Friday May 11th - Melling to Salthouse Dock, Liverpool

After a quiet nights at Melling, we were ready for the long day that would take us into the heart of Liverpool’s docks. Sadly, it was a horrendous day weather wise. Instead of listening to the weather forecast (which was pretty gloomy) we would have done better to have listened to the shipping forecast!

We untied in a howling gale which, as we removed the mooring pins, threatened to take the boat across the cut – we had to hold onto the ropes for dear life to get back on. By now the rain was lashing down – horizontally.

After a temporary hiatus at Bridge 10 while we decided what we equipment we needed to operate it (both BW key and handcuff key are required) we managed to get under way, somewhat crab-wise in what was a gale force wind. Why don’t they invent glasses with built in windscreen wipers? With the rain driving across, it was all I could do to see where I was going!

After passing under another motorway – this time the M57 – we arrived at Bridge 9 to meet up with the two other boats with whom we would make the passage into the docks – ‘Winding Down’ and ‘Lyra’. We had shared locks on the Kennet & Avon with Bob & his wife on ‘Lyra’ back in 2006. By now the rain had more or less stopped but the wind continued to howl.

Passing through Hancock's Swing Bridge (9), Aintree

We had been told to be at Bridge 9 for 9.00am. This appears to be a cunning ploy by BW to make sure everyone is there for 9.30! About half way between, at 9.15 the guys arrived in their van and checked us all – apparently one boat hadn’t turned up (and needless to say, hadn’t let BW know either).

We were soon under way again and heading through Bridge 9, Hancock’s Swing Bridge, operated for us by the BW crew. The canal quickly turns round the famous Canal Turn of the Aintree Racecourse (famed for the annual horse racing jamboree that is The Grand National) and along its course for some way. Sadly a high wall has been built alongside so little or nothing can be seen of any racing free of charge!

Thirty minutes later we arrived at Bridge 6 – Netherton Swing Bridge - again operated for us by the gang. Then we would be left to our own devices for the next couple of hours as we entered the entrails of Liverpool and Bootle’s suburbs.

Two years ago we were able to take quite an interest in the journey. This time, because of the high winds and intermittent heavy showers, it seemed to be a blur – or was that the rain splattering on my glasses I wonder?

The towpath was very quiet compared to two years ago. Mind you I don’t blame people for not being out and about – it was foul weather after all. But all proceeded smoothly and we arrived at the sanitary station at Litherland to empty the loos and get rid of the rubbish. We didn’t bother with water as there is water supplied at the berths in the docks.

Under way again and the canal passes through the centre of Bootle – a mixture of 1960’s high rise flats, terraced housing and industry – old and new. Some lovely old factory buildings have survived the years and ‘grace’ both sides of the canal as it nears Vauxhall and the junction with the Stanley Locks branch.

Waiting at top of Stanley Locks

Here we pulled in behind the other two boats expecting to see the BW gang getting the locks ready. A volunteer lock-keeper in his red fleece was there and he explained that we would have a wait of half an hour or so as they had been called to deal with a swing bridge problem at Lydiate. Apparently at Bell’s Swing Bridge, a fault had occurred and the barriers would not rise after the boats that had come out of Liverpool yesterday had gone through. There were a lot of very unhappy motorists queuing up on both sides….. Tee-hee!!

After an hour, during which time we ate the sandwiches Elaine had prepared for our lunch, the gang arrived and got the boats moving down the locks. The passage down is interesting, with the prospect ahead of the huge Tobacco Warehouse and distant views through the bridges of the Wirral side of the estuary.

Once down the locks we set off under a long and low road bridge into Stanley Dock. Through the bridge we could see the wind making significant waves in the dock; they got worse as we moved out of the shelter of the two massive warehouses either side of Stanley Dock.

Approaching the Bacule Bridge

Ahead the bascule bridge separating it from Collingwood Dock was now free of its scaffolding and plastic sheeting that had covered it 2 years ago. Fully refurbished (but not to operational standards), it is a remarkable sight.

Jesse Hartleys' Clock Tower

In Collingwood Dock the orange buoys that mark the passage begin, and make a fool proof way of navigating your way through the various docks. Next up is Salisbury Dock, marked by Jesse Hartley’s magnificent six-sided Clock Tower, now in need of some restoration. Straight ahead through the sea lock is the tidal estuary.

The route swings south and into the remains of Trafalgar Dock where two graving docks survive – ‘graving docks’ is the ‘nautical’ term for dry-docks. Part of Trafalgar Dock was infilled and a concrete channel has been excavated to take boats through to the next dock – Waterloo Dock. Here an old warehouse has survived and has been converted to apartments along with several ranges of new build apartments, built in a similar style.

The meeting of Waterloo and Prince’s Half-Tide Docks is through a narrow newly built concrete bridge. By now the wind was blowing really hard, and a sudden gust took the boat almost broadside into the side of concrete bridge. Fortunately some judicious steering and a quick burst of higher revs saw us glide by with only a couple of inches to spare!

New skyline at Prince's Dock

We were now at the start of the area where the refurbishment and new buildings have reached so far. The architecture is spectacular, and only gets better. It is like Brindley Place in Birmingham, but about 30 times bigger in scope and scale.

Almost hidden under a very modern footbridge are the entrance gates to the first of the two new locks built for the Liverpool Link – Prince’s Lock. Last time we had to mawmble around for a few minutes for the BW gang to arrive, something I didn’t want to attempt in a wide expanse of water in a howling gale. Fortunately, and with a sense of utter relief, I saw the gates swing open and we charged straight in.

The highlights come thick and fast now. We were now right in front of the iconic buildings known as The Three Graces – the Liver Assurance Building, the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Authority Building. The canal link plays ducks and drakes with them passing through two tunnels. The first – St Nicholas Tunnel – has a long curve to the right as you pass through, but at least you know you won’t meet anything en route!

Passing the 3 Graces with Museum Tunnel on left

You emerge above ground for a short distance with a superb view of the buildings before diving into the much shorter and straighter Cunard Tunnel, giving a slightly different perspective, before curving around to the left and entering Museum Tunnel which, as the name implies, passes under the futuristic and brand new Museum of Liverpool which only opened last year.

We then entered Mann Island Basin, an oddly shaped area overlooked by a massive new office and apartment building (under construction two years ago). From a certain angle and distance it resembles the prow of an old ocean liner. The basin leads to Mann Island Lock. This is a curious lock which has a rise or fall of only a couple of feet (depending on tides, it can work both ways and has a second set of gates).

The route now essays a slalom course through Canning Dock, Canning Half-Tide Dock and Albert Dock, passing a number of historic vessels tied up to the docksides and forming part of the collection of craft operated by the adjacent Maritime Museum.

In Canning Half-Tide Dock you seem to be aiming straight for the sea doors into the estuary when, at almost the last moment, an entrance appears in the far left hand corner. You pass under Hartley Bridge and there you are in Albert Dock.

Albert Dock with Museum & Liver Building in the background

This is a remarkable survival and the first are of Liverpool’s Docks to be restored and given new uses in the late C20th. This was the bonded warehouse area and the massive brick built blocks are supported on rows of huge cast iron columns. The buildings have all been put to new use – retail, restaurants, bars and night clubs and residential and office use.

We crossed the dock, passed under a bridge and entered Salthouse Dock where the moorings are an which is to be our home for the next fortnight or so.

We could see our mooring berth away to the left, but it was at this moment that the wind decided to blow a real holy. Our first attempt to get into the berth had to be aborted as I was in imminent danger of clouting either the boat we would be moored alongside or the pontoon. Fortunately it was only the latter that got a glancing blow as we reversed madly back into the centre of the dock. As we did so, the wind produced the two strongest gusts of the day and the boat tilted quite markedly to one side each time. Scary…..

The second attempt was more successful and we glided into our berth without a care in the world! We were soon tied up (why oh why did BW only provide 50 foot mooring pontoons). It had been our intention to turn and reverse into the berth to take advantage of the views across to Albert Dock, but the wind had put paid to that idea. However, although we are facing the dock wall, we can at least get on and off the boat at the bows without any worries.

Well; we made it in the end. We shall be here until our booked passage out of the docks on the 24th. Hot showers await and tonight we shall splash out on a special meal at Gusto – the lovely Italian restaurant in Albert Dock. We’ve earned it today!

Our mooring with part of Albert Dock & The Liverpool Eye in the background