On to Blackburn

It has taken an age to get this blog sorted due to the intermittent access to the Internet.  Usually a signal could be picked up on the bank but inboard it was rubbish. 

Anyway here goes - can I remember where we were  :-)

Foulridge Tunnel has a delightful village at its start. There are .moorings right next
 to the cafe.

Just checking to see what the footpath over the top. A really nice walk with a reservoir to walk around.

The path runs along the back of some houses and they have a great view.

Back In the  Village there are some houses that seem not to have hardly changed in a hundred years.

There are a few large places we go through. Its hard to see where one ends and another starts. The first large place is Burnley. Lots of mills or remains of them.

But just outside and its countryside with long views down the valley. With so few locks the winding canal goes around the hills and sometimes a radio mast that you are going to pass is on the left then right then left again. Some of the turns are almost 180 degrees.

This must be Burnley. The cars on the left hide the fact that there are a couple of blokes on the pavement sat on a settee :-)

Very close to the canal and a business park and supermarket

More unused mills. Massive places and full of Victorian ornamentation

A wharf with moorings and a pub. This is part of the Weavers Triangle. A small charity has a cafe and small museum.

Upstairs is the toll office as it once was.

I wonder how much this view has changed over the years.

There is also the home of the workers

Gannow bridge is coming up.

We moored for the night at the village of Hapton. Yet another derelict building.

The views keep coming.

Even up here there are derelicts.

Some of the other disused buildings.

Including this one that has a preservation order on it. Bits falling off so if its to be kept......

On one side of the board is Church and on this side its Oswaldwhistle and includes a large map of the canal Leeds to Liverpool.

Moored for the night and it seems that its greyhound owners day out. Dozens of  dogs out for a walk.

From the mooring the canal can be seen going around the hill.

You can see for miles up here.

Some dry stone walling going on. Anyone good at jigsaws.

Looking very much the moorland and it feels as though we have reached the top.

There are plenty of moorings everywhere. It is noticeable that the banks that have been built slant underwater so you need to be able to drop the fenders down low enough to stop the hull banging all night.

On the approach to Blackburn and this huge building. Disused.

More mills and wharfs all over the place.

Up quite high above the  town.

Every so often something new. Here the gates are opened with a winder.

In the middle of Blackburn locks we find this bloke. Last time I saw him I am sure he was riding a white horse called Binky. :-)

The small ponds soon fill up and this one is starting to go over the towpath

Ah civilisation.