18^th April

The morning started with drizzle until noon so we did not start until after lunch. When we reached

Plank Lane

lift bridge, which is being converted to boater operation, there was a strong blast of wind across the new marina which pinned us to the lea shore. A hard blast on the bow thruster got us off (thank goodness we opted for one, makes life so much easier).

Motored on to Scotman’s Flash and moored up over looking the lakes on both sides.

Graham and I walked into Wigan to find the BW Office where we needed to fill in the forms for the Liverpool Link trip. Nice new offices on the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal but only open to visitors between 10.00 and Noon.

19^th April

Left the moorings at 08.15 in order to get to the BW office for 10.00 and moored below lock 87 so that we could fill up with water whilst waiting for the office to open.

Documentation completed we motored on past Wigan Pier and its heritage centre and out into lovely countryside mooring up at Parbold a small village with a few shops and an old Windmill at the side of the bridge which is now used as an art gallery.

We had a few April showers on route but the evening turned out lovely.