Oliver Ings Bridge, Barden Mill, Leeds & Liverpool Canal

We have just travelled through Burnley and I don't think we have travelled through a grottier place. The whole canal from before Blackburn through Church and on to here is littered with every conceivable piece of rubbish. We scraped over goodness knows what around the Weavers Triangle and David had to go down into the weed hatch 5 times this morning and we only did 9 miles. We even got stuck just as we were entering Gannow tunnel.

And to top it all, we stopped for a pumpout at Rose Grove and even the boaters are leaving their rubbish. I wouldn't mind but the pumpout station is immediately in front of the rubbish skip.



I cut this little chap out of a party invitaiton. The base card is white and I matted some blue card onto silver and covered the front of the card leaving a small border.

Then I added the spaceman, flag and stars plus some gem stars for effect.

And no, it is no upside down - he's in space!

Fosters Swing Bridge, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

That swallow yesterday certainly didn't bring the Spring. The wind was bitter. Thankfully, we only had a short day, albeit with three swing bridges.

The first one, in the dirty village of Church was easy except for the landing. The sewage works is being refurbished and there is a temporary bridge parked where the boat is meant to stop.

The second bridge had an awkward anti-vandal spring and it took me ages to get it to withdraw so that I could wind up the brake before swinging the bridge.

The best part was that the bridges seem to have been refurbished since last time and they all "swung" beautifully.

We were at our moorings here by 0815 so I took a walk towards Clayton-le-Moors to see if I could catch a bus somewhere. I only had to wait about 5 mins and a bus came for Burnley. When I got there, there was a bus waiting to go to Manchester, so I jumped on and spent the day in Manchester.


For this card I covered the front of a white card blank with patterned paper. I made two slits into the topper and threaded through a sentiment banner before sticking them both onto the card.

To finish off, I added four blue roses which matched the outfit on the topper.

Cut Bridge No 107 (Norden), Leeds and Liverpool Canal

We moved off early to get to Riley Green for 0900 where we were meeting David's sister and two of her grandchildren. They were coming for a cruise and helping us up the Blackburn 6.

The area through Blackburn, as usual, is filthy. Rubbish in and around the canal all the way. By the sanitary station by lock 3 there is this horrid sculpture and some wag had left his empty tinnies in a plastic bag on the handlebars.

We stopped by Asda to meet David's niece who was picking up the guests and then it was a quick shop in Asda and B&Q (12 magnetic clips £5 - 2 magnet clips £8. Work that one out! Of course we only want one).

As we set off I swear I saw a swift/swallow swooping under the bridge.



A pretty little Pooh card. I stuck the topper onto a white oval which had the edge inked in green and matted onto some scalloped floral paper.

I cut a strip of green card and one of the floral paper which I had edged with a Martha Steward punch, these I layered up and then wrapped some green ribbon around it, tying it with a knot before sticking it onto a white card blank. I then added the topper with sticky fixers to make it stand out.

To finish off I added a couple of butterflies and a spray of flowers.

Engine Bridge No 84, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

I have noticed this year that the canals seem to be covered in some sort of gooey, slimy, scum. Are we discharging too much washing up water and having too many showers?

A lovely sunny day, though cold to start off with. We did the 7 Johnsons Hillocks locks without any trouble (ie: didn't lose the boat in the pound) and did not see another boat on the move until 5pm.





I have been recycling again. This card was made from one that I received as a birthday card. I just cut out the picture and matted it onto some gold card which has the edges decorated with a Martha Stewart punch. I stuck little red gems along the bottom and top and added a "Thank You" topper with a red ribbon.

Red Rock, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

We have travelled a whole mile today - and no locks for an excuse.

We are by the old Crawford Arms, then Bridge 67. We were expecting family and thought it would be a good place for lunch. Unfortunately it is now a dead pub. My brother-in-law, Joe, was barred from the restaurant some time ago because he complained about something so maybe it wasn't too good anyway.

Fortunately there was room in one of the cars and we were taken into Standish for lunch and then delivered back to the boat afterwards.


A white card blank, some backing paper, a decoupaged Forever Friends bear and sentiment and three glass gems. Simples.

Haigh Hall, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

The blackthorn is flowering!!!

A lovely, warm, sunny day just right for locking. And did we lock! 23 big, heavy, stiff, difficult locks. It took the two of us (with help from BW setting 3 locks) 6 hours and I was almost on my knees by the top.

The top lock still has a broken paddle (at least 5 years now) and two of the others were so stiff that David had to do them.

Still, we are in a lovely spot with a golf course on the off side and the view over 1/2 of Lancashire on the towpath side.



It is our baby's 32nd birthday today. I know, I know, I am not old enough to have a daughter that age, but there you go.

She was about 9 months old when this picture was taken while we were living in Poland.

I matted the photo onto gold card and yellow handmade paper with the edges torn. I fixed it to a white card blank and then added the jelly, sparkly flower to her hair and part of a hair ornament with another flower on the left hand side.

Dover Bridge, Leight Branch, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

An early start (David set off and I stayed in bed again!).

We stopped off in Leigh for a bit of shopping (Aldi by the pub moorings) and then it was on through Plank Lane swing bridge which is being redeveloped. There is going to be a 40 boat marina and probably hundreds of house by the look of the mud around.

We moored up by the Dover Lock pub (no lock, just a pub) and I caught a bus into Wigan for an explore.

Quite little cutie this one. Made for a kit which I got "free" with a card magazine.

I started with a square white card using some matted decorated paper as a background and a strip of white card with a decorated edge and some green rickrack along it. I made the flower by stitching through more rickrack and pulling it tight.

The round topper was matted onto yellow card and stuck down with sticky fixers and the sentiment was added below.