Ashton Canal

I'm afraid we have jumped location to Portland Basin (though we are not really in the basin) at the end of the Ashton Canal.   I wanted to write something about the National Festival, but with a full boat (4 of us) it is not easy to get the time and space.   Manchester in Castlefield was fine for overnight, even on a Saturday night.  But climbing the Rochdale '9' starting at 6 in the morning was an experience.  My recollection will be the screaming of rusty paddle gear and the lack of maintenance to the gears which makes the old chestnut about the Kennet & Avon being "difficult" seem stupid.   Some of the night clubs were still going strong which didn't give us a good feeling either.   Then the Ashton.   Well we were doing fine until we found ourselves behind a boater who seemed to manage to get his 70 footer aground on both sides of the canal at the same time - a trick most of us have performed at one time or another I'm sure.  Then it seemed he couldn't get into Lock 13 because of rubbish - a motor bike, mattress, vacuum cleaner, section of builders fencing etc.   This delayed our passage for 1 hour and 40 minutes and dropped water levels above leading to us getting stuck on a large underwater obstruction at swingbridge 14 - another 40 minutes.   Then we were into "Orc" time, the fine weather had brought them all out, looking for opportunities but fortunately we had no incidents to worry about.   Portland Basin appears to me today to be full of boats which have all the appearances of permanent moorers, so we have found a spot just up the Peak Forest before the railway bridge.   Hoping for a good trip up the Lower Peak Forest tomorrow.