Canada 2012

It's two months since my latest adventures across the Pond, and I guess it's about time I recorded some of my experiences for posterity.

The highlight of the holiday was a birthday trip to Whistler

Here we are on the ferry. I thought we were spending a night in Vancouver.

I was completely wrong!

We set off along the Sea to Sky road, stopping for a while at Shannon Falls,which are absolutely beautiful!

Whistler village is a quaint, bustling, Alpine type place, with a lovely atmosphere.

This reggae band was playing in the village square when we arrived.

I was privileged to sit in the Olympic rings from the winter Olympics 2010.

Up Whistler Mountain.

The view from the gondola which goes up the mountainside.

Looking down to the village.

And up towards the summit.

We made it to the top!

Photo opportunity with this rather large inukshuk!

And one for me too.

But who's this?

There was obviously a photo-shoot taking place.

The scantily-clad young 'bird' eventually attracted a hungry little bird onto her outstreched hand, what for we don't know.

Brrrrrrrrrrr.................mission accomplished!

The Peak 2  Peak Gondola experience!

Our next mission was to get from the top of Whistler mountain to the top of Blackcomb mountain!

Here are some of the stats! A bit scary!!

More stats................. Over half the people in our gondola admitted to being very scared, including one man................. I wasn't ,though, as I was so excited!

Still on terra firma......Karen looking apprehensive.

High in the air!

It's a long, long way down.

We made it safely and my daughter is very proud of us both.

Now for a beer for her to face the return journey!

I just thought it was all brilliant!!!!!

This is an awesome place.

Relaxing in Whistler village after a spot of shopping.

This has been an amazing birthday treat.

Thank you, Dave and Karen.

 

Amazing March Weather.......Part 2

This is the second part of our March canal walk, beginning with a few memories.
We were now approaching Haigh Hall Plantations, where we spent many a Sunday afternoon (many,many years ago) with our three children and two dogs enjoying the fresh air and countryside.
So we were looking forward to stopping for a while on the bridge below, Haigh Park Bridge # 60, and harking back to happy family times.

Sadly, it was closed for repairs.

Sometimes we forget that the places we take for granted need maintenance!

This little side bridge, just below bridge 60, leads into a small basin which once had a boathouse. Apparently this was where goods were delivered for Haigh Hall.

The memory it holds for us is of one of our dogs racing exuberantly over the bridge, unable to stop, and landing in the canal. She couldn't swim so there was panic all round for a few moments till we fished her out!!

Haigh Hall, with it's magnificent grounds, was usually an ice-cream stop before we set off back through the woods.  Such nostalgia on today's walk!

Peace, perfect peace on this last stretch.

A boat passses peacefully under Arley Bridge 64.

A lone swan with views of Rivington Pike in the distance.

Beautiful reflections in the water as we approach Bridge 67.

The weather has not let us down all day....still glorious!

Even Mr. Toad, our wildlife for the day, has come out to sunbathe!

Glimpses of the White Bear Marina under Bridge 69.

We have reached our destination, Adlington.

A few minutes walk to the station and we were on the train for home.

Distance today......18576 steps  =7.33 miles.

Whew!!!



Closer to home

This statue of a canal worker standing on Pottery Changeline Bridge in Wigan is very realistic. This was the beginning of today's walk on an unexpectedly warm and sunny day in March.

Allan, looking very fit and raring to go,is posing by one of the bridge rollers which has been replaced over the years.

This is Bottom lock, #87, the first of 23 locks known as the Wigan flight.They climb over 200 feet in less than 2miles, taking an average of 6 hours to negotiate!

That sounds like hard work and didn't take us that long on foot.

Ancient and Modern.

This unusual double barge glides slowly past one of many redevelopments of old canalside buildings along this stretch.

No towpath beneath Britannia Bridge, hence the pathway for the barge horse.

Oops, that's Allan, not the horse.

Some of the locks are so close to the bridges that they need a special winding mechanism to open the gates.

Lock 74.

In just under an hour of gentle walking, we have passed thirteen locks! We were very glad not to be on a barge today!

Sadly, we didn't see any boats going up or down this magnificent flight.

Note the huge slag heap by the locks, a reminder of the part played by the canal in the coal mining industry,and in the Kirkless Iron and Steel Works.

Kirkless Hall Bridge is dated 1816. That was the year the canal was excavated!

The last lock of the 23-lock Wigan flight.

There aren't any more for quite a few miles!



We slapped on the sun-cream....yes,in March!!....and ate lunch on the grass verge of the lock outside this pub. Then we went inside for a welcome cuppa.

Historic Wigan

Here I am at Wigan pier, a place made famous in a song by George Formby and a book by George Orwell. It is simply a staithe for loading coal on barges, not what you might call a 'pier', but there it is!

  The Orwell Pub was part of a heritage centre, the Museum of Wigan Life, which was extremely popular for a few years but sadly is now closed.

 A visit to Trencherfield mill (below) was included....now apartments and offices,

This was our last picture of the day.This is an original warehouse from the 1770's. At that time the canal ended here, and so did our walk for today. (5.46miles).  However, the memories will remain.

The road to Wigan Pier

We chose to eat lunch opposite the DW Stadium, which is home to Wigan's football and rugby teams.



A pleasant stroll along the towpath, laid out with bricks, not mud, for the benefit of those Wigan supporters who choose to walk that way, with Trencherfield Mill just in view.

So here it is------Wigan Pier.

Allan is reading info about the 'pit brow lasses'.



Road ahead blocked

Returning to the canal, we were amazed to see huge concrete blocks at each end of  Bridge 48.

A knowledgable passerby explained that they were put there during WW2 to prevent the small enemy tanks from crossing the bridge.

I guess they did the trick!



Catch-up

I am way behind with this blog and really must get a move on! So here goes!!!

Walk #6 was last November.......from Appley Bridge to Wigan.

The inevitable picture of one of us at the start.We've actually just left Lancashire, although Wiganers would dispute that!

It was a beautiful day around us but beneath our feet it was most certainly November...........mud, mud, glorious mud!

A slight detour here to seek out an old memory.

This nursery used to be Crooke village school where I began my teaching career.

Behind these very high windows was my classroom---a huge room with a big fireplace, where I singlehandedly taught forty-one 3-5year-olds.

No help from teaching assistants in those days!