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| Johnny and Beverly |
We had a quiet first night in Manchester but were busy the next day. The Captain headed off to visit his friend in hospital and I headed out to meet Chris, a fellow boater who unfortunately sold her boat when she couldn’t cope with it on her own after a relationship ended. She really misses boating and we keep in touch.
We had arranged to meet at Sinclairs Oyster Bar, a Samuel Smiths bar on Deansgate in the centre of Manchester.
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| Sinclairs Oyster Bar |
It promised to be a messy afternoon, and when there was no one serving in Sinclairs we decide to try the Old Wellington next door, it was very expensive in here so back to Sinclairs, much better. We started to catch up when we were joined by Roger, Chris’s drinking buddy, after a couple in Sinclairs they took me to the Victoria Tap on the platform at Victoria station. We had only walked a few yards from Sinclairs when I spotted a familiar face, well familiar to me, the actor and comedian Johnny Vegas, and his PA Beverly. I don’t usually like to approach people, but on this occasion I just couldn’t help myself, I am a huge fan of his. However Chris and Roger had no idea who he was, and thought he was another boater. He was very generous with his time and I got a hug. Made my day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Vegas
We had a drink in the Victoria Tap and they took me to The Beer House, another bar on the station, not for a drink but just to look at the amazing doomed ceiling, it was part of the original station and was surrounded like an oasis by the new buildings.
https://thebeerhouseuk.com/locations/manchester-victoria/
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| The Beer House dome. |
https://www.instagram.com/vic.tap?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D
Time was getting on and I contacted the Captain to find out he was on his way back, so we agreed to meet back at Sinclairs. To get there we walked through the Glade of Light, a memorial to the victims of the Ariana Grande bombing in May 2017, it was very moving.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Glade_of_Light
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| The Glade of Light |
We had a couple more drinks and then parted ways. I found out we had a Neil, the Captain old work colleague and friend visiting us later on.
As I said it was a busy messy day.
On a sad note the Captains friend he had visited passed away next day, it was not to much of a shock as he had been in a very bad way, but still so sad.
We left Manchester next day and cruised past Old Trafford and the Trafford centre on our way out. At the aptly name Waters Meeting we turned right and headed towards Wigan, and back on to CRT water at Leigh.
Our journey took us over another of the wonders of the waterways, the Barton Swing Aqueduct, which carries the Bridgewater canal over the Manchester ship canal. Opened in 1894 it replaced the original 1761 stone bridge when the Manchester ship canal was built to allow tall ships passage along the Manchester ship canal.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barton_Swing_Aqueduct
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| Barton Swing Aqueduct |
We had a quiet night moored on the offside just past Worsley.
On to Leigh next day and the Captain had some seals for the prop shaft to pickup, unfortunately he missed judged the distance from our moorings and had a good mile to walk, the exercise did him good and I had a walk round Leigh, calling in at the excellent Leigh indoor market, which unlike most markets is thriving. Unusual for us we didn’t head to the pub, although we know there is a good micro pub in Leigh called the Bobbin
https://www.facebook.com/TheBobbinleigh/?locale=en_GB
This part of our journey has been in the main lock free, but it wasn’t to last, and we start with the big double locks next day as 3 took us into Wigan were we were staying for the weekend. I had forgotten how heavy these large gates can be, and the good ship Avalon Two looked quite small, but not as small as in the huge river locks on the Weaver.
As we approached the first lock a boat was just leaving it, which was handy for us as they left the gate open for us, we only need one gate. We recognised the boat NB Wee May and its captain and crew, Paul and Paula Lumsden. Paul is the singing boater, and has a vlog called Narrowboat Natterings
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCauWvgidp4Q4o268-TAXznw
We have met them a couple of times, we shouted greetings and he recognised our boat through this blog.
In fact our luck was really in when we met boats coming towards us at both the other locks, this always helps because as one boat exits the other enters, so I don’t have to open and close the heavy gates so many times.
At the last lock into Wigan I could see there was plenty of room to moor and we were soon in and off to the pub.
Wigan has a number of great real ale pubs, and this time we tried the Swan and Railway first, a beautiful old pub with an air of a gentlemans club, and in the bar a Victorian railway waiting room. It won an award a few years ago for its sympathetic refurbishment, and even has a screen showing the trains arriving and departing at the nearby Wallgate railway station.
It also had 3 dark ales for the Captain to try, a rum porter called Dark Flagon by Wily Fox, Dark Mild by Bank Top and a stout.
https://swanandrailwayhotelwigan.co.uk/
After a couple in here we headed to Wigan Central, a micro pub in the railway arches. Another great selection of beers including a real favourite, Dark Drake by Dancing Duck brewery from Derby.
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| Wigan Central |
https://wigancentral.bar/index.html
https://www.dancingduckbrewery.com/
It was the England v Switzerland quarter finals next day (yes the footy again) and we planned to watch it in the pub. But first we went to help our friends Pete and Dawn on their newly named and part painted boat Rosie O’Leigh up the final lock into Wigan. They had been into Liverpool, and were heading up the Wigan flight and onto Leeds, but not until Monday. We had a chat and invited them for Sunday dinner. Then we headed to the Raven to watch the football, a mild on for the Captain so he was a happy bunny. It was squeaky bum time again with the match, but we won. Yippee.
Sunday dinner went well, and we chatted put the boating world to rights. Then off to Wigan Central for us again (Not on plan at all, sorry, Tracey at Slimming World) but we had good reason. We were meeting up with Fiona and Karl the Captains daughter and partner. James one of the grandsons came along as well. It was great to catch up.
We left Wigan quite early (around 9am) for us next day, but that’s for next time.
21 miles 3 locks and 2 canals
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