Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 27th July, 2012)

I rode up there on my bike the other day and it was packed out with boats.

It's hard to believe that there are places as beautiful as this in what used to be areas of heavy industry. This is a very 'refreshing' picture and it makes me feel better just to look at it. I'm in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China.

How long did you wait for the sun to appear, Janice?
From the L & L canal history on
http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/ll/ll2.htm this lock is about 230 years old.
For another view of canal at Top Lock refer: More photos of Wigan, New Gallery, Leeds/Liv.canal and it`s 1st photo on top row.

Re my earlier comment about waiting to take a photo : Ron Dawber`s advice to Tom Walsh on Tom`s P-a-D 18th July`12 was to wait several months !!
I waited several hours in the Canadian Rockies for the clouds to clear the ten peaks near Banff, but
they never did !!

Janice ,a lovely picture,I usually walk along the canal from New Srings to the Crawford Arms,but I will make a point of going in the opposite direction,towards Rose Bridge,I think we sometimes forget how beautiful that
side is ,with the added advantage of being able to wonder at the engineering feat ,of The Wigan Flight. Hugh Wilson,do you live
permanently in China?,do you have a Wigan
connection .Your comment shows that W.W.
really does reach to the four corners of the earth. Regards.
Wigan Flight

I was quite lucky with this Ernest, it was actually drizziling and suddenly the sun broke through for a VERY brief spell. Taken at approx 6.00pm This was my first visit to the Wigan Flight and it was a very pleasant stroll.

I think you'll find this lock isn't 230 years old, more like 196.This used to be our walk after tea from Holt Street to Top Lock. Still walk it with a very dear friend of mine who has little legs but is very game. Thanks for posting, it has made the day.

Now then, is that me with the little legs, young Neil? No wonder.....they've worn away being dragged round to look at old pits and old signal boxes!

For the opening date of the Flight, see the inscription in this pic of the arch on the original Britannia Bridge: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2871912
Beware - you may be tempted to view the other pics of the Flight which I've submitted to the Geograph site over the years.
Good pic, Janice - you get a very special light in the circumstances you describe, which you've captured very well.

Thank you all for the comments. So pleased that you have enjoyed the picture, and isn't this what p.a.d is all about? Showcasing what is in and around Wigan, evoking memories - especially for those now living some distance away, and for me, new experiences.

I once captured a 4lb chub out of this lock from the spot exactly where the streak of sunlight sneaking through the trees illuminates the towpath and grass verge: strange thing to remember for thirty years and, apart from the trees growing up a bit, some remedial bywash work and my moustache turning as white as the end of the lock gate, nowt's changed.

dk, I could picture the sunlight through the trees as if I had seen it myself. I too hold memories of Ince, where I know you too grew up, on late Summer evenings, with the sun slanting on the end of a terrace, throwing onto it the outline of the roof and chimney-pots of the NEXT terrace, and a chill just beginning to creep into the air. Don't worry about the white moustache....you can always be Father Christmas at your local school! Thanks for warm memories.

If white hairs are the price of happy memories then count me in. Used to play on the ruins of Rosebridge Pits across the canal as a nipper. The evening light on St. Catherine's spire from grandad's top room in Holt Street was soft and golden. Happy days. Thanks again Janice

I was up here on my bike a couple of weeks ago enjoyed it a lot,spent a lot of my youth round this area being raised up in West street learned to swim in sandy bottoms lock, my brother lives in Holt street so i bike it from Appley Bridge all along canal and as far as Arlley superb.