changes such as high tide and fog.  It was then onto the first part of the Liverpool Link through Clarence, Trafalgar, Central and Prince’s Dock which led to Prince’s Dock Lock where we met our friendly C&RT people again!  After that it was a series of tunnels taking us in front of the Three Graces – The Royal Liver Building, The Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building.  Fclip_image006rom there it was through the
 
Mann Island Lock and into Canning Dock.  The last two docks were Albert and Salthouse.  Albert Dock is lovely and been renovated into a real tourist area.  We came into Salthouse Quay just missing the Yellow Duckmarine.  We are on the first pontoon and it isn’t too noisy at all.

The family all arrived mid afternoon and we had tea in the hotel.  In the evening everyone came to Mary H for chilli and a very nice evening J

The blog might be a bit erratic over the next few days so please bear with me!

1 comment:

  1. Hello Linda.

    I notice that you are in the company of some frends of ours on Nb Katynka. Please pass on our best wishes to Ian and Diana. Also let them know that when my phone died I lost all my stored numbers including theirs!

    Regards

    Mick n Mags

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