As it turned out the weather was suitable for us to depart about 1000 in the morning. It did look a little ominous but despite some rain the wind never got up much.
We penned out with a cruiser who was shifting moorings to Glasson Dock. They kindly didn't leave us for dead. We rounded Astland Light just before high water and then found the entrance to Skarisbrook and made the turn easily enough.
The traffic light was green as they have to close the rotary gate once the tide drops so far. There is a real run through the restricted course of the brook.
Any thought that the hard work is now over is put behind you when you realise that there are several loocks and as the tide is dropping it is 'interesting' navigating up to the first non tidal lock.
Here we are almost at the top with the staircase lock. A longer boat has to reverse into the lock as the turn is too tight. At the top we reveresed out into the basin and continued on our way, turning right on the Lancaster Canal proper, heading towards Preston. We moored up at the visitor moorings that are next to the services a little outside Preston.
The next day we caught the bus into Preston to have a look around. It has quite a bit to offer, and is well worth a look if you are this way. After a bit of shopping and sightseeing we deserved a pint.
We were near the station as I was checking it out for a trip home later in the trip. Opposite the drive down to the station is the Old Vic. It turns out to be a good find. Dating from the late 1830's it has had several names, such as the Victoria and Station, Duck Inn, Victoria and Vic and Station and now the Old Vic. Do you see the recurring theme there? The pub was pretty busy with all ages. There were far too many TV's for me but at the bar I spied at least 6 hand pumps plus a couple of craft beers. People were chatty and the place was quite a Tardis inside so despite being busy there was plenty of room to find a seat.
I had a pint of the White Rat at 4.0% from Rat Brewery in Huddersfield. It is as it says a pale hoppy beer with a nice mellow taste with a hint of citrus, all for £3-10. I very lovely drink on a warm day.
The Rat Brewery was started in 2011 this micro brewery is found at the Rat and Ratchet pub in Huddersfield, but is under the umbrella of the Ossett Brewery but as a stand along micro brewery.
My next pint was a pint of Omega American Pale Ale at 4.2% it is brewed with four types of malt and four types of hops that gave it a full taste with plenty of fruit tastes with a bit of a spice there too. Another beer with plenty of taste but refreshing on a warm day. It cost £3-30 which seems near normal in this part of the world.
The brewery was started in 2011 in Morecambe and is named after the the route across Morecambe Bay that was the route for travelers from Lancashire to the Lake District that was led by guides to avoid the treacherous quick sands
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