To Liverpool and beyond

Liverpool to Rufford

June 2018

Liverpool was a blast but all good things come to and end, and Sunday morning saw us hooking the butty onto the stern and crossing the Stanley Dock ready to be at the lock at 8.00am. 

Thwarted by the tidal barrier

What I hadn't realised was that the first obstacle was the barrier to Canning Half Tide Dock, which spends the night in the up position and we had to circle for a few minutes till the CRT staff showed up and dropped it back to the floor of the dock.

When we entered Liverpool it was under grey skies which threatened rain but our exit was under clear blue skies, which offered some great photo opportunities.

We shared Stanley Locks, selling jam to fishermen as we rose - a first for us.

An hour of travel took us to the Litherland services, where we used the much needed Elsan, filled with water and encountered the unmistakable Spey which was progressing into Liverpool. Spey also paused at the services just long enough to top up their preserve reserves.

Terrapins in Bootle

For the last three years we have been wanting to make more Rose Petal Jelly, an intensely perfumed preserve. The problem has been a lack of Japanese Roses in sufficient volume. This drought came to an end in Bootle where we found a big bush heaving with the violent pink blooms. These were duly picked and converted into 12 jars of the pink nectar.

One snag about towing is the reduced rate of travel, and this was made apparent by the timed swing bridges. We reached Netherton Swing Bridge just before 2.00pm but there was no way we could get to Handcock's Swing Bridge before 2.45pm, so we resigned ourselves to a bit of a wait. The afternoon was incredibly hot so it was no big hardship to tie up for three hours and wait for the bridge to be reactivated at 6.00pm. 

Spey at Litherland

With the day cooling off we decided to press on through bridge 10 and on through the many bridges of Maghull, mooring just north of the village.

Monday's objective was to make it to the junction of the Rufford Arm, which simply involved putting in the hours on those long straights. One item on our schedule was to call in at Scarisbrick Marina for some diesel. We motored in and were delighted by the warmth of our welcome. As well as supplying diesel and ice cream we also discovered their enthusiasm for preserves. In the end refilled the tank and had more cash in our pocket than when we arrived - cant be bad! We also spotted the mother lode of Japanese Roses and picked enough for another 24 jars - enough to see out the season.

Gateway to the Rufford Arm

The evening cooled off so we moved through the Junction and dropped through the first six locks so we ended up just above Rufford, a mooring spot for a few days whilst we go home on the train.

All you need is love

All you need is love
May 2018

Thursday

Football clubs aside, its hard to visit Liverpool without The Beatles featuring front and centre stage.

The Fab Four

We spent our first day exploring the Princes Dock area, swanning around in tee shirts and shorts whilst much of the rest of the country was sheltering from tropical thunderstorms. 

Real boats on the Mersey

We had a wander around the docks area, having a look at the official life size Fab Four statue in front of the Liver Building and then, fortified with some lunch from one of the street food vendors we paid a visit to The Beatles Story. This is one of those audio tour affairs where you move from zone to zone with a digital player and earphones.

The dastardly duo at large

I guess it is always difficult to deliver such a well known story in a fresh way, and we left feeling we hadn't learned a lot new. The place felt a bit jaded and with some elements missing it didn't really live up to expectations, or justify the £17 price tag.  The elements which I liked were the descriptions of them getting started.

Consider this... They started out on the Casbah, which was actually some womans basement where teenagers of both sexes came to hang out.  I suspect that this would raise  a few eyebrows in today's protective environment. 

Then there was the Cavern Club, which has been carefully reproduced and the commentary was graphic in its description of a smell made up of dettol, smoke and sweat, with condensation running down the walls from a packed audience. Imagine playing for eight hours a day in those conditions.

Given this was a musical tour, the trick which is missed is to offer the music in a realistic manner. By that I mean light strains of Hey Jude are all very nice, but something like the Cavern Club or their final performance of the roof of Apple Records should be delivered with power and impact - ie at volume. I couldn't help thinking that the whole thing would be better if groups were moved from zone to zone and experienced a realistic musical rendition of the aspect being illustrated.

From there we moved on to the free Maritime Museum which was really hot and failed to grab our attention so we moved on to the Museum of Liverpool (also free) and specifically to the Double Fantasy exhibition about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, from their meeting through to the present day. Whilst I do find it hard to "get" a lot of Yoko Ono's art, I found their story compelling and rich and a way the The Beatles Story wasn't. 

Friday

This was a day of two cathedrals with a bunch of pottery warriors thrown in for good measure.

East and West windows of the Cathedral

The first thing we saw as we entered the docks was the bulk of Liverpool Cathedral looming on St James Mount above. What I didn't realise is that its the largest cathedral in the country and the fifth largest in the Europe. Whats more, its not exactly old as it was started in about 1905 and not opened till 1978. I read the opening chapter of a guidebook and it suggested that its architect took the classic cathedral design and applied modern construction techniques thus letting then build an "old style retro cathedral" to dimensions unattainable in times gone by.

The problem (and I am ready to be shot down in flames here) is that the result is a building which is both breathtakingly enormous but lacking in subtlety and beauty. Its a bit like comparing an american muscle car with an Italian supercar. If you like sheer ballsy brawn, ok, but if you are looking for ride and beauty built into every detail you need to look elsewhere. 

There are some interesting modern works of art near the altar and I later discovered the sign under the west window is a Tracey Emmin special but none of this does much to lift ones spirits. We came, we grabbed a photo of both the east and west windows, and we moved on. 

The Catholic Cathedral

Then we visited the very distinctive Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral which was built in the five years to 1967. This cathedral is as different as chalk is from cheese when compared to its Anglican counterpart barely half a mile away. Gone is the heavy masonry and in its place is Paddys Wigwam (aka Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King). Here innovation and light are used to create a massive circular auditorium capable of seating 2,300 people and all are very close to the central altar. It does indeed resemble a wigwam, but one with a massive lantern window on the top and multi coloured windows all round. Its a daydream of colour and space, with glass and textures used to lend moods to the various alcoves and crannies. Seen through a camera lens its almost like a light show has been created, with the space changing in feel and atmosphere as you walk round it.

I do appreciate that the church is its people, and the building merely provides shelter for gatherings, but as an inspirational place of worship the Catholic offering wins hands down.

On our wanderings between the two seats of worship we discovered Falkner Street, location for the recent House through time" TV series. The house isn't very different from its neighbours, but the insight it offered into Liverpool life was fascinating and has offered a great foundation for our visit to this city.

Then it was on to the main museum and a visit to see China's Terracotta Warrior exhibition. This was on Helen's long held to do list and it was interesting to see a sample of these ancient earthenware figures in the flesh, so to speak. 

Sadly, the exhibition rooms were insanely hot and 30 minutes was about all we could take. The exhibition itself would justify a more lingering visit, so lets hope your tickets are valid on a cooler day!

The Liverpool Link

The Liverpool Link

May 2018

In some ways its hard to know how to approach this post. The new canal entrance to Liverpool is so popular and well reported it is difficult to know to shed any new light on in. Therefore please forgive me if I write this account as if to my older self!

Princes Dock Lock

We set off from bridge 10 at Maghull at 8.50am prompt, having already noticed that the boat in front of us, who we had met in Manchester, has left before we woke. It was therefore a bit surprising to arrive at Hancock's Swing Bridge (9) at 9.30am and find them still there, waiting to the bridge to come to life. It turns out that they planned to be through by 7.00am but arrived just too late.

Our travelling companions through Aintree

We therefore passed through together and whilst they travelled a little faster than us, we found them waiting at Netherton Swing Bridge (6) and again we passed through together. The canal winds its way through Aintree and Litherland with housing all around but we had no trouble from the bank.

Stanley Top Lock

Tobacco Warehouse

We paused at Litherland Services and whilst I emptied the cassette and filled with water, Helen popped into the adjacent Tesco and bought some food for lunch. Litherland services was buzzing with boats, with outbound craft lining the moorings two deep and as we arrived to boats we had passed in Maghull also arrived behind us, but instead of carrying on were staying overnight and coming into Liverpool on Thursday.

James and Doug

We were joined by Doug and James (Chance) who had caught a train from Manchester and wanted to share the experience of entering Liverpool by water. With the benefit of company the time flew by and with the exception of a short weed hatch visit (poly bags), we progressed steadily and arrived at the top of Stanley Locks at 2.00pm - sooner than we expected. We were anticipated and what was more, at least on of the lock keeper team was a regular blog reader (I am sorry - I didn't work out who was who).

 The CRT support team

The paddle gear was designed for someone a little taller, I think!

With Doug, James and the CRT team we had loads of help to get us down the locks which, interestingly, are not over long. We could descend quite comfortably but getting out of the bottom gates meant shuffling back and jack knifing the butty and even then there was very little space to spare.

 Victoria Clock Tower and a passenger

We entered the docks with the massive tobacco warehouse on our left, a building which is slowly being transformed into residential apartments. Then it was Collingwood Dock and Sailsbury Dock with the impressive Victoria Clock Tower blocking our route into the Mersey.

We had two of the lock keepers with us who were offered, but politely declined, Prosecco refreshment which was being downed with much enthusiasm at the stern. 

Bridge into Collingwood Dock

Then it was into Sid's Ditch, a waterway hewn out of the infill at the edge of the old dock wall. Sid was on duty (we were told) but am not aware that we ever met him. Then it was through the central channel where you keep left and then right of the buoys, and so into Princes Dock with the impressive Liver Building offering a great backdrop. 

Liver Building dwarfing Princes Dock Lock

Then it was into the tunnel sections as we passed the massive bulk of the Three Graces - Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool Building. This leads to Mann Island Lock which dropped us maybe 18 inches into Caning Dock and the centre of the tourist zone. Whilst it is half term, it was drizzling and this kept the crowds away and we made our entrance without much of an audience. 

Princes Dock

Then its was a right turn after the two Graving Docks into Canning Half Tide Lock and left at the Daniel Adamson into Albert Dock and left again into Salthouse Dock and our mooring on the pontoon in the corner. CRT were aware that we were arriving with a butty and whilst we were classed as one boat through the locks, we had two pontoon berths allocated to us. We put the butty on the shore side and it immediately presented a photo opportunity and there was a constant parade of photographers arriving to get an image of the "cute little butty".

The imposing bulk of Liverpool Cathedral

And so our first passage into Liverpool Docks was at an end. We went into town with Doug and James, drinking Liverpool Gin in the Philharmonia pub, an amazing place which has retained its Victorian decor and sense of occasion. Even the gents toilets are a tourist attraction and I had to wait for two girls to leave before I could use them for their given purpose. Then it was on to a Lebanese restaurant who serve a mean plate of meatballs, almost as good as the ones I enjoyed in Istanbul.

The Butty, as ever, steals the show.

Final approaches to Liverpool

Approaching

Liverpool
May 2018

Tuesday was a modest days travelling, setting ourselves up ready for the move into Liverpool on Wednesday.

South of Maghull

We set off from the junction with the Rufford Arm but no sooner had we started than we hit at snag at Crabtree Swing Bridge which had jammed in the closed positions with the bridge blocking the canal and the barriers blocking the road. 

On being told that engineers had been called we tied to the landing bollards and settled in for a long wait, and then five minutes later and much to our surprise the bridge swung open and through we went.

Performing frogs!

The last 20 miles of the Leeds Liverpool are quite unlike the Wigan area, with the canal sailing across heavily cultivated market gardening farms with irrigation systems watering the various crops. Hamlet after hamlet is passed, each with its own canalside pub and the intervening lengths are boat broad and long dog legging across a Lincolnshire like landscape but all the time moving resolutely south towards Liverpool.

Unusual pill box designs

Maghull represents the last big town before the outskirts of Liverpool and we paused here to visit a supermarket. Maghull embraces the canal with the gardens all opening onto the water and a Maghull In Bloom organisation committed to maintaining the canal corridor.

However, it would appear that most boats turn at Maghull because as soon as we moved through the water lillies encroached into the channel. In some ways it was like the Rushall Canal except that the navigation channel is 14 ft wide on account of the wide boats which frequent these waters. We moored at Bridge 10 along with three others boats, which seems to be recognised as the last reliably safe mooring before entering the city outskirts.