Manchester, Rochdale – Tuesday 21 August 2012
Left Lymm at 09:00 and stopped at the water point next to a pub called ‘Ye Olde No 3’ which is reputed to have 3 ghosts (or is it running short of spirits!).  After this is was just a peaceful chug up the canal.  There are no locks, the canal is wide and there were very few boats.  When the railway bridge at Sale is passed there is a long two mile straight and although the map shows it runs through an urban area it feels like the country with trees and parkland on both sides.  A bit further and there is a junction called ‘Waters Meeting’ where the Bridgewater canal continues to Salford and beyond while the Rochdale canal heads towards Manchester city centre passing Old Trafford on the way.  Gradually the scenery becomes more industrialised and urban and after a few bridges the Manchester Ship canal can be seen running just below and Pomona lock (the join between the two canals) is passed.  There are lots of moorings around Castlefield but they get full fairly early in the day.  The city centre is only a mile away, although there are three free bus routes to take people around.  These are not just for the ‘more mature’ but for every-one (probably to reduce the number of cars brought in).  The sun has been out all day, there was one minor shower lasting about 5 minutes – the umbrella salesmen were doing a roaring trade.  There has been a message from Susan – she has collected my emergency ladder.