Lymm to Sale

We stayed a few days in Lymm and the mooring was lovely, it's a nice wide canal so when boats go past too quickly (and some did) we didn't get knocked about too much. The towpath was quite busy with walkers, which made a nice change to speeding cyclists, although there were a few of those too, but not enough to complain about. I think the walkers must have been coming and going from Oughtrington, the next village along the canal, as a lot of them mentioned going to the pub as they past us and a couple of hours they were returning. A few young lads, out with their parents for the evening, stopped at our window peering through, I was out on the front deck and a rather embarrassed Dad explained that they were trying to see the football score on our telly and they were hurrying back home to catch the last of the second half.

A few of these huge boats passed

And this one we passed by on our journey

And passing the Linotype Works

Again some of our journey to Sale was in the rain, but it was still quite warm and the sun did make an appearance a few times. We were soon approaching the town of Sale and moored up just along from the King's Ransom pub, but we treated ourselves to a burger at the Slug and Lettuce a short stroll into town as they offer 50% off food as it was a Monday.

8 Miles

Total 300.75 miles and 163 locks

Stockton Heath to Lymm

Stockton Heath has good provision for pubs and wine bars and the ones in the centre were certainly busy on a Thursday evening when we strolled down there, and past the Manchester Ship Canal to look at the River Mersey. We had looked on the map and the river runs adjacent to a main road so we thought there maybe a pathway down to it, but there wasn't, in fact we only had glimpses of the river through all the overgrown weeds and bushes by the side of the road and there was no evidence of a pathway. Anyway I think our romantic thoughts of an evening stroll down by the river were not really thought through, this was the Mersey after all and tidal even at this point, the tide was out so it was only mud down there really, no wonder there wasn't a pathway.

The next day after a bit of a lazy morning we set off to continued our flat (no locks) journey ending up in Lymm. We passed by the village visitor moorings and stopped just outside being a short stroll back to the shops, but we did have a nice view from the side hatch.

Moored just outside Lymm

Panorama from the side hatch

We did venture into the village where there is a good choice of pubs, tea rooms and coffee shops, also a handy Sainsbury's Local, with Lymm Cross being just outside it.

Lymm Cross is designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. The cross dates from the early to middle 17th century and it was restored in 1897. It is constructed of sandstone and stands on an artificially stepped natural outcrop of red sandstone. Its shaft stands in a square pavilion of red sandstone with square corner pillars. It has a stone roof with a pedimented gable to each face and ball finials. Above the cross is an extension which carries a stone ball and an ornate weather vane. On the east, south and west gables are bronze sundials of 1897 carrying the inscriptions "We are a Shadow", "Save Time" and "Think of the Last". 

Lymm Cross

5.5 miles

Total 292 .75 miles and 163 locks

Runcorn to Stockton Heath

The Bridgewater Canal is now owned and operated by the Manchester Ship Canal Company in conjunction with the Bridgewater Canal Trust. To this day it remains the largest British water project to have been financed by one person, The Duke of Bridgewater. The canal was started in 1759 and reached Castlefield in 1765, it is a contour canal and has no locks

The Runcorn Arm is extremely quiet with us seeing only two other moving boats in the three days we were on it. It is very wide and in great condition with the grass and vegetation on the towpaths looked after. We made the journey back along the arm in good time not having seen another boat on the move, we were soon at the junction with the main canal where we turned left heading northwards. No photos today as is was raining. We stopped at Stockton Heath just in time to catch the chippy for a bag of chips for lunch.

Moored at Stockton Heath

9.25 miles

Total 287.25 miles and 163 locks

Little Leigh to Runcorn

From our mooring on the Trent and Mersey canal we had a wander down to the River Weaver and Dutton Locks, here the larger of the locks was in use with the smaller one being all chained up. We did a bit of gongoozaling and watched a lone narrowboat go up through the lock.

Huge river lock

We had a couple of lovely warm days here and even the parasol came out at one point so James was in the shade as he worked.

Continuing our journey we came to Dutton Stop Lock, our first lock for a while, with a drop of about four inches, it's a strange lock as it has narrow gates but the lock itself is a couple of feet wider. Then it was straight into Preston Brook Tunnel, turning up just in time for the 10 minute window to enter the tunnel. The Trent and Mersey originally joined the Bridgewater Canal at the northern end of the tunnel, but it was extended giving the unique situation of canals joining inside a tunnel. This was the first major tunnel to be built and is the ninth longest canal tunnel still in use. Preston Brook, Satersford and Barnton were the first three British canal tunnels to be built (except mine tunnels). The centre section of Preston Brook Tunnel had to be rebuilt in 1982 after a Post Office collapsed into it.

Preston Brook stop lock

Southern entrance of Preston Brook tunnel

Shortly after we turned left down the Runcorn Arm mooring for the night near Norton Priory before continuing onto Runcorn itself.

The car is only a year or so old

We had a walk down to Wigg Island which is between the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal. A lot of the island is closed at the moment as a new bridge across the Mersey is being constructed. It is hoped that once the new bridge is in place restoration work can begin on the lock flight reconnecting the Runcorn Arm to the Ship Canal or River Weaver.

At the end of the Runcorn Arm

Manchester Ship Canal

Ship Canal on left, River Mersey on Right

9.25 miles and 1 lock

Total 278 miles and 163 locks