Lyra's Travels

Northwich Town Sculpture

A view of Winsford Flash

Me looking at Winsford Flash

Thursday 14th July

 We travelled on down to Winsford Flash this morning, it's a lake formed by the subsidence of the land due to salt extraction. The flash isn't deemed fit for navigation by BW but there are boats moored on it. We ventured out into the open water before turning around and heading back onto the river.

Friday 15th July
This morning we set off down river hoping to get an early ride up on the lift. Arriving at the mooring at about 10.15 I went up to the booking office to see when the first free space was. The lady in there said we could have a slot at 12.45. No hurry there then, so I wandered up stairs to get an ice cream.
Getting back to the boat there's one of the lift operators asking if we wanted to take the ride now, if so hurry up. We hurried! What a service, dead lucky, turn up and straight in.
At the top we turned south as we've decided to change our original plan to go to Manchester next. It's now to head for the Macclesfield Canal and on to the Peak Forest Canal. The last time we came this way 4 years ago our cat Timmy jumped ship at a bridge and we got all the way to Bugsworth Basin before finding him gone. It was too late to turn around and get back that night so we didn't get much of a chance to explore and had to go back next morning. Sure enough, he was where we thought he would be and was glad to be back in the warmth.
The plan now is to get to Bugsworth Basin and have a look around, then head for Manchester on the Ashton Canal.
The weather tomorrow is supposed to be foul so we may stay here, overlooking Billinge Green Flash, it's quite calm and the scenery is good.