It's Narrowboat Silver Fox's first big challenge! In this vlog we take Silver Fox from Tarleton Lock, down onto the River Douglas, the tidal Ribble Estuary, and onto the narrow, winding Savick Brook, onto the Millennium Ribble Link towards the Lancaster Canal. As we fight the incoming tide, Colin is panicking because water is coming in the gas lockers at the bow, and waves are as high as the gunwales! Shaun is chilled, and ex-navy seaman taking the rough crossing in his stride. Thank you to the Canal and River Trust for allowing us to use the map, as featured in their Skipper's Guide to the Ribble Link.
We leave the Liverpool Link and take narrowboat Silver Fox to rejoin the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, cruising through Bootle, Litherland, Melling, Maghull and Burscough on our way back to the Rufford Branch on our way to the Ribble Link. Dillon discovers the joys of jumping into the canal, we join the queue for a broken swing bridge passage and we discover the worst fish and chips we've ever tasted!
Our first cruise after launching our new narrowboat, Silver Fox, takes us down the Leeds and Liverpool Canal onto the Liverpool Canal Link and into Salthouse Dock. We take in the iconic Stanley Dock with the Tobacco Warehouse, Titanic Hotel, the Royal Liver Building and cultural Albert Dock to name but a few of Liverpool's historic architecture. Thanks to the Canal and River Trust for allowing us to use their map in this vlog.
It's finally here! After a year of watching narrowboat Silver Fox take shape, from base plate to fully fitted narrowboat, it's time to take her by lorry from Bickerstaffe Boats to St Mary's Marina in Rufford for launch day. We're launching her by crane into the marina, then sailing her along the Rufford Branch onto the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, heading for Salthouse Dock in Liverpool.
