Old and New.

It has been a lovely day so far and we were sort of reluctant to let go. So we walked back into the town to buy some sausages etc. As we walked back there were a boat on the water point so we put the kettle on and moved up to the spare slot and I did a bit of battle scar painting. By the time I was finished the boat had gone so we moved up and topped up the tank. At the old old wharf was a history board with some photos.

This was the dry dock with the cottages in the back ground at Burscough Junction. There was a boat yard behind the camera that was run by the Tyrer family. Apparently the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was used by seagoing sailing craft that would be able to transverse through for the west to east coast.

This is roughly the same view from a little lower down, rather than on the bridge. By using the steps at the head of the dock you can see that a cottage has been infilled.

The L&L long boat butty 'Viktoria' by Burscough Mill.

Not a very good photo of the 'Viktoria', but it is the same boat.

Powered boat and butty approaching the railway bridge heading west at Aiscough's Burscough Mill.

From a lot closer but here we are approaching the railway bridge and mill the other day.

I'm not sure that this is the mill at Burscough, if it is it the frontage seems to have been much altered.

If it is the same mill this was a similar view today.

After Burscough on the way towards Liverpool there are three swing bridges. The first two are electrified and worked smoothly and without holding up too many cars. There are pubs by each of them and plenty of permanent moorings too. Is that because of the pubs do you think? This is New Lane swing bridge. There is a third one but it is redundant and left open it seems.

The sun has brought a little colour to the scene, and by New Lane bridge was this pretty sight.

There were extensive views to the north down to the Ribble and Douglas valleys. Night soil from Liverpool was brought out here to add to the productivity of the soils. There are certainly plenty of trucks from vegetable transport companies on the roads to be seen so it must have worked!

There are drifts of celandine in the hedge bottoms now, and there is about to be a perfusion of bud break if the weather keeps up like this and everywhere will be green again.

At Heaton's Bridge there is this double height pill box. I suppose with the flat terrain it would have a commanding view of a large area and defend the bridge and defensive line of the canal.

We found a mooring in the sun and far away from most things for a quiet night, hopefully. Just another little potter tomorrow.