It'll be better after Burnley --- I live in hope !

Highlight of our voyage this week - Blackburn ……. NOT !!    Have to say the canal is not at all nice there -  most definitely the worst place we have been for rubbish in the canal and dog pooh on the towpath.   Needless to say we went through as fast as possible, although we did have to stop at the top of the locks for as long as it took me to make 2 trips to Asda which is right by the canal,  while Dai had banter with several drunks who lurched on by!    


Tonight we are moored at Oswaldtwistle (how’s that for a good Northern name).    Dai always told me that the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is one of his favourite canals ----- ummmm??    Up to now it’s been far from my favourite, but I’m told that once we are through Burnley, then I will change my mind (can’t ever see me thinking that Wigan Locks and Blackburn are going to be in my Top Ten !).  


Done two more flights since Wigan - one of 8 at Chorley and one of 6 at Blackburn - piece of cake after the Horror of Wigan Locks!     


Last Friday we moored by Botany Bay just through Chorley ---- an old mill converted into a “shopping experience”.       Was a bit disappointed but we did spend a couple of hours wandering around.    The conversion has been really well done as they have retained a lot of the original features - in fact, this was more interesting to see that what was for sale in the myriad of different retail units.


Saturday we were moored at the top of the Chorley lock flight and had a really excellent Indian meal in the Top Lock pub there which was quite a surprise.


More good rugby last weekend - Wales won and - oh joy - Italy beat France!      Last matches in the Six Nations this coming Saturday - just hope we can get BBC reception.      Couldn’t last Sunday so had to watch the England v Scotland match on the laptop.


Since last blog we have done …  21 miles and 14 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 1047 miles and  925 locks

Wouldn't you just wish you hadn't if you'd book a long weekend at this canalside establishment?  (see photo below for enlargement of the welcoming sign for phone number if you want to sample it !)

Botany Bay Shopping Experience

Welcome to Blackburn (well, I could easily have done a montage of rubbish in the canal and/or dog pooh instead !)

Believe it or not, they did look better as we got closer

is the canal deep enough ?