Winding at Tarleton

[tizzy]

Hi

We are planning to go up towards Tarleton in the Summer but wont have time to do the Ribble Link so need to be able to wind our 57ft boat somewhere nearby.

We have looked at the guides but there is no mention of a winding hole so what do people do ?

Any advice appreciated

Thank you

[Guest]

Some have managed to wind just before the lock by Mayer's boat yard. I know thwy turned our 57ft around there when being blacked, so must be possible.

[tagulablue]

we turned because we were due to do the Ribble Link and due to family problems we had to turn round just before the lock and head home. We are 60ft.

[frangar]

It's widest just before the first of the moored boats at mayors.....you might need to nudge the bow into the reeds but it's deeper than you think it might be....there is a small sign on the bank that says winding hole.

 

Cheers

Gareth

[tizzy]

Thanks for the advice folks we are now reassured !

[WarringtonWhite]

We were there in November last year. The advise I would give is that once you have come through the last swing bridge before the locks..... look for the Winding Hole sign and turn in it. If you slightly miss it then go back a bit until you can hit it. We missed it by about 10 foot and it took about 1.5 hrs to wind !! We are 60ft and managed.

 

Just a warning when you are doing the Rufford branch..... there is a section that you think it was built for swamp buggies - its a fantastic run but i wish i had realised how rustic that section of the canal was. The boss did ask me at one point if I had taken a wrong turn.

 

There are some decent moorings in front of the new houses and if you fancy an Indian takeaway then a 10 min walk up the road will reward you with a great little Indian.

[tizzy]

Thank you Warrington

I am familiar with the Rufford Branch from the from childhood walks along the towpath and do remember how isolated it is !

The idea of an Indian takeaway is always appealing are these new houses in Tareleton ?

Tizzy

[Pluto]

The Rufford branch was built section by section. The first to be opened, from below Rufford lock to Sollom, was built by the Douglas Navigation circa 1760, before they had begun properly to drain Martin Mere. This section originally had no towpath as boats on the Douglas were pulled by men rather than horses. After the surrounding wet lands, like Martin Mere, began to be drained, the land sunk, leaving the canal on an embankment. The level in the canal was lowered around 1790, but this section has a long history of leaks because of the land subsiding after it dried out. The next section to open was from Top Locks to Rufford around 1780. It was built by the Bradford committee of the L&LC, so had 60 foot locks, whilst the canal from Liverpool to Wigan was built by the LIverpool committee with 72 feet long locks. The final section from Sollom to Tarleton was part of the Croston Drainage scheme, the Douglas being diverted into a new straight channel, and the canal using its old route between Sollom and Bank Bridge, from there to the river lock being new canal. The old river section did have a towpath, but again land drainage has resulted in subsidence, with the towpath alongside the river section disappearing under water. The half-tide gate, some 200 or 300 yards above the river lock, may have been put in later to cope with trade through the port. The section of canal between the gate and the lock was allowed to go up and down with the top of the tide, water in the canal retained by the half-tide gate. It allowed both sets of river lock gates to be open at the same time such that it was easier for boats to leave or enter the canal basin. In the mid-19th century, around 200,000 tons of cargo were passing through Tarleton, coal and stone for export, limestone, explosives (for Wigan's coal mines) and iron ore coming inward.

[WarringtonWhite]

Thank you Warrington

I am familiar with the Rufford Branch from the from childhood walks along the towpath and do remember how isolated it is !

The idea of an Indian takeaway is always appealing are these new houses in Tareleton ?

Tizzy

 

Tizzy

The houses are at the end of the branch, by the winding hole. The Indian is straight up the hill into Tarleton

[Iain_S]

If the boatyard is really full, it's possible to wind in the Douglas, just below the lock. Best done just before high tide, once the incoming flow has slackened off a bit.

[TheBiscuits]

Or, in extremis, the Ribble is quite wide ...

[tizzy]