The Old Dock and the Royal Liver Building.

 Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th August 2024 in Liverpool.

Today, the four of us decided to be tourists for the day and the weather very kindly cooperated with bright sunshine and blue skies.

Our first port of call was to the Maritime Museum, where we had booked a tour of the Old Dock. We were a bit early, so had to wait for the tour guide and the others on the tour.

In the 17th century, unloading and loading a ship required the ship to anchor in the deep channel in the middle of the Mersey and the cargo would be carried back and forth on "Lighters", which were basically small rowing boats. It took up to two and a half weeks to unload and reload a typical 150 ton vessel of the time. That is, until this gentleman had the great idea of building an enclosed dock with gates that could be closed at high time to keep the water in and allow ships to moor up on the quayside to unload and load in one and a half days! It was revolutionary.

Mr Steers began work in 1709 and by 1711 the new "Steers Dock" was opened. Its construction costs were so high that the whole of Liverpool and its 700 inhabitants had to be mortgaged to pay for it - but when it opened it was an immediate and runaway success and paid for itself in six months.

Before the "Liverpool One" shopping centre and the Hilton Hotel were built over it, the "Old Dock" was fully excavated and preserved and it is possible to visit one corner underground.

On the wall there is a copy of the 1803 Tythe Map, which has been colour coded for the different types of businesses. Not surprisingly the red and brown of Pubs and Taverns predominate around the dock.

One road back from the edge of the dock was, and still is, Paradise Street. It is interesting to note the yellow coloured businesses all run by ladies; the street name may be a clue!

Outside is a colourful reminder of the City and this marks the northern edge of the "Old Dock" about 20 feet below.

After a brief stop for some lunch, our next stop was a visit to the Royal Liver Building. 

The "Liverpool Lyver Burial Society" was founded by a group of working men in Liverpool, who met in the Lyver Inn on 24th July 1850 and formed the mutual society to "provide for the decent interment of deceased members." Over the years the society grew and decided that "Life Insurance" sounded better than a "Burial Society"; and thus it remained until the decision was taken to build a new headquarters, which would eventually become the Royal Liver Building. The building opened in 1911 and was the tallest building in the country for many years and, at 15 storeys, our first "skyscraper".

The first ten floors were thankfully negotiated by lift before climbing about 50 steps to get into the room behind the clock faces. When we arrived, you could see the clock faces and the electrical mechanism behind the faces. However, unlike the faces of "Big Ben's" clock, which you can see through, these clock faces are solid. So, the faces that you see are actually projected images on to the back of the face.

A really excellent audio visual presentation followed celebrating the various stages of Liverpool's development over the years with all of its many triumphs and disasters.

The huge clock faces (slightly bigger than those of Big Ben we were proudly informed), were built in Leicester. Before the faces were delivered a lavish dinner was held using one of the faces as the table.

The menu included Turtle Soup, Mutton Cutlets, Galantine of Tur(n)key, Pressed Beef , York Ham and Salad, followed by dessert.

We then continued to the top floor, a total of 124 steps, where we went out on to the roof and found a splendid view in all directions.

To the north, there was a wondeful view of the docks through which we came last Saturday. In the foreground of the photograph is a lock and after that lock is the first of three tunnels completed in 2009 to create the "Liverpool Link" that connects the canal and the Stanley flight of locks to Salthouse Dock where MM is moored.

There are two more tunnels. The first goes under the statue of King Edward VII on his horse and the statues of the four Beatles, clearly visible as a crowd of very small people way below us. After a brief bit of open water the third tunnel goes under the Museum of Liverpool as shown by the yellow line.

From the top of the Royal Liver Building we could also see Salthouse Dock and where MM is moored (arrowed).

Later in the eveing, Harley cooked us all delicious steaks on the barbecue and Shelley provided a wonderful raw brocolli salad, which we ate in the light of the setting sun.

 

On Wednesday, the weather was perfect but just as Tuesday poured with rain, the same thing happened on Thursday. We had been planning on Thursday to visit our good friends Bob and Jan, who live a bus ride away on the other side of the Mersey. Sadly, Bob is not well and we had to postpone our trip. So disappointing to be so close and not to be able to see them.

Instead, we did domestic things and went out for a "few bits" (we found we could have breakfast in John Lewis for the princely sum of £3:95!) but otherwise had a quiet relaxing day.

This Saturday is the last day that M&S will be open in the Belfry back home as it is closing its doors for ever. Last year when we were here in Liverpool, M&S was about to open its huge new shop in the Liverpool One shopping centre just round the corner from our mooring. Today we went there and found that the new M&S shop is indeed huge - but it has a tiny café, made even smaller by the ten or so customers always queueing in the middle of the café to use the one and only single unisex toilet stall in the building! How could anyone open a huge shop like that with such poor toilet and café facilities?

We went to the even bigger John Lewis close by, a really lovely shop which has ample facilities and an excellent café! No wonder M&S is in trouble.

The Liverpool City Bus Tour.

 Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th August 2024 in Liverpool.

On Monday morning, we set off with Shelley and Harley to go on the "City Explorer" hop on-hop off bus tour.

It is always a great introduction to the city and, to start with, we did the whole tour from start to finish. The tour guide was excellent; his commentary was full of wise cracks which had us all laughing as well as providing a wealth of information. On the second tour, we hopped off in order to visit the Cavern Club. It didn't disappoint. The wealth of memorabilia and the general atmosphere makes it one of the best £5 that we spent. Shelley and Harley were blown away by it, not least because they found a picture of the Australian Cricket team visiting the Club.

The tour guide had described the Catholic Cathedral as "Paddy's Wigwam" and that had very much put Shelley off as she didn't like the look of the outside - and who could blame her?

However, we pursuaded both of them to hop off to see the inside despite their reservations. The interior is painted with light and is very beautiful. Shelley revised her opinion once she had seen the inside. It is still our favourite of Liverpool's two cathedrals; it always feels very spiritual as you walk around watching the light change.

We then walked across town to see the Anglican Cathedral, which is VERY BIG - and, for us, that is the best that can be said for it. M deems it to be ugly in the extreme and totally without charm or atmosphere.

By the time that we left the cathedral, it was late in the afternoon, although we still found time for an ice cream while waiting for the bus!  Back at Albert Dock, we posed together in front of MM and Lazy Bee in the far distance by R's shoulder.

M was so busy enjoying the tour that she didn't take many photos but it was a great day nonetheless.

Tuesday was a sort of day off; we did some shopping in the morning but, as the rain gradually got worse as the day progressed, we didn't do anything touristy. R walked down to the big marina in the next dock to buy some special varnish from the chandlery.

Tomorrow we have a couple of things booked; hopefully the weather will improve!

Janice, Mark, Sam and George Visit.

 Sunday 11th August 2024 in Liverpool.

Glorious weather! Our first full day in Liverpool began with breakfast alongside Shelley and Harley in Lazy Bee. M is seated on the pontoon, by the way, not floating on the water!

MM has a washing machine and so M has been doing some washing for Shelley and Harley. We were very amused to see the words printed on the label of Harley's boxer shorts...

Today, Janice and Mark drove up from Reigate while Sam and George came by train from Chester, so we had all four of them on board MM. Marvellous that they came to visit and wonderful to get them all together as they live so far apart that they rarely see each other.

Naturally, we took them for a short cruise around the docks and both Janice and Mark had a go at steering. Janice was very worried that she would hit something but Mark decided that he liked the idea of a narrowboat and the freedom that it gives. He's even considering buying one to live on!! George enjoyed running round MM and watching from sitting on Sam's shoulders as we were out on our cruise.

Sadly, they were not able to stay long but it was a great pleasure to see them all.

As the sun began to set, Shelley, Harley and ourselves went for a walk down to the statue of the Beatles. On the way we passed the statue of Billy Fury, one of M's favourites from the 1960s and another son of this city.

Just round the corner we encountered two mounted Police Ladies. Harley, who used to train horses and is very knowledgable, got into a long conversation with one of the officers who were very friendly and chatty. They even encouraged children in particular to come and pet the horses.

At the statue of the Beatles, there was still quite a crowd even at nearly 9pm but we managed to get some good photographs. The statues really are such a brilliant representation of them when they were still quite newly famous. M, in particular, finds it very moving.

Later in the evening, as the sun set, we did a panorama of the view from MM. Hard to beat a view like that.

 As we are moored up with power and water, MM is getting a rest for the week other than our quick trip around the docks.

Liverpool at Last!

 Saturday 10th August 2024 in Liverpool.

Lazy Bee and MM set off just before 10:00 and arrived at the top of the Stanley flight of locks about 11:00 as instructed. There was nobody around but the gates of the top lock were open, so we went on in to wait for the C&RT volunteers. Rather disappointingly, it was dull and raining, but that was infinitely better than when we did this flight last year in the teeth of Storm Antoni!

The volunteers soon turned up and explained that we had to wait for a while as there was "wild swimming" taking place in Collingwood Dock below and we couldn't go through there until after 12:00, when the swimmers would have finished.

The volunteers were, as ever, cheerful and very helpful and so going down through the four locks was easy with Shelley helping with the paddles. Always fun to see the trains going over the canal bridge.

Coming out of the bottom lock, we cruised through Stanley Dock past the massive old "Tobacco Warehouse" which is slowly being converted into very expensive apartments from right to left. You can see how far the conversion has got!

Part of the "Liverpool Link", opened in 2009 to allow boats to get from the L&L canal to the docks, is a new cut through a dock that had been filled in. This is known as "Sid's Ditch", named after the chief C&RT volunteer who is, reputedly, retiring this year.

One of the most memorable views as we entered Liverpool is to see the Royal Liver Building in front of us. Then you really know you've arrived!

After the four Stanley Locks, there are still two more locks to go through as well as three tunnels. The mouth of the first tunnel can be seen in front of the boats.

The last of the three tunnels takes us under the "Museum of Liverpool". The second tunnel takes you under the famous statue of the Beatles!

Looking back from MM, we watched Lazy Bee follow us into the Albert Dock with the Royal Liver Building in the background.

Finally, in Salthouse Dock we tied up the two boats either side of our shared pontoon.

The weather improved throughout the afternoon and supper, outside in the light of the setting sun, was our reward at the end of a fantastic day.  This is definitely the best way to come to Liverpool and wonderful to share the experience with Shelley and Harley. We had planned this together two years ago and finally - we have made it! Hooray!!

Today: 5 miles, 6 locks and 4.0 hours.

Trip: 176 miles, 85 locks and 88.6 hours.

To a Crowded Litherland

 Thursday 8th and Friday 9th August 2024 in Litherland.

The four of us decided to travel on to Litherland today, where you moor and wait on secure C&RT moorings before going into Liverpool. Some of the areas on the outskirts of Liverpool are not recommended for overnight mooring but Litherland is not only secure but has water and waste facilities too. So, we set off mid morning for a slightly longer day's cruising.

We need to travel 12 miles today and there are no locks - but there are nine swing bridges and none of us are too enamoured of swing bridges. In fact, they are a pain in the proverbial backside! Luckily, a couple of them were opened by others for us, which was nice, including the one that got stuck on us in the upright position last year, so M was very relieved not to have to do that one herself.

At one of the bridges, a group of C&RT volunteers was cutting back the overgrown vegetation hanging over the towpath. One of the volunteers wryly remarked "only 2,000 miles to go!" .

It is really noticeable this year that the towpaths and locksides are getting increasingly overgrown, so it was nice to see at least something being done.

A number of the the fields beside the canal have a distinctive crop of yellow and blue flowers. M, who happened to be opening a swing bridge beside one of these fields, took this photograph and identified them as a mixed planting of buckwheat, wild mustard and a variation of vipers' bugloss. Research in our wild flower book told us that these are all sown as conservation species.  They look so pretty too!

When we arrived at Litherland there were no vacant moorings but Jill and Lloyd on nb "Nifty Fifty" very kindly said that we could breast up against them, three deep. That's a "first" for us!

On Friday morning, a number of boats left and opened up one space so we backed MM and Lazy Bee into that space, still breasted up.

Breakfast in the local huge Tesco next door was followed by a very lazy day.

There are now four boats here waiting to go into Liverpool tomorrow and, in the evening sunshine, we gathered together on the towpath. The two on the left are Sue and Phil from nb "But'n'Ben" moored next to us.

Sue said that "But'n'Ben" is a Scottish expression describing, what she said was, a "two up, two down, without the up!" Literally, the "But" is the outside (or front/kitchen) room and the "Ben" is the inside room of a small two room cottage.

Later in the evening, Harley was seen supervising the barbecue with the "help" of a glass of wine!

Alfred from the C&RT came to visit and asked us to be at the top of Stanley Locks tomorrow by about 11:30, so we will need to leave here about 10:00.

A very peaceful day ended with a lovely sunset.

Two Days: 12 miles, 0 locks and 4.6 hours

Trip: 171 miles, 79 locks and 84.6 hours.

A Leaking Culvert, fixed in 2023, that is leaking again.

 Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th August 2024 at Haskayne Bridge

On Tuesday 6th we stayed in Burscough as we were in good time to reach Liverpool for our booked arrival slot on Saturday. Breakfast was in Hugo's in the courtyard beside the canal, which serves excellent food in a very attractive coffee shop.

Later in the day, we each had a very welcome ice cream in the sunshine. One of those ice creams belongs to M, who is behind the camera (note from M: "don't believe him"!!)

We were very amused to see this lovely four-footed friend also enjoying a doggy ice cream and were delighted to hear that the shop gives dogs a free ice cream when its hot.

Adam, the General Manager of Hugo's, was very interested to hear about the narrowboats and, when he said that he had never been on one, we invited him back to look over MM. As the General Manager, he gave himself permission to take a bit of time off to come over for look around!

Adam was clearly a convert to the idea of narrowboats. We're hoping he might come and join us for a short trip when we pass through Burscough again on our return journey in a couple of weeks' time.

The following morning, we moved up to the water point and filled both boats' water tanks.

Just past Burscough town is the location of last year's culvert leak which caused this canal to be closed for four weeks while the C&RT fixed it. Sadly, the fix doesn't appear to have worked as it is leaking again in exactly the same place. They have laid a tarpaulin over the leak, which has stopped it for now but they will have to do a more permanant repair at some point soon. You can see the power pole in the picture on the left from 2023 and the same pole on the right today. This, for us, is "the point of no return" as, if the C&RT decides to close the canal after we have gone through, we shan't be able to get back!

Cruising with Lazy Bee, Shelley and Harley, has been a delight with each of us taking it in turns to lead.

At Haskayne Bridge, we moored up both boats for the night.

Two Days: 6 miles, 0 locks and 3.8 hours.

Trip: 159 miles, 79 lovks and 80.0 hours.