John P

Having had my booked passage down the Anderton Lift delayed, due to a fault, I did notice that the trip boat was then given priority. Can't say it worried me. It was giving enjoyment to the general public, and (I assume) making money for CaRT

"Good as new" would appear to be somewhat "post truth" . I was up and down the flight last week and the bottom gates on lock 3 were leaking very severely in the cill area. Word was that it would take 4 strong people to open the top gate. I was single handed, so after waiting (a long time!) for levels to "equalise" I had to use the boat to pull or push the gate open. I met some CART employees who told me the fault was scheduled for fixing in five weeks' time. Meanwhile be prepared to use plenty of muscle or boat power.

Hi Folks, I'm planning to take the daughter's family on a weeks trip on Solong starting from Audlem (overwater marina) on Good Friday. The plan is to go to Ellesmere Port and return. I've done the Run to Chester several times, including once last Autumn, but it's several years since I ventured further to Ellesmere Port. Under normal circumstances, I'm pretty confident that I have the timings right for this but it's school holiday time and, perhaps more significant, there is a boaters gathering at the museum. Does anyone with experience of this event know how much this will clog up the route, especially beyond Chester and at the boat museum itself. I was planning to overnight at Stoake for the part of the cruise beyond Chester, so as to make use of the Bunbury Arms but the crew have found out about Cheshire Oaks and are agitating for eating at one of the outlets there. I can see that the canal runs close but there appear to be some pretty serious roads between the two. What is the best way to get there (where do you moor and is there a footpath somewhere).?

Can't comment on the Masons arms. Can't remember anything bad about the beer in the Swan, but can't remember anything good about it iether. Pub was a bit dark and depressing.

Good idea. I got grief from my crew when on the C&H/A&C because I didn't know which locks need the spike. They didn't like carrying around a big lump of timber when they didn't need to.

I recently took Solong from Leeds to a Wigan, visiting many of the pubs mentioned and would concur with the suggestions made so far. In addition I would recommend the Beer Engine in Skipton. It's a micro pub so no food. If you are hungry, get yourself a pie from stainforths! What they do have, however is a changing selection of 5real ales and one real cider on tap and in good condition. If you moor in Leeds basin, the Grove is near the canal (opposite side to the station). good beer and folk singers! I wouldn't say that the fisherman's inn was the best of the bunch mentioned so far but Dowley Gap is the nearest decent overnight mooring to the Bingley 3 rise on the Leeds side, so worth considering when planning your journey. Gargrave is indeed, dire.

Whatever about non-boaters using the toilet facilities, people driving up and dumping their domestic rubbish in CRT Skips really annoys me!

I did this stretch single handed last year with no problems and I'm of a similar age to B0atman. Did the same stretch lat week (April 8th : this time with a crew). both Forge and Newlay Locks are manned. The Lockie for Newlay cycled past as we left Leeds basin at 8am and advised us not to stop till we reached Forge because of gangs of children on their school holidays. I fact the only kids we saw were with their parents and mainly interested in feeding the duckies. Speeding Lycra louts seemed to be the only problem. The improved towpath appears to have encouraged them. One lock keeper at Forge says he parks his car across the towpath to slow them down. If you need to stop on this stretch, I recommend the mooring at Rodley, by the Rodley Barge (bridge 217). One other thing. It is logistically impossible for a single hander to operate the electric swing bridge (214) at Apperly. You will either need to wait for another boat or enlist the help of a friendly and reliable passer by!

Notice Details "From Date: 3rd November 2014 at 08:00 To Date: 28th November 2014 at 17:00 inclusive Type:Navigation ClosureReason:MaintenanceDescription: Both pairs of gates will be lifted out and improvement work will be undertaken to ease the operation of the gates. The works will include new lightweight oak planking and improved flotation tanks to the bottom gates. Repairs to cills, paddles and gearing will also be undertaken. These works will run concurrently with the Thornes lock stoppage to minimise disruption to users. " Great news! One of the hardest locks to operate in a region known for its hard locks, especially when single handed. I like the idea of lightweight planking and flotation tanks.

Remember sharing a lock a few years ago with a small boat called "meinza pint".

Good luck with your search. I think that if there was a significant risk of inter human transfer via urine, both the NHs and US CDC (centre for Disease Control) would issue a warning to health workers, who may well come into contact with a patient 's urine. Are you concerned about the health of the "piss -takers" mentioned in other threads?

Re: human to human transfer of Leptospirosis (Wiels disease). I tried to find a peer reviewed article, but my access to journals now I have retired is limited (unless I care to pay for the privilege ). The best I can come up with is the NHS.uk website. Under "leptospirosis - causes": "Human to human transmission of infection is extremely rare, but it is thought that it may be possible during sex or by an infected mother passing it on to her baby while breastfeeding."

. Urine should be sterile. If there is something alive in yours, you have a problem!

I agree. A friend joined us on the recent trip and they let him park his Beamer there for a couple of days.

Absolutely correct. It was trying to blow me into the lock. Crew were still on the way from the swing bridge, so I tried to stuff the bows into the towpath edge and swing on that. No chance. Couldn't get the angle and had to wait until the crew could secure the bow rope.