Back on BW water.

We’ve been a tad naughty. British Waterways and Peel Holdings (who operate the Bridgewater Canal) have a reciprocal agreement under which craft licenced on either navigation have a week’s free access on the other. We’ve sneaked an extra couple of days, but I won’t tell if you don’t.

I’m sure we’re not the only ones, in both directions.

This morning Meg and I headed north out of Moore to have a look at the River Mersey. After crossing two railway lines and a field with a lively horse that wanted to have a close look at Meg (they both got a good run out of that) we had to cross the Manchester Ship Canal.

Moore Lane Swing Bridge

Looking west on the Canal.

Through Moore Nature Reserve and we had to find a route through the rough ground at the edge of the estuary before getting a view out across the water.

Fiddlers Ferry Power Station is on the left, but the tide was out, showing only a glint of water on the right.

Widnes – Runcorn Bridge across Runcorn Gap.

This spans both the Ship Canal and the Mersey Estuary at it’s narrowest point and replaced an earlier transporter bridge. The new bridge, now known as the Silver Jubilee Bridge, opened in 1961.

We couldn’t get any closer to the river which was a bit disappointing, but had a good walk nonetheless.

Back on the boat we had an uneventful trip to Preston Brook with a detour a short way along the Runcorn Arm for water, and then had a 15 minute wait before we could go through the tunnel.

Waiting for Preston Brook Tunnel

We were mugged by a mallard family, lying in wait for unsuspecting boaters. We bought them off with a couple of slices of brown bread.

Little beggars.

Once through the tunnel we had the shallow Dutton Stop Lock to go through, then moored at the edge of Longacre Wood, one of our regular moorings. Meg enjoys terrorising the squirrels here, and there are some good walks taking in the Weaver.

Moored near Longacre Wood.

The bankside vegetation has grown a bit since we were here last. Had to get the shears out to give us somewhere to get off, and to trim back around the windows.

Locks 1, miles 4