Lyra's Travels

At the bottom of Johnsons Hillock Locks

Sunday, Monday 21,22 August

After early bright sunshine Sunday settled to dull with the occasional show of the bright orb.

Cath set off for a bit of a walk while I started preparing the boat for the day's move. Everything done (or so I thought) I set off in pursuit. After picking her up we continued as far as Botany Bay. Not Australia, of course but an old mill converted to a shopping mall. As we approached I noticed that there was only 1 mooring hook on the hatch cover. Sudden memory flash of intending to pick up the back hook and then not doing it. Ah well, we're only about a mile away, so out comes the bike and I cycle back for it. That'll teach me to be more careful, or will it.

We soon reached Johnson's Hillock Locks, 7 locks raising the canal 65 ft. This is a well kept flight and at the top is a pub, appropriately call 'The Top Lock'. They have a sign outside declaring they have an ice cream parlour and I can resist anything except temptation and ice cream! After using the facilities we move across onto the pub mooring and I dived into a large cone.

After lunch we continued along as far as Riley Green where we've moored up for the night.

Monday started very promising, bright sunshine as we set of towards Blackburn. The canal is strangely lonely with no sign of other moving boats.

As we approached Blackburn it quickly became obvious we were near an industrial town. The amount of rubbish, mostly discarded drinks bottles increased exponentially.

At Burnley Locks we met the first moving boats of the day, a pair heading down to Chorley. They just beat us to the facilities point so we didn't bather to stop as we weren't desperate for them. Continuing on up the flight, 6 locks 54 ft., which takes the canal to over 400 ft high.

Later on we were passing a moored boat when they asked of we had any jump leads. I have so we stopped to try to assist. Unfortunately we didn't succeed because the trouble was with their starter motor, and we couldn't tow them as we were going the wrong way.

We continued on as far as a place called Rishton where there is mooring marked on the map. That was a bit of an over statement. There is only one place, but we've managed to get 2 boats on it with our back end sticking out because of the shallowness of the waters's edge.
Addendum
After being in Rishton for a few hours and been bothered by some local youths pulling on the ropes and jumping on the boat, and then noticing older lads eyeing us up we both decided to move out of town.
A mile or so up the canal we've found a lovely spot with glorious views, so here we'll stay.