A few more Heartbreak Hill locks.

Yesterday was a day of mooring options, we had a number of places in mind, we were in no particular hurry and so it was around 8:45 before we cast off, a boat had passed by earlier so we gave them 15 minutes to clear the first single lock before Rod move off to set it for me, as it happened a boat was coming up the lock so I had to wait for him to clear, it was a single hander who had his own method and I hovered mid stream for quite a while before he finally left the lock.

I then moved on to set the next locks, a duplicated pair (54) before the locking began in earnest.

Some nice countryside but little time to admire it all, the locks are frequent and often grouped together but between lock 54 and 55 I had time to snap a couple of views.

 The first mooring suggestion was at Hassall Green, there were plenty of spaces but I decided we had not progressed enough and so moved through two more locks.

Hassall Green

The next option looked ok on Google maps but with the M6 close by and vegetation along the edges it wasn’t suitable.

Passing beneath the M6

So I carried on again through another four locks which took us to Malkin’s Bank another option but it was not suitable either, there is a short arm in the middle of the pound between locks 62 and 63 and that restricted the available mooring space.

Lock 63

Two more locks to find that another option that had looked ok on Google had trees and then concrete edging so that one was out as well.

Another two locks and I arrived at Wheelock, with a section of designated visitor moorings with rings it suited, it had to, it was the last option and after 14 locks I’d had enough for one day!

The moorings are 48 hours but as we are now in ‘winter’ (Nov-end of March) all moorings revert to 14 days unless specifically signed to the contrary, we aren’t planning on staying long though, probably a move tomorrow as long as the weather is ok.

Current mooring:

Totals this post: 3½ miles : 14 locks