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20th Jun 2007
Kirkintillock east of Glasgow, United Kingdom - How wet! - 506 eng. hrs.
We woke up this morning to pouring rain....
After a little confusion over when we should leave (a second boat bottled out because of the rain) we set off at 8.30. How cool (and expensive for BW) we had our own crew of 4 guys and a van to go ahead and prepare all the locks and swing bridges for us (apparently on this section they do it on health and safety grounds).
The sun came out mid morning and after passing through Falkirk the scenery become fantastic (watch this space for Conny's photos). Altogether we covered about 17 miles and climbed up 18 locks.
We're now at the halfway point and start our decent at 8am tomorrow. We were warned not to go any further today as we're nearing the Maryhill area of Glasgow which has a fearsome reputation. Apparently, when they first re-opened the canal, they had so much trouble with youths climbing onto boats (in broad day light and with people on board) that they had to introduce police escorts and even that didn't entirely stop the problems. Having said all this, they now try to get boats through in the mornings when the trouble makers are still in bed....touch wood and everything crossed for tomorrow!
22nd Jun 2007
Bowling Harbour, United Kingdom - Arrival on the 'other side'!
Well that was painless enough!
After a first hour of wooded canal we entered the suburbs of Glasgow. The sun was shining and the concrete rendered blocks of flats didn't look bad at all (though we did comment to each other on how things would probably look a lot different under a dull and raining grey sky).
Today we were travelling with another boat skippered by Robert. We'd spent a couple of hours with Robert the night before and helped him get through half a bottle of scotch. Robert was out on his ex-fishing boat for a few days and had chosen the canal as a poor weather alternative to going out into the Clyde. He was now returning to his mooring at our destination point for the day.
Soon we reached our first of 20 locks for the day and met up with another 4 man team that would be aiding our decent back to sea level. We were now in Maryhill and although scars of decay and neglect were evident, a lot of re-generation has gone on and the place didn't look so bad (probably the sun again).
Our descent through the locks was effortless. It's always easier going down locks as there's less turbulence and less strain on the ropes and we were soon stopping at lunchtime slap bang in the middle of the Clydebank shopping centre. Conny went off to the shops to refuel Tiger with essentials and because we had been advised not to leave the boat unattended, I had to stay behind.....doh and I like shopping so much! :-)
After an hours break we set off through a few lift bridges and a few more locks and we arrived at a very strange lock. Known as a 'drop lock', this was effectively a chamber built below one of Glasgow's busiest roads under which we passed (see photo). By 4 o'clockish and having covered 13 miles we reached Bowling Harbour....what a beautiful view opened up in front of us! Having been closed in by wood lined canal for the past hour suddenly, beyond the pretty Bowling basin, miles of the Clyde estuary opened up in front of us....fantastic.....we'd reached the other side!
Kirkintillock east of Glasgow, United Kingdom - How wet! - 506 eng. hrs.
We woke up this morning to pouring rain....
After a little confusion over when we should leave (a second boat bottled out because of the rain) we set off at 8.30. How cool (and expensive for BW) we had our own crew of 4 guys and a van to go ahead and prepare all the locks and swing bridges for us (apparently on this section they do it on health and safety grounds).
The sun came out mid morning and after passing through Falkirk the scenery become fantastic (watch this space for Conny's photos). Altogether we covered about 17 miles and climbed up 18 locks.
We're now at the halfway point and start our decent at 8am tomorrow. We were warned not to go any further today as we're nearing the Maryhill area of Glasgow which has a fearsome reputation. Apparently, when they first re-opened the canal, they had so much trouble with youths climbing onto boats (in broad day light and with people on board) that they had to introduce police escorts and even that didn't entirely stop the problems. Having said all this, they now try to get boats through in the mornings when the trouble makers are still in bed....touch wood and everything crossed for tomorrow!
22nd Jun 2007
Bowling Harbour, United Kingdom - Arrival on the 'other side'!
Well that was painless enough!
After a first hour of wooded canal we entered the suburbs of Glasgow. The sun was shining and the concrete rendered blocks of flats didn't look bad at all (though we did comment to each other on how things would probably look a lot different under a dull and raining grey sky).
Today we were travelling with another boat skippered by Robert. We'd spent a couple of hours with Robert the night before and helped him get through half a bottle of scotch. Robert was out on his ex-fishing boat for a few days and had chosen the canal as a poor weather alternative to going out into the Clyde. He was now returning to his mooring at our destination point for the day.
Soon we reached our first of 20 locks for the day and met up with another 4 man team that would be aiding our decent back to sea level. We were now in Maryhill and although scars of decay and neglect were evident, a lot of re-generation has gone on and the place didn't look so bad (probably the sun again).
Our descent through the locks was effortless. It's always easier going down locks as there's less turbulence and less strain on the ropes and we were soon stopping at lunchtime slap bang in the middle of the Clydebank shopping centre. Conny went off to the shops to refuel Tiger with essentials and because we had been advised not to leave the boat unattended, I had to stay behind.....doh and I like shopping so much! :-)
After an hours break we set off through a few lift bridges and a few more locks and we arrived at a very strange lock. Known as a 'drop lock', this was effectively a chamber built below one of Glasgow's busiest roads under which we passed (see photo). By 4 o'clockish and having covered 13 miles we reached Bowling Harbour....what a beautiful view opened up in front of us! Having been closed in by wood lined canal for the past hour suddenly, beyond the pretty Bowling basin, miles of the Clyde estuary opened up in front of us....fantastic.....we'd reached the other side!
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