Saved a bad experience

THE boater who can't cruise to the Liverpool Link, having been refused booking by BW, should actually think himself lucky. He has been saved a bad experience in my opinion, writes Janet Gunningham.

In the Spring we cruised to Skipton and back, and detoured to Parbold in June. We experienced very low pounds from the bottom of Wigan Locks, (pictured) going aground many times particularly below Henhurst Lock.

Scraping the bottom

Between Deans Lock and Appley Locks we were scraping the bottom, and had great difficulty getting near the bank to get off for the swing bridge (not being as agile as some!) Poolstock Lock pound was also low. It seems to me that if no water is coming down the Wigan Flight the water situation can't be any better than it was back in June.

On the Leeds and Liverpool many gates leak, some paddles are inoperable, and water pours out of the lock chamber walls. Rubbish covers the canal in Blackburn and Burnley, this must get in the paddles, so why not clear some of it away?

Extent of neglect

Those of us who normally boat further south don't realise the extent of the neglect of our waterways further north. I don't personally feel that the Leeds & Liverpool closure is entirely due to lack of water, it is much due to lack of maintenance.

Having said all this when you finally make the higher levels of the Leeds & Liverpool the scenery is amazing, and Skipton itself a lovely little market town, and we met many boaters who had enjoyed their trip to Liverpool, before the water problems.

Janet Gunningham, Nb Amy Grace