Slattocks Top Lock to Durn Lock

25 September - Cruising through bandit country and into the countryside

Up and away slowly and moved up through widely spaced locks.

Blue Pits new lock 53  is a lot larger than all the other locks on system. Shortly after you go under the motorway and the tunnel has a barge towpath so that if you have a wide beam you need to contact CRT first.

New estate area appearing in Castleton

Note the hat back to front, he doesn't realise it not a baseball cap

Through Rochdale where we meet the lunch cider club (could be morning tea club) enjoying the sunshine. View of country side and villages , roads and motorways and rail lines and finally stopped above Durn lock for water and rubbish disposal. Books exchange and loads of washing done for both boats and another water top up and moved across to tow path to attack the 11 locks to the summit in the morning.

 The heart of Rochdale, the Morning club helped open the lock for us

 Tunnel under the motorway Edinburgh Way Tunnel

Vicki spent the day jumping between boats and got stranded opening swingbridge so jumped back on to MUSN Grumble to catch up with Albert

At next bridge we show Nick how to open the swing bridges

Durn Lock has subsidence so only one boat can go in, Pete thought he could do it but I told him not to be a Bloody Idiot, sure way to sink 2 boats, would have fitted at the bottom but they certainly wouldn't have at the top

 Our view for the night

Stew and roast veg and yorkshire puds for dinner and then drinks on Janet's  boat for the evening.

Tomorrow will see us up at the summit at 600 feet above sea level.

TOTAL - 7 locks, 2 movable bridges, 6 miles and 1 tunnel