Ashton Canal

Today’s the day ....................... to return to base

Our final day on Cornwall  today – and a new canal to negotiate – this time the Ashton Canal.

We had been on it in a previous trip but we were going the opposite way – into Manchester rather than away from it.  So it was just a small matter of negotiating the eighteen locks that raise the canal up 166 (and a half) feet to get us to the temporary mooring where we would leave Cornwall for her next lot of narrowboaters.

So more mills and industrial architecture along the way - which we had mostly to ourselves.  That has been a feature of this trip perhaps because the route has only recently been opened for business after the summer drought.  Another feature has been the friendliness of everyone that we have come into contact with – be it on the towpath or elsewhere.

A very enjoyable – if strenuous! – week’s narrowboating .........................