Wednesday 12 June 2013

Un-chartered Waters

Travelling North, and emerging from the Preston Brook Tunnel, found us on new territory – The Bridgewater Canal.  This canal was built by Francis Egerton, the third Duke of Bridgewater, to enable coal from his mines at Worsley to be transported to Manchester and sold cheaply.

First stop – Daresbury.

We stopped at Keckwick Bridge for lunch and walked up to the church in the village of Daresbury just 1/2 a mile up the road.  Lewis Carroll - real name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (good quiz question!) was born here.  His father was curate and there are lovely stained glass windows in the church depicting the famous characters from his children's books.

Lewis Caroll window (2) (1024x768)        Lewis Caroll window (1024x768)        bridgewater 013 (1024x768)

The church, which was bigger than I had anticipated, was beautifully kept throughout and ALL the many stained glass windows were quite stunning.  There was also a beautifully carved stone memorial to a young wife who, after only a year of marriage, died in childbirth.  Gulp!

bridgewater 005 (768x1024)

All well worth the stop so thank you, Sandra, for suggesting it.  xxoo

Next stop:- Moore

We moored at Moore!  Just past the little village shop.  We walked to one of the original swing bridges over The Manchester Ship Canal.  The MSC here is very different from where we have seen it before – at Ellesmere Port.  Here, it is just like a river.

over The Manchester Ship Canal (1024x768)

Just over the bridge is a local nature reserve.  There’s a large area where dogs are allowed to run freely off leads but you are allowed to take them everywhere else in the reserve on leads.  Fair enough!  So often we come across reserves where dogs are not allowed at all and, therefore, prevents us from going in.  Also, this reserve is open to anyone – you don’t have to be a member.  Well done, Moore!

We didn’t have time to explore the numerous hides but it will definitely be on the list for the return journey.

 

Today – onwards to Lymm.

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