Another sunny day in paradise

Well not quite paradise, but Wigan is near enough.

On the Leeds & Lliverpool canal south of Wigan

A glorious hot sunny day in unexpectedly attractive countryside.  We left our moorings at 9:15 and traveled north along the tree lined canal past large flash lakes with flocks of swans and geese.  Just outside Wigan we ascended two wide locks, the first locks we have navigated for over a week, with another narrowboat, "Marie Claire" to the junction with the main Leeds & Liverpool canal. 

Turn right to Leeds up the 21 locks of the Wigan flight,  or straight on to Wigan and Liverpool as we did.  After the junction we went down a lock, again with Marie Claire, and at 11:15 we moored in Wigan.

Angela wanted to see Wigan pier so we walked down the canal so she could take a few pictures.  A task made rather difficult as we were unsure which particular unexceptional bit of steel or wood was THE pier.  Then back to the boat for lunch.  In the afternoon we walked into the town centre after leaving Angela at the railway station.  We were surprised by the town, when we were here perhaps 5 years ago Wigan seemed somewhere to avoid but now the canal area looks fine and the shopping area large, quite attractive, and well maintained with several arcades and many of the major stores.  However the large number of empty shops was very noticeable, one modern arcade had very few open shops at all.

Our original plan was to move on to moor outside of Wigan but from what we have seen we are now happy to spend the night here.