Day 1: Preston Brook to Anderton Boat Lift

There are a few navigational problems in finding where the boat is moored. For which read that I had not done my homework and just assumed I knew where I was going. Ended up in some dubious scrapyard, before retracing our steps and driving to the proper location. We arrive and Queenie is getting her pre-voyage scrub and clean. Hester, the owner, shows us round the boat and gives us a thorough handover

The cassette toilet system looks an entirely new challenge and will doubtless feature later in this story.

We are on our way, Hester as well to make sure that I appear competent enough to be left in charge. Thankfully I have been expertly coached by Mick Tracey, and we only travel for a few minutes along the canal before the training from Hester is complete and we're on our own.

I do wonder what she would have done if we had displayed gross incompetence……

....because the first challenge is the mile long Preston Brook tunnel. Steering in the darkness, with only a short illuminated section of tunnel ahead, is quite disorienting. Especially with a boat following to add to the pressure. Top tip: wearing a headtorch to illuminate the section of tunnel immediately next to you makes all the difference!

 

 

 

Eventually the exit looms through the darkness and we are back into the overworld

 

 

 

We moor up to have a proper assessment of the boat, which will be our home for the next 10 days. It's well fitted out, bedroom at the front with great view through the forward doors onto the canal....or whatever boat is moored ahead of us. But I realise that there are another two tunnels, with one-way traffic management and restricted passage times, between us and the Stanley Arms where we are booked in for 7pm - so we have to get a move on and the planned cup of tea is drunk on the move

We have to wait at the Saltersford tunnel as the traffic system is against us.Time to admire some wood carvings and for it to start raining. This is supposed to be summer. Oh, it's summer in Britain

The delay gives me time to change into warmer clothing. Then through our second tunnel, which seems to wind its way through the hillside. Why not dig in a straight line? But it is sheltered from the rain. We are clearly going to be late for our table booking.

The Stanley Arms has its own private mooring which we are hoping to use. We find it occupied by two boats, one towing the other, and have to moor up on the bank across from the pub. Luckily there is a bridge to take us across.

We needn't have worried about time:

a) this is a canal holiday and time has no meaning

b) the place is almost empty

The pub has no beer, it's settling in the cellar  where it will not be of much use to us. They did offer lager or John Smiths. Luckily we can drink wine. We look out over the rain drenched garden and admire the greenness of it all

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