23rd June 2016. Fishing, witches and chocolate cake.

We just went up the seven Barrowford locks today, stopping at lovely visitors moorings at the top. We caught up with a hire boat from Sowerby Bridge at the second lock and went through the rest together, two lockers making it a much quicker and easier process.

From the road, looking up the flight. The hill in the distance has a tower on top but sadly no footpaths.

The road  goes to Barrowford and right across the top of this lock.

The Barrowford reservoir is next to these locks and is a key part of the watering system for the canal. We thought it seemed quite low and then we got a notice from CRT advising users of the Leeds and Liverpool canal to take care with water; share locks etc. as there may not be enough to last all summer.

The locks and the reservior, looking back towards the terraces of Burnley (sorry about the thumb!)

It was warm and sunny and so lovely at the top that we decided to revert to our usual slow pace and stop for the day. Jo cycled off the nearby Barrowford village and heritage centre to learn about Pendle witches and eat chocolate cake. After deep cleaning our Elsan tanks (don't ask!), Robin got his rod out and caught half a dozen decent sized roach.

The captain in action.

Ah! this is what we came for!

Harold in his lovely mooring.

Tomorrow we may do as much as two miles and get through the Foulridge tunnel. The tunnel is 1640 yards long and held up the completion of the canal for a long time as it was so difficult to build. Until it was finished, a tramway took goods across the top of the hill so the canal at either side could be used.