Lymm Friday 30 June 2017

Well last night dinner was taken at Dukes92 which lies between the car park we were moored against and the Rochdale canal bottom lock, Again this was a very good choice of venue to eat.

This morning we were woken by the company picking up a Cherry Picker from the car park, I could have done with at least another hour.

After breakfast it was back to the science museum to see the rest of the exhibits, down to the oldest railway station in the country and also to watch the atmospheric engine being run. There were several parties of school kids in and the group, aged about 7-8 who were watching the engine were spell bound by the chap doing the demonstration, he really had the gift and would have done well on one of the old TV programs like "How".

It was lunch time before we returned to the boat so we had a full day there and its Free.

We pushed off a little after 1300hrs heading out of the basin and turning left along the Bridgewater Canal, on the deep water it was obvious that there was something on the prop so we pulled over on the Pomona Lock moorings for a trip down the weed hatch to remove the polythene we had collected. I expect it will be a bit lively in Castlefield tonight as when we left they were doing sound tests for Sounds of the City in Castlefield Bowl.

When we left it was still fine, but the coat would be back on before we moored up for the night. I often wonder what is so special about Throstle Nest that they went to the trouble of painting the name on the bridge other than cyclists clocking 24 MPH down the tow path there.

The next thing of note or not is the stretch through Sale which is about a mile and a half of dead straight canal, as far as the eye can see, the bridge in the photo is not even half way.

We then chugged past the old Linotype works, at first it didn't look much different to last time we passed but there are quite a few houses being constructed to the west of the site. I wonder how long it will be before they do something incorporating the gable ends of the old building that is presently being held up by scaffolding.

The rain started as a fine drizzle and just a few drops of light rain but it wasn't long before a coat was required. We stopped for water at Little Bollington, the tap is just tucked away in a brick box on the off side by The Ye Old Number 3 pub.

We then passed something I have never seen before, there on the towpath was an Oystercatcher with a single chick, my word she was making some lot of noise calling it.

As we came through Lymm we were lucky to find a single space just long enough for us to moor on the offside. This week in the Lymm festival and the place seemed quite busy, but then it was last time we were here in the evening. The place has more than its share of eating establishments.
This time we had dinned at "Flavours" a Turkish restaurant and I must say the service was second to non, really on the ball. We didn't have desert but spoilt our selves by calling in at "Rolandos" for a Gelato on our way back to the boat.

Today's Journey 14 Miles in 4¾ hours.