Farewell Manchester and the North.

0 Locks, 14 Miles. Now moored at Lymm. I think it's time this sign was taken down!Manchester's Metro link trams.Manchester United Football club.

As much as we have enjoyed our time in the North of England the time has come to start heading back to the Midlands before the winter stoppages kick in and cut us off. Not too bad a day for cruising but it was a trifle cold.

A least it still floats which is more than be said of the fibreglass hull on the bank.

The cold didn’t stop several rowing crews from the Trafford rowing club getting out on the water for a Sunday training session,hardy souls.

Training session for the coxless 4's from Trafford Rowing Club. I don't think these 2 will keep the grass down.

At the Ye Olde No3 pub at Little Bollington we stopped to take on water but there was very little pressure and it was painfully slow. We had our lunch while it was filling and as soon as we were ready to cruise again we just disconnected the tap even though we had only taken on perhaps 100 litres. Just before this that we found narrow boat's Caxton and Matilda Rose moored up. The only person aboard was Joe on Caxton who we stopped and chatted to for a wee while. Sorry that we missed the rest of the crew, Lesley, Jill and Graham.

Matilda Rose Joe on Narrowboat Caxton looking out the side hatch

We have now seen how popular the Bridgewater Canal is because we haven’t seen so many boats on the move since we went onto the Leeds & Liverpool Canal back in July. Admittedly with no locks or swing bridges it makes for easy but perhaps boring cruising. From what we have seen it is deep water all the way making mooring just about anywhere along the towpath very easy, unlike some canals where they are so shallow along the bank mooring is impossible.

Already for bonfire night at Little Bollington.

1964 locks, 3825½ miles, 72 tunnels, 129 swing bridges and 54 lift bridges since Nov 2006