Burscough to Melling

Sat 2nd July  Burscough: day out in Southport

Converted warehouse in Burscough

The old station building

We caught a train from Burscough Bridge to Southport, as we have never been there before. We didn’t go so far as having candy floss or Southport Rock, but we did stop for a coffee on two occasions.  We had a walk along the pier, and discovered that the sea had disappeared as the tide was out.  There was a strong wind and there were high waves out at sea. 

The train on the pier

Waves out to sea

Southport from the pier

Pizza Hut for lunch, and a leisurely walk round the gardens and the Marine Lake on the seafront, before catching a train back again.

Marine Lake

No boating today

2016 31  Burscough to Liverpool

Sun 3rd July  Burscough to Haskayne

St John the Baptist Church at Burscough

Worship band

Modern worship songs

We walked to the Anglican Church and enjoyed a communion service to welcome Simon, the new Vicar.  The worship band were good – keyboard, two guitars and a drummer plus two more vocalists. The church was packed, as they had combined the 9am and 11am services and settled on 10am. This was followed by everyone walking down to the wharf, where an open air celebration event took place. Here old canal buildings have been converted into shops and cafes round the edge of a square. Live worship, balloons and bacon butties. A very good day.

Worship at the Wharf

The crowded square

Hazel walked up the hill to Tesco while James walked back to the boat to take down the hood, and bring the boat back to the wharf for water, cassettes, rubbish etc.

Railway Bridge in Burscough

As he was pulling in a man was asking him about Canal Ministries, so he gave him a leaflet.  Hazel returned with the shopping.  There was a boat taking a very long time to fill with water so we decided to fill up at Haskayne instead.

Our route took us through two swing bridges, and past some Leeds Liverpool short boats. It seems that almost every road bridge around here has an adjacent pub.  We also passed a very unusual two storey WWII pill box.

New Lane Swing Bridge

 Two storey pillbox

We spotted Dolly, a boat belonging to BCF members John and Helen Lloyd, who we plan to meet on the way back from Liverpool.

Dolly

Scarisbrick Marina entrance

We moored at Haskayne, halfway between bridges 23 and 22. It was sunny and warm.

Moored at Haskayne

In the evening James went for a short walk along a footpath through fields between the two bridges on the other side of the canal.  Starting from bridge 22, there was a public footpath sign, and an obvious track through the wheat field to a small footbridge.

Path through the wheat field

After that there was no sign of a footpath – just another field of wheat. Looking through binoculars, there was no sign of a stile or footpath sign on the other side of the field.  He aimed for some tractor tracks which led across the field. On the other side the way was blocked by an electric fence, and signs saying “Private – no public right of way”. Following the electric fence to the right, James managed to find a way out of the field to the road, past snarling dogs behind a fence, and another “private” sign. Walking back to the canal along the road, there were what looked like stiles where the footpath was meant to be. The landowners have apparently ploughed up the path and put electric fences across the route.

The map showing the public footpath (dashes), the electric

fence (in red) and James’ route (bright green)

The old stiles

 The field with the electric fence

Hugo caught a bank vole, and James saw two oyster catchers.

0 locks, 7 miles, 2 swing bridges , 1 mouse

Mon 4th July  Haskayne to Jacksons Bridge

We started the engine and put the washing on, with a plan to fill up the water tank at the tap just round the corner.  After ten minutes we set off, and through bridge 22 we discovered that the water point was no longer there. This was confirmed by the crew of Pride of Sefton, a widebeam community boat. Thankfully we think we have enough to get us into Liverpool on Wednesday.

We didn’t want to go far today as rain is forecast later, and we needed to get the washing dry.  We passed Rosie, and the man said they were going to Liverpool on Thursday.

Coxhead Swing Bridge was all automatic, and we moored up soon after, on a handy concrete edge just before a small aqueduct.

Coxhead Swing Bridge

Moored near Jackson's Bridge

There was a wide piece of grass, and we sat out on chairs until we realised that we were getting roasted, with no shade.  Hugo was very happy exploring.

Hedge Rose went past, and we established that they are going down the locks into Liverpool on Wednesday, the same as us.

We had heavy rain later.  Hugo caught a baby rabbit and let it go on the back deck, where it hid behind a door. Hugo went back onto the grass, and the rabbit ran off past him! He was not interested any more, as he had already shown it to us.

0 locks, 2 miles, 1 swing bridge, 1 rabbit

Tue 5th July  Jacksons Bridge to Melling.

Our mooring near Jackson's Bridge

It was alternately cloudy and sunny this morning.  Rosie came past and went ahead and half an hour later we set off.  We met Weary Tired coming the other way, last seen on the Shroppie two years ago.

As we approached Bell’s Swing Bridge, another boat was just getting the bridge open and they beckoned us on. Thus began a leap frog game.  We opened Methodist Swing Bridge (15) and beckoned them through.  At Shaw’s Swing Bridge they beckoned us through, plus Rosie who had stopped there, probably for Morrison’s.  At Maghull Hall Swing Bridge it was our turn again, and the traffic built up very quickly as we waited for all three boats to pass.

Methodist Swing Bridge

Near Holmes Swing bridge

We stopped just before Bridge 10, Holmes Swing Bridge, but the other two went on through. We wandered up the lane through an old farmyard to the Bootle Arms for a drink and to evaluate the place as a possible rendezvous with John and Helen Lloyd on the way back. It was quite a good menu, with two meals for the price of one. What do single people do?  Go somewhere else probably, as without that deal the prices are high.

The old farm

Back at the boat, we found that Ellisiana had moored a little way behind us.  Scrumpy came past and moored in front of us.  Rufford arrived later and moored behind Ellisiana. Including us, that makes six boats for tomorrow’s flotilla down into Liverpool.

We had a good TV signal here for the second week of Wimbledon Tennis.

Not far to go now

There was a good sunset but I only caught the end of it because I was concentrating on the blog!

Sunset at Melling

 0 locks, 4 miles, 4 swing bridges.

Next: the journey into Liverpool and a few days in Salthouse Dock.