Parbold Lancashire

Enjoyed our meal at the Ship Inn by Lathom locks last night and staggered 'home' in the dark but not too innebriated to notice that water was pouring through the gates at the top lock.  Last boat through managed to lock the paddle in the up position, so we guessed the branch pounds were getting plenty of water! This could explain why we get such high water levels in Fettlers Wharf on occasion.  I went back to the boat to get a key for the handcuff lock and went back to lower the paddle.  I know the main line has a 26 mile pound but I am sure the water supplies will not stand much of that sort of waste!

Well it must start to sound like the needle got stuck because I keep harping on about the wind.  Today it was blowing a real gale and the towpath and canal are so covered in leaves and branches it is like autumn (apart from the colour that is).  Simon took his car down to Parbold and walked back, by which time we were ready for a spot of lunch.  Afterwards we made ready and set off with Simon walking ahead for first few hundred yards to get first swing bridge after the junction ready.  This is fully automated so just a matter of putting the BW key in and pressing the buttons.  After passing the closed up pub at Ring O Bells it was my turn to jump off and race ahead to open the next swing bridge so that Simon could pass through without stopping or mooring.  Good job too as a boat was moored on the landing stage.  They are very useful the three bollards that BW provide before and after a swing bridge.  So useful that there is always a muppet with a boat that thinks they have been provided to moor his boat up on!  This one looked as if it had been there some time too.   They would be the first to complain if I banged into them in the wind and did some damage of course.

This bridge is also automated except that you have to dice with death and manually operate the barriers to stop the traffic.  Given the windy conditions I closed the barrier straight behind a car and raced behind him to close the other side before a car coming the other way could argue!  Only held up the one car and not for long I was soon chasing after Simon and jumping aboard the moving boat. Anyway given it was only three miles to Parbold, and despite the wind, it didn't take long before we were moored up near Simon's car at Parbold and able to take the dogs for another walk.