John Wareing

I can't see any mention of this anywhere on the site. It is I suppose a little tangential to canals. As many of you will know the Lancaster Canal Company's original plan was to take the canal south of Preston to link up with a separate section built between Walton Summit and Chorley, which later became part of the the Leeds and Liverpool route at Johnson's Hillock. They spent more than planned on the aqueduct over the Lune in Lancaster and had no money for a similar structure over the Ribble in Preston. As a result what was planned to be a temporary tramway was built in 1802 betwe

There are a few small hire companies on the Lancaster based around Garstang, which would be the nearest to you in Blackpool.

There are a little over 4.5 litres in an imperial gallon so 80p a gallon is about 17.6p a litre.

Athy, Bugsworth is a very desirable area to live, eminently commutable into Manchester and it’s clearly been done up. Not by a lock - I assume some type of house for the manager/overseer of the Bugsworth site.

True enough although the options at Acton Bridge and Anderton are quite a bit nearer the airport than Chas or Anglo-Welsh.

Bear in ind that Swiss would require an extra stop in Switzerland so 3 flights rather than 2 from Auckland. Also the Emirates and Qatar options are not very well balanced - one very long flight from AKL to the Middle East followed by a relatively short one into the UK. Singapore Airlines fly into Manchester (or at least they did before covid) and their flights are more balanced.

Or for the 4 counties Black prince at Acton Bridge, ABC at Anderton or Andersen or Floating Holidays at Middlewich.... I'm pretty sure some of them will do pick-ups from Manchester Airport. There are buses from Barbridge, or at least there were a few years ago when we used them. The train from Nantwich isn't very practical though, as you would have to get a train into Crewe to get one to Chester as well as the long walk (and a bit of one from Chester station into the city as well).

They definitely started. We walked past them about 3/4 weeks ago and they were in full swing.

We have been happy to leave our boat in the area for up to two weeks at a time so you should have no problem with a day.

I’ll look out for you, although it will probably be next Spring now. We know the route well from many cruises, although we haven’t been up Wigan for a few years now. Plans are in place for a trip to Sheffield next year. It was a pleasure to “go up” Wigan in 40 minutes on Sunday!

I guess we must have been past you a couple of times recently Jonathan. 3 weeks ago we brought our boat back to Scarisbrick after the Summer out. And this last week we will have walked past you - we have just started a Winter project of walking the towpath from Liverpool to Leeds. We did Burscough to Gathurst last Thursday and Gathurst to the top of Wigan locks on Sunday.

Crabtree and Scarisbrick are both on the same side of the stoppage at Spencer’s bridge.

I know only too well. When we got our first boat we were in Fettler's Wharf for a few years. But having to take 2.5 hours each way to get to the main line every time we wanted to go somewhere got too much after a while so we moved when Scarisbrick opened.

The benefit of more local knowledge there Biscuits - Jonathan only said west of Wigan!

Scarisbrick marina has a slipway too.