Well this is an unusual intro, No Shaun. What am I gonna do without him.
Shaun's on the boat and we're already in the first lock at the bottom of the Wigan flight.
You know good plans and everything, well we were supposed to set off at 8 o'clock
meet up with the other narrow boat that we going up the flight with but then it
started raining and raining and raining, so we were like holding off and holding
off for another 5 minutes give it 5 minutes and eventually it was, as you can
see by the raincoat we're gonna have to make a move. So here we are, Shaun's in the
boat, we've got a CRT volunteer helping us out. You'll see more of him shortly.
I better get some work done
[Music playing]
[Shaun shouting and laughing] WIND IT FASTER!
[laughing]
[Music playing]
So we're at lock 77 of... Well we started 85... Well we started at 87. Confused?
No don't, be the bottom of the flight is lock 85 and this is 77 so we've done
nine locks so far and it's done nothing but rain it's like that drizzly stuff
that really wets you through and then every now and then the Sun comes out you
think oh it's alright and then it rains again, Arrrgghh! So lock 77 is a bit different.
You can see this thing behind me this like roller thing, where the bridges are a bit
too close to the lock gates there's a chain connected to this roller and you
basically wind in, you've heard the term wind your neck in. I say that to Shaun all
time, but this is like wind the lock gate in and what you do is, there's a chain
to the lock gate, you wind it in. Easy as that.
[Music playing]
Just over halfway. I'm actually feeling alright, I haven't had to swap, we've got
CRT he volunteer helping us and the chap from one of the other boats is helping
us, so we've got three pairs of hands and it's a breeze, we're halfway up the
flight now and it has been raining quite a bit, but it reminds me a bit of the
marathon, do you know what I mean. Where you know you've got like the long distance
to go so you just kind of knuckle down take it steady and just get on with it
and time seems to be flying. Some great views as well.
[Music playing]
Lock 75. It has stopped raining. T-shirt is on and the waterproofs are off.
Might see two boats in that lock behind me they've come down from the top and we
meeting halfway, but Narrowboat Silver Fox and our other boat are in the lock in 75.
So we're gonna have to cross over in this pound, it's going to be interesting.
It's a little pound isn't it?
[Musing playing]
Lock 73. You can see another two boats behind us in Lock 72. They're waiting to
come out, as soon as we've come up this lock we're going to do the same as we
did just before and cross over in single file and carry on upwards.
Sun's coming out as well it's a great day.
[Music playing]
Lock 70. Sun's out. Look at the view of Wigan behind as it's great. We're about
three-quarters way through now. Actually feeling alright I've got a glass of coke.
Shaun's still on the boat and we've got two CRT volunteers helping now.
I reckon we'll be out of here in the next hour
[Music playing]
You might just be able to see where it says 70, on the right-hand side of it,
it says in Roman numerals lock number 6, V1 and it's bit weird because when you
count the CRT numbers for locks, we start at 85 and we work our way up.
We're now at lock 70, but originally when it was going to be the Lancaster canal coming
in at the top the locks were numbered from top to bottom, even though now you
start at the bottom 85 and you kinda come up and we're at 70 now.
So it was numbered from top to bottom before.
[Music playing]
Lock 66. This one and one more to go and we're done.
I've actually really enjoyed it to be honest.
Kirkless Inn behind us if you fancy a drink, you can more up at the top of the lock
just after you've used the services maybe and nip down and have a drink.
I think we might do
[Music playing]
Right, we're here. What time is it? It is, let me just get my trusty timepiece.
It is 11:55.... So we set off at half past eight. half 9, half 10, half 11.
So, 3 hours 25 minutes, is that good? That's good. Is it? It's about average to
be fair but yeah, it's on the good side. Noooo we don't want average [laughs]. On the good side of average.
The is Andy, one of the CRT volunteers. We've passed how many? about six five or
six. The was 4 going down. Yeah, and then five of you all together today?
Yeah there's five was all together. Tell you what without these guys it just would be
I don't mean twice as hard but it would be because it's you know what you doing.
Yeah you get a routine and even you even if we weren't you still get a
routine and going up, but just here to give you a lift, so it's a day out for us
as much as it is for you. It really, and three hours 25 I'm quite
pleased with that. We hear too many people bashing the CRT but without Andy
and other volunteers for the CRT, jobs like the Wigan Flight wouldn't be as good,
wouldn't be as fun, it'd be harder work. So we're really grateful, me and Shaun and
the guys on Sagittarius as well. We saw how many four boats going down?
Four down, yeah. How many come up you know?
There was you two but apparently there's another two behind you as well.
There's another two behind us? Yeah, they crept up on us those.
So what made you become CRT volunteer? Just so I can get out in the open air.
I mean, like messing about with canals and I like boats and everything, so it's just a
way of getting out on a weekend instead of sitting there watching TV.
Everybody should get out on a weekend it would be ace wouldn't it? and how long you been
doing the Wigan fight? I've been on here for, this is the start my second year now. So two years?
Yeah. It was close for most of last year so we didn't really do much.
It was wasn't it, yeah. So what if people were coming up on their own,
if there's no CRT help, what I like your kind of top three tips to get up
the Wigan fight, or down. Yeah, either way doesn't really make any
difference, it's easier going down than it is coming up. Yeah.
Just don't be frightened of it, like most big fights especially the Wigan, it's got a
bad rap, you can get a bad rap it gets some bad press, but don't be
frightened of it take your time, if you can go down with somebody else and it saves
water as well which is you know a big help for us and and yeah just enjoy it.
There's plenty to see, there's loads of scenery out there, it's a lovely day sun
shining like today. It was a bit of a different kettle of fish earlier. It wasn't
early was it? Not when it was raining like it was this morning but yeah, the sun's out,
it's out, you know it's a good day. It is. Just enjoy it.
It is nicer than I expected and I think as you get further up the flight it does get nicer.
From about half way up, from the Rose bridge it tends to get a lot more scenic
a lot more rural. I mean it was chucking down when we set off.
Oh yeah, just a bit. We're supposed to meet these guys on Sagittarius at eight o'clock and
he got to about quarter past, 20 past and it's still raining and I'm like oh
another five minutes just see what happens.
So he did the first what, seven eight nine locks in the rain. Yeah. And then it
kind of dried up. Yeah, when the sun came out it got a bit warm,
I've still got my kagool on now but that's wrapped round my waist. Compare tans. About the same actually.
Right, cheers Andy. Thank you, thank you very much. It was a pleasure.
[Music playing]
[Camp bicycle bell ringing]
[Music playing]
Here Shaun..... Catch!
Oooooooh CAKE!
[Laughing]
[Music playing]
We did it. YAYYY! It was easy for you. Oh simple.
[Laughing] Stood at the back of the boat for 4 hours.
Some people make out the Wigan flight to be some sort of big scary monster,
and I guess it is if you're on your own with no help. There were two of us on
Silver Fox two on Sagittarius the boat that came up with us and we had a CRT
volunteer, Andy, who helped us all the way up. Yes. And we did it in three
hours 20 minutes... It has been done quicker. It has been a lot quicker,
we were bothered about speed. No we weren't. I was kind of surprised how quick we did
get up there. Apologies for the lack of footage down
near the bottom it did really rain for the first sort of hour and then it
cleared up kinda from like a third of the way up up to the top. I didn't get wet.
No... under the covers you were alright [laughs]. I have trench foot trench foot... it's gonna take
days for my trainers to dry out. So we've got to the top of the Wigan flight
there's some services at the top if you need it all the services, so there's water
and elsan and pump-out and rubbish. I think there's showers there as well isn't there?
Yes there is. Yep and toilet all at the top of the services and if you're
going up in two's, there's usually just the two of you there because the kind of because
you both set off at 8:30 9:30 up and down you don't really meet anybody at the top
yeah there's enough room for two boats. Hmm so we got there, you go past Haigh Hall
which has some nice views coming in towards Red Rock. Sounds like some place
in Texas doesn't it. Yeah it does. Red Rock... Flintstones [laughs] and then into Adlington and
past the White Bear Marina where we saw quite a lot of people were kind of shouting
Oh hello we watch your vlogs. Yeah. So hello to you if you waved at us. We saw
Narrowboat Pica Pica... Pica Pica. And we got cake thrown at us... from Pica Pica
So thanks for that... and now we're just on the outskirts of Chorley.
Thats bridge 73 and loads of people said when you get to bridge 73 moor up, because
Frederick's Ice cream which is about I don't know what like one minute walk. It's just minute walk
just up the hill. Just up the hill from the bridge. Best ice cream in Lancashire,
if not further afield. Yeah. So we had to go and check it out.
Be prepared to queue, it's very popular. We went up about an hour ago and they
were queuing out of the door onto the street. Yeah. So we waited a bit and went
back up. Yes. And it was alright. So yeah Frederick's Ice-cream, got to call there.
I don't know about you I'm starting to feel a bit shattered. Yeah so am I.
Even Dillon's not running now he just walking about moochin eating grass... Plodding!
So we're gonna go and get our tea and have a shower and chill for the evening.
I think we'll sleep tonight. I think we will. Next time you see us... heading
further east. Onward [laughs] Till then, hope you've liked this vlog, if you have please
give it a thumbs up if you haven't please give it a thumbs up and comment or give
any feedback or questions just in the comments down below. Subscribe if you're
not already. Hit the bell and YouTube will let you know every time we release
a brand new vlog. Yeah, and I'm off for a nap. We'll see you next time, take care.
Tarrar!
You gonna say summat then wasn't ya? Yeah. We did it
We did...... Hang on.... summat in my eye.
We did it
and again, Iooking behind me. It was him he was sat that stood at the sat the, having a [beeeep]
[Laughs] It's like 21...21 flocks.
If you count from top of the Wigan flight down this is
the 12th lock, but if you count from the bottom coming up it's the 10th
lock or the 11th... ten or eleven wherever, if that makes sense. We started at
85. So 85... 6... 7... 8... 9... No. So 85... 4... 3...2... 1. 80... 79
78... 77... 76. so this is the tenth lock of the flight. So this is the 12th one
coming down as opposed to coming up. Doesn't add up does it, cos we've done more
than 8 lock, we're on about I don't know 14... 13... 14
something like that. Even though you know you start at the bottom at 85 and
you just kind of come up we're at 70 now and ....
[Laughs] He's too shy.... he's too shy [laughs]
We just gotta wait Shaun to stop talking