Bridgewater Canal

We made a fairly early start this morning. Preston Brook Tunnel is not wide enough for two boats to pass so entry into it is timed, on the hour northbound and half past southbound, allowing time for boats heading in one direction to clear the tunnel before boats enter from the other end. We had a short journey and then the stop lock before reaching the tunnel for nine o'clock.

The entrance to Preston Brook Tunnel

After we got through the tunnel, with a working headlight, we stopped at Midland Chandlers for a few boaty bits, mainly paint as we are looking a bit tatty. After a cuppa we were back on the move up the Bridgewater Canal to Lymm for an overnight mooring. We could have gone further but the wind had a bite to it so we decided to stop.

Our little kittens are growing up fast, their eyes are now open but my attempts to get a photo of them awake have been unsuccessful. Although we don't intend to keep them we had to name them so they are now Storm, Thunder and Lightning, in honour of the weather when they were born. Storm is the black one, Thunder the slightly darker of the two tabbies who's birth was the noisiest and Lightning the last born, who was born so quickly I almost didn't realise Nimue had given birth for the third time.

Our babies being snoozy

 

We hope to reach Worsley tomorrow where we enjoyed an excellent value carvery on our last visit in 2010 and hope to do the same again.

 

Today's journey 11.9 miles, 1 lock and 1 tunnel

So far this year we have travelled 295.9 miles, 174 locks, 5 swing bridges and 9 tunnels

In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels

During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels
Since Ray retired we have travelled 1497.6miles, 1260 locks, 61 swing bridges, 38 lift bridges and 49 tunnels