Off the Peak and on to Ashton

18 September - Hole House Fold Bridge 14, Peak to Clayton Lock 13, Ashton

Up and away fully rested after yesterday, past parks, farms, and suburbs old and new until we reached the end of the Peak Forest canal and turned left onto the Ashton canal at Portland Basin

 Woodley Tunnel has the tow path going through it. I do love taking photos coming out of tunnel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodley,_Greater_Manchester

We stopped for lunch and to buy top ups for the WiFi and phone at bridge 26 and had lunch in the Boundary Inn, Black Pudding fritters with bacon and poached eggs for Pete 7/10 and Thai Fish cakes and salad for Vicki 8/10 and we moved on.

 The towpath is under repair here and they have a floating pontoon for the machinery

 Heading towards Portland Basin and we turn left on to Ashton Canal

This chimney belongs to a collector of abandoned chimney's - a hobby that makes canal boat seem almost respectably sane

We arrived at the top of the Clayton locks and started to descend, low pounds in some made things tricky and gates that won't stay shut when empty don't make things easier but we went down 6 and moored for the night on the lock landing below lock 13 beside the Strawberry Duck at 4pm.
Once the boat was sorted we went to the pub having another go at the lower gates that swing open but they still do ,we need to refill the lock to get some weight behind them.

View of boat from pub

 Our view tonight

A couple of drinks meeting the locals and Mrs Landlord and finding out about the Rugby we went back on board for dinner and showers and at 7.30 I went back and watched the game with the small but loud group of rugby fans that were there, a good bunch of people. Back on board after the game but the Karaoke at the Duck went to midnight.

TOTAL 8 miles, 6 locks, 3 moveable bridges, 3 small aqueducts and 1 Tunnel - Woodley