Wednesday 1 July 2009

Portland Basin Museum.

Ashton Canal 015 Portland Basin Museum.

After yesterdays day of idleness in which time my back improved greatly, it was time to stretch our legs. Last time we passed through here we were on a very tight schedule and didn’t have time to stop and visit, so this time around we ensured that we would visit the Portland Basin Museum. Not that we had to go far as the entrance to the museum is only about 400 yards away.

As luck would have it a Primary School had arranged a visit at the same time as us, needless to say there was lots of noise about the place. In saying that I must admit the museum is set up very well with an educational bias so we shouldn’t complain. Even though the museum is in a restored canal warehouse, (it had been destroyed by fire) the theme wasn’t totally canal orientated but covered just about every aspect of life in Tameside in the 1800’s through to the 1900’s. Overall it was well worth the visit.

Ashton Canal 017 This chimney belongs to a private collector.

While here we have been befriended by Maisie,(she has an ID tag) a rather fat tabby cat who is obviously off one of the boats on the permanent moorings. She certainly knows her way around a boat as she came aboard this afternoon from the bow and had to come through the cratch on the canal side as the other side was closed. She is now curled up asleep on the seat opposite me. What a life.

Ashton Canal 019 Maisie the cat that befriended us at Portland Basin.

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