Here's what all the fuss was about

Three months after closing the Bridgewater canal and this is the state of play. I presume a prefabricated bridge structure will be dropped into place fairly quickly, necessitating another brief closure. Also, if there are any isolated farms out there on the moss I hope they've stocked up the fridge!
I don't know if it is a result of the dam that was previously in place but the amount of detritus in the water was ridiculous. Not all of it is down to the closure though. Not the garden chair we saw, or the two seater settee 😡. It really is a shame. One minute you're gently cruising along listening to the distinctive calls of the yellow hammers in the trees, next thing your dodging lumps of household furniture. You don't get that on the Shroppie.
The evenings as we made our way to Leigh have been following a theme recently, that is, sitting out 'till dark and trying not to set the towpath on fire.

Here we are at the moment, between the marina and Pennington Flash.

Boy, has Plank Lane been transformed or what? Also, the eagle eyed may have noticed that we are facing in the wrong direction. That's because we will head back to Boothstown for diesel before getting through Wigan in a week or so (no firm plans). That's all for now.