Wigan flight

Here they are – the Wigan flight, enjoying the sunshine.

It was a wonderful evening for enjoying the water…

and, for some, for getting wet to deal with the heat.

But that was yesterday, and we set out early this morning, towards the first wide lock we've encountered this year. We shared it with NB Narrow Escape, whose owners are off to Liverpool.

So at Wigan junction where they turned left, we turned right,

then swung left round the corner…

towards the first of the 21 locks that comprise the Wigan flight.

Now these locks are not everybody's favourite. Many of the gates leak, and at one point Erin Mae's well deck was flooded from the water pouring onto the front of the boat.

Some the gate mechanisms were unorthodox without being any easier, and my best beloved was glad of help from a passing cyclist.

After the first eight, the locks begin to get closer to each other and the flight bends away up the hill.

They weren't getting any simpler, and then it began to rain.

And then some wonderful CRT people came along to help. Lee was helping to organise things and see us through each lock…

while his colleague Jason went on ahead to get the next lock ready.

Up and up we went, looking back at the town through each set of closing gates.

Then Lee and Jason were replaced by Peter, who helped us through the last five. We were so grateful for the uncomplicated assistance we got from these guys today.

So there we are, we've done it. Soaked to the skin, but we're up into the Pennines – all new territory from here on in. And the Met Office are promising wall-to-wall sunshine for tomorrow.