FreeSpirit : An amendment needed but the walk did him good.

Tuesday 5 July 2016

An amendment needed but the walk did him good.

Monday 4th

And I thought Ian's idea of doing 20 miles, 4 swing bridges and a tunnel all before lunch, madness! We did leave by 6.45am but the thought of moored boats slowing us down didn't even enter Ian's head. He must have had second sight though, because surprised, surprise hardly any along this section up to Barrowford. So a steady 3.5mph was achieved nearly the whole way. Of course stopping to do the swing bridges slowed us down and our Nicholson showed there to be four. Turns out only three needed operating as the forth was already open. This amused me somewhat as he had already set off on foot to do bridge number 4. Note to oneself, amend the Nicholson!

Never mind Ian the walk did you good.

Gannow tunnel

2008 was the last time we did the L&L. Then going through Burnley was a means of getting from A to B. The rubbish and oppressive feel of the place was depressing. Today the place amazed us. Still some rubbish in the canal but nowhere near as bad. New properties and bridges have sprung up and the older disused mill buildings with their smashed windows and neglected appearance seemed out of place somehow but does show the canals heritage. Even the embankment is now a pleasure to cruise. In 2008 all we wanted to do was get through as quick as possible having had to deal with druggies and drunkards shouting abuse at us.

Burnley embankment

Still the usual shopping trolleys

Coronation street comes to mind.

Didn't quite make Barrowford, fell three miles short so only managed 17 miles today but we did do it before lunch! The fact that lunch wasn't until after 1pm is neither here nor there! Had hoped the weather would stay dry for a BBQ but 3pm the clouds increased and the rain arrived. Oh well there is always tomorrow.