Blackburn And On

Clusters of boats moored either side of Blackburn over night made early starts resulting in a wave of activity passing through the flight around mid morning, and judging by the fact we didn’t see another boat heading into Blackburn all day the locks were probably quiet from lunchtime onwards. Everyone knows the score.

It’s not the prettiest of flights, there’s a load of rubbish clogging the water plus a mountain of weed but even the bench drinkers helpfully directed us round the shopping trolley islands. In fact there was some decent looking junk submerged which got us thinking of a canal dipped Christmas this year – SFR?! Even a shiny Micro Sprite Scooter poked from the water but sadly the mountain of bikes, trolleys, fridges blocked our path to it.

A one crew dash to the canal side Asda at top lock seems a Blackburn boater ritual – one holding the boat while the other struggles with as many bags as they can handle. The old Granada Studios and Imperial Cotton Mill (1901-1980) mark the end of the town. A brief glimpse of hilly greenness lasts next to no time: Norden, Church, Clayton-Le-Moors arrive back to back, almost overlapping one another.

The day lasted a bit longer than we’d planned but we finally tied up with far-reaching views over Pendle Hill.

 

 

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