Liverpool link

[b0atman]

Waiting for assisted passage after booking at Wigan office.A brilliant bit of countryside just like south Lincolnshire (the flat bit).

Well about 4 of us have booked but others at least 2 turned up not booked ?

Could be interesting to see what happens tomorrow.

Very interesting some swing bridges have landing areas on operation side great for single hander though one you have to step over a garden fence.

The best one though has electric control on towpath side.

Yorkshire section could learn a lot from these Lancastrians.

[StephenA]

The L&L between Wigan and Liverpool is very much an overlooked gem of a canal. We kept Mintball moored in the arm at Crooke for several years and really enjoyed it.

[b0atman]

Got some fuel at Crooke off Ambush looked a good spot. Anyone doing this route better be prepared for lots of watering holes.

I like that as in Lincolnshire Holland is in some place names where the Dutch involved in the reclamation .Certainly an area full of Sh## must be fertile soil.

[StephenA]

There are quite a few pubs along the stretch - we drank in most of them!!

 

There's quite a bit of industrial archaeology too - you used to be able to see the remains of one of the old Douglas Navigation locks below Dean Lock, and at Appley Lock there used to be a tramway that came down under the railway bridge. The two shallow locks there were navigable when we were then back in the 1990s

[Timx]

there all good gastro pubs or just for drinking like a proper pub, well Crooke to Maghull at least,great pub crawl on a boat , all friendly with good moorings.hic

[b0atman]

I would probably vote Wigan top lock to Liverpool the best section of L&L although other parts are pretty good .

[cotswoldsman]

Have a great time I have done the link 4 times now and think it is great.

[Pluto]

There are quite a few pubs along the stretch - we drank in most of them!!

 

There's quite a bit of industrial archaeology too - you used to be able to see the remains of one of the old Douglas Navigation locks below Dean Lock, and at Appley Lock there used to be a tramway that came down under the railway bridge. The two shallow locks there were navigable when we were then back in the 1990s

The Douglas Navigation lock at Dean has been removed, though the lock built by the canal company in 1773 to link into the river is still visible. There is a stone weir built for the Douglas Navigation c1740 still surviving below the locks which is visible from the towpath. The water levels of the Douglas have been altered considerably from when it was a navigation, partly because of mining subsidence, and partly for flood prevention. The site of the navigation lock at Dean was converted to a stone barrier with a sluice which can still be seen. They were used to control the level of water here so that boats could reach coal wharves on the far side of the river via the connecting lock. This seems to have gone out of use early in the 20th century.

 

The only original Douglas Navigation lock site is at Chapel House, just above Parbold, where there is a depression in a field in the middle of a bend in the river. From old surveys, it was the site of a lock and I keep trying to interest people in doing an archaeological dig there. The actual dimensions of Douglas Navigation locks are not known, but the boats carried around 20 tons. There is a later Douglas Navigation lock, at Sollom, which was built c1760 when the navigation was extended fro, Rufford down to Sollom to avoid the shallowest navigational part of the river.

 

The other interesting Douglas Navigation feature is the aqueduct at Parbold, where the L&LC crossed over the Douglas. Boats would have sailed on the navigation under the canal for eight years after the L&LC opened, only ceasing when the Rufford Branch opened c1781.

[dmr]

The Douglas Navigation lock at Dean has been removed, though the lock built by the canal company in 1773 to link into the river is still visible. There is a stone weir built for the Douglas Navigation c1740 still surviving below the locks which is visible from the towpath. The water levels of the Douglas have been altered considerably from when it was a navigation, partly because of mining subsidence, and partly for flood prevention. The site of the navigation lock at Dean was converted to a stone barrier with a sluice which can still be seen. They were used to control the level of water here so that boats could reach coal wharves on the far side of the river via the connecting lock. This seems to have gone out of use early in the 20th century.

 

The only original Douglas Navigation lock site is at Chapel House, just above Parbold, where there is a depression in a field in the middle of a bend in the river. From old surveys, it was the site of a lock and I keep trying to interest people in doing an archaeological dig there. The actual dimensions of Douglas Navigation locks are not known, but the boats carried around 20 tons. There is a later Douglas Navigation lock, at Sollom, which was built c1760 when the navigation was extended fro, Rufford down to Sollom to avoid the shallowest navigational part of the river.

 

The other interesting Douglas Navigation feature is the aqueduct at Parbold, where the L&LC crossed over the Douglas. Boats would have sailed on the navigation under the canal for eight years after the L&LC opened, only ceasing when the Rufford Branch opened c1781.

 

Thank you, I was looking at that aqueduct arch only yesterday whilst walking the dog but did not realise it was the navigation. I did wonder why a small river justified such a huge stone arch!

 

............Dave

[dmr]

As I am actually moored right above the aqueduct right now thought I would go and have a look from the towpath side.

There is a big CaRT "No Public Access" sign which is rather sad as this is a proper bit of canal history (thought CaRT liked to keep people and history connected!). Its quite easy to get down though. The Arch is in very good condition and there is a stone ledge that looks very much like the original towpath, so here the water level is still at its original level though the bottom must have come up quite a bit as the water is only about a foot deep.

Might go and look again tomorrow after the rain!

 

The Railway Hotel in Parbold is a friendly proper workingmans (and womans) pub, whilst most of the canalside pubs are eateries!

 

............Dave

[Pluto]

This is the aqueduct viewed from above. The original Douglas Navigation lock at Parbold was on a short cut starting just in front of where I was standing, the lock being a couple of hundred yards behind me.

 

This is the lock site at Douglas Chapel, looking downstream across the bend in the river.

[b0atman]

Not sure what the proper name is but I have contacted Steph at CRT about it as its not on paperwork.

When you get to Canning half tide dock the route into Albert dock can be blocked by a large plate which lowers into the depths for passage through, this passage is controlled by a Red Nogo light or a Green for go light.

We had eight boats milling around in the wind not sure what procedure was for about 30 minutes + .

This also caught out boats who tried to beat the queue and left moorings early.

[gaggle]

I think it is Hartley bridge , plenty of space to moor against or tootle around if the barrier is raised , more often than not though I have always found it ready for passage through .