Saturday June 2nd, Wigan - Pennington Flash, near Leigh



Henhurst Lock, Wigan

Once Elaine had returned from a walk into the town centre for a newspaper we untied and pushed across to the other side so she could work Henhurst Lock.

After she had managed to wind the winding handle on the heavy capstan mechanism that is used to open and shut the bottom gates, we were soon through the lock and pulling into the sanitary station to empty the loos. We are going to be based on the Bridgewater until the 11^th when we will hopefully get the Rochdale 9 out of the way in readiness for our booked passage out of Manchester on the 12^th, and I don’t want to frequent the Bridgewater’s so called sanitary stations more often than I have to.

Poolstock Top Lock

Round the junction and on the Leigh Branch we made for Poolstock Locks. Isn’t it strange how one lock can be more or less full and ready for you and the next, just a matter of a hundred yards or so below, is completely empty? No matter, the locks were negotiated safely and we were on our way along the long lonely pound towards Leigh and the Bridgewater Canal.

Gate opening mechanism, Poolstock Bottom Lock

The two Poolstock Locks mark the end of the Wigan built-up area and almost immediately you are in the former wasteland caused by hundreds of years of coal extraction. Numerous flashes surround the canal on both sides – Scotsman’s, Pearson’s, Bryn, Ochre, most are now the focal points of a large nature reserve and Country Park.

Scotsman's Flash

For nearly two miles no road comes near the canal as it makes its way through the recovering landscape. However, plenty of footpaths wind in and out across footbridges and round the flashes. They are well frequented by walkers, joggers and cyclists, but primarily by people walking their dogs. Do watch where you put your feet if you happen to walk around here as I don’t think the locals go in for pooper bags!

The only way the C21st impinges on your progress is by two main road crossings at Bamfurlong and Abram (the latter by the site of the two former Dover Locks) and two railways crossing overhead. It is a remote, almost eerie landscape.

Fortunately we reached the third road crossing (on the outskirts of Leigh) at the right time to be able to operate Plank Lane Swing Bridge and took great delight in holding up two long lines of traffic.

Mooring at Pennington Flash

When we had passed this way towards Wigan in early May we had noticed boats moored adjacent to Pennington Flash, the largest of the open expanses of water, and now the centrepiece of a country park. Rather than go on a bit further through Leigh to Astley Green where the pub might be a bit noisy over the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend, we decided to give the Flash a try, and pulled up after our regulation three hours cruising.