Northwich by Bus and the Lion Salt Works.

 Wednesday 28th June 2023 near Anderton.

After another early start, we stopped temporarily at Broken Cross in Rudheath so that we could go and get a "few bits" in Northwich. We left MM with Guy on guard to keep an eye on things and looking hopeful that we may return with a bunch of bananas (sadly for him, we didn't!).

Next to the canal is the Broken Cross Pub, but on the other side of the road is the old Smithy, where the canal horses once were shod.

Just a hundred yards from the canal is a bus stop. The no. 49 bus runs in a circle between Rudheath and Northwich and does a circuitous route through a number of very pleasant 1930s type housing estates. One very good thing about catching buses is that one gets to chat to local folk.  As the bus nears the centre of Northwich, it passes a large new Waitrose. Inevitably, we started our shopping with breakfast in the cafe.

The centre of Northwich is quite strange. There are large open areas surrounded by empty and derelict shops and other areas that have pedestrianised streets that are quite buzzy and busy. It looks as if the segregation is deliberate to cordon off the "dead" areas and concentrate business in specific areas. However, the area down by the River Weaver is definitely the most attractive part of the town and we were glad we'd taken the time to walk down there.

North of Rudheath, the canal landscape is dominated by massive chemical works. The warning notice next to the road is probably indicative of the past level of pollution, which would not be tolerated these days.

This is (Indian) Tata's huge soda ash works that used to be owned by (British) ICI. It is still expanding with massive building work going on. Plenty of those steam vapours in evidence here!

Next to it is the Trouw Nutrition works; it manufactures animal feeds.

In 2015, we visited the Lion Salt Works after it had just reopened following a major renovation. We were very glad to see that it had survived Covid and was flourishing. It was still in operation until 1986, pumping brine from 100ft underground into huge pans that were heated from below with coal. The brine evaporated leaving salt lumps, which were formed into blocks and then dried over a period of weeks. This is a photo from the exhibition showing just one heated store where the blocks were kept before being ground up and exported. Salt from here, in different grades, went all over the world.

The new "Visitors' Centre" included a small cafe, so tea, coffee and cakes were mandatory before we left. Someone had his eye on M's fruit scone ...

We moored up for the night a mile or so further on but the weather deteriorated, so no pictures.

Today: 6 miles, 0 locks and 2.6 hours.

Trip: 44 miles, 52 locks and 32.2 hours.