Day 25 Bridge 10 to Burscough

After a very quiet night compared to Liverpool we rose and got underway at 9:30am.  After our 6am rise when leaving the docks we allowed ourselves a bit of a lay in.

The trip into Magull was uneventful but we stopped by bridge 14 so Chris could nip into the local Morisons for some supplies.  Magull from the canal looks really nice and although the banks are a bit run down its not a problem to moor especially back from the bridge landings.

Quit a nice mooring at bridge 14

Chris opening Bridge 14

We carried on through Magull seeing this odd looking boat.  Not sure what its purpose is, but that bow seems to be designed as a platform by the looks of it.

Wonder what the purpose of this design is for

Passing through Lydiate Chris spotted this garden with a plaque which we think commemorates 200 years of the Leeds Liverpool canal.

Celebrating last years bi-centenary perhaps

By mid afternoon the sky was beginning to cloud up with some ominous looking formations that look like storms in the making.  Fortunately we dodged most of the heavy showers we could see around us except one.  When it reached us the rain was so heavy we could barely see the way ahead.  So glad we have that pram hood now.  I had to slow to tick over until it passed as visibility was that bad.  As fast as it arrived the rain suddenly stopped 15 minutes later and out came the sun again.  The up side of the heavy rain was AmyJo now gleamed as clean as a whistle.  Almost as if she had just passed through an automatic car wash.

Storm in the making and heavy rain sweeping across the horizon

When the sun did shine it was so hot.  So much so I could feel the back of my neck starting to burn.  Normally I steer with my back to the Starboard (right) side of the boat but now I had to face the other way.

At Haskayne we rounded a bend and came upon to the nb Pride of Sefton wide beam boat going very slowly.  So slow in fact I had to keep knocking AmyJo out of gear to stop running into the back of her.

Eventually the skipper called to ask if we would like to pass which I acknowledged.  Just as I started to pass him he seemed to speed up for some reason.    As I came alongside  and with a wry smile he called "we're in no hurry" in a tone intimating you in a rush?  I politely replied with an equally wry smile "Neither am I but then I don't want to take all day about it either".

Pride of Sefton follows us through this lovely stretch.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, eventually arriving at Burscough at 4pm.  After a bit of a power nap and freshening up we took ourselves of to the Hop Vine Inn .  On the advise of several of our friends we had booked a table there for a meal.  It did not disappoint.  We both had Sirloin stake and it was absolutely delicious.  I'd highly recommend eating here it was excellent.

The Hop Vine inn 

Total distance:13.12 miles Elapsed time:6h13m47s Locks:0 Bridges:35 

Average speed:2.11 mph (2.11 lock/mph)