Quick Leeds & Liverpool question

[cornishdave]

Hi all,

just planning our summer trip and have a quick question...

If all goes well (and I appreciate that's a big if!) we should be coming down the Wigan flight and arrive at Wigan Junction with about 2 days spare before we turn around. Given that would you choose to continue straight towards Liverpool direction for a day and then turn or head down the Leigh branch for a day before turning?

 

Cheers

Dave

[TheBiscuits]

Depends what you want to do really.

 

An early start down Wigan gets you to the junction at lunchtime-ish.

 

Heading towards Leigh gives access to Pennington Flash country park then Plank Lane lift bridge if you want a less usual canal feature.

 

Dropping one more lock towards Liverpool is a good mooring opposite the Dry Dock giving easy access to Wigan town centre.  A much better selection of pubs and shops if that's your thing.

 

Continuing towards Liverpool you'd realistically only go as far as Appley Bridge, or maybe Parbold if you want to do longer days.

 

Burscough is nice but it's a long day from Wigan, especially after doing the flight first!  Mooring at Wigan would allow you to visit Burscough and Parbold by train easily enough.

 

If you're short on time for any reason, Haigh Hall country park is a mile and a half from Wigan Top Lock and might be worth a visit.  That could save you a day if necessary - go down the flight, moor by the dry dock overnight and then go back up the following day.

 

Where are you hiring from?  I know the L&L very well so might have other suggestions for your trip.

[cornishdave]

That's really helpful, thanks.

We have dogs and have visited Haigh Hall before, so think we'll go with the Leigh branch and stop at Pennington or Haigh Hall depending on how we're doing for time.

 

We're starting at Silsden for two weeks - initial thought is to go down the five rise to somewhere like Shipley Junction, then back and along to Wigan flight. Appreciate that any number of things such as queues/weather/water shortages can change matters 🙂

[Pie Eater]

Have a look at the Wigan Council website under "Greenheart" which shows all the flashes and nature reserves which run all the way from Wigan to Leigh alongside the Leeds and Liverpool Leigh Branch canal.

 

Perfect for dog walking.

 

[dmr]

Not sure about the wisdom of going down Wigan flight just to turn and go back up 😀.

You would need to get right through Wgan (which is a few more locks) and get to at least Crooke Hall which is probably too far, but the L&L from just beyond Wigan to just outside of Liverpool is a very nice bit of canal.

[TheBiscuits]

Just now, dmr said:

Not sure about the wisdom of going down Wigan flight just to turn and go back up 😀.

You would need to get right through Wgan (which is a few more locks) and get to at least Crooke Hall which is probably too far, but the L&L from just beyond Wigan to just outside of Liverpool is a very nice bit of canal.

 

"Because it's there" was good enough for Edmund Hillary on Everest...

 

Crooke is an easy run from Wigan, I've often done Wigan Top to Crooke in a single day's journey.

 

Admittedly the time I had a leisurely lunchtime pint at Wigan Central meant I was mooring by torchlight!

 

I reckon it's sour grapes because Vox won't fit up the flight. 😁

[dmr]

2 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

"Because it's there" was good enough for Edmund Hillary on Everest...

 

Crooke is an easy run from Wigan, I've often done Wigan Top to Crooke in a single day's journey.

 

Admittedly the time I had a leisurely lunchtime pint at Wigan Central meant I was mooring by torchlight!

 

I reckon it's sour grapes because Vox won't fit up the flight. 😁

 

Yes, we do have a liitle pang of sadness each time we turn let coming out of the Leigh branch, but even more as we pass the turn to the Rufford Arm. Still dream of a second "Northern Boat" but think two boats is just too much maintanance. Have invested in some premium bonds 😀

 

...........and we do do the Manchester 18 twice every year 😀

[TheBiscuits]

10 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

Yes, we do have a liitle pang of sadness each time we turn let coming out of the Leigh branch, but even more as we pass the turn to the Rufford Arm. Still dream of a second "Northern Boat" but think two boats is just too much maintanance. Have invested in some premium bonds 😀

 

...........and we do do the Manchester 18 twice every year 😀

 

If you saw the patio off the front she might fit

 

Joking aside, a 60 footer would give you access to the C&H and the Hudd Broad as well as the L&L from Leeds to Tarleton.  You'd just need somewhere to store the offcut and it's contents.

 

I believe there are some places very near you that encourage "Kindness" maybe they have a shed.  Or just borrow Jim's boat!

[dmr]

I like a boat with an engine room, Jims boat doesn't even have an engine 'ole, its just got a big white thing stuck on the back 😀.

Have helped a friend up the C&H in a 55 footer, I really would not fancy doing those locks in a 60 footer.

Got a bit restless with the home moorer stuff so having a few days out, left the mooring at 9:30 yesterday morning and sitting in the Golden Lon with a pint in hand before 3, I reckon we could almost keep up with the hire boats.

[TheBiscuits]

1 hour ago, cornishdave said:

We're starting at Silsden for two weeks - initial thought is to go down the five rise to somewhere like Shipley Junction, then back and along to Wigan flight. Appreciate that any number of things such as queues/weather/water shortages can change matters 🙂

 

Back on topic, I think you'll struggle doing that in a fortnight.  There''s no point planning 12 hour days when you can't get through as there are time restrictions on the locks.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/27631-leeds-and-liverpool-canal-lock-flight-operating-times-2024

 

Because of the spacing between flights it makes it quite difficult to do it quickly, and you may well find yourselves arriving at a flight of locks that were padlocked shut half an hour ago when there are still many hours of daylight left.

 

[Ewan123]

28 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Back on topic, I think you'll struggle doing that in a fortnight.  There''s no point planning 12 hour days when you can't get through as there are time restrictions on the locks.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/27631-leeds-and-liverpool-canal-lock-flight-operating-times-2024

 

Because of the spacing between flights it makes it quite difficult to do it quickly, and you may well find yourselves arriving at a flight of locks that were padlocked shut half an hour ago when there are still many hours of daylight left.

 

And if our experience elsewhere is anything to go by, lockies can be rather keen to go home before the advertised ends of day. OP does seen to have the right flexible mindset though so I expect they'll be alright.

[cornishdave]

30 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Back on topic, I think you'll struggle doing that in a fortnight.  There''s no point planning 12 hour days when you can't get through as there are time restrictions on the locks.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/27631-leeds-and-liverpool-canal-lock-flight-operating-times-2024

 

Because of the spacing between flights it makes it quite difficult to do it quickly, and you may well find yourselves arriving at a flight of locks that were padlocked shut half an hour ago when there are still many hours of daylight left.

 

Yeah,  I think it's possible we're being a bit optimistic, will have a play with route planner and see how it comes out. 

I'm making the assumption that lock opening times will be broadly the same as last year's. 

At the end of the day the plan is just a guide and will be subject to change as we go - not too bothered as long as we can find some pubs to eat at 

[IanD]

13 hours ago, dmr said:

I like a boat with an engine room, Jims boat doesn't even have an engine 'ole, its just got a big white thing stuck on the back 😀.

Have helped a friend up the C&H in a 55 footer, I really would not fancy doing those locks in a 60 footer.

Got a bit restless with the home moorer stuff so having a few days out, left the mooring at 9:30 yesterday morning and sitting in the Golden Lon with a pint in hand before 3, I reckon we could almost keep up with the hire boats.

 

We had no problems taking a 60' boat up the C&H last year. OTOH the boat was deliberately designed with features to make this easier such as a watertight bow (and stern, but we were going up) and short stern button/rudder, we had no problems with protruding bottom gate walkways and didn't even have to lift a fender.

 

But I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be taking a boat that length with an open well deck through, given the amount of top gate leakage in some locks... 😞 

[Captain Pegg]

I’d have thought the obvious canal destination in that sort of timescale would be Worsley, and perhaps a trip across and back over the Barton swing aqueduct. Or is that too far?

 

Obviously it would also need the Bridgewater licence sorting.

 

Plank Lane swing bridge is ‘fun’. Otherwise the canal is interesting, a bit odd rather than scenic though, until you get to Worsley.

[Ken X]

You do pass the Lancashire Mining Museum though which I thought was well worth a visit.