RBR 17/8/09

Another day out on the RBR - todays jaunt was a 390 mile trip from Lincoln to North Wales, Liverpool, Blackburn, Skipton and Halifax to bag another seven landmarks for the cause. The one near Blackburn was in a really crap location and two others required parking on a busy road but the landmark near Skipton was on a canal and was well worth the visit. Bit of a theme going today as the last visit was to another canal location near Halifax

Breakfast at the Ponderosa on the Horseshoe Pass near Llangollen. Well known bikers meeting point, but only me there today!!!

Locks at Sowerby Bridge. According to the info board this area is at the junction of the Calder & Hebble Navigation and the Rochdale Canal - probably means something to all the canal experts, I'm only going on what the board said. The wharf and canal basin area have been renovated with the old warehouses being turned into a pub, offices and a visitor centre. Nicely done and worth an hour or so wandering round if you're in the area.

Gladstone Memorial in Howarden outside the St Deniol's Library - had no idea this existed or that W E Gladstone lived in Howarden - I only stopped as he was a former MP for Newark in the 1830's (I lived in Newark for about 15 years) and I wondered why on earth there was this great big statue of him in North Wales!!

Swingbridge, near Skipton. Apparently this is the Leeds & Liverpool canal. The grey canal boat in the picture going through the swingbridge was being pulled along by two blokes and two kids - hope they weren't going far!!!

Plans for Scotland 2009 gather pace

Planning for 4th annual trip to Scotland done. Nige from Isle of Man is joining us and is a regular on this jaunt. Nige has a new Sat Nav and has done the route this year, Al's booked the accomodation (£76 each for five nights - not bad eh?), and Steve took 3 goes to book his ferry tickets but eventually got booked on the same ferries at the same times as the rest of us and having the bonus of being on the same boats in the same direction of travel. His excuse was he was on nights whilst trying to book them bless him.

Rough idea of where we're going

Out Thursday 10th September, back on Tuesday 15th September. Usual routine, meet Nige at services on M6, stopping at independent hostels.(the Pirates Cove, a Pink building in 'Balamory', and a Mongolian Yurt are some of the delightful places that await us.) Visiting Mull this year so thats new for all of us.

Watch this space as the Iphone will get some hammer to prove to the Better Halves it's not a holiday it's a trip!!