--- In [email protected], "sean neill" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > There was also mention in the brochure of fishing opportunities. I'm > not a big time fisherman, but I do enjoy it--though I never get to do > it as often as I'd like here at home. I imagine fishing in the canals > would be somewhat tricky, but the brochure mentions reservoirs that > are reachable from the canals, such as Stockton and Drayton, both of > which seem within reach of the routes I mentioned above. Anyone care > to share thoughts on this aspect? > > Thanks, > Dave > > Canal (and reservoir) fishing will be for coarse fish (in every sense of > the word). At the age of eight I caught some roach which tasted like > muddy cotton wool stuffed with pins. Perch and pike are marginally > edible, but otherwise the definition of a fishing rod as 'a piece of > wood with a maggot at both ends' applies. > > Sean >
Wigan isn't a 'no go' area!! I wouldn't leave a boat unattended overnight near Wigan Pier, but if you moor above the second lock (near the junction with the Leigh Branch and the sanitary station, it's pretty OK (or as OK as most large towns/cities), or down at Crook (1 mile or so West of Wigan) or at Dover Lock (about an hour down the Leigh Branch) or above the top lock at Wigan, everything's hunky dory. To be especially safe, if you stay at Dover Lock if you are coming from down South, you can do up to Appley Bridge in an easy day which is lovely by the locks, or up to the top of Wigan then one hour or so towards Chorley and you get to Red Rock which has permenant moorings on the Towpath side (you can squeeze on at the end!! or there's visitor moorings through the bridge but the view isn't as nice). You can certainly stop in Wigan for Lunch or Tea, or a quick shopping trip. There used to be a children's play area next to the canal above the first lock, but they're redeveloping it all now so it's gone. Hell Meadow lock also used to be a swimming pool but they built some new houses so the kids have moved to Pagefield Lock now. Just be friendly and light their cigarrettes when requested and you'll have no problems though. There's a handy petrol garage just West of the pier too for those of us who've always had petrol boats. (going to be cheaper after Novemeber, wonder who'll order the first batch of petrol driven narrowboats - but that's another story).
