Updates - June 2010

  
South Pennine Ring - Part 1

Map 8.  Navigation Notes.  Access to lock 86 has always been difficult. Now a new fence along Canal Road, constructed to prevent drunken revellers from falling in the canal, prevents lock crews getting to the lock!
  
This is a picture of the original lock access point. Although there is a gate in the fence, we cannot recommend using it to access lock 86. Instead travel there by boat.

Map 9.  Navigation Notes.  Swing bridges 14 and 15.   When we surveyed this earlier in the year, the swing bridge locks were broken and a Watermate padlock and chain were fastening each bridge. Permanent locks have now been fixed which are opened using a handcuff key.

Generally the Ashton Canal was in good condition for an urban waterway and we had little difficulty navigating it. A number of lock paddles were inoperative (for some unknown reason these were always on the bottom gate on the towpath side!) We only had to go down the weed hatch once.